DC - William Morris Pattern Swatches - Brief 5

Source: http://www.william-morris.co.uk/

William Morris has inspired me since college days, within the Arts and Crafts movement. His floral designs will continue to inspire me throughout the Laura Ashley brief, his colourful and detailed expressionistic pattern design and wonderful and something new I want to bring to the laura ashley range. 

DC - M&S Floral Swatches

Whilst looking in M&S home section I came across a huge wall full of swatches, I wasn't aware they did customised furniture products, so took a few swatches I felt would be appropriate to Laura Ashleys furniture and product selection to aid me in the designing processes. The style and patterns, detail and blockwork is different to everything I have so far collected. With a range of contextual aids, I feel it will help me create something different to the surface printed textile market.

Source: M&S Store - Leicester

DC - Laura Ashley Swatches

Pushing obtaining an understanding of Laura Ashley's ethos, I ordered some swatches with a floral theme. This will help me in the designing process, to make a design appropriate to the store, and fit in to it's already extensive collection.

Source: www.lauraashley.com

DC - Laura Ashley Catalogue

I ordered the Laura Ashley Catalogue so we could see on paper their extensive range, and approach to surface textile pattern and style. It is important our designs fit into their collection. The catalogue will also give us an idea of how far to push the design, and over which products. The selected pages scanned are my favoured surface pattern designs, each pushed over an entire rooms space and furniture and products within it.

Source: lauraashley.com

FMP - Cath Kidston Swatch

The Cath Kidson oil cloth swatch sample arrived today. I have always been a fan of their bright range of surface textile designs, not so much the oil cloth stock, or the approach to the style of content - it looks quite like its been produced using a marker pen with thick inaccurate strokes. This swatch is very much related to the summer side of our collection, with it being seasonal fruit - which too is something we could look at.

Source: Cathkidston.co.uk

Brief 5 - Laura Ashley

I have a huge interest in interior design, and all the products within it, more so the prints and illustrative patterns you can get on almost every house hold object. This is what has made me so excited about doing the Laura Ashley brief, that it will allow me to produce something usable in the real world, and will give me creative freedom. 

I wanted to see about the range of products which are able to be printed on, and the list is extensive. Below are a few different products which I like for both aesthetic purpose and as a decorative household object.

The patterns on the selection of mugs below, although a varied different pattern, work together as a series. This ideally is something I would like to be able to achieve within this brief, to create a range of illustrative surface pattern designs, so each product is individual to itself.

Source: http://www.behance.net/gallery/New-mug-designs/2802225

I love cushions. Like, loads. Probably have about 20 on my bed at home. 

This is another area I could push my pattern design into, and thats textiles and fabrics, which then opens up an even larger range of products I could design for. The colours used within the below designs in what I like best, its out of my comfort zone in regard to designing with so much vibrant colour, but if this is the outcome, I think its worth giving a try.

Source: http://www.behance.net/gallery/Bibu-Geometric-Cushions-Cover-Collection/6233045

I work primarily in black and white, so the designs below realistically are the closest to my current design style. I like the simplicity of the concept of the mug collection, showing the four seasons. For my product to be successful it will need a strong concept and idea like this.

Source:https://www.jossandmain.com/The-Four-Seasons-4-Piece-Cup-Set~WJD1019~E792.html

Brief 3 - Surface Pattern Design

As I want to concentrate and improve my skills within illustration for this brief I decided I wanted to try something new, to create surface pattern design, to push across a giftware range and packaging. I have found it difficult to try and do in the past, so its a technique I will have to research somewhat as to how to create a pattern which can be duplicated and create a swatch from.

I came across these really cute surface pattern design in relation to Spring / Summer - The topic I intend on concentrating on illustrating. Colour is an important element within these designs, they have been limited in regard to colour types (pastels, earthy etc) and have been carefully considered due to subject matter. 

Although the reason for the below designs is simply aesthetically driven, I want mine to contain meaning and reasoning - to be able to give explanation to my reason for doing the design and choosing content. This is something I need to look into further.

Source: http://www.behance.net/gallery/Ditsy-Collection/6388907