Sketchbook Pages 5 and 6

Pintrest research

To further develop my ideas before starting the drawing and mark making stage i took to Pintrest to see what imagery i could find to help develop my ideas. Initially i started by searching ‘aliens for girls’ as i was looking for a feminine take on aliens. One benefit of Pintrest is that if you click on one image it leads you onto lots of related images so you can really get lost inside a search which is really beneficial. After a while of searching i started to uncover many flower and plant alien type entities. I felt these related really well to my ideas and theme so this is what the majority of the imagery i collected is of. I feel these characters will really play on my demographics imagination and attract them to my collection.

After enjoying my previous collages i decided to do this again in my sketchbook. As well as this, once gathering my Pintrest images i really wanted to combine them with my florals and thought this be the best way to do it. By laying together the two different sets of research i hope they will spark ideas and inspire me when it comes to the drawing stage.

Overall i found this Pintrest research exceptionally inspiring as it has really brought my key themes together. I was debating previously on whether to present my aliens and florals separately or as one form and i think this research has given me a really good starting point for how i can combine the two elements. I do think that this process will be difficult; however, i have enough time to experiment with ideas so, as long as i keep to my timetable i will have more than enough time to develop these ideas to a high standard.

Target Market

My target market will be girls between the ages of 9 and 12. Although most of my designs will reflect this gender i do intend some of my designs to be genderless as this was a key point raised within my trend research to be a prominent idea for SS’21.

SS’21 will be the season i am designing for as this was the closest matched with my own ideas from my trend research and will give me enough time to produce my designs. AW’21/22 was considered; however, my initial ideas better reflected that of SS, especially in relation to colour pallet. All designs will be intended for various aspects of a girls bedroom such as: Blinds, curtains, bedding, lamps, wallpapers, bunting ect. therefor this project will fall into the interiors category.

The collection will be digitally printed as this is a highly efficient and professional way of producing a collection. Embroidery will be experimented with; however, this may or may not be used within the final collection, dependant on how appropriate it is for each design and product.

My designs will be produced for a mid to high end target market which will allow myself to include sustainable substrates within my products. This will require my customer to have a larger disposable income and a willingness to invest in eco-friendly products. A various range of papers and fabrics will be researched throughout the project to ensure there are some substrates made out of sustainable materials within my final collection.

My target customer will be coming to the end of primary school or have just started at secondary school. They live with both their parents and twin brother. The parents like to invest in sustainable products as they are aware of the impact their generation has had on the planet and want this to improve in the life time of their children. When going shopping for interior items such as the children’s bedding they all go together and the children pick the items; however, the parents have the final say.

The family lives in west London and regally visits Kew Gardens where they hold a family membership and go for days out. The family also regally visits National Trust sites where there is lots of space for the children to play and reconnects them with the natural world; as they spend most of their time living in the city. The family spend a lot of their disposable income on holidaying in exotic locations such as South America.

The girl likes to wear dresses and sparkly items; however, does not mind getting these messy when she plays outdoors with her brother. The two children often enjoy playing dress up together where they act out scenes from their favourite TV show and film Doctor Who and Enders Game. Neither of the twins have developed an over elaborate sense of taste at their young age. Despite this the boy will eat almost anything and a lot of it where as the girl is very fussy and normally sticks to plainer foods such as fish fingers, pizza and lasagna.

This project is not expected to cause any ethical issues nor will the production of my designs.

Creating the repeating structures will rely heavily on digital processes as well as editing the motifs.

Ensuring at least some of my designs are printed onto sustainable fabrics will minimise the negative global impact my collection is making.

These sustainability aspects will create an entrepreneurial risk which will pay off thanks to the ever increasing global demand for sustainable products.

Sketchbook Page 3.5

Pink background hue of pages 3 and 4

This sample demonstrates a range of approaches i used in order to colour the backgrounds of pages 3 and 4. To create a visually pleasing and cohesive double page spread i wanted to use the same hue and technique on both. Initially i thought about buying different coloured sheets of iridescent paper to use as a background; however, then thought it may be more sustainable to utilise some of the items i already have in my art box.

I wanted to use a girly tone in order to balance out my alien imagery on both pages. All the imagery was very dark in tone and i wanted to demonstrate the collection would be for girls so thought a pink hue would be most appropriate. Overall i am very happy with this choice as i feel it does lift the double page spread and helps to clarify what my target audience is. As well as selecting pink i selected this particular shade as it had a metallic finish which injects a bit of sparkle into the double page spread without overwhelming it.

To try and create texture i initially experimented with using a sponge and blending pink and white acrylic paints. However, i realised the white was taking away the metallic element from the pink so decided to forget the white hue. Instead, i then tried simply using the sponge as a paintbrush and dragging it across the page to create a flat pink hue, which i felt was a lot more successful. To ensure this had some texture i left mainly the edges with a ruff finish to create the impression of a blended edge. Overall i was very happy with this technique as it was an easy way to introduce texture and colour into my background without breaking the bank and utilising the tools i already had at home. To finish off this sample i simply hole punched it and attached it to my book using pink ribbon. Initially i was going to sew it in using embroidery thread; however, felt the pink ribbon better connected the sample with my target demographic.

Sketchbook Page 4

Film Research

To continue to inspire my alien theme i decided to look at some films about aliens as thought this would be a great hub of inspiration. Overall i think this was a great idea as initially i was having trouble finding research on this area but alien and sci-fi films do attract a huge market. This page features a range of monsters from films including: Guardians of the Galaxy, Annihilation, Beyond Skyline, Cowboys Vs Aliens, Enders Game, MIB, Predator and Alien. I selected these films based on the interesting shapes of aliens and also that some of these films would be the sort my target demographic would be watching.

This page entails a complete variety of aliens from those that may scare my target audience to some that would really appeal to them. What i am hoping is that by bringing them all together i will create something that will really attract my target demographic and play on their imagination.

These images have a vastly more limited colour pallet than those from my Doctor Who research which i feel makes them appeal to a slightly elder demographic. I feel for my aliens a wider array of colours may be more appropriate in order to make them appear less threatening. This use of colour to change the perception of an illustration is something i encountered within my instagram research where the addition of a bright yellow hue on a fairly scary illustration made the overall design more friendly. Although i want to inject more hues into my aliens i will still be performing this in a restricted way so that colour does not overwhelm my outcomes and i am still left with sophisticated and professional designs.

Overall i feel if i take inspiration from all or a variety of these aliens my own will be diverse and individual themselves. I am very excited to start illustrating my aliens as as of yet i am not too sure what they will look like. To start my illustrations i will experiment with a broad selection of tools and drawing materials in order to find the most suitable for my own designs. To create my aliens i would also like to experiment with hand embroidery as i feel this may create the soft and delicate aliens i am looking to include within my collection.

Sketchbook Page 3

TV Research- Doctor Who

In order to further inform my ideas i decided to reflect back on some of the aliens featured throughout Doctor Who over the years. I feel this will be a great source of inspiration for my project as it is the kind of TV show my demograph will watch and enjoy.

To find the aliens featured i simply googled aliens in Doctor Who and a whole list came up and in which year they first appeared. This provided me with a great idea of exactly what monsters my target demographic will have seen and also those that may be slightly before their time. Instead of presenting these images on my blog which is where a vast amount of my research is featured, i thought it might be nice to collage them in my sketchbook. Having them visually in my sketchbook layered up will also hopefully help me to start to unpick elements from each alien and combine them to see what i can personally come up with.

Having such an array of face and body shapes as well as key features right at the start of my sketchbook will prove vital when i move onto the drawing stage. If i am stuck for ideas i can now easily refer to this page in order to gain inspiration for how to further develop my ideas. As well as this, as Doctor Who is a family/ young persons show about aliens it gives me a very good idea of just how scary mine should be in order to appeal to my target demographic without making them too scary.

Throughout the different aliens i am very pleased with the amount of diverse colour inspiration. Initially i felt this would be lacking; however, the aliens and especially their skin tone do appear in a diverse range of hues. The actual skin colour of my aliens is something i have not thought in-depth about as of yet but something i will now start to consider, especially in relation to my female target market.

Overall i am very excited to utilise some of the imagery i have found here and develop it in my own style and toward my target demographic. I feel collaging the images in my sketchbook has brought a little bit of diversity to my project so far and the way i present my ideas. As well as this, presenting some research in my sketchbook should help it to flow better as a single submission piece as it will show where my drawing inspirations have steamed from.

Project name/ title

Intending to work with florals and aliens i wanted to come up with a name for my project which really in-captured both these elements and was more individual than just simply calling it Alien florals or something along these lines. Wanting to send my brief off to Helen this was the only element that was missing so i sat and thought deeply about what this could be.

As most of my flowers are Orchids i thought this be appropriate to use within the title as i was not getting very far with the word florals. Soon i started to mix the words Orchid and Aliens together in my head and felt i was onto something so started to brainstorm this. As my project is to be about aliens i felt a name that was a bit odd would suit this well so came up with a list which included; Orchalien, Orchlien, Alid, Aliehid, Alienid, Alienchild and Alienrchid.

Out of all these names it is Orchlien that has stood out to me the most as it does roll off the tongue ok but still has a pretty weird feel about it which i feel will suit my collection well. Now having googled the word to ensure it doesn’t mean anything rude i feel confident going forward with this. This i will use on my brief and then ask for Helens feedback on it just to ensure it is appropriate.

Cardiff Museum Research

Initially i just visited Cardiff Museum to see if there was anything i could indirectly take inspiration from and wasn’t expecting anything to hit my idea on the head. However, after exploring the bottom floor i noticed a cabinet full of roots and leafs and found some items which pretty much nailed my idea and could really inspire my project.

Unfortunately because the items were in a glass case and against a background a similar hue to themselves my images are awfully unclear. Despite this, you can just about make out the shape and structure of the item and i can easily visit the museum again if i need to see it in more detail.

What really stuck me about the first plant item was how much it looks like a character called Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy. This character is a tree made to look similar to a person which is similar to what i am trying to achieve within my project. This character will definitely be included within my film research. I feel what makes these plants look human is the branches/ stems acting like arms and the routes acting as legs. Analysing this factor will prove really useful for when starting to draw/ construct my initial ideas.

Overall i am really glad i encountered these items within Cardiff Museum and it shows that with a little imagination i can find inspiration almost anywhere. When i am out and about in the future i will keep on the look out for other sources of inspiration as it is clear they will not always be obvious.

Colombian Floral Primary Research

Whilst in Colombia on my summer international internship i was lucky enough to be there during the national festival of Festival of Flowers. This is a weekend within Medellin and the rest of Colombia where the nation celebrates the wide variety of Orchids amongst other flowers native to their country. As well as being lucky enough to be in this country during this weekend i was also lucky enough to be living just minutes from where the parade takes place which was a wonderful thing to see.

It is these images comprised in a slide show bellow which will be my main primary research inspiration for my degree show project. Within this blog post i have included the full extensive range of images from my trip of the florals and foliage i found inspiring; however, i will only be drawing/ painting from my favourite of these to include within my designs. These images were collected throughout my trip, but a vast majority were taken at the Botanical Gardens which had a hugely diverse display as it was the Festival of Flowers. This trip to the Gardens alone was so inspiring and i could not get enough of these amazing little but so highly detailed flowers.

As well as these florals being really inspiring to draw/ paint from they are also what inspired me to include aliens within my work. Some of the florals i encountered could not look more like undercover aliens hiding within our world, and if you google Orchid Aliens this topic is extensively discussed online.

Overall i am really excited to go forward and start to try and recreate these highly detailed florals through my own style. As of yet, i am not sure whether my aliens and florals will be completely separate entities, or if they will be merged to represent the under cover alien idea i felt when initially seeing these florals. Either way i am very excited to move forward with this project as i still find these florals as alluring as i initially did six months ago.

WGSN Key Points

From my WGSN research i have collected the key points from all the reports and compiled them into this bog post. To organise them i have divided them into sections so if i want to have a quick referral as i am in need of inspiration the ideas are easy to locate. Some points came up twice; however, instead of removing the double i have decided to keep it to show the importance put on this element/ idea. Overall i feel adding these key points was a great idea as they highlight the important parts from each report in a really direct way. Coding the results found from the trend reports reminded me of when i had to code my data from my dissertation interviews. It is nice to be able to utilise this skill again within a practical mogul.

Colour

  • Neutral tones paired with rich/ bright shades
  • neutral tones
  • Utilise neutrals
  • Neutrals to signify luxury
  • Use pastel tones to represent SS
  • Organic colour
  • embrace colour imperfection for a sustainable aesthetic
  • Muted sugary pastels
  • Candy Colours
  • Pastel hues from deep rose to light mint
  • Fleshy pinks
  • Artificial colour inspired by 5G and screens
  • Opalescent Glow
  • Off kilter brights
  • Add a digital twist through digitally enhanced hues
  • Futuristic Brights
  • Ombre effects
  • Alluring and mystical finishes through foils and metallic yarns
  • textural values from earth-worn dyes
  • Utilising metallic, iridescent, pearlescent and opalescent substrates
  • Pale Pearlescent’s
  • Focus on textural metallics
  • Focus on blue in saturated or cool tones
  • Updated Softer iridescent hues
  • Juxtaposition of lights and darks
  • Warm and cool tones
  • Utilise less obvious brights with an artificial edge to create graphic Contrasts and unexpected juxtapositions, combine these with
  • Glam and Shine

Nature

  • Be inspired by nature
  • Natural forms
  • Utilise wild stem imagery
  • Soft florals
  • Fine Florals
  • Botanical foliage
  • Textures inspired by nature
  • Imagery inspired by nature
  • Altered Nature
  • Distorting nature through digital effects
  • Embrace all aspects of nature (try combing with textural values from earth-worn dyes, camouflage skins and ripple effects)
  • Camouflage skins and ripple effects
  • Encourage children to get back to nature

Space/ Aliens

  • Mystic wonders from astrology and the cosmic world
  • Magical motifs and icons
  • Be influenced by sci-fi games
  • UFOs
  • Star Wars
  • Space Ships
  • Space Adventure
  • Space-Scape
  • Incorporating futuristic elements
  • Cosmos influence
  • Mystical Signs
  • Horoscope and Zodiac Signs

Sustainability

  • Advertise sustainable aspects of my designs
  • Be transparent about sustainability
  • Work with local manufactures to grow the local community
  • Tell a story
  • Give the gift of craft
  • Use natural and sustainable materials
  • Made to last
  • Reduce waste through design and production
  • Sustainable materials and lasting sustainability
  • 100% organic and ethically sourced substrates
  • Eco-friendly substrates and production
  • Using illustrations to show kids how to help protect the planet

Characteristics

  • Ageless and genderless
  • Genderless design
  • Encourage self-expression
  • Create sensory experiences
  • Focus on comfort
  • Encourage wellness through design
  • The combination of high and low tech
  • Use social media to reach a wider audience
  • Embossed wallpapers
  • Go bold with pattern
  • Mix and Match maximalist patterns
  • The combination of high and low tech

Inspirations

  • New tv and film characters
  • Retro favourite characters
  • Culture collaboration
  • Combining the unexpected

Key

  • Combining elements from reports before constructing motifs and designs
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