My Degree Show - Tropics -Interior Surface Design

My Degree Show - Tropics- Final Exhibition  

 

  Here are a few snapshots of my final exhibition at university on the first night of the show. Hope you like them!!

Trains and Cranes Wall Detail

Part of the Left Side Wall

Me at my Degree Exhibition Stand

Evaluation

Tropics                               

                        

 

I chose to explore the theme Tropics for my FMP using digital print as the main process. I split the brief into 3 separate collections running along-side the theme of paradise, and exotic worlds.

My three collections are Bird and Flower, Fish and Coral and Trains and cranes.

At the start of the brief I was initially inspired by the Chinoiserie style from the 18^th Century which was extremely tropical and new at the time.

As I progressed my research I broadened my brief to tropical scenes so I could have a more contemporary style of painting, and a broader illustration bank for my design work.

My theme tropics greatly impacted on my painting style as I wanted my work to be bold and vibrant so my paint had to be a thicker consistency to create the three dimensional textures I required.

I started to looks at textures and how I could re-create them in my own style using mark making and dot-work. I started painting birds and flowers in a particular way using layered paint to give myself a different and personal style. Some of these developments didn’t turn out as planned, as maybe some were slightly overworked, but these paintings were very good for my fabric lengths as the fabrics were more tactile and could hold more busy illustrations well.

 I wanted to achieve a bright and varied interior collection using bold and busy placement to create an eye-catching design show and overall collection. I feel I have reached this goal and I’m really pleased with how my collections have turned out.

I had to make changes to my initial proposal as I wasn’t too sure what my final outcomes were going to be. In the end I didn’t do the fashion scarf collection, the room divider or gift wrap as I decided to focus on Interior fabrics and papers instead. I think this let me concentrate individually on the one interior design area rather than trying to fit my work into separate design areas.

My proposal helped me develop a specific interior area throughout the brief and stopped me from getting side-tracked with other spin off ideas and concepts as I was constrained with time limits. It also helped me with time management and planning of my brief as then I had set aims to reach for my final products.

My inspiration greatly impacted my work as I was able to get a lot of primary research for illustrations. I enjoyed all the external visits I went on but the most helpful and inspiring was definitely the National Rail Museum in York. This was because there was a huge railway archive there, where you can take photos and sketch from the pieces. The visit that was probably the least helpful was the trip to Bolton Museum as the tropical fish there were lacking.

I think my research has impacted strongly on my work as I wouldn’t have been able to find images like the photos I took, and my work wouldn’t have that individual feel to it.

The Selvage Edge Magazine has inspired me throughout the years and the recent editions have been especially interesting to my work. The styles recently have been botanical flowers, floral fabrics and natural materials. This inspired me so much in drawing style, I wanted to make my work as life-like as possible. Other books/mags that have helped me are Elle Decoration, Cloth Magazine Antique homes etc.

These editions have inspired my work throughout my FMP, especially wallpaper direct, as I could interpret what is in fashion, what is contemporary, and the in-trend design structures at the moment.

I’m really pleased with the outcome as it is roughly what I had in my head at the start of the brief. I printed my paper wallpaper drops (52-225cm) at Jessops in Manchester, and my Interior fabrics at University on a medium Cotton Satin.

The washing process was very difficult as I had 2.25M drops to work with so I had quite a lot of help from technicians and tutors about processes and drying difficulties. The advice helped me understand processes and was able to wash a 4M drop at home using my washing machine.

After washing the fabric I sent the ironed design on a roll to my upholsterer who did a fantastic job putting my tub chair together. I think this piece was one of the main objects that bring people into my exhibition stand. This item cost a lot in the end to make and has the largest price on my stand at a wholesale price of £780.

A few things went wrong throughout the making processes. The wallpapers were not a good enough quality at first so I had to print them again, which are in my sketchbook. This was ok though as I gave myself enough time for mistakes and I could then see what my design looked like at that size as I hadn’t seen it as a printed image before. I had them re-printed the next day at a higher resolution.

There were also a few issues with my fabric as some of the dye bled a bit in the drying process which I was panicking about for a while, but as the fabric settled the bleed wasn’t as noticeable which was a relief as I couldn’t afford any more fabric as 10M had cost me £150 the week before.

 I think I designed my work well as it all fits together as a brief with the similar colour palettes to link them together. I’m really pleased with my painting style as it has progressed and improved over the past year to a very good standard. I’m really proud of what I have achieved and wouldn’t make any changes to my designs now.

I have learned to keep to time scales really well through my FMP as that I one of the main things that get you through the year. I wasn’t very good at keeping to time in the 1^st and 2^nd year so I’m really happy I have learned to keep check of myself in all of my modules.

I have really enjoyed this brief and I think this shows through in my design work and exhibition stand. If I were to do this again or have more time I would definitely progress my fish and coral as I think I could have taken that collection a lot further if I had time.