Brushpen Drawings - Deciding on Imagery

I used my sketchbook to draw collections of objects based around each of my themes. I used reference imagery found online and also some of my own photographs I already had from various trips to places. I found some images from the Natural History Museum particularly helpful.

I used a brush pen for this process and as I was drawing, I was trying to figure out how the shapes would work in the style I have proposed to work in. Some of them fitted the process I was working with more naturally than others.

As a result of this exercise, the final images I intend to produce are...

Coastal

1 x shell

1 x starfish

3 x pebbles

Woodland

1 x pinecone

1 x tree cross section

3 x leaves

Tropical

1 x tropical paradise flower

1 x leaf

3 x feathers

For each of these ranges I will be making two patterns and five stand alone images that can be applied to the various products in my range. Products will have a sense of belonging to their location theme but the three ranges altogether will also work as a more complex set.

This process did make me question my media choice. This explains the brief tests on Photoshop included at the end. I had chosen to use fineliners but I did really like the quality of the brush pen in the very first coastal drawings, this was actually because my brush pen was running out and it made this really nice texture. When I replaced the cartridge, I struggled to recreate this. The true qualities of the working brush pen do not fit the tone I am trying to create, they are too bold and sometimes harsh. I am going ahead with using fineliners and I will be completing the images on loose pieces of paper, allowing me to not be restricted by the scale of my sketchbook.

Research and Progress Tutorial

Admittedly, I have not progressed much since the last peer review we had for this module because I have been focussing a lot on the context of practice module which has a deadline very soon. 

I did some research into product ranges that already exist around the theme that I am working with. I have made notes on these in my sketchbook but here are a few points to summarise. 

• Yorkshire Soap Company have some relevant themes and search terms which would be useful to help me find colours which fit to a certain mood. Scent might also help me to figure out what is relevant or not. 
• Paperchase have some really strong examples of patterns and imagery applied to product ranges. Their 'get organised' range technically fits with my natural theme but I know that using these colours and textures is not what I want. Noticing things that I don't like and don't want to exist in my product range is making me realise that I have a clearer idea about my outcomes than I thought. 
• John Lewis' coastal themed products has made me realise that a lot of the focus is on sailing and nautical pattern rather than the actual beach itself. I know that I want to move away from the nautical themes and 'reinvent' a coastal range which is based on the natural features of the coast. 
• Urban Outfitters Bathroom - some of these products had a subtle neutrality to them and they felt calming to look at. The paler colours, especially the blues work really well. 
• Anthropologie have a lot of natural themes products which is why I thought my range would fit well here, however the price range is too hight for the kind of products I would want to be distributing. Also, the colours used are actually brighter than I had thought they would be. It is a bit too energetic, although the painterly style of some of the designs could be extracted from this and used in a more subtle manner. 

I had a progress tutorial with Teresa. The main feedback I got was just to continue with what I am doing. At the moment, I feel like things are under control and I can just be getting on with things. It is only really the COP deadline that is holding me back from running with this project. We spoke briefly about book bindings because I had mentioned I want to make some notebooks and Teresa suggested going to the library and looking at proper binders. However, on reflection, I want to bind them by hand with thread - I feel this would relate more to the natural and subtle vibes of my products and would also make it feel like some care has gone in to the making of it. 

Peer Review

I was really pleased with my feedback today. I felt like everyone on the table understood my concept and how  was approaching it which was a boost for me as it confirmed that it made sense to other people too, not just me. 

Things to think about

• Aim high with the outcomes, what are the final products going to be and how many different images and patterns will be applied to them?
• When making decisions about things, keep relating it back to the concept so I don't lose the relaxing vibe. 
• Is the product range more accessible now because it isn't just in the form of a pack? How does this affect the audience? How can I make it appeal to both genders?
• What am I going to be submitting and what am I going to be proposing as other potential outcomes?
• Think about the quality of my lines and how fine these can be before it affects printing quality. 
• Think about ranges within the product range I am making, could they be themed around seasons or locations for example? How many ranges? How many things in each range?

My Response

After the crit I sat in the studio and tried to figure out exactly what was going to be in my product range(s). I liked the idea of setting the themes round locations so I asked a few people where they would go to relax, take a break and de-stress. I wrote the responses in my sketchbook and my favourites which I felt were appropriate to my work so far were coastal and woodland. I feel a set of three themes would be best so I am looking out for another, I like the idea of mountains but I started drawing mountains in this style in my sketchbook and wasn't too pleased with the outcomes. Another idea would be water based but I should probably experiment with drawing water in this style too. 

At the moment, I am thinking that for each of my three chosen themes I want to have two stand alone images and two or three patterns. This would give me a total range of between 12 and 15 different images to apply to my product range. Obviously if I get time I will do more. 

Merging Styles Experiment

I realised how much my project had developed since the beginning and I wanted to see whether I could bring more of my previous work into the the work I was doing now. I really liked the cactus pattern I designed so I wanted to try and do this with the new process of drawing lines around each other. I used a brush pen for this to make it less intricate and more stylised. I don't feel it has been totally unsuccessful, especially with the application of the colour palette, however I feel the most recent drawings I have work better to communicate the concept of my project. I feel these drawings are still a bit too playful and chunky. They don't really get across the idea of relaxation so I am not going to continue with this, although I'm glad I tried it. 

These tree trunk rings were a brief experimentation with making the rings look different thicknesses and shades. This might be something I want to work with because it represents the ups and downs in life as a tree ring will be wider if the tree has had good growth that year. 

Tree Trunk Development

The last visuals I produced for this brief were the female figures and since I have rewritten my proposal and spoken to the tutors and my peers about my project, I have realised that it is best to leave this idea behind. Teresa pointed out to me that I would have to be careful what I showed if this was to be sold in shops and I don't feel the figures would actually be contributing that much to the design anyway. As I was roughing out some compositions for stand alone images, I decided to take out the figure and just look at the backgrounds, I realised that these on their own had more potential to reach the levels of calm and relaxation that I am looking for. I want these images to be something you can just become lost in, I want them to mesmerise the viewer for a few moments so they are actually momentarily taking a break from the stresses of real life.

Tree Trunks

• Each ring is representative of a year's worth of growth, and the development of each ring is dependent on the previous ring. 
• The concept would make people think about their state of mind now and how this will help their growth in the future. 
• Mesmerising structure, it draws you in.
• The imperfection of nature is what makes it beautiful.
• Drawing this by hand and using the concept of being reliant on the previous ring means that my inability as a human to reach perfection means that the pattern is caused totally naturally by my mistakes. It makes each set of rings different. 

I really like the concept of this, I think the idea of the tree rings nicely gets across the idea that what happens now influences what happens in the future. I started applying this to other natural forms to experiment with the process. This was when I stared to notice that a similar pattern occurs in feathers, rock formations, fossils and leaves, etc. This was when I realised that this process has good potential for a range that do all link together. 

I used my colour palettes from my previous pantone research to play around with colour on photoshop, I feel this enhanced the idea of relaxation and calm even more. I also briefly played around with pattern which is working well too. 

I am really happy that things are starting to come together, and I can see in my head how I want this to look when the project is complete. I know its inevitable that I will have to change some things as I go along but I am really keen to stick with this concept as I can really see it working. I really enjoy this process as well, drawing intricately is something I miss and I find it relaxing to do so, which is oddly still relevant to my theme. Pattern and the application of my imagery is something I am really looking forward to in the next couple of weeks. 

Updated Proposal

These are the images from my research so far in this project so far that I feel have driven me down this chosen route.

I have chosen to rewrite m proposals I feel the direction of my project has changed a lot since the beginning of this project. Not only have I moved away from editorial and reportage but the actual concept of my work has moved on too and the applications are going to be slightly different. 

Project Rationale. (what do you intend to do and why?)

I intend to produce a product range that inspires people to bring nature and natural themes into their homes. The range will span across home ware and stationary. Stress and mental health issues are an increasing problem among young adults and being exposed to nature is said to help combat this. I feel this is particularly relevant to those living in the city as they have very little access to nature at all and are probably experiencing a high stress environment around them. Studies have shown that people who experience nature indoors tend to be more conscious about the environment as a whole and this is a something that needs promoting in modern day as the world becomes increasingly urbanized and nature is under threat. It is also said to increase work productivity and learning. My aim with this project is to bring the ‘experience’ of nature into the home through my designs. I intend for some of my products to serve a purpose of reducing stress but some will be more decorative and about the experience. The product range I am proposing includes: Stationary – notebooks, diaries, bookmarks, postcards, greetings cards, giftwrap. Home ware – wallpaper, cushions, bags, mugs, candles, soaps, bath salts/bombs, pots/containers. This may change throughout the process.

THEMES / SUBJECTS What Themes/Subjects will form the content of your work for this module? This should include Theoretical and non- creative based content and concerns. This section should identify your consideration of the social, cultural, ethical and creative concerns of contemporary practice

GENERAL THEMES: Nature, natural forms, design, sustainability, trends, environment, lifestyle, science, health, mental health, plant life, flowers, happiness, urbanization, relaxation, meditation, the outdoors, home ware, stationery. SPECIFIC SUBJECTS: Interior design, compatibility, cognitive learning, productivity, well being, fashion, sustainable design, environmentally conscious materials, ethics, relaxing locations, calm, colour psychology.

PRACTICAL & CONCEPTUAL APPLICATION

SPECIFIC DISCIPLINARY AREA: Product and packaging. AUDIENCE/CONTEXTS: Young people, first time buyers, renters, students, young professionals, young families, self employed, people working from home, people living in accommodation with no outside space, people with little experience of the countryside, people suffering with stress, anxiety or other mental health issues. Also people who do live in natural surroundings and want to bring their outdoor experience indoors. PRODUCTION / Distribution Methods: Homeware shops and catalogues, magazine features, appropriate high street chains and department stores, garden centres, gift shops, independent shops, craft fairs, student unions, online, social media, pop up events/exhibitions. This seems like a wide range but the intention would be to start off small and move up the ladder as the brand gained recognition and momentum.

CONTEXTUAL REFERENCES Identify areas of professional/creative practices that will inform the contextualization of the work that you produce. This should include specific illustrators, studios, practitioner’s and products as well as broader creative disciplines and methods of Production / Distribution.

ILLUSTRATORS / DESIGNERS / STUDIOS: Julia Rothman, Leah Goren, Susie Wright, Mia Dunton, Barry Small, Christina Hart-Davies, Anthropologie, Oh Deer, The Pocket Garden, Wacamole Ceramic, Atelier Stella, Shino Takeda Ceramic, The Plant Room, The Jungalow, John Franzen, Lisa Congdon,

CREATIVE SKILLS

The existing skills I wish to develop and improve include my observation drawing skills, these will be particularly important when gathering initial visual information to work with for the duration of my project. I want to improve my use of both dry and wet media, particularly trying to push my ink work and apply it to my work in new ways. Colour is something I want to research into to make sure my choices are appropriate to the tone of voice. Some new skills I want to develop during this project include the making of 3D products, this could involve learning new skills such as ceramics and more advanced bookbinding techniques. I also want to learn more about photography so that I can photograph my outcomes well and present them as professionally finished pieces.

KEY TEXTS.  You should include a list of relevant websites

Design with Nature – by Ian L. McHarg City of Flows: Modernity, Nature and the City – by Maria Kaika ‘A Surprising New Nature Oasis In The Heart Of New York City: 1 Hotel Central Park’ – by Ann Abel for Forbes. From Davos: Unleashing The Power Of Nature In Cities – by Mark Tercek ‘Mapped: The World’s Most Urbanised Countries’ – by Oliver Smith for the Telegraph ‘The 7 Best Houseplants for Beginners’ – by Jon VanZile for about.com ‘Program Gets Schoolchildren Out Into Nature’ – The Buffalo News ‘Even Short Engagements With Nature Boost Productivity’ – by Olivia Burkeman for The Guardian / businessinsider.com. Urban Jungle Bloggers - http://www.urbanjunglebloggers.com/about/

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

I am keen to learn about where my products will fit in the market and what will make them sellable. I think I need to gain a better understanding of the market I am trying to enter.

Project Planner

1	Module Briefing Studio Brief 1 Research & Proposal
2
3
4	Proposal Submission
5	Studio Brief 2 Development & Production
6
7
8	EASTER
9
10
11
12		Last stages of development work. Making of final imagery.
13	Studio Brief 3*	Work on final imagery. Print any final pieces in digital print / print room. Applying to products.
14		Applying to products. Work on the presentation of my work in preparation for final crit. Any catching up on blogging and evaluation.
15	Module Submission 09/ 05 / 2016	Ensure everything is ready for submission.