I  started to explore more ways I could develop my collages, I looked into an artist named Deborah Dancy, her expressive work was really stunning. The way she creates blocks of colour was similar to the way I worked with my expression book and i knew i wanted to explore this further aswell.

my expressive book is a book filled with expressive mark-making using multi media collage. I use different medias with different dencities to show the different fabric qualities, its a really beautiful way to abstractly capture the samples. this is how I created my prints by making different collages, although this worked well for me i decided to take it further and look at how i could change this more.

I started by playing with the scale, this is a largere book and i played about with a more loose approach not showing so much on detail but focusing on the opeque cilours and bold marks. I wasnt a huge fan of the work on the larger scale i felt it missed the essence of the samples so i didnt take this idea further.

i also played around with creating multimedia prints, tearing them up and collaging back over, this was to symbolise the different layers to the samples. i personally feel the chaotic yet exciting energy best captures the spirits of the samples, and were most like Deborahs work, they capture fun bold marks with a playful twist best linking to the samples.

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i feel working In collage was the best idea for this project, the samples energy cant be recreated in a really detailed drawing. i wanted to make sure the drawings really captured the fun and expressive nature of the prints and by making these I feel they did.

My final sample is created using the large sublimation print which was machine manipulated to create repeats within the ruffling, I choose to do two lines of manipulation as between the fabric almost manipulates itself into stunning irregular ruffles, this allowed the expressive print on top to almost come alive, essentuating the painterly feel, like my previous research. Keeping in mind with the individulist style i have create an irregular shape with defining edges, this down a runway really does have that wow factor. I choose to layer a placement of alternative materials, featuring the plastic bag which was machine manipulated, a range of materials composed in a way to highlight each texture of the fabric, similarly to the weave. I also used the repetitive tape measure to layer inbetween with loopy upcycled shoelaces which again really essentuated that quirky feel whilst still being sustainable. I feel this aura of the same works well, the conversation between the placement and the print harmonises and highlights each other well, creating a beautiful eclectic conversation on the body.

I choose to illustrate in a funky way to portray the playfulness of the samples. i used collage to mimic models but added larger features to enhance the quirky feel. I planned the garment to be a showstopper and represented this through collage with materials and a collection of mark-making with different media types.

supporting sample board- 

I’ve chosen to keep the boards more basic to highlight the samples and their qualities. Like my presentation I’ve chosen key words to describe my samples i.e Quirky, tactile and playful. i also choose to use eco friendly boards as sustainability has been an aspect to this project i feel its important to keep this going.

Main board-  

I choose to name my sample Daily pandemic. I choose to show my colour pallet through the fabric qualities. I also choose my favourite illustration to show the placement on the body in the quirkiest way whilst still having my main sample big enough to be the main attraction.

I took a lot of inspiration from this eclectic weave. i really love how the layers just blend together, you have a mix if all juxtaposing fabric which have all been manipulated. The thin and arreatic nature of the manipulated plastic bag merging effortlessly with the knotted tulle blended next with the patternecd fabric and upcycled ikea handles. This is paired with machine manipulated upcycled tape meaures arranged loosely to give a fun, tactile look paired with loose shoe laces, these are then repeated. I really just love how well the fabrics communicate with each other. bringing this into the main i want to repeat elements similarly to how i have in the weave, its pathed the way for how the materials should be paired but in a really fun and playful way.

As i have worked larger scale i wanted to go smaller also, I choose to create this sample to showcase my favourite part of the weave which was the erratic nature of the alternative materials. This is a deconstructed version. I choose one of my heat transfered fabric and used the machine to manipulate to create the pleats within the fabric, i then layered on top a repeat of overlaying tape measure almost effortlessly creating layers. Looking back at my trends i also looked at cord, this was my upcycled laces, i manipulated in a fun loose way, essentuating each curve of the lace for this playful eclectic vibe. Looking forward i wanted to look at how this would work on a larger sample possible with more print.

For my third supporting sample I choose the large manipulated print with a placement sample to the left. This incorporated my favourite aspects from each sample above and also from my analytical notes of my previous samples. I decided the best way to get the chaotic vs calm feel was to have a placement sample connected to the print sample, having the manipulation clustered together on one aspect of the sample worked well, it was interesting and it made you go in for a closer look to see how each fabric complimented the other. This layered on top of the larger sublimation sample really harmonised the print was manipulated to flow this combined with the more chaotic sample just complimented each other making this sample sucessful.

My thought process is messy, I’m very ettratic with my notes but what helps me as a designer is laying everything out, having sketchbooks, exsisting sampling, collages and drawings . I then take paper and start writing and analysing so far. I looked at first the sampling as a whole and started to make connection to my research, making sure everything connected and I was following the trends research.

To make my supporting samples and final samples I choose my favourites and starting analysing them, why did this work? why was this technique effective? what colour proportions was this? did it give off the same chaotic aura as the rest? doing this is essential so i can take the best parts of my samples and essentuate them further leading to my main.

After dipicting and analysing my exsisting samples I knew going forward this sampling would be looking at the techniques that worked well, having a combination of my notes and also a breakdown of the samples on the pages below really highlighted what I wanted to move forward.

I first started off by creating fabric collages, I placed samples over each other and recorded how they looked, this was a really similar process from my starting stage, its finding what materials flow and work well together. From previous exploration I found out that what made the samples pop was the tight manipulation next to a world of contrasting materials. Combining this with the manipulated print would enhance the calm vs chaotic feel that I needed.

I found this process worked extremely well, it got all of my thoughts out and allowed me to visually see how well all the fabric qualities worked before actually sewing the fabric together. It also allowed me to identify weaknesses like an inbalance of materials, looking at one material overpowering the rest in either colour, shape or form. Whilst keeping in mind the bold, irregular shapes to give that shock value for individualist fashion.

Taking this forward I decided to manipulate the large sublimation prints, looking at the fabric collages it was clear that the piece would flow if the print was manipulated. I decided to look at how I manipulated the alternative materials using machine stitch and ruffling. I wanted to recreate the aura of chaotic vs calm and the best way to do that was through manipulating but keeping the manipulation spaced apart almost giving the fabric a change to breathe and flow. The way the fabric seems to effortlessly manipulate using repetitive overlapping ruffles I feel really highlights the fun expressive nature of the prints and does effectively capture the aura of calm vs chaotic creating a beautiful world of manipulated playfulness.

After researching trends print had to be included as “Joyful expression” is up and coming.

I first got to grips with my own print style, looking at how I worked and how this fit into the coming trend. I found an article on joyful expression focusing around really bold and fun marks, arratically all over the body. This trend was just me. I work in an extremely expressive way, looking at mark-making with multi media. i created this print book based around this, looking at emotional mark-making in corrolation to how i was feeling, this would prove as a base for my print development.

Print techniques 

Actually bringing these expressive marks to life I decided to focus around two techniques, disperse dyes and sublimation printing.

disperse dyes– Using this technique allows me to maintain the painterly feel. using my book I could easily recreate the marks using the dye and easily transfer this onto fabric maintaining the quirky and painterly feel.

When creating the designs I used a range of mark-making tools, to get the painterly feel I used a ruler to drag out the marks, this created a really unique shape with the dye. i also used a dry paintbrush, this gave me almost broken marks. I also introducted a new technique as i picked up heat transfer crayons, this was amazing. he heat transfer crayons allowed me to mimic the wax crayons marks perfectly without compromising this texture. The crayon was what the piece needed to really add the expressive fun feel.

Sublimation printing- sublimation printing is a form of digital printing. Its also extremely enviromentally friendly which is a key aspect to this project! for sublimation printing I decided to go with a recycled fabric as it best suited my project. I used photoshop to create mock prints and experimenting with different placements whilst bearing in mind the calm vs chaotic aura that has been a running theme. By doing this i found it really helped my development for this project and allowed me to experiement with a new technique.

These two prints have been modified on photoshop as a repeat. the expressive and quirky marks really do amplify the auras of this print, as this is mixed media i also want to manipulate the prints. the manipulation of the print i feel also magnifies the calm vs chaotic energy and really brings these prints to life creating a sense of drama.