Dyeing Fabrics

 Learning how to mix dyes is an important part of print making as it enables you to colour fabrics and experiment to get the shade you want. To mix a dye, a recipe is needed, which we were shown in a demonstration by one of the technicians.  The two types of dyes we were using were Procion and Acid. Through experimenting with colour samples and different fabrics we found that silk always came out a darker shade than the cotton. Procion dyes are better on silk or linen and acid dyes are best on silk or wool.  Once the dye was mixed it was poured into a cold dye bath, and then the fabric which had been soaked in water was added into the dye bath and left for around 20 minutes. It was then washed until all the excess dye had came out. I really enjoyed mixing up the dyes as it is a very hands on process and needs specific measuring and weighing to ensure the amount of each ingredient was correct. The end results were used as samples in my technical file.

 Cold water dye bath

 Using a spinner to drain excess water

 Finished samples

 Sample sheet

Koda-Trace Production

 In our studio sessions we are now doing a print module, which involves screen printing onto fabrics and creating samples using different techniques. To expose drawings onto a screen, a koda trace is used, which is a trace of your drawings using media which is opaque, such a china graph pencil, koda- trace pen, acrylic paint and Indian ink. In my koda trace I used a variety of different observations which I had done in the previous module. This enabled me to have plenty of images to work with when printing onto fabric and creating final pieces. 

Whitby Goth Weekend/ Whitby Kustom November 2013

Goth weekend is an event held twice a year in Whitby, and I went for the first time a few weeks ago at the start of November. It is one of the most popular goth events and attracts many people from around the UK and the world.  It is said that Whitby was chosen as the location for this event because of its Dracula connections and historic buildings. Whitby Kustom is a car show held on the same day in West Cliff school. Although it poured down there was a huge turn out of people and Whitby Kustom managed to raise a large amount for the development of the primary school. Here are some of my images taken from the day. 

                                                         http://www.whitbygothweekend.co.uk/

Jane Farnham

Throughout our professional studies module we have been asked to look at all areas of surface design, and keep updating our blog with things we find interesting. Gift design is something which I would like to do in my final year of university, so I have been looking on the PrintPattern blog for inspiration. (http://printpattern.blogspot.co.uk/)

Jane Farnham is a freelance surface/pattern designer maker who mainly uses repeat patterns within her work to create gorgeous surface designs. Computer illustration plays a big part in her work and coming from a graphic design background this is something I can relate to. Her work also reflects on what we have been doing in our drawing for design module in the studio.

These are just a few examples sourced from her many collections
Fruit Stand

 Garden Path

 Vintage Peach

She also has a shop where her designs are put onto home furnishings, tablet cases,ect.

http://janefarnhamdesigns.com/

Trends Industry A/W 14/15

http://www.wgsn.com/

  The womens biker jacket has been updated for Autumn/Winter 14/15 to include winter fabrics and minimalist detail, and the deep blue colouring is sure to stand out in the crowd. WGSN is a subscription website with a wide range of trends that cover all sectors of the design industry, including interiors and beauty. The website keeps you up to date on all forthcoming trends, and provides inspiration for designers.

While flicking through this months Cosmopolitan magazine, I found evidence of this trend among the fashion pages.