SILK SCARF COLLECTION

By manipulating and layering my drawings on photoshop, I've created a small collection of vibrant scarf designs. Experimenting with composition, I explored the idea of two sets of corners revealing different textures and colours; making the scarf multi-directional. The more spontaneous drawings I created for this collection became the most successful in the development stage. The quicker mark-makings i did in the initial drawing stages have made for the most energetic designs.

I wanted each scarf to incorporate very different elements, so no one scarf has a similar look to another. I ensured this through using a variety of drawing techniques and exploring a range of scales. in one of the designs; I have incorporated photographic elements. This has worked successful when transferred onto medium weight silk; adding vibrancy to the already saturated photographic imagery, giving the collection a contemporary feel.

I felt that working on this minor project for a fashion context has allowed me the opportunity to explore more experimental techniques of drawing and digital design that would have most likely been too loud to put into a repeat for interiors.

DEVELOPMENT OF MAJOR INTO MINOR PROJECT

Experimenting with mark-making, I have started to produce a more abstract collection of drawings inspired by exotic florals. My inspiration stemmed predominantly from fine art painters who's use of colour give their paintings a sense of energy and movement.

Focussing on colour, composition and texture, I am interested in the idea of producing floral drawings that aren't necessarily recognisable as flowers. I feel that this expressive approach to drawing would compliment the more motif based collection that I have been working on thus far. Initially, I intended the drawings to add to my interior collection, viewing them as a development in my major project. However, after considering them as digitally printed fabrics for interiors, I feel that actually the designs would lend themselves well to light weight silk scarves. Thus, I have been thinking about producing a range of silk scarves as a minor project. 

I came to the decision to create fashion accessory designs as I wanted to have variety within my portfolio, demonstrating a knowledge of contemporary fashion as well as interior designs. Furthermore, I felt that my drawing had developed into a more expressive, abstract style, more suited to a fashion placement print, rather than lending themselves to a repeat for interiors.

I tried to approach my drawings in a way which would allow me to easily translate them onto scarves. Thus, I used my sketchbook to map out the colours and compositions, so the drawings were designs in themselves. 

Research into high end fashion designers and retail companies has given me an interesting insight into the design of silk scarves. The designs are often very different; however, always in keeping with the designer's /companies trademark style. For example, Liberty London scarves, with a variety of floral patterns, almost all have the same proportion of borders around the edges. This is something I want to incorporate into my own scarf designs. Each designs will include very different elements and motifs, but will be tied together as a collection through their borders and finishing. 

TRIBAL BODY DECORATION

African tribal body decoration has become the initial starting point for my visual research. From this, I have begun looking at photographer, Hans Silvester's images of peoples of the Omo Valley Tribes, Ethiopia. His work features photo's of people of the Surma tribe, who decorate their bodies with natural clays and ornate floral head pieces. I'm interested in the combination of geometric hand-painted patterns, with organic botanics.

I am keen to explore the contrast between simplistic, opaque and often neutral body paint with exotic African florals.

DEVELOPING A CONCEPT

Inspired by the S/S14 trend, 'Sensorium', I began my summer project investigating ideas about the senses. Sitting in on a year 7 art lesson, I observed how one student in the class worked, having lost all vision at the age of 8. Drawing on a surface called german film which gave an imprinted suface when worked into with a pencil, Keeley's work focussed on texture through mark-making. I wanted my own work to explore and communicate multi-sensory enviroments which stimulated certain senses. Also keen to experiment with light, I focussed my research on only two of the senses; touch and sight.

I began looking at optical illusions and ways in which I could distort vision. Experimenting with photography, I used shells as visual media and a magnifying glass to create abstract shapes. Drawing from these shapes with inks was unsuccessful. I felt the photographs themselves were insteresting, but the drawings I produced from them didn't have the same momentum for me to take them forward.

As ‘Sensorium’ is all about human perception, I began photographing people on the street, experimenting with shutter speed and exposure to create energetic images of distorted shapes. I also took images of the body using a similar process. However, I found these difficult to draw from as they were so abstract. Images of skin and hair were equally uninspiring. I decided the reason I didn’t enjoy drawing from these images is because I struggled to find pattern and repetition in them. In the past, I have tended to work with more motif based imagery. I thought about other ways I could look at the body and skin.

I began thinking about skin as protective armour. I looked at images of animal scales and tribal armour. As well as protective body armour pieces, some African tribes also use body paint as a warning to other tribes. I was inspired by the idea of decorating the skin for protective or spiritual purposes. Thus, my attention turned to Tribal body decoration. I have taken from the initial idea of 'Sensorium' the idea of the human body. My research has instead turned towards decoration of the skin and body, rather than its biological senses.