Research: Inspiration Board

Looking through my images in a folder on my computer to me is not an appealing or inspiring way to spark some ideas and to help me develop my project further. So with this in mind I decided to produce a inspiration board on Adobe Photoshop which will represent the start of my final major project.

I prefer to see my work in this way and enjoy making moodboard because I find them very motivating and easy to work with when progressing through a project so that you stay on track at all times. I just need to print this out and place on my wall so as I can see this all the time.

Research: Colour

Today I spent some time looking through all my images I have already collected and began experimenting with colour and producing a number of colour palettes on Adobe Photoshop. I have now finally got a final colour palette which I feel would work well with my concept.

I chose this colour palette for the autumnal mood which works well with my Autumn/Winter 2014/15 trend research. The colours also have representation of rust and other distressed surfaces along with a few more feminine colours to represent the floral aesthetics.

My aim next is to experiment with these colours and play around with colour combinations and colourways.

Inspiration: Billy Kidd

Looking through the internet for inspiration I decided to look at the use of withering flowers in art and design. I came across a photography called Billy Kidd who has a number of beautiful photographs titled 'Decaying Flowers'

His collection of images shows that there is something beautiful and purely natural in the process of dying and the idea of flowers such as the rose can be just as beautiful at its withering stage. 

I particularly like the use of the dark background, showing the dramatic variety of vibrant and contrasting colours forming on the withering flower. These photographs will be a great source for the development of my colour palette.

Inspiration: Lyndie Dourthe

After researching into distressed surfaces I began looking at techniques to create this effect along with bringing in my floral influences as well. For my florals to blend into my concept I have been looking at more darker and dramatic hues, looking at withered flowers and foilage to represent the distressed and decaying of rust moss and metals as well as the coming of autumn and winter through decaying floral forms and petals. 

With this in mind I began looking at techniques that could represent this. I came across the designer Lyndie Dourthe and her floral collection titled 'Botanica'. Using paper and fabric she creates these very realistic flowers with the use of inks and dyes to create a kind of vintage aesthetic but with a modern twist. Each flower is delicately hand-dyed and the colours are restrained but vibrant.

I particularly like the use of darker black or brown dyes on the tips of the petals and could easily be done with dip dying of fabrics or paper giving a dramatic effect. This effect also reminds me of a withering burn effect.

restrained, but vibrant

The delicate hand-dyed papers and restrained, but vibrant colors make each flower a work of art. - See more at: http://anthologymag.com/blog3/2012/05/15/paper-flowers-by-lyndie-dourthe/#sthash.KGwHfvJe.dpuf

The delicate hand-dyed papers and restrained, but vibrant colors make each flower a work of art. - See more at: http://anthologymag.com/blog3/2012/05/15/paper-flowers-by-lyndie-dourthe/#sthash.KGwHfvJe.dpuf

hand-dyed papers and restrained, but vibrant colors make each flower a work of art - See more at: http://anthologymag.com/blog3/2012/05/15/paper-flowers-by-lyndie-dourthe/#sthash.KGwHfvJe.dpuf

I also like the delicacy of the flowers and I could simulate this using various thin papers such as tissue paper and fabrics like silk and organza.

Using these techniques as inspiration I am going to experiment with my own use of ink and dyes to create similar ideas for my project as I feel this will work really well with my concept and the style of work that I want to portray.

More of her work can be found here: http://lyndiedourtheworks.blogspot.co.uk/p/natiralia.html

Secondary Research: Interfiliere Trend Special

Interfiliere Paris is a trade show that is avaiable to visit on the 6th, 7th and the 8th of July and it will showcase trend research for Autumn/Winter 2014/15. They specialise in trends for intimates and beachwear but looking through there 4 trend themes one in particular caught my eye that relates to my own research and I feel would work in any design market. 

Found on the website for Underline Magazine one of the key trends they introduced was called Oxidized. I chose this as I was particularly influenced by the colour palette and it's links to my own concept.

Words by Underlines Magazine: The brown, copper and rust family develops strongly in combination with amazing surface & yarn treatments. It is part of the ongoing fascination of artisanal and crafted elements and a counterbalance of the technical invasion in our lifestyles, but it calls for reflection and forward thinking on how to use and merchandise these colours. The danger of ‘heaviness’ needs to be avoided even when an element of roughness is introduced, combining metallic or shiny accents and tonal multi-colour to add movement and delicacy.

Colour palette: Bronze, rust and brown tones for the artisanal effects.

Inspiration: Alex Ramsay

Using Google images as a starting point I spent some time typing in a number of key words relating to my project and tried to find some interesting surfaces and artists or designers. 

While doing this I came across these beautiful jewellery pieces from the designer Alex Ramsey who purposely distresses the surface to give her work an interesting twist to everyday jewellery.

Using enameled colour she experiments with applying this directly onto the metal surface leaving behind some interesting textures and colour. She also experiments with layers of material, creating even more depth and shadow to the pieces.

This gave me the idea to oxidize my own metals as visual research for observational drawing as well as colour palette development.

Secondary Research: MPDClick Trends

Today I spent time looking at current and future trends that influence my design concept. I looked closely at Autumn/Winter 2014/15 and the possible print and textile trends that are going to hit the market. I chose to use A/W 2014/15 because my final degree show, which is in July 2014, will be exhibited appropriately and at the right time for this season.

I currently only have access to the online trend facilities on my university online trend hub so I have been using the trend forecasting website MPDClick who have a lot of insight into the use of trends in a number of different cultures and markets. 

The market I prefer to work in is interiors as I have a better understanding of this than fashion so I began by looking at there trend articles for this looking closely at interior, print, graphics, product and colour.

One particular article that caught my eye was a trend titled 'Parallel Worlds' which looks at space and galaxies with a futuristic twist as inspiration for design.

Images from MPDClick

MPDClick Colour Palette

I think my design concept would fit into this trend very easily has it has very similar topics for print and pattern. Both concepts have emphasis on texture and the idea of oxidized and distressed surfaces.