The Born To Be Wild Swatchbook 2011, Extended Version: First Draft!!

Hello Born To Be Wild group!

It's time to think about the order of the swatchbook pages in preparation for this Friday's class and to give your voted-for designs postmodern titles!

This is a first draft of an extended e-version of the silk swatchbook. There is some revised writing on the last page and there is an introduction to come!

Click on this to see the full magazine effect:

Open publication - Free publishing - More co-design

The Swatchbook Begins!!

The working details of the swatchbook are now underway! Watch this space!

This is a working draft only to aid with teaching!

Voting!

An amazing afternoon of voting for the designs to go in our first collective 'Born to be Wild' swatch book! choosing fabric and now off to the printers, Ready to Share - Print - Wear !

Notes on Colour!

Inspired by the Postmodernist theme, a colour scheme might be based upon an image taken from the exhibition or a found one that relates. 

Emma Neuberg returns to the Las Vegas theme as it explicitly echoes the original thematic groupings, Subversion/Chaos and Humour/Fun.

Taking a neon sign to start, she selects 6 colours (there is a yellow ochre and an ochre with a hint of chartreuse in the original selection, as seen momentarily in the image!) and applies different shades and tints to get an idea of the feel of her collection.

If you have time, why not select a couple of photos to work out your own selection of colours (or alternative possibilities for a different season) and imagine how these may look.

What message might they communicate on the body - evening wear, luxury accents, resortwear, teenwear or nu rave, for instance?!

The People's Print on Film!!

Gather your thoughts for the People's Print first cinematic showcase!

Emma Neuberg and Emma Lundgren start a conversation on presenting the textiles work of the Slow Textiles Group with possibilities of developing printed textiles on film in showcases such as this one, called Samilight, S/S2012, directed by Javier Barcala.

This spectacular kitsch melee brings together the folkloric motifs of the Sami herding tribes of northern Sweden (close to Lundgren's home) with their space age neighbours at the Esrange Space Station, in digitally printed textiles!

On December 9th 2011, the Born To Be Wild group showcase their first co-created virtual show in the Digital Suite at the V&A. Where might it lead?

The People's Print Project pioneers the virtual life of digital print textiles!!

Today's Techniques - Photomontage As Graphic Repeat Pattern!!

The print on the right, called DoloresDollares!, demonstrates several overlays with the top one being a repeat pattern of the neon dollar sign. Today, we'll demonstrate how to create this repeat pattern and how  to play around with the colours!

This print, called FiorucciFelony!, demonstrates several overlays with the top one being a repeat pattern of the lipstick photo doctored in "Filter > Sketch > Halftone Pattern"and placed in a special surprise repeat! 

Play around with "Filter > Sketch > Halftone Pattern" (it's instant and fun), on all your photographic motifs to create a really "graphik" look! 

See if you can create a similar grouped motif yourself. Remember to use the maths as your guide!

Learning From Las Vegas!

Learning From Las Vegas by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown is the seminal "introducing postmodernism" text that kickstarted an entire movement in words, images and architecture. Humour, chaos, subversion, wit and pluralism is what followed: the postmodern ethos, aesthetic and way of life for a generation that didn't even know it!

These images build upon The People's Print tutorials demonstrated at the V&A on October 21st 2011. They introduce layering, plagiarism, bricolage, chaos, futility and humour in design in true postmodernist style!

Clockwise from Top Left:

LemonGrandmasterFlash!, SunshineFiesta!, TangyConfetti!, TuttiFruttiAliens!, FormicaFlurry!, MatisseFusion!, StakesOnTheTable!, NightimeBoogieBox!, JazzBlend!, TequilaSunrise!, PeachyMeccano! and ZingyZigzag! All mash-ups of Neuberg, Bowles, Behseta, du Pasquier and Basso&Brooke. 

'Make Your Mark' Digital Freehand!

Post Modernism freehand, The Cloth for Betty Jackson, Fraser Taylor, Keith Haring

As a textile student of the 80's I was influenced by the young London textile collective The Cloth who all met at the Royal College of Art. During the period of 1983-88 they produced an energetic body of work against the harsh backdrop of Thatcher's Britain, moving freely between Fine art and design projects, designing record sleeves for Spandau Ballet, Altered States and print collections for Paul Smith and Betty Jackson to name a few. The design collective co-founded by Fraser Taylor, David Band, Helen Manning and Brain Bolger established a thriving collaborative studio.

'The initial idea was very simple, to make it easier for ourselves. We had similar ideas so we thought why not join together and work with one aim as opposed to fighting against one another for work'

The Cloth 

Digital translation of work freehand, beautiful effects achieved with scanned collage, overlays, brushes, gradients and filters.