SummerTimes

Antoine and Manuel

2009-03-23T10:05:00.001-07:00

Horst P Horst

2009-01-09T16:33:00.000-08:00

I think these black and white photographs are lovely. They are elegantly timeless and chic.

Bourjois

2008-11-23T15:36:00.000-08:00

i like the new vintage design of the bourjois make-up packaging. Each pot in the collection contains an exquisite and celebrated design that appeared from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.

Gianni Versace

2008-10-25T17:07:00.000-07:00

Here are some garments from Gianni Versace's Spring/Summer 2009 ready to wear collection. The reason i picked them out is because i noticed that the printed pattern on the clothing was illustrations by Julie Verhoeven, and i love them. The print contains beautifully drawn images of sea like objects, collaged with other imagery, including women's' faces. They are eccentric, fun and dreamy and in a pale colour palette.

julie verhoeven

2008-10-25T14:56:00.000-07:00

Is a designer and fashion illustrator who began her career working as an assistant to John Galliano, where she did print designs, t-shirts and artwork for invitations to shows. Her illustrative work has been used for the print on clothes.

Her idiosyncratic work, is highly rooted in drawing, where she uses traditional media like a pilot pen, pencil and charcoal that she "Always feels comfortable with." She enjoys collage and multi layering of things. She treats the designs as pictures that should stand alone as a drawing. "I lose interest if i start putting things into repeat." Her preferred fabrics to print on is chiffon or georgette, because it reflects the multi layering of her artwork.

I like her originality of the illustrations and the fun, eccentric style of her work.

Hannah Jefferies

2008-10-22T14:33:00.000-07:00

Hannah Jefferies is from Loughborough School of Art and was awarded the print prize by Diane von Furstenberg for the Textprint organization.

Her inspiration came from a 3 month trip to New York from which she produced expressive paintings. Her designs include hand printed and digital prints, where she experiments with scale, mark making and clashing colour combinations. i really like this expressive technique of painting she uses and it reminds me of some missoni pieces.

http://www.texprint.org.uk/

Megan Park

2008-10-21T10:50:00.000-07:00

http://www.meganpark.co.uk/

Megan Park is a designer who is recognized for her artisans touch. I love the elegance and femininity of her collections. In the past she's designed textiles for a well-respected agency working for the likes of Givenchy, Dries van Noten and Kenzo. She has now set up her own company. Her inspiration comes from travel destinations around the world, such as the Parisian flea markets, street vendors in Hong Kong, and the bead markets of Old Delhi.

She spends 3months of the year working closely with artists in Delhi, using traditional print methods and hand crafted techniques like embroidery. Block printing is used and the designs are carved out of wood. She explains "Block printing will never be perfectly aligned and this lends to it a certain beauty." Print is an important factor in Park's work and her prints are sourced through old textile design books or findings in flea markets or vintage stores.

She layers her patterns and this is something i admire about her work. She says " The layering of pattern is important to me; it is essential to the look. Print is the background, and from that i can take the design in new directions with beading and embroidery."

Carolina Melis

2008-10-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

I adore these illustrations by Carolina Melis, they are so simple and beautiful. Her work explores ideas of delicacy, organic development, life cycles and living relationships.

http://www.carolinamelis.com/

Ghada Amer and Reza Farkhondeh

2008-10-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

This piece below i think is really nice. I like the combination of media and variation of line giving it interesting qualities; the expressiveness of the watercolour with the definition of the line. It is very subtle, with a plain background and the pastel colours of the butterflies and is something i also like about it.Apple Picking for Adults. 2007. Acrylic, watercolor, embroidery, and ink on STPI paper

http://www.artnet.com/Artists/ArtistHomePage.aspx?artist_id=425152493&page_tab=Artworks_for_sale

Fred Tomaselli

2008-10-21T04:12:00.000-07:00

These pieces by Tomaselli caught my eye when looking through a craft magazine, with the rich colours and exquisite detailing, they looked really enchanting. When i looked up the artist further, i found it very interesting to find out the unorthodox materials he uses in his work. These include prescription pills, medicinal herbs, hallucinogenic plants and images from books and magazines like butterflies, birds and flowers. The use of herbs and pills seems to add to the magical, supernatural aura of the painting. He claims his aim is “to seduce and transport the viewer in to space of these pictures while simultaneously revealing the mechanics of that seduction.”

Eleanor Bowley

2008-10-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

http://www.eleanorbowley.co.uk/

Eleanor Bowley graduated from the Arts Institute in Bournemouth with a BA Hons in Illustration. She recently produced a limited edition line of clothing for urban outfitters, based on recycling second hand garments. i like the collaged style of her work and the combination of various media to create quirky, vintage looking pieces.

Eleanor Bowley uses an element of recycling in her work, which links in with the idea of Eco- friendly and sustainable products, which i thought would be useful for my current project on innovation. She re-uses waste textile materials, and second hand buttons; things that are considered to be waste. Bowley deconstructs pieces of clothing and uses fabrics as a base to work further with combining the collage process. Her inspirations are fabrics buttons and vintage text.

David Downton

2008-10-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

David Downton was commissioned to design these stylish 'eco' friendly shopping bags for Marks and Spencer. The designs are very iconic and stylish and is definitely a great thing for the environment. I think it's good as it's a transformation from the boring plastic bags adding a sense of style to food shopping. It is apparently a "must-have style conscious accessory." Great for the Fashionista's!

http://www.daviddownton.com/

Beata Boucht

2008-10-04T11:53:00.000-07:00

I think this is just beautiful...lo kauppi novel
http://www.beataboucht.com/portfolio/

Nadia Flower

2008-10-04T11:27:00.000-07:00

Nadia Flower's illustrations are really edgy and fantasy like. I admire the piece above with the exotic theme and bright, fresh colours. I especially like the composition below, which i could imagine as a repeat for wallpaper. i find it really inspiring and love how the figures all blend in together and how areas are detailed with a print or detailing of clothes. The figures are very high fashion and quirky and the whole piece has a glamorous, feminine feel, which i adore.

Sara Singh

2008-10-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

I love Sara Singh's illustrations because of her expressive use of watercolours, which is something i also like to work with. In her fashionable pieces, the watercolours give a really beautiful, subtle feel while complimenting her subjects; accentuating female figures and flower forms,

Deanne Cheuk

2008-10-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

I admire these linear female drawings overlaid with floral designs combined with the free expressive quality of watercolour inks. The finished compositions are dreamy and mythical like.

Tord Boontje

2008-10-04T08:11:00.000-07:00

Beautiful laser cut designs make up the work of Tord Boontje. The various designs icluding, lights, textiles and installations all seem to share a common theme of fairytales and dream like things. The pieces project a elegent, delicate and give a magical feel, which i really like. http://www.tordboontje.com/

Matthew Williamson

2008-09-20T17:54:00.000-07:00

The Matthew Williamson exhibition at the Urbis in Manchester was well worth a visit. Especially because it was free as well. The fashion world always inspires me. I really enjoyed the exhibition and found Williamson’s work a great inspiration. On display was some truly beautiful dresses worn by some of the most glamorous stars such as Sienna Miller, Keira Knightly and Jade Jagger, as well as some of his 2008 Spring/Summer garments.

Matthew Williamson’s designs and approach seemed to strike a chord with some of my own interests. I love the exotic nature of his pieces and the fact that the dresses are so beautiful and sensual. I admire how he uses delicate silk fabrics combined with a bold print, which enhances the movement and flow of the garment. Embellishment with beads and jewels adds a further sense of glamour giving an intricate, feminine feel, another thing that I love. I especially like how he adorns pieces with brooches and jewellery reflecting his collected travel pieces and acting like souvenirs, which give a truly precious feel.

Travel is an important part in Williamson’s designs. India has especially been a huge influence on his design work. His influence of individual craftsmanship from India is apparent in his work. Each garment seems to reflect a travel destination and I find this travelled style inspiring.
His fascination with Chinoiserie motifs became influential. One of his designs originally began as wallpaper, which Williamson hand painted over and embellished with jewels for one of his stores, which was then re-designed as a one of couture garment, one of my favourites from the collection.

Platform Gallery Clitheroe

2008-09-19T13:05:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the artists/designers work i admired from the Lancashire and Yorkshire textile open exhibition at the Platform Gallery.

Kerry Mosley'trapped beauty'

This was one of my favourites from the exhibition, it was very effective and stood out to me from a distance. When viewed close up you could see the delicacy of it, suiting the butterfly theme and echoing their precious quality. Created using wire and machine stitch.

Karen Ruanne

http://www.karenruane.blogspot.com/

Elizabeth Darwin

http://www.elizabethdarwin.co.uk/

Inspired by landscapes and the English Countryside. Her work incorporates painting with machine and hand stitch.

Barbara Jepson

http://barbarajepson.com/ " Iris", batik and appliqué50 x 50cms

Mixed Border, batik and appliqué50 x 50cms

"Late Summer", batik and appliqué50 x 50cms

Betty Morris

http://www.bettystitchart.co.uk/

Farfield Mill

2008-09-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

Priscilla Jones

This week i visited Farfield Mill where the exhibition covered various crafts. I came across some pieces by Priscilla Jones, whose work i previously admired. I love how she collages various papers and fabrics then adds decoration and detail by machine stitch. Her subjects are usually simple such as tea cups, spoons and cakes, highlighting life's little pleasures and indulgences such as afternoon tea and cake. The combination of media in pastel colours along with choice in various grounds such as polka dots and stripes creates a whimsical, feminine feel.

I also saw the working progress of a in house textile designer, Mary Taylor, Specializing in embroidery. Her work was created by laying sheer fabrics, which were chosen so they could be burnt to reveal the different layers, then they were heavily machine stitched to keep the layers together. Her inspirations are taken from nature; from landscapes, rockfaces and rust and this is reflected in her pieces, through the choice of colour and stitch design.

Another artist whose work i found interesting was Clyde Olliver who used fragments of slate to create a composition, one was a human figure. I liked how he incorporated stitch into the slate, simply by piercing holes and putting a simple stitch through it. I think it was the contrast of materials which i was drawn to the most, the stitch against a hard surface, which also made it unique and reflected cave art where man made his mark on walls.

Gustav Klimt

2008-09-12T14:30:00.000-07:00

I visited the Gustav Klimt exhibition in Liverpool recently where there was a beautiful array of Gustav Klimt’s works and masterpieces displayed, which were truly magnificent. I found his work very inspiring and it was great to see some of the paintings I admire, which I have only previously seen in books. The detail and quality was much more amazing than you could imagine.

I love how Klimt combined a naturalistic style with defined, decorative elements to give an ornate quality; how his art created a harmonious balance between the organic and the artificial. I admire how he uses jewel like patterns and shapes to adorn and accentuate the human female form. The females appearing in his work are depicted as beautiful and always look harmonious and elegant, with embellishment and defined patterns complimenting the female beauty.

One of my favourite pieces was ‘The Beethoven Frieze’ and I was amazed by the scale of it, filling three full walls. It progressed almost like a story and symbolised different stages in life with carefully considered spacing, which was encapsulating. I liked how there was floating female figures linked together, almost like angels guiding you through different stages and bringing the piece together as a whole. Sections were embellished with gold giving a luxurious feel and standing out from the pastel backgrounds. Again Klimt works in harmony with pastel and rich colours, suggesting the difference from natural and ornamental, something I also admired in Klimt’s work.

In the exhibition shop some of Gustav Klimt’s designs had been transferred on to silk scarves, which I really liked and worked well. One scarf was black decorated with gold jewel like circular patterns just like those seen often in his work; they progressed up the scarf like a string of varying sized beads. Another scarf more colourful and flowery depicted one of Klimt’s landscape paintings, again working well. I like how these painted designs have been reinterpreted on to scarves and fashion items like bags and purses showing how his work can be diverse.

Rubbergob

2008-08-22T13:03:00.000-07:00

I like these stylish card designs by 'Rubbergob.' I admire the combination of simple hand drawn line with decorative patterns.

http://http://www.rubbergob.com.au/store2/index.php

les invasions ephemeres

2008-08-21T15:22:00.001-07:00

Tres Chic........................

I adore these sticker designs which i came across from french 'les invasions ephemeres'. I love the silhouettes of womens figures, which add a touch of glamour and elegance to a room. They work very well in a fashion boutique like below and look tres chic!

Printed Textiles Final Degree Show

2008-06-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

This week i visited the third years exhibition at Leeds College of Art and design. The work i thought was very impressive and to a high standard. It helped me a lot by giving me an idea of what is expected and it was good to see how people had developed their ideas. It was also good to see the range of work that was exhibited giving me an idea of the different pathways. There was wallpaper, cards, artists books, fashion, accessories, stationary, ceramics.

From what i saw i found the fashion outcomes the most inspiring for me, and is something i would like to look in to further. My favourite designs were by Elodie Smith, whose work employed print and Embroidery design. She had made some beautiful dresses which were very delicate with a nude colour palette and decorated with chiffon flowers adorned with beads. I have also got some of my favourite pieces of a few other students work that was exhibited.

Anna Buttery

www.annasden.com

Abigail Borg

www.abigailborg.co.uk

Lydia Meiying

www.hellomeiying.com

Teri Ivey

www.teriivey.co.uk

Claire Nicolson

2008-06-24T13:39:00.000-07:00

tea towel...Vintage hangings...

I think these little lavender filled bird hangings are cute and would add a little beauty to a room. Tied with a ribbon they could hang anywhere and would customize a bedroom perfectly, adding decoration to coat hangers. Made from vintage fabrics and look very Chic...

Cards...

These cards i like because of the simplicity and the collage quality. Nicolson firstly began these as collages and reproduced them into cards by using digital printing. A combination of different grounds such as graph paper and patterned paper are used to create simple bird and floral shapes that are visually effective.

Gwendolen

2008-06-24T08:11:00.000-07:00

I really like the feminine, fashionable and vintage style of these unique cards...

'Gwen' range

'Decor' card
'...Queen' card
"Shoes" range

"Gwendolen" a label launched by artist and illustrator Anna Wilman specializing in card designs. These cards have a feminine, fashionable and vintage feel and i really like them. One thing i admire is that Anna Wilman uses stitch in her designs in the 'Gwen' series. The free flowing lines suggest movement and accentuate female figures. This is then combined with a strong sense of colour and print. Her work creatively experiments with texture, colour and pattern.

http://www.paul1410.plus.com/gwendolen/index.htm

Lucy Joy

2008-06-24T05:19:00.000-07:00

These illustrations i really admire. i like the second one which looks very fantasy like with a collection of beautifully drawn objects and coloured with soft, pastel colours. This was created for My Design Company with a pitch for packaging illustrations for 'High Tea' perfume.
i also like the vibrancy of the cake design and it has a rich, scrumtuous feel, with the bright colours.

Lucy Joy is an illustrator who graduated in 2006 and has worked on various commissions since. When i came across her work i instantly loved her illustrations; they are very decorative and beautiful with ornate like imagery. Her designs appear on mainly book covers and magazines and has covered a range if design briefs for companys like blue rinse, burberry and orange. Her work can be found at: http://www.lucyjoyoldfield.blogspot.com/ http://www.lucyjoyoldfield.com/

2008-06-23T13:50:00.000-07:00

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5010419 i like these individually hand printed designs by MIKODESIGN. Simplicity, colour and fantasy are the signature of the collection of Mikodesign and designs are printed on vintage fabrics. i think these simple russian doll designs are striking and i like them applied to the bag, where the simplicity works well.

Esther Coombs

2008-06-23T12:53:00.000-07:00

i love these tea sets by Esther Coombs from http://www.esthercoombs.com/page3.htm She draws designs on to discarded ceramics and also glass, she recalls these items "retrieved from a lost life illustrated and assembled" quickly became an obsession. i love this idea of taking old, unwanted ceramics and customizing them with a new design. On these tea sets the elegantly drawn designs compliment the existing floral images giving an individual, quirky feel. i especially like how delicate patterns of tea coasters have been applied and the addition of tea bags. And because i love tea they seem even more special.

Lottie Lane

2008-06-22T17:05:00.000-07:00

These card designs are by lottie lane from http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/lottielane/products?page=2

i really like the exploration and of line and the illustrative style. My favourites are the floral designs. i like how the designs are overlaid with different variations of line.