Over the Christmas break i decided to visit Kew Gardens in west London to get some primary photography for my initial illustrations. I have never visited the gardens as it is on the opposite side of London to myself; however, throught this project would be a good excuse to make a visit.

Overall i was not really sure what to expect nor if i would be able to gather a diverse range of images at this time of year. Despite this, the grounds were littered with greenhouse type buildings which held a vast variety of plants, trees and flowers from all over the world.

One element i did enjoy were the variety orchids in an array of colours and detailed patterns. These very much reminded me of some of the florals i had seen in Colombia. I think florals with abstract details such as these would be very appropriate to include within my designs and for my target market as they come across a little more exciting and modern than garden florals. As well as this, because of the pattern and details on the florals they already appear to be slightly alien meaning they should mix really well with the rest of my imagery.

I feel this trip was really worth while and has given me some great inspiration on shape, pattern, texture and form for my initial illustrations. As well as florals it has also given me some ideas on plants, leafs and trees that i could include within my designs and have also given myself the idea to think about how these differ across the globe instead of restricting my mind to those we have in the UK. Although this trip to Kew Gardens was specifically for this project i will definitely return again.

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On a trip into central London i decided to visit Harrods to have a look at their range of bedding and other interior products which entailed print and pattern. Unfortunately they do not stock wallpaper in store so i still find myself in a position where i am gaining a vast amount of research on bedding; however, not much in relation to wallpaper.

The first items i came across which i felt could inspire my collection are by Emma J Shipley who i have researched for a previous collection. Although she utilises animals within her work i could adapt this into alien type entities inspired by she shapes and forms present within her illustrations. Despite being drawn to the pattern and textures within her work i feel i would want to be more experimental with colour within my own, especially as i am aiming at a lower demographic who may be more so drawn to certain shades. These products retail for an exceptionally higher price than the stores i have previously looked at and are definitely aiming at a high end market. Despite retailing for a higher price there was no sign that the substrates used are ethically sourced and sustainable.

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The next area which drew my attention was by the company Schlossberg because of the vast amount of florals they use within their work in a pleasing array of colours. Although i did enjoy Emma J Shipley’s designs these much better relate to the type of imagery i want to portray within my collection. As well as liking the imagery i also felt the colour pallet was a lot closer to what my target demographic may enjoy. Although thinking this for the vast majority of the collection what i found from this designer and from previous research is that small in scale florals against a white background do not really suit a young market apart from that of babies. To ensure i am reaching out to my target demographic i will be avoiding this combination and using a more exciting mix of hues and patterns.

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Overall visiting Harrods has proven useful as it has provided me with a new designer i could potentially create my collection for. Despite this, i was not overwhelmed by Harrods interior collection in relation to bed room fabrics as i felt there would be a much greater variety for myself to draw inspiration from. From here i want to finish my in store research by visiting stores in Cardiff and then if there are any areas i still do not feel i have got enough research on i can look online.

Knowing i want to create interior designs for an older girl/ young teen market i have taken to WGSN to identify some new and emerging trends which can inspire my designs. I have started off by identifying trends for SS’21 as SS’20 is too soon to be able to produce my collection for. Following looking at the trend reports for SS i will then go onto identify key trends for AW so i can make an informed decision which season i feel will best suit my current research and i would prefer to design for. This is the last project i will have free rain in deciding what season i want to design for so i want to ensure i choose the one i can best develop my ideas and get the most enjoyment out of.

Baby, Kids and Teens S/S 21: TransForm

https://www-wgsn-com.ezproxy.cardiffmet.ac.uk/content/board_viewer/#/85047/page/9

Usually when initially looking at WGSN i have to sift through a multitude of reports to find one which really suits my initial research ideas. However, this time i have managed to find one straight away. This could be because my initial ideas from my research happen to suit the emerging trends for SS21 or because after using the site for almost three years i am now navigating it in a more informed way.

Two of the key directions listed within this trend report are Mystical Signs and Space Adventure. These both directly relate to my idea of using some sort of alien entity within my work in order to diversify my designs from others on the market. It is reassuring to see how my initial ideas are fitting in with emerging trends for SS21 so i know my designs will not be dated even when they have just been produced. I feel utalising these key directions within my designs will ensure my designs are on trend and i can develop them using my own individual style to ensure they are like nothing else on the market.

As well as these two key directions the report also lists its third as Opalescent Glow. This mix of metallic hues would really suit my alien theme by extending the sense of wonder through colour. As well as this, this mix of pink, blue and purple hues among others will really help my designs to stand out for a girls market as the soft mix of feminine hues would add a really elegant touch.

Overall this first report has ensured myself my initial ideas are going in the right direction to be on trend for the season ahead. Despite this, to create an informed body of work i will need to extend my trend research to identify other trends as well as this one.

Key Points: Mystical Signs, Space Adventure, Opalescent Glow.

Baby, Kids and Teens S/S 21: Home Spun

https://www-wgsn-com.ezproxy.cardiffmet.ac.uk/content/board_viewer/#/85048/page/9

This report also for the same market, market sector and season takes a slightly different approach than the previous with a greater emphasis on eco-friendly and taking inspiration from nature. As i was informed within my previous project it would be best for my market to not go down the eco-friendly route in order to keep production costs down this is something i would very much like to consider within this project.

Within the reports action points it notes utilising a sustainable approach with materials and processes. As my project will inevitably take a digital route this is something i could very easily engage with, with thanks to new technologies. As well as this, the report also notes using recycled materials over single use plastics. Although i am not planning to be producing products which use plastics as we classically think about them such as in toys and single use packaging this is something i will have to consider when thinking about what paper and fabric substrates i use to print my designs onto. Many foils and glitter substrates which are used within wallpapers are not recyclable so if i do intend to use anything such as these within my own designs i will have to consider how i can use these in a sustainable way.

In combination with my alien entities i have also been considering utilising natural forms as they play such a big role within the interior market. This report specifically mentions the use of fine florals and wild weeds to create a fresh and calming look. I think this subject matter would really suit my target demographic as they will be at an age where they will be looking for sophisticated products; however, still enjoy childish activities.

This report has both made me consider the imagery to use within my design and the processes and substrates i use. I would really like to consider using eco-friendly sustainable substrates within my design; however, will have to consider how appropriate they are to my high or low end market to ensure my products retail at an appropriate price.

Key Points: Eco-friendly substrates and production, Imagery inspired by nature, Fine Florals.

Baby, Kids and Teens S/S 21: GameScape

https://www-wgsn-com.ezproxy.cardiffmet.ac.uk/content/board_viewer/#/85046/page/3

Some of the key directions from this report which i feel could inspire my designs are Futuristic Brights, Heritage Blend and Candy Colours. This is the first report i have looked at with a specific focus on colour and tone and it is interesting that it both includes bright and soft hues.

The report speaks of futuristic brights as blurring the line between physical and virtual reality and considers mixing hyper-saturated colours with transparent details. It mentions the tone of hyper-saturated colours creating a futuristic finish. This idea could relate to the use of alien entities within my work in order to make them appear even more artificial. Although this sounds like a very interesting idea if i decide to utilise this key direction within my work i will have to highly consider the placement of the hues to ensure they are not overwhelming. Although this report differs from the previous i have looked at it states layering tinted transparent objects will create an ombre effect which relates to the Opalescent Glow effect i found in a previous report. This colour-way idea may be key to use within my designs if i decide to design for SS’21 if i want my designs to be on trend.

Although i like the idea of using hyper-saturated hues within my designs to really make them stand out Candy Colours may be more appropriate for my target demographic and gender. When talking about candy colours the report suggests focusing on a range of pastel hues ranging from deep rose to light mint. I feel this colour combination would better suit my target demographic; however, i could still utilise hyper-saturated tones to pick out key characteristics within my designs and to create contrast.

The final areas of interest from this report come from the action points listing the ideas of combining the unexpected and incorporating futuristic elements. Within my initial ideas i wanted to utilise the idea of combining the unexpected through nature and aliens, uniting them through my personal style. To build on this further and take more inspiration from this report i could consider how to make this idea even more futuristic illustrating how the aliens will eventurally be living with us.

Overall this report has really got my imagination running and thinking of how i can develop my ideas even further. As i have already encountered so many ideas i would like to utilise within my work i feel i will need to generate some sort of mind map to ensure i select only the best ideas and do not start to overwhelm my design.

Key Points: Futuristic Brights, Candy Colours, Ombre effects, Pastel hues from deep rose to light mint, Combining the unexpected, Incorporating futuristic elements.

Textiles S/S 21: TransForm

https://www-wgsn-com.ezproxy.cardiffmet.ac.uk/content/board_viewer/#/85095/page/3

This report from WGSN differs slightly from the previous i have been looking at as it is not specifically directed to the target market i will be designing for. Despite this i feel it is still important to take notice of these trends to further adapt my own work so my designs differ from others on the market.

Within this reports action points it notes to combine lo-tech and hi-tech along with focusing on alluring and mysterious finishes. Within my own work i have previously been considering creating my designs by hand through the medium of paint or pencil and then scanning them in to digitally manipulate them. After reading through this report i feel this would be the best way forward to ensure my designs are on trend for this season. To develop this idea further i could take inspiration from the reports second point of integrating alluring and mysterious finishes through the use of metallic yarns and foils. Utilising foils to create an interesting and metallic finish is something that has come up in a previous report; however, if i do include this idea i want to ensure i can do it in a sustainable way. Previous to this report i had not considered the use of metallic yarns and think they would be really appropriate for my fabric collection and older girl market. If i am to include these within my work i will once again want to ensure i can get them from a sustainable source. As well as considering how this idea would effect the planet i will also need to consider how they would suit my products. Often when purchasing clothes made using metallic yarns they can be rather itchy and off putting. If i am to include them within my bedding i will have to test them to see if they have this effect and also consider where they are placed such as on the bottom of the duvet as if i put them on the pillow case they may cause irritation.

Within this reports key directions there are three main points i would like to pick up on as i feel they could add depth to my hero designs and become the soul pattern of my blender designs. These highly textural directions are Earth-Worn Dyes, Camouflage Skins and Ripple Effects. Although within this report these ideas are collections in and of themselves i feel by integrating them in very soft harmonious tones could break up negative space within my hero designs and add depth to my work. By integrating them in this way to my hero designs and using them as a soul pattern of my blender designs this will allow me to unite my collection in a subtle way.

This report has reinforced some ideas from previous reports and also helped me to consider how i can employ more textural values to my designs. The idea of metallic colours is something that keeps repeating through almost every trend report so will be key for myself to consider within my work.

Key Points: The combination of high and low tech, Alluring and mystical finishes through foils and metallic yarns, textural values from earth-worn dyes, camouflage skins and ripple effects.

Print and Pattern S/S 21: TransForm

https://www-wgsn-com.ezproxy.cardiffmet.ac.uk/content/board_viewer/#/84656/page/3

This report once again picks up of the use of metallic, iridescent, pearlescent and opalescent substrates to be used on hard and soft furnishings. With such a high focus on this idea there must be a way to produce these effects in an eco-friendly way. As well as this idea, this report also notes taking an alternative approach to nature through digitally distorted effects. This is an idea i could play with after scanning in my ideas to photoshop and illustrator to see how i could distort them in line with this trend report. Although this is an idea i would like to experiment with i will have to consider how the individual distorted elements will look together in a motif and then in a repeat as well as i do not want to overwhelm my designs.

As well as these action points the report also picks up on the idea of exploring the cosmos through the use of print and pattern. This directly relates to my idea of including alien entities within my work; however, also makes me consider how i could push this even further. I will have to do some research into alien and out of space imagery to start to broaden my ideas through books or the internet.

As well as these action points this report also notes some key directions including Altered Nature, Pale Pearlescent’s and Space-Scape. Altered nature reflects the reports action points by combining organic elements with digital distortions to create an engineered approach to nature. Pale pearlescence reinforce the idea of using opalescent glow; however, with a greater focus on muted tones which are lighter in tone. Space-scape reinforces the action point of using the cosmos to inspire print and pattern. It would be interesting within my work to see if i can combine the metallic iridescent colour pallet that has been consistent through the reports with the textural ideas from Textiles S/S 21: TransForm report to create a cosmo themed background from my designs. By ensuring i can roll multiple ideas into one element before introducing them to my designs this should ensure that the pattern has an elegant flow and visual value and not become overwhelming.

Overall this report has really helped me to draw some of the previous ideas from these reports together and start to see how i can combine and utilise the key points i am taking from each report. Before this i was starting to feel the amount of information i was receiving was slightly overwhelming as i was not sure how i was going to combine it all together. Now i am seeing how i can utilise the majority of the points i am finding from these reports and starting to visualise how they can all come together.

Key Points: Utilising metallic, iridescent, pearlescent and opalescent substrates, Distorting nature through digital effects, Cosmos influence, Altered Nature, Pale Pearlescent’s, Space-Scape, Combining elements from reports before constructing motifs and designs.

Print and Pattern s/s 21: HomeSpun

https://www-wgsn-com.ezproxy.cardiffmet.ac.uk/content/board_viewer/#/84655/page/3

This report picks up on two key themes which i feel can inspire my project, one within its Action Points and another within its Key directions. Once again this report is generalised to a wide range of demographs and not specifically in relation to children/ preteens. Despite this, i feel i can still engage with these key points and develop them in relation to my target demographic.

The action point within this report that has particular stood out to me is the idea of embracing beauty in all aspects of nature. Where as previously i have just been thinking about florals within my work this idea pushes me to consider what other aspects of nature i can draw in. From the report Textiles S/S 21: TransForm this notes introducing textural values from earth-worn dyes, camouflage skins and ripple effects which i was considering to include on the background of my hero designs and the focus of my blender designs. If i could transform these textural values to better represent other elements of nature this would allow my designs to be more on trend for SS’21 via taking the advice from this report and developing the ideas from Textiles S/S 21: TransForm.

The main key direction i will be taking from this report is the idea of including wild stem imagery within my work. Already wanting to work with florals this idea directly relates to the imagery i am considering; however, develops it further. This report also goes onto mention the use of delicate foliage and busy patterns to ensure designs relating to the theme of florals are on trend for SS’21. I think this idea could be a simple adjustment to my initial drawings which would really help my designs to stand out and be on trend if i chose to design for SS’21.

Overall this report has given me some simple ideas that i could easily adapt my work to. Once again i have been able to combine ideas from this report to previous ideas meaning that i am better able to visualise how these ideas will fit in well with those i have found before.

Key Points: Embrace all aspects of nature (try combing with textural values from earth-worn dyes, camouflage skins and ripple effects), Utilise wild stem imagery.

Lifestyle and Interiors Colour Trend Concepts S/S 21: HomeSpun

https://www-wgsn-com.ezproxy.cardiffmet.ac.uk/content/board_viewer/#/84023/page/2

Now having looked at some of the key design ideas within the SS’21 reports i am now turning my attention to those related to colour. Within this section of the site these reports are generalised to an older demographic and not directly related to a child/ preteen market. Once finishing analysing the reports for SS’21 i will then go on to see if i can find reports on colour more specific to a child/ preteen demograph.

Out of the four action points from this report i feel three will really have an impact on the colours i choose to design with. Although remembering these ideas will be key when it comes to selecting my colour pallet i still need to remember i will be designing for a much younger demograph than what these action points are aiming at.

The first key point is that neutrals will make a come back which are more sophisticated in richly tinted shades. Within my own designs i need to be careful how much i utilise neutral tones as although i do want my designs to come off as sophisticated, i still need to ensure they are reaching out to a younger demographic. I feel combining these neutral shades with considered areas of bolder and brighter colours may create a positive balance between this trend and my target demographic.

The second action point that has caught my attention within this report is the idea of embracing colour imperfection. The report notes that irregular and faded tones will become more sought after, feeding into a sustainable aesthetic. If i decide to go down a more eco-friendly route within my designing and production process this idea could be key to bringing the sustainable aesthetic into my designs. Whether i choose to go down this route or not will all depend on the market i am working for and if they will have enough disposable income to invest in sustainable products.

The final action point from this report creates a focus on textural metallics which allows designs to get better over time. Including metallic or iridescent substrates is something that keeps cropping up throughout the reports i have looked at so will be key to include if i want my designs to be on trend for SS’21.

This report has given me some key initial ideas for how i can start to develop my colour pallet for SS’21. Although i will take some key points from this report i still feel the need to look at some in direct relation to the market i will be designing for.

Key Points: Utilise neutrals, embrace colour imperfection for a sustainable aesthetic, focus on textural metallics.

Lifestyle and Interiors Colour Trend Concepts S/S 21: TransForm

https://www-wgsn-com.ezproxy.cardiffmet.ac.uk/content/board_viewer/#/84024/page/2

Within this report i feel all four action points could directly effect how i utilise colour within my designs. I feel the ideas within this report better speak to the direction i had in mind for my project as it speaks of a greater focus on colours and less of neutral effects. Although some of my designs within my collection may focus on more neutral tones i am hoping the vast variety of them will in fact entail a selection of hues, whether they be soft or bold in tone.

The first action point within this report focuses on the importance of blue coming from inspiration from the ocean in a mixture of saturated and cooler tones. The report also notes when a blue hue is combined with richer colours it becomes warmer in tone and when paired with white it creates a very cool aesthetic. Previously i have been thinking about using blue in a hesitant way because of how artificial it can look. Despite this, now knowing it will be on trend for SS’21 this could push me to at least experiment with the hue in my initial illustrations so i can take an educated view of how well it will in fact work within my designs.

The second action point from this report is to update iridescent effects in a softer way through pearlised surfaces and palettes. By including softer in tone pearlised effects within my work this could create an interesting way to incorporate blue without it having a massive contrast against other tones. I think a pearlised pallet will really reach out to my target demographic and attract them to my designs.

Although stating to introduce iridescent effects in a softer way the report then goes onto state the juxtaposition of lights and darks will be essential. Within my hero designs i want to be able to include a vast amount of pattern and detail and do not want to over whelm this with contrasting tones. However, this idea may be more appropriate for my blender designs where there will be a smaller amount of detail and more so focus on textural values.

The final action point from this report focuses on remembering colours can feel warm or cold. It suggests that deep blues and greens feel richer and warmer when paired with brown or purple. If i am to design for SS’21 i will need my designs to have a colour pallet that reflects this season; however, i still want it to give off a slightly cool aesthetic. When creating my colour pallet i will have to play around with the values of tone within each hue to ensure every colour suits one another; however, also to ensure it is giving off the right feel for the season it is designed for.

Overall this report has given me a lot more ideas than the previous on how i can utilise colour within my work. As well as this, it has helped me to consider new hues such as blue and how i can utilise these within my designs in a refined way that will attract my target demographic.

Key Points: Focus on blue in saturated or cool tones, Updated Softer iridescent hues, juxtaposition of lights and darks, warm and cool tones.

Lifestyle and Interiors Colour Trend Concepts S/S 21: GameScape

https://www-wgsn-com.ezproxy.cardiffmet.ac.uk/content/board_viewer/#/84022/page/2

This trend report initially caught my attention because of the connection it makes between the physical and digital world. Within my own designs i am planning to draw these two aspects together by creating my imagery through the physical world and then combining it utilising a digital platform.

One of the benefits of working on a digital platform is the vast amount of changes and experiments that can take place within a matter of minutes. Previously within my trend research i have considered the use of bright and bold tones and felt they would be best presented in a restricted way. Within this reports action points it recommends to use less obvious brights with more energetic tones that have an artificial edge. This does sound like an exciting idea to experiment with; however, i would be concerned that a pattern with detail and constant bright tones would be slightly overwhelming for my final collection.

Another action point this report mentions is to update retro themes with a digital edge by bringing in artificial hues, graphic contrasts and unexpected juxtapositions. Once again i think playing with a range of bright hues through a digital platform would be interesting and fun to experiment with; however, i am not sure it will be appropriate for my final collection as it may come off overwhelming. Despite this, through experimentations i may find how to integrate this idea in a more restricted way so include some key points from this report but within my own style.

Another key idea this report mentions which may be more appropriate for my collection is the idea of using brights next to neutrals for graphic impact. This could be a way for myself to integrate the ideas from this report into my collection; however, in a more restricted way that has been previously presented.

Key Points: Utilise less obvious brights with an artificial edge to create graphic contrasts and unexpected juxtapositions, combine these with neutral tones.

Overall these reports have given me a great starting point in relation to how i can develop my initial ideas further to be on trend for this season. Although these ideas have been useful i still feel the need to investigate AW’21/22 to see if my ideas best suit SS or AW. Following this i want to do more research into the demographic i am designing for to pick up some key ideas which will be on trend for them specifically.

To start my in store research i decided to look around a local shopping centre and its surrounding shops. Despite the area containing a vast amount of retail outlets there was a high focus on fashion stores with some also selling interior items such as bedding. Unfortunately in this area there was a lack of outlets selling wallpaper so instead my research has focused on bedding. As well as the retail stores listed bellow i also visited more shops including Zara and Next; however, unfortunately these stores were dedicated to fashion over their home wear ranges. As well as these two stores i also visited Tkmaxx who did in fact sell a range of bedding from a variety of companies; however, i did not feel any of their range had a particular link to my collection.

The White Company

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The first store i visited on my trip was The White Company. Within this store there was a variety of bedding aimed separately at adults and children; however, the adult range had a very plain style with limited colour. Because of the lack of variety when it came to print design in the adult section i decided to utilise the children’s section which had a greater variety of this.

Although the children’s section did consist of more print design i was still not overwhelmed by their selection. Perhaps online they would have a bigger range due to limited space in store. The first image above i selected of the gingham patterned bedding was because of its reversible characteristic. This is an element i have previously found through my online research and feel it will enhance my collection through giving choice to the customers. The hues in which this design has been portrayed are very distinct and bold. I feel if i was going to utilise a gingham print within my own collection i would want it to be of a more subtle mature colour to really reach out to my target demographic.

The second image from this companies collection i selected because of the imagery used. Although i feel these fairy’s are aimed at a much younger demographic than what i will be aiming at i like the use of some motifs being fairy’s, some flowers and some fairy’s with flowers. With my idea of including aliens within my designs this is a motif idea i could recreate in order to make my designs more interesting and introduce a variety of scales. I think one of the reasons this design appears to be aimed at such a young demographic is because of the use of scale along with the very neutral, harmonious colour pallet. As the motifs are such a small scale surrounded by such an amount of negative space this creates a very delicate feel. If i want to ensure my designs appear to be aimed at the target market i am thinking of i need to ensure to increase the sale or have less negative space. These are two elements i could play with throughout the designing process. As well as the use of scale i feel as the colours are so soft in tone this reinforces the idea this design is for a younger demographic. Within my own designs i want my colour pallet to be a lot more experimental which really speaks to my target demographic. This is something i can research into further during my trend research on WGSN.

Overall The White Company has provided me with some initial ideas mainly directed at how i can make my own designs more appropriate to my target market. Although it has been interesting to look at their designs i do not feel my own will fit in with their in house style unless i stripped my colour pallet right back.

Debenhams

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The next store i selected was Debenhams as i knew they had a large collection of bedding and home wears by their own company and also those from other retailers. Most of my preferred sets which i felt would really inspire my own collection was by their own in house brand and one by Star.

The first image by Star i selected as i liked the placement of the motif. This differs from others i have seen on the market as it is a placement and not a traditional repeating structure. By turning this design into a placement it gives the design a sense of growth across the duvet and allows for positive and negative space in polar proportions. Within my own collection i feel a placement design would really enhance it as a whole and also offer variety to the customer. As well as enjoying the placement aspect of this design i also think the colour pallet would really suit my target demographic. The bold pink florals with black stems contrast against the white background creating an overall very striking piece. Although this design does feature bright and bold tones its colour pallet is still very restricted meaning that it is not overwhelmed by colour.

The second central image matches that of the first in that it is also a placement design. This design by Debenhams however does differ in its placement structure as instead the florals grow around the edge of the duvet instead of down the middle. It would be an interesting experiment to map out how many ways this could be adapted with my motifs. Not only would this be a fun experiment; however, also provide myself with the most appropriate and alluring placement design i can create. Because of the hues used within this second image it creates the impression that this design is aimed at a slightly older demographic. There is a greater variety of colour which is softer in tone and this makes it appear more appropriate to an elder female market. When thinking about my colour pallet i will strongly have to consider how appropriate it is to my target demographic and be open to make changes if i feel it needs to be adapted once creating my motifs and putting my designs together.

The third design i selected from Debenhams was because i liked the technique used to create the imagery. The designer had used watercolour or a similar technique and instead of perfectly painting each of the florals had let the colours swirl together to create a marble like effect. I think this idea would be very appropriate for my target market as it would still allow me to create sophisticated designs; however, with a much more playful look.

The fourth design i selected from Debenhams was because it consists of a technique similar to what i found throughout my trend research. This idea of marbling and blending hues is something i had encountered as being on trend for SS’21 and felt would make a nice background to my hero designs to give them depth without a vast amount more detail. Now seeing it on a product in store has given me inspiration of how i could develop this idea within my own collection.

Overall Debenhams has given me a lot more inspiration than The White Company in terms of how i can develop my designs and colour pallet. I feel working for Debenhams would give me a lot more options of how i could also utilise colour within my work and develop more playful prints.

M&S

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Out of all the shops i visited i was most impressed by M&S’s collection because of their wide range of prints and how much it linked to what i want to achieve within my own collection. Unfortunately in this store there was no direct section for children’s bedding; however, only one for adults. I found it really valuable in The White Company to see how the adults and children’s bedding differed as i want my designs to come somewhere between these two sections.

The first image i took was of a bedding set which featured animals created through the medium of watercolours. Much like some of the bed sheets i saw in The White Company this also featured a reversible element. I feel including reversible designs within my own collection will make my designs more appealing to customers but also help me to analyse how well e.g. my blender and hero designs match up in terms of a collection. I think this design works really well in watercolours as it adds a softer more playful stylised element to what would otherwise be very literal motifs. For the florals in my collection i would like to experiment with water colours to see if i can achieve a similar effect.

The second design i selected because of its monotone colour pallet and the imagery portrayed. This particular design came in three colour ways, the blue shown above, a orange and a final grey hue all with the white florals consistent throughout the colour ways. It was interesting to see how the use of these three colours varied the overall tone of the piece even though the white remained the same. The blue creates a large contrast between the foreground and background, the orange created a harmonious feel and the grey laid somewhere between. When creating my secondary or blender designs it would be interesting to experiment with this idea to see how the colour values change. Whether this design idea is appropriate for a secondary or blender design will depend on the amount of detail i choose to include within the motifs and how i choose the structure to repeat. By presenting a design like this in a variety of different colour ways i will also be reaching out to a wider market.

The third design from M&S i selected as i enjoyed the florals and the lack of negative space. There is something about constant pattern which really attracts myself to a design; perhaps because this is when you can not really see where one motif starts and another one ends. Although i have a preference toward this characteristic in a design i need to remember this may not be appropriate for my target market. To ensure i am really reaching out to my market i need to ensure my collection features a range of designs, some with negative space and some without which can be portrayed through my hero, secondary and blender designs. As well as the consideration of negative space within my designs i also need to start to think deeply about how i want to portray my florals and whether they will be hyper detailed like this design or slightly more stylised and free flowing. Although i really like the detail employed throughout this design i feel something a little more stylised may be more appropriate to my target market. Throughout my initial drawing and painting experiments i will play with the levels of detail i choose to include which will give me a better idea of how much each illustration suits my target market.

The fourth and final design from M&S features florals which are a little less detailed than the previous. Overall i feel florals with this level of detail would be better suited to my target demograph; however, the composition of this piece and background colour makes it appear more appropriate for an elder market. I feel an older girl/ young teen market would better suit a coloured background rather than just white as i do feel this makes the overall design look a lot more mature than it needs it to be. Despite this, this design has given me a placement design idea of digitally manipulating the florals into a heart shape which i feel would really suit my target demographic. Because of the organic shapes of the florals i would be able to manipulate them into a heart shape with out it coming off too rigid in structure.

Overall M&S has given me lots of ideas of the mediums i want to use, the style i will be designing in and some ideas on placement as well as colour ways. Visiting M&S’s in store range has proved a valuable experience and got me really excited to start designing some ideas. I feel my own designs would really suit M&S’s in house style at this point, it will just depend if i want to include highly sustainable textiles which may push my collection into a high end market.

Primark

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I was very disappointed with Primarks range of patterned bedding in comparison to the size of their home wear section. The two designs above were two of the only printed bedding sets which displayed organic/ natural imagery. Despite there being a limited range i do feel the designs they did have would really appeal to my target demographic.

The first design features florals in a block repeat. Overall although the design is visually pleasing the block repeat distracts from the designs organic nature and makes me see it in a very linear fashion. Although this would not be so obvious to the average customer i feel this still distracts from the organic flowing forms within the motifs. Like many of the other designs i have seen this design also features a reversible element with a block pink pale hue on the reverse. Although this creates a nice contrast between this and and the busy front i feel within my own designs i would like to employ a design on the reverse rather than leaving it plain.

The second design i selected as i like how the designer has altered the colours of the leafs to create a much more girly feel for the piece. By including pink leaves this also creates a contrast between the two hues on opposite sides of the colour wheel; however, this is not overwhelming as both hues are so soft in tone. This design has given me the idea to start to play around with the hues present within my motifs to see how this can create a more interesting finish.

Although these designs from Primark are in line with the market i want my designs to appeal to i do not think their range is big enough to employ all the designs from my new collection. As well as this as their products retail for such a low price this will give me limited room to experiment with ideas that could be more costly. Although i do not feel this retail outlet is appropriate for my designs i am still glad i took a look at their collection as it has still been able to inspire some new ideas.

Wilkinsons

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Wilkinsons is not the natural place i would head to for bedding; however, my mother suggested it so i thought i would check it out. The range sold here was in fact a lot larger than Primark which surprised me and there was a few designs which i felt could inspire my collection. Although i enjoy the imagery within the three designs above the repeating structure used in all three pains me to even look at it. It is clear from these designs how much the repeating structure selected can alter the overall appearance of a design. This lack of care toward the repeating structure must be because of the low price it retails for and the time pressure the designers are under.

The first design i selected as i felt it was an interesting contrast to the second design i saw in Primark. Although both designs only feature leafs, this design by Wilko’s appears a lot more masculine as it is solely a green hue. I feel to break this design up some more it would benefit from the introduction of a third colour which may also introduce more depth to the design. Despite this, it has given me some ideas on how i could repeat only one element to make up an entire design and create a vast amount of texture.

Although enjoying the foliage imagery within the second design i do find the green and pink contrast a little too much for the design to be visually pleasing. The lighter in tone green from the reverse side of the duvet may be better suited to the bold pink as currently it feels like these two hues are fighting against each other. It is interesting to consider how when using contrasting colours, those that are softer and lighter in tone work better together than those that are bold and bright. Although i feel these hues are not working on this design i feel a more complex design with only highlights of these bold tones could be visually pleasing if added in the right proportions.

The third and final design i selected from Wilko’s i find vastly more attractive than the previous two. Because of the larger amount of negative space the design is not overwhelming in colour and the repeat less evident. I feel with the addition of highlights of coloured florals this design would really appeal to someone of my target demographic as at this stage it does appear slightly plain and for a slightly elder demographic. Where as previously i have not thought this amount of negative space is appropriate for my target demographic i feel because the motifs are at a larger scale it makes it more attractive for this age range.

Overall Wilkinsons has given me lots of ideas on how not to use repeating structures and colour within my designs. If i am to utilise bold colours i need these to be in a refined and considered way so’s not to overwhelm my designs. Although learning this was valuable i am no way inclined to produce my designs for this company because of these issues.

Laura Ashley

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Although Laura Ashley tends to be of a more refined mature style i feel most of their collection could really inspire my oncoming project. Their entire in store collection was a wash of print and pattern which was really inspiring to see in person.

The first design i selected as i really liked the use of alternate colour ways on the reverse sides of the duvet cover. Where as previously i have seen either a block colour or a different design i had not yet considered using this for alternate colour ways. I think this idea could work really well within my own collection as it would allow a single design to appeal to people with a variety of different coloured bedrooms and tastes.

The second design i selected as i really liked the composition of the design and the scale of the florals. As the florals are at a larger scale this welcomes the use of negative space between the motifs. Although this design does employ negative space, each section is around the same size as the motifs themselves meaning the two balance each other out rather pleasantly. Despite liking this design i do feel it is aimed at a slightly elder demographic than what i am looking for. To rectify this i would use a more youthful colour pallet featuring softer tones with few bold highlights and then stylise the florals toward a younger demographic.

Within the third design i really enjoy the hues that have been selected as well as the reverse side of the duvet. As the hues are soft in tone; however, consist of a variety of colours i feel i could easily manipulate these into a more exciting placement to really suit my target demographic. Although this structure is currently pleasing to the eye i feel i would have to edit it further to really suit my older girl/ young teen market. I think it is really clever how the designer has employed scale to create the reverse side of the duvet making the two sides seem very different despite utilising the same imagery. This is something i would like to experiment with within my own collection as it would help my designs to appeal to a wider market and also give the customer choice.

The fourth and final design from Laura Ashley really struck me because of the placement used; however, also its colour pallet. I feel the hues within this design which are slightly brighter than that of the previous are more appropriate to my target demographic. Although the hues within this piece are brighter in tone they are not overwhelming because they are all harmonious with another hue within the design and are surrounded in negative space. This is the kind of colour pallet i would very much like to employ within my own collection as i find it really attractive and know my target demographic will as well. As well as the hues being striking the placement of the motifs are as well as it creates a reflected spiral effect. Although each element would be seen as slightly cayotic the reflective circular theme brings the motifs a sense of order which creates an overall very attractive design.

Laura Ashley has given me some great ideas on placements and colour pallets i can use within my designs. I am really glad i got to visit them in store as they have given me some really varied ideas and also supplied me with a really strong idea of what i want my colour pallet to be like. If my designs just focused on florals my collection may be appropriate for them but as i also want to include aliens this may make them less interested to invest in my designs. However, within their children’s range they did have curtains which featured dinosaur’s so perhaps they would employ my ideas for a child’s market.

Overall this in store research has given me lots of ideas especially in relation to imagery, repeating structures and colour pallets. Despite this, i feel i need to explore fabrics and wallpaper in more depth as my research has lacked in this area. In order to gain more inspiration i hope to visit central London where i can visit fabric and wallpaper stores that will give me an in site into these products and how the designs differ from that of the bedding industry, if at all. As well as wanting to explore more products within my in store research i have not found any designs which depict aliens in any form. This is something that i will be keenly looking for throughout the rest of my research in order to have a good hub of inspiration before i commencing designing and motif creation.

To build on my online research i have next decided to do some book research in my local library at home. In comparison to university this library has a far smaller variety of books that relate to art and design; however, i have still managed to find various sources of information. From this research i managed to find a variety of techniques i could experiment with and also some interesting compositions i would like to utilise within my own work.

Magic Pencil- Quentin Blake

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The first book i encountered was Magic Pencil which includes work from a variety of illustrators. Although i will be designing for children’s interiors i still feel it is important to get inspiration from a variety of sources in order for my ideas to flourish.

I selected the first illustration by Blake as i could imagine it within an interior space, such as on wallpaper. Blake has used very loose strokes of water colour and then added detail with a fine liner. This creates a very ruff and abstract look; however, still manages to tell a story. I really like how soft the hues are within this piece which have been created by the water colours. Working in this medium and then going in and adding details with a fine liner is something that i feel would really appeal to me and also my target market.

The second image by Burningham played on my imagination more than anything. Overall the colour pallet and textures do not give me a huge amount of inspiration but the children playing in the clouds definitely plays on a child’s imagination. The use of photographic imagery combined with illustrative elements also adds a sense of wonder. Within my own designs i wont be using any photographic imagery; however, this may be something to experiment with during my early motif experiments.

The third image above just screamed girl to me which is why i chose it. I thought it would be interesting to decipher which elements really made it appealing to girls and to utilise these within my own work. Overall i think it is the overwhelming amount of pink within this double page spread that makes it appeal to a feminine market. As well as this, the majority of the page is full of florals. I really enjoy how Child has used pink within almost every element and hasn’t just used this hue for one section. Within my own designs i definitely want to have pink on my colour pallet as i feel this will be a good visual tie to a female market.

Creative Children’s Spaces- Ashlyn Gibson

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With a lack of art and design books in this library i also took a look in the home deco section and found this book on creative children’s spaces. I thought it would be a good way to see how my designs would/ could be used within a space. As i will be designing for interiors it will be important to consider the space my designs are going into and the products which may be in the room.

I selected the first image as i enjoyed how the designer used the same robot; however, presented it in dozens of different ways. This reminded me of my previous DG project where i was drawing the same monster in as many different ways as possible. If i can i would like to utilise this idea within this current project as although it can become very monotonous you are literally forcing the creativity out and can be very surprised with what you come up with.

The second and third image above i selected as they really give a good idea of how my designs will be used in a space and how many different products there are that my designs could go onto. Within both these images there is a vast amount of pattern and the person bringing these elements together is not scared of having pattern on pattern. Despite the vast amount of pattern what brings the two rooms together individually is their use of colour. The first room entails a more pastel colour pallet with some bold hues where as the second sticks to a white base and then designs all with bold contrasting colours. From these two images i feel a more pastel colour pallet with certain highlights of colour would be most appropriate for my target demographic as the bright primary colours are very reminiscent of a younger child.

The fourth image i selected as i also found this design within my online research. Although this book was published in 2015 meaning the design came out before then the design is still being sold on the market today meaning it must be quite popular.

Older girls fiction books

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As well as looking at art and design books i also took advantage of the girl teen section they have in the library to see what illustrations are being created for my age demographic. From the DG project i realised looking at books your age demographic is reading can be a good way to get a look at what the target demographic enjoys from a different perspective.

The first book i selected as it entails floral imagery that i would like to utilise within my own designs. As well as the imagery i also enjoyed the placement of it, creating a border around the text. I feel the delicate florals would really appeal to my target market; however, i would like to utilise florals with a greater amount of detail which i have seen within my online research. I feel this will make my designs appeal more so to my market and also bring depth to my designs.

The second book i selected because of the typography used on the front. Although i most probably will not be using a font within my designs it will be important i identify one appropriate for the mogul that really speaks to my target demographic. I feel a font much like this one would work well as it is very soft and flowing.

The third book i selected as i like how the imagery and text have been combined so the floral pattern becomes the text its self. This idea much reminds me of the silhouette effect that i found within my online research. It would be interesting to see how i could develop this idea within my own style.

The fourth and final book i selected because of the silhouette shapes. The silhouette effect is something i have seen consistently throughout my research so may be something i should utilise within my own designs. When doing my trend research i will search for such techniques to see if this trend is going to carry on. Although the black, bold pink and white is very striking i am going to have to decide between a bolder colour pallet and a softer one for my interior range. Although on a book this is very alluring i feel across a bedroom wall it may be slightly overwhelming.

How to Draw Fantasy Worlds- Steve Beaumont

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Now considering using alien type entities within my work i thought it would be a good idea to see how i could develop these. As my designs will be for girls i would quite like the aliens to also be female to ensure my designs appeal to the right market.

This book mainly focused on how to draw the fantasy creatures; however, i still have gained a first incite to how i could construct these beings. So they fit in with my florals i want the entities to have a very soft flowing feel which in turn should also help them appeal to my target market. As i am working for girls i also want these entities to have a pretty overall feel to them and not to appear gross. Initially i thought it would be a good idea to create these entities in the same style and medium as my florals; however, it may be interesting to experiment with them in one that completely juxtaposes my florals but ensure they unite in colour pallet. This is something i will experiment with during my initial drawings.

The Complete Drawing and Sketching Course- Stan Smith

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With all the art and design books there was a wide variety of books on different mediums i could utilise within my own work. These mainly featured on classical forms such as drawing, watercolours, oil pastels and acrylics. Now in third year i have learnt where my strengths lie so i would like to stick to these during our FMP. As well as this hopefully making my work look more professional due to experience, i also enjoy working with the mediums so the overall process will be a lot more enjoyable for myself.

I selected the images above to inspire me for how i could use pencil within my work. In first year i used water colour pencils which were awfully fun to work with and as i have gone very digital since then i think it would be good to return to them.

Quentin Blake- Beyond the Page

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I selected this final book by Blake as he is a very well known illustrator of children’s books. His style is very loose and really attracts children. I selected all the images above because of their use of composition whether this be as a border, around a door or as if it is growing up the page. As i am aiming at an elder girls market i feel my style will have to be slightly more sophisticated than Blakes loose strokes but i can still easily be inspired by his composition. I think it would be really fun to play around and see if i could swap out the people within Blakes illustrations and use alien entities instead.

Overall researching into books has given me lots of different inspiration so much so that i now want to start the drawing process. Between this and my online research i am now feeling a lot more confident of which imagery i will be including and also the range of compositions i could experiment with. The only thing i feel i need to research into more in the way of imagery is how exactly i am going to create my aliens. During my in store research and trend research i will keep a look out for sources of inspiration for this and also after the Christmas break return to the university library to see if i can gain any further sources of inspiration.

For the degree show i would like to revisit a market area i designed for in first year which is the interiors market. I throughly enjoyed designing for interiors; however, up until now felt it be best that i explored other market areas in order to develop my skills and expand my portfolio. After designing for a variety of different markets i have realised my heart lies in interiors which is why i would like to revisit it for what will be our most pressing project yet.

Although returning to the same market area i worked for in first year i will be changing the demographic i am designing for. From my work experiences i learnt i far more enjoyed designing for children than adults as i found i can be a lot more experimental in my work. The children’s market requires far more imagination and is less restricted by theme and colour pallet. As i have just designed for boys in the design group project to diverse my portfolio i will now be designing for girls. Not only will this allow my portfolio to demonstrate i am capable of working for a girls and boys market it will also give me the option to explore new ideas in depth.

To find companies i referred to a list i have been collating since second year which contains dozens of companies i would like to work for in the future. Although this was primarily developed for finding a job, it has become a vital resource for finding companies that work for either interiors or the children’s market. When graduating my top choices would be interiors or designing for a children’s market; whether this be fashion or interiors. By now combining interiors with a children’s market i am creating designs which will directly relate to the jobs i will be applying to.

M&S

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The first company i looked into was M&S. Although wanting to work for a children’s market i will be developing my ideas around ‘older girl’ which will require slightly more sophistication than the bold pop art colours and shapes that are present within the younger girls market. Because of this, i have been both looking into adult and child bedding from M&S in order to find a way of making adult bedding more appropriate for my demographic.

Throughout my research so far florals have been key which is why i selected the left above image. Although the imagery within this design may be a bit too sophisticated for an older girl i can take this and use it as inspiration for how i can develop my ideas, but restrict them for when i feel they are more so appealing to an elder adult demographic.

One of the reasons i selected the left image as well is the utilisation of pink within the design. Girls of the demographic i am aiming for will still enjoy this hue and it will help my designs relate directly to the female market. As well as the pink embodied within the design i also like the reverse side of the duvet which contains a flat pink tone. This reversible idea should help my own designs appeal more to my target market. To develop this further on the reverse side of the duvet i could use a blender design so even if the customer wasn’t 100% keen on one side, the other may still appeal to them.

The second central design i selected was because of the pink hue again and its interesting repeating structure. I feel the butterfly design combined with the pink would really appeal to an older girl market as the use of pink and butterfly’s together is something i have seen from almost every online shop. As well as the imagery and hues used within this design i also really enjoy its linear repeating structure. As the design its self is rather busy and contains lots of flowing forms created by the butterfly’s, the linear structure adds an air of calm and juxtaposition to this. Despite that i enjoy this repeating structure, i feel for an elder girls market something more free flowing may be more appropriate to make the design seem more youthful and fun. Repeating structures will definitely be an element i will have to explore in depth to ensure my designs are appropriate for my demographic.

The third and last design from M&S is another bedding design; however, for a children’s market. I selected this design to inspire me toward how i could develop the first two designs to better suit my older girl market. From comparing this against the other two designs it seems to contain more negative space and also contains some elements which are just block colours which has most likely been down to edits within digital software. Although this design does not include much imagery i will utilise within my own design it is interesting to see how i could use ideas from this piece in order to edit the previous two to better suit my target market.

Liberty London

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Unfortunately on the Liberty London website i could not seem to find an area purely dedicated to children or older girls. However, instead i selected these two designs for their colour pallet and use of repeating structure.

Although the first design does not contain much pink i really enjoyed the soft hues within it. I feel these soft tones will really appeal to my target market and also work really well if i start to develop my collection toward SS. Despite liking the tones of the hues i feel more pink is needed as at the moment the hues would more so relate to a younger boys market. I feel the pink would really lift the design and definitely make it more appealing. Despite finding the colour pallet inspiring the imagery is not what i am looking to include within my own designs. I feel by developing insects for a girls market which look as creepy as the ones above i would really be restricting my market and those that would buy my designs. Although not being keen on the imagery i do enjoy the half drop repeat. As the design contains a lot of elements the repeating structure is not evident unless you are really looking for it which i think is successful. To develop this repeating structure further within my own designs it would be fun to see if i could almost completely hide the repeat so it is even harder to find.

The second design from Liberty London was not selected for its hues, nor style; however, the form of the shapes. I really enjoy the flowing snake like creatures, although i would replace the snakes with something more appropriate for my demographic within my own designs. The flowing forms allow the eye to flow around the design pleasantly from one area to the next. I imagine with a more appropriate colour pallet and imagery this could be a really successful idea.

Overall despite finding inspiration within Liberty’s designs i feel they can inspire my work more if i find the right designs. When back in London over Christmas i would like to visit Liberty to see if i can find any more inspiring fabrics in store.

Anthropologie

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Anthropologie is another store on the list that i would like to work for in the future. Unfortunately, like many other stores that i have looked at they do not have a section specifically for a child’s interiors market, especially when it comes to wallpaper. I am yet to understand why so many online stores do not have a section specifically for this, unless the only option for a customer is to find a design appropriate from the normal interiors range. Despite this, i could be touching on a new and emerging market and when selecting a company to work for, be able to present them with a whole new market range.

Anthropologie has stood out compared to the previous two online stores i have looked at because of their exciting and dynamic range. They have taken similar starting points to M&S; however, made them a lot less mainstream, which really excites me.

The first design i selected as i love the combination of animals within the floral foliage pattern. I feel this design with a change of colour pallet would really appeal to my older girls market. Although this design does contain a broad range of hues i feel the colours are too sophisticated. Despite the fact i like the dark green background to the design, i feel a lighter shade would be more appropriate for my demographic. To take this design even further and appeal to the imagination of an older girl i wonder if there is a way to develop the animals into something else. Although i am not quite sure what yet, i want to ensure my designs play on my demographics imagination.

The second design i selected because i enjoy its simple but effective repeating structure and colour pallet. This design really shows how even the simplest of ideas can really bring a design to life and make it really effective. Despite enjoying the simple colour pallet i feel i would have to alter the hues to better suit my younger demographic, especially the grey background hue. To an older girl i do not feel this tone would appeal to them as it gives off a very mature and ‘boring’ vibe.

The third design to the very right struck me because of its elegant form, imagery and colour pallet. I feel the pink, blue and yellow hues would really appeal to my target market as they give off a sophisticated vibe whilst still remaining youthful. Unlike many of the other designs i have seen, this design contains a vast amount of negative space surrounded by very dense areas of pattern and texture. This is something i have not seen anywhere else on the market so may help my own designs to stand out against competitors. I feel this design would really appeal to my own market as it contains an air of sophistication; whilst still retaining a youthful vibe.

The fourth and final design from Anthropologie struck me because of its restricted colour pallet and interesting imagery. The simple combination of pink and white is really effective within this design as the white allows the pink to pop out. As well as thinking this combination would be very appropriate for my target market the exact hue of the pink is also very alluring. The tone is bright; however, is not the classic neon pink which reduces the sophistication of most designs. I feel this exact hue is one that would work really well within my own designs.

As well as the monotone colour pallet i really enjoy how the designer has utilised different imagery to give the outcome a very sophisticated feel. The use of elegant, flowing shapes and forms under each motif gives an overall much more sophisticated impression than if the animal and plant imagery was just on its own. As well as this, the use of two different but connected elements such as the forms and the imagery above adds a nice break to the design and makes it very appropriate for a girls market.

Overall Anthropologie has been the most inspiring yet as their designs are more diverse than what is mostly seen on the high street. This could be because they are aimed at a slightly higher market than that of M&S. When starting to create my own initial imagery i will be definitely reflecting on some of these designs by Anthropologie in order to inspire my ideas.

Osborne and Little

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Osborne and Littles designs range from classics right up to modern day interpretations. I have always admired their style as their designs always look so elegant. I selected the two designs above as i loved the repeating structure and colour pallets.

The first design is a combination of geometric zigzag stripes which adds structure to the piece, combined with more elegant floral, fruit and foliage imagery. This design initially struck me because of the vibrant hues used within the fruits and florals which are linked by the more muted foliage background. This is an idea i would like to experiment with within my own designs as the overall outcome is very elegant. I feel the hues within the design would appeal to my target market; however, i feel florals would be more appropriate than fruits. I feel fruits appeal to an elder demographic and not so much to my older girl target.

The hues present within the second design were also what initially struck me about this piece. The outcome is dominated by contrasting pink and blues which really help it to stand out against the soft green/ blue background. Once again although i feel the colours within this piece would appeal to my target market i feel the style would have to be altered in order to appeal to my older girls market. Although the imagery and forms are very elegant i feel they are too mature, a much more simpler interpretation would be much more appropriate.

Although really enjoying the colour pallet and repeating structures within these designs i still feel those by Anthropologie stand out to me more because of their contrasting elements. Despite this, these designs by Osborne and Little have made me consider whether i want to use soft or very bold and bright hues within my own designs. This is something i will continue to analyse within my research and also be on the look out for when doing my trend research.

John Lewis

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Dado rails

These designs by John Lewis completely contrast that of Osborne and Little as they utilise a much softer colour pallet and also contain a vast amount of negative space. This variation in overall style could be because John Lewis has a specific range for children where as Osborne and Little does not, the designs above are from the children’s range at John Lewis.

Despite these designs contrasting Osborne and Littles because of their softer colour pallet and use of negative space, this is not why i selected them. It is the figures embedded within the imagery which is what drew me to them. These are the first designs i have looked at which utilise human form and i feel this may appeal to my target market. Because of the softer tones i feel these designs would appeal more so to a younger girls market and may be too young for my older girls. Despite this, i could still utilise the ideas embedded within these designs and transform them to appeal to my older girl market.

What was also interesting within this collection sold by John Lewis was the inclusion of dado rail designs. This is an interior product which is one thin roll of wall paper which runs horizontally around a room at the same height as a chair rail. This product i use to have in my own bedroom; however, they are not so prominent on the market now. A dado rail is something i was fortunate enough to encounter within a field project at L5 and brought back good memories. By including a dado rail within my own collection this could help to vary my ideas and also allow myself to think of my designs in a different format by running horizontally around a room, instead of simply covering an entire wall or bedding sheet.

Rockett St George

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These designs by Rockett St George all caught my attention because of their diverse style and imagery compared to other designs i have previously seen on the market.

Within the first design above on the left i really enjoy the lack of negative space and vast amount of textures and details. I feel this idea would be really successful as a hero design. As there is a huge amount of texture and detail the designer has selected a harmonious colour pallet which helps the design to not appear too overwhelming. The choice of muted tones also makes this this design appeal to a much younger demographic as it creates an overall very soft feel. Although i feel this design is appealing to a younger demographic through its use of colour i feel it may be a bit too young for my older girl target market. To help this design appeal more to my demographic i would either add small areas of brighter contrasting hues or slightly change the imagery.

Within this first design i really enjoy the composition of how the animals are placed in the tree. This has allowed the designer to use a variety of imagery within their design; however, also allowed the animals not to be just floating. As i want my designs to be mostly based on florals bringing trees into my designs and having the florals sporadically positioned in this could be a good way of ensuring my florals are not just floating in negative space.

The second two designs from Rockett St George really stood out to me because of the imagery they use. Although this does not directly appeal to my older girl demographic i can still take inspiration from these designs and transform them into my own style and colour pallet. Previously i spoke of including another element other than florals; however, i was not quite sure what it would be. These designs have given me inspiration to include some alien like entities within my designs in a style which matches that of my florals. As there are so many designs based around florals already on the market this would be a way of ensuring my designs stand out. Within my previous DG project i utilised monster type entities and i really enjoyed this process as i wasn’t quite sure what i was going to end up with. By starting with the basic idea of including alien type creatures within my designs and just seeing where this goes will make my designs feel more exciting for me and hopefully for my target market.

Although i will be able to take inspiration from the two designs for my alien imagery i feel the colour pallet is much too mature and masculine for my target market. To change this i would incorporate softer hues with areas of bright pops of colour. Depending if i decide to design for SS or AW would alter if i pick a hue that is lighter or darker in tone for the background. Although the colour pallet is not appropriate for my target demographic it will provide as a good source of inspiration for when my designs are reaching a point that the colour pallet is not appropriate.

Nubie Kids

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These designs by Nubie Kids are all aimed at a girls demographic which is perfect for the age range i will be designing for. Throughout all the designs there is an emphasis on pink, whether this be just of flower silhouettes or the background hue.

The first design struck me as it is simple but effective. When looking at it up close it is evident it has been drawn and created through digital software such as Illustrator or Coral draw. Although i do enjoy to use my Wacom tablet to draw i feel i want my designs to be more detailed so a more traditional drawing/ painting medium may be more appropriate. Although the style it’s self is very 2D which is normal for digital drawing, the hues, textures and composition of the piece do make it look a lot more interesting. Although the colour pallet is not very broad the use of elements that are darker in tone compared to the pale background really help them to stand out and add depth to the piece. Overall i feel this design would be really appropriate for my target demographic; however, as this is our final project i want to push this idea further to see what i can create.

The following two designs are of a mono tone colour pallet utilising harmonious hues. The soft pink and white allow for a maximal amount of texture and detail whilst still retaining a very soft finish. I feel this colour scheme would really work for my target demographic as long as they like pink. Despite this, this could be a design i offer in alternate colour ways to appeal to a wider market. The two soft tone hues add sophistication to the designs which i also feel would appeal to my target demographic. Despite enjoying this colour way i feel it is appropriate for SS and a lot less so for AW because of the light soft hues. As i enjoy creating very busy designs i would like to incorporate this monotone effect into my own collection. This would allow me to be really experimental with the style and textures i use knowing that when i put it into monotone the overall impact will be greatly reduced and it will create a more elegant design. This is something i did in first year and would very much like to revisit it.

The fourth and final design struck me because of its use of negative space running through the centre horizontally. This creates the impression that the plants are growing up the wall and i feel it would really capture an older girls imagination. Rather than having clusters of florals sporadically placed i feel this would be a much more interesting way of displaying them.

As well as this the use of painted florals some floral silhouettes in bright hues has allowed the designer to add more colour to the piece and creates a much more fun and young feel. This idea is something i would imagine to be very hard to achieve as you are playing with two contrasting elements. Despite this, it does make the design appear a lot more interesting. This is something i could utilise within my own designs; however, i like the idea of having the foreground with all normal florals and then the negative space behind these filled with silhouettes. I feel this would be a way to incorporate depth into my piece whilst still appealing to my target demographic.

This Modern Life

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The above piece i selected as i like the reversible element of the bedding. I think including reversible pieces within my collection would help me to really consider how my designs are working as a collection and also if my hero and blender designs go as well together as i think they do. By including reversible bedding it would allow me to incorporate a design with multiple hues with monotone which i think would create a really nice bedding set.

Although i have no intention to include rabbits within my design i feel this tossed effect could still work with some of my florals. It would be interesting to experiment with just one flower and then do a design with multiple tossed florals. I feel this idea would create a successful design and also appeal to my target market.

Bobby Rabbit

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These two designs i selected as they are a totally different composition from others i have seen on the market, although may be a bit to young for my target demographic. As they are placement designs they do not require to be repeated; however, work better as a simple motif. I am very aware that this particular idea is too young for my target demographic; however, they have got me thinking of how i could incorporate placement designs into my own collection. Instead of having all my designs in repeat i could design some bedding sets which feature a placement of some larger florals to really help vary my own collection. I think by utilising the same florals in this and in a wallpaper could help to unite my collection with a larger variety of scale.

Olive Loves Alfie

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These two designs i selected from Olive Loves Alfie is because they are placement designs and their huge scale. As their scale is life size if not bigger i feel the imagery would really play on my older girls imagination and contrast most items currently on the market. By incorporating a placement design at such a large scale it would really help to diversify my collection and also allow me to play with my designs in a way i haven’t before. Previously i have seen placement designs on the market; however, i feel it is the level of detail in these which really helps them to stand out.

Out of the two designs i feel the one with a multitude of hues would be most appropriate for my target demographic as the black and white is a bit more dull and masculine. Despite this, i think if i swapped the black hue for a pale pink or another colour which was a bit more feminine and gave off less of a contrast, this could help my own design to appeal more so to my target market.

Overall this online research has given me a lot to consider and a lot more ideas of what i could incorporate into my design than what i previously had. I really like the idea of including some alien type entities and a variety of scale across the collection. I feel the inclusion of a placement design would really help my collection to stand out and also allow me to invite a huge variety of scale into my work. Before deciding on exactly what hues i do want to incorporate and what season i want to be designing for i will have to do my trend research to ensure my designs are up to date and appropriate for my target market. Another key thing i will have to decide is what medium i want my designs to entail. A vast amount of this will be digital when it comes to creating the repeat; however, i would like to create my imagery by hand via either drawing or painting before scanning them in to construct the motifs and repeats digitally. To help me decide what medium my work will entail i will utilise the library to explore techniques and styles in books before consulting trend reports to make my final decision.

Having previously created a swat analysis for our previous mogul it was interesting to see where i felt i had improved in certain areas, even in the short space of time in the single project. Now in third year i have become a lot more serious about getting things done on time and ensuring i get things done as i go along, rather than falling behind in something which always ends up entailing a snow ball effect. Although i feel i have improved in a lot of areas there are still some things that have stayed the same which do concern me as they are out of my control.

My main worry is falling ill at some point. When in second year i had two buddies who both got seriously ill when in third year and the impact this had on their work was obvious. The only way i can prepare for this eventuality is to keep on top and ahead of the work load to provide my self with a safety net if something does happen. Unfortunately i have just fallen ill at the start of the Christmas break when i was planning to finish my dissertation. However, luckily i am well ahead so still have a long time to complete it.

As well as somethings staying the same on my swot other things have moved around. Now with not long until we do graduate my tendency to focus on life after university has now become a strength. With a good proportion of our overall grade for the degree show project going toward our professional practice i already have had experience in the industry, have a creative cv and a variety of portfolios. I think now is a really important time to be focusing on whats happening next which is why this has now become a strength.

As time goes on i am becoming more and more confident in identifying where my strengths lie which really helps me to develop as a professional. Although this experiment requires myself to identify weaknesses i do not necessarily see them as weaknesses, simply more learning opportunities. I have learnt through my dissertation that things are only a weakness if you see them that way. If i and others are able to see them as a puzzle to be solved to help develop our skills and professionalism it creates a much more positive outlook and this state of mind i would like to stick to. Following the previous project i am very confident going into the next especially after the DG project and what i have learnt about motivation from my dissertation.

In the summer between second and third year i took a trip to the William Morris gallery to gaver inspiration for my degree show project. I have previously been to the Red Hosuse, local to my home; however, never the gallery its self. 

The gallery featured a large amount of William Morris’s work which i have previously seen; however, also featured a vast amount of work which was half finished, allowing the viewer to see inside the creation of some of his designs. It was awfully refreshing to see his designs not through a computer screen and to also walk around the surrounding grounds.

Overall visiting the gallery has given me a lot of inspiration for my degree show project. As i want to utilise florals within my designs it has given me new ideas of how i could construct my repeating patterns. To help this inspiration better suit my girl target market i will adapt the colour scheme and the style of the designs.

As well as Morris’s work there was also an exhibition on the premises dedicated to Madge Gill. Her work was sketchy yet refined and featured paper and fabric based outcomes. Although the work mainly featured faces there was a dence amount of pattern and mark making that braught the faces together which braught experimentation of negative and possitive space.

Although finding Gills work inspiring i feel there is limited application of her work to my current project. I really like her dynamic use of composition as it is very unlike anything i have seen before. The designs themselves do not repeat; however, could do easily. Her sketchy style is something i could experiment with within my initial drawings which i could then develop into something more sophisticated when developing my patterns.

Having the field introduction at the end of the first term was awlfully useful as i intend to start to think about ideas for my collection over the christmas period. From this session i have made a few notes of bits of key information which i felt were important.

External examinar Eiluned Edwards

Writing brief within first two weeks. Finished by week 2.

Micro sd or usb with work on it in presspack

Thursday 7th may 4pm final deadline

Monday 13th Briefing session

20th feb feedback for first mogual