Sin Repeat

After compleating my 'Virtue' repeat design I began intensive work on also putting 'Sin' into repeat and manipulating it digitally to ensure that the design is perfect. The final repeat can be seen below. I decided that the design should be simpler than Virtue to create a range of different levels of complexity across my collection, and because I intend to work onto the digital print using metallic powder.

Virtue Repeat

After cleaning the high resolution scan of 'Virtue' and resolving any errors, the next step was to put the design into a prefect repeat unit. This was achieved using the 'Offset' tool in Photoshop. Once in repeat, the background of the design was removed, meaning that the colour, texture and pattern behind 'Virtue' was easily interchangeable. I experimented with painting watercolour sheets and placing those into repeat, to act as a background and add subtle texture to the design, preventing it from becoming flat. The results can be seen below:

'Sin'

Another design which I have been working on, and acts as the opposing design to 'Virtue' is 'Sin'. Naturally I chose to echo specific aesthetic aspects within both designs to unify the collection, such as halos and dotwork, as well as scale. In order to reflect the more sinister subversive message of the design I decided to design the halos black with gold dots, as a twist on the more tradiotional approach. Halos are a fascinating aspect of ecclesiastical art, as they change and develop through time periods, and different artists have very varied approaches to the halo (my personal favourite being Fra Angelico and his many different visual interpretations of the halo).

Timorous Beasties, Clerkenwell

During my visit to the V&A I also took the time to visit the Timorous Beasties showroom in Clerkenwell, to aid both my studio and context work.
The designs were breathtaking. As a printer I enjoy the labour intensive, hand process of screen printing, so I loved seeing hand printed lengths of wallpaper and getting to see their fabric ranges up close for the first time.
Having printed 3 metre lengths on fabric in the past I was especially interested to observe the paper pigments and different effects they can be used to create.
The assistant was incredibly friendly and helpful, so I encourage anyone interested in contemporary design, especially print, and in textiles with a concept, visit the Timorous Beasties showroom now!