Textiles

For textiles we were briefed to make a repeating print, which automatically fit well with the objects I had collected to work from over the rolling project as a lot of my items were from Lolita brand 'Angelic Pretty' and many of their dresses focus on repeating border prints. The prints and dresses are designed by company's two main designers Maki and Asuka. As one of my collected items was a headbow with a print from Angelic Pretty on it (Milky Planet in Blue) I decided it was a good idea to focus on the prints by them.

Angelic Pretty Designers Maki and Asuka

A lot of the prints influenced my work in this project but I decided to show some of the most popular and notorious prints.

'Milky Planet' Print and Pink One Piece

Released in 2010

'Sugary Canival' Print and Jumper Skirts in Pink/Sax/Lavender

Released in 2009

'Honey Cake' Print and Mint One Piece

Released in 2011

 

These prints are then repeated all the way around the border of the dress, before release images like these above are released to show the print on different colourways (most commonly pastel colours like pink, yellow, mint, lilac, saxon blue, and also black)

So I created my own print using popular Lolita motifs common in items that I own - a theme common in Angelic Pretty's print dresses is cakes and desserts such as ice cream. I digitally created a section of print and copied it to give the repeating element. To then tie it in with this influence, I created a mock up of the dress with the print on, as well as an illustration of the dress being worn in the style of that.

My print

Print design put onto the dress, shown in multiple colourways upward (Lavender/Pink/Saxon Blue)

For a second artist influence, and as an example of the 'Fashion Template' style that I used. This particular example is by Hayden Williams, who draws many of these for Beyoncé Knowles' stage outfits. I felt this bought together other sections of the rolling programme such as Illustration (Vis Com) and Fashion. I enjoyed this as I felt it bought relevance to the work to show it in situ. I also liked that I was able to carry through my digital work which I have a preference for and the fact that I could make the subject more illustrative to match my interests.

My dress design on a template I illustrated in SAI (Lavender colourway)

Evaluation:

Textiles was one of my least favourite aspects of the rolling programme which is why I attempted to link it closely to illustration to turn it into an illustrative piece as opposed to working with patterns on the photocopier as many were advised to do. I feel that my own personal approach to the subject, however, made it flow better with the rest of my portfolio, especially with the fashion aspect as I integrated fashion drawings into it. If I had longer, or if I were to do the project again, I would spend longer refining the print itself, adding more detail to it, as I feel the colouring in particular was too simplified to match well with my influence as Angelic Pretty's prints are more vectored than digitally 'painted'.