COM'ON PROJECT WINNER 2009

I have just spent 3 and a half wonderful weeks in beautiful Como, Italy, as part of the Com'ON creative project. Linked with the TextPrint scarf competition, the three winning scarves and three runners up visited Como to learn about the famous silk industry. Part of the prize were exciting trips to Ratti, Canepa, Gucci, Alberta Ferretti and Jean Paul Gaultiers, museums, print studios and latest collection viewings.

After the first week when all the other award winners had left, I stayed to work in a small studio for two weeks where there was alot to learn. A little slow at first, I feel I got better everyday and was doing up to six designs a day by the end. I think with another week or so practice I may have been up to the standard of the other deigners in the studio who created 8-10 a day! The experience was invaluable.

View the Com'ON project at http://www.comon-co.it/ 

and my profile

http://www.comonco.it/Dynamic/Designers,intLangID,1,intCategoryID,51,intItemID,295.html.

The winning scarves of 2009's Como at the loom cafe in Como.

Alberta Ferretti's latest collections in Milano.

Work Placement at Mosaic in Como, Italy 2009

While I was in Como in Italy I spent two weeks working in a studio called Mosaique, during the time I created contemporary (some conversational) prints. The studio used photoshop as a means of creating all of its designs and were quite tradional in their style using alot of florals and animal prints. The boss Mr Mario was quite open to new ideas and asked me to create anything I wanted but in my usual contemporary style and colours. The designs were printed and the sales persons are currently looking for buyers all over the world.

These three conversational pieces take on old ideas with damask and toile de jour as their inspiration, however they are all made contemporary in different ways. The first has ghost like shadows/ silhouette's breaking up the background. The second and third have unexpected objects and animals, some reflecting todays culture. The green print below is a simple mirror repeat with an added circle motif. The shape insinautes a target creating conversation through linked imagery.

Prints for Men's wear - Designed @ Mosaic by Me

Alas more Flora and Forna - Designed @ Mosaic by Me

Scarf Designs - Developing the Whisper Brief

Whisper Brief

Spring/Summer 2011

“Let not thy will roar when thy power can but whisper”

In a world of smoke and mirrors, whisper takes on the illusionary nature of a mirage in soft colours and hand-tinted finishes reminiscent of pre-colour photography. Yet this is not a static homage to a by-gone age. Movement is inherent in everything, from dancing flames to the dripping of a tap. Whether wet, frosted, burnt or cloudy, surface textures play with different levels of opacity, while furniture and architecture are skeletal – as interiors seamlessly blend with exteriors allowing the inside out, and vice versa.

Key words: wind, mist, smoke and rain. Partially concealed (wrapped/dissolving) ghosted imagery, mirrored glass distortion, marbling, semi-opaque transparency, shower curtains, heavy plastics, frosted glass, misty waterfalls, shiny iridescent marbles, jelly fish, bleeding colours, gradients.

Textures: Micro, pebbles, sand, stippling, marbling, spray foam, bubbles, crinkled aluminium, mother of pearl, swirling undulating rhythms, smoke rings, geysers, rattan.

Forms: dandelion clocks, seed pods, artichokes, roses (closed), thistles, electric pylons, bicycle wheels, honey combs, magnified snowflakes and cell structures.

Whisper Drawings

Como Textprint Scarf Competition entry 2009

Como Textprint Competition Collection Entered - 'Siena the Palio'

Final University Collection - Visual Catwalk

Final Collection - Eccentric Brouhaha London

Notting Hill Collection in Action

Notting Hill Inspired Collection

Developing Designs Using Filters on Photoshop

POPULAR CULTURE CAPTURED BY THE MEDIA

Designed to capture and reflect the 21st Century’s popular culture combining graphics and illustration as a modern drawing method. Using bold colours in a rainbow array with flecks, of neon and a mix and match of photo and illustrated imagery with floral and geometrics to create a sense of varied cultures in a bustling commercial city. Through photo manipulation, collage and illustration of popular culture and political imagery, vibrant, conversational and culturally diverse prints will reflect today’s modern cities and people.

Playing with Popular Culture Imagery & Final Colour Way

Final University Project Development

Using panoramic photos taken in Birmingham and London of the cities sky lines. These images have been inspired by Pop Art, in particular Andy Warhols work.