Evaluation

My main focus in this unit has been on producing my vision and making sure it is executed impeccably. I thin I have succeeded in the make of the product and ensuring it is made beautifully. During the course of unit X I have also tried to experiment more and push myself further again. Although my main focus for this project was to continue making my envelopes from the previous unit, I have tried to incorporate other elements into my work but introducing new and different screen printing techniques such as foiling and puff binding into my work. Combining hand made prints, patterns and drawings with embellishments was also something new for me. It was interesting to combine different techniques together but ensuring they all fit together efficiently and were still in line with my learning brief was something challenging but interesting for me.

The use of different techniques have enabled me to look back and forth between my learning brief and practice as I did not want to stray to far from what I intended to do but also experiment further and encourage myself to try new things as I feel in my previous project thats where I lacked confidence and held back trying new things. I was uncomfortable with screen printing during my last project so naturally I was skeptical about going back in and trying out a whole new technique but giving myself the push and considering filing then gave me the push to go and try puff biding too and it has been very beneficial for me as it has resulted in a more intricate and beautiful product. 

My envelope idea is still something unique which has been difficult at time research and context wise but I have managed to combine research in different things together such as substituting the envelope for a clutch bag as they are similar sizes and can be made in a similar way. I have also looked at different ways to make an envelope and selected the best easiest and most impeccable result to execute. This has been a difficult part of this unit but also a learning curve having to think outside the box and selecting relevant research and information that can cater to my project without having me exact. 

This project has also enabled me too look at different contextual areas within my practice and culture and not restrain myself and focus on one specific area. This has also helped me network and and open a window for a new wider audience to be interested in my work and introduced potential clients and opened exciting new doors for me. This has also encouraged me to think about future project beyond university and along side a teaching course. 

My plan for the rest of unit X is to carry on producing more envelopes and cards created in a flawless manner. To continue combining different techniques such as the many printing techniques mono printing, digital printing, foiling and puff binding techniques I am currently using to create something new and unique. 

Sample making!

This week I have been working on producing a sample for my final product. I started off by experimenting with one of my samples by embellishing it and introducing another texture element. I think this was a good idea because it added another dimension to my samples and it also finished them of and gave them another luxurious feel and emphasising my concept for a bespoke hand made wedding invitation. I plan to add these to a few of my samples as I would like to offer a choice and show a more embellished envelope and a more simple but still effective one. I also created an envelope myself this was a difficult task but I feel that the envelope is professionally made and I have refined the making to make sure it looks good enough to be in the degree show and also good enough to sell to clients. My next plan is to continue making more envelope samples and also create cards. I have planned to make my cards a mixture of paper meshed with fabrics I am also combining foiling with the puff binding technique for my cards. Still keeping my slightly raised cushion section as part of my card.

Faika Karim

I have been approached by various women and girls asking about my prints and whether I would be selling them sewn into assign attire. This has sparked an idea in my mind encouraging myself to research further into this audience and business to see if I am able to place myself in that industry. I looked at a specific designer called Faika Kareem who is a pakistani clothing wear designer who often uses digital prints in her Pret collections. This has inspired me to reach out and put out my prints in different contexts especially as people seem interested in it in this particular context. I have decided to get in touch with a graphics designer who has agreed to help with some branding and logo specifics and I am currently sourcing a digital printer who can print my prints for me. this project is getting exciting for me and challenging as I am not thinking about my work in a whole new context and whether it will work in that context too!

This particular designer has inspired me because its an area that I feel my work is similar and relatable. She uses luxurious prints and colours that make her work look expensive and inspire women. Karim digital prints are vibrant and colourful as are mine. I feel my work fits in perfectly in this context and enforces the fact that i don't want to limit myself to one particular context.

New photoshop prints

I decide to take my prints back into photoshop and re-edit them as when they were printed onto silk I preferred the ones with more orange motifs and and textures in them. I scanned in more screen printing positives and transferred them onto my prints via photoshop I then changed the colours and made them orange to make them a focus point on the textured background. On other prints I also selected textures coloured them orange and pasted them on to prints this made the simpler colour scheme prints more tenasious with ones that already have an orange theme present. These are not my final prints for my collection. I plan to take half of these prints into screen printing and foil on to them.

Context

Its difficult to find contextual research specifically similar to mine as I haven't been able to find any similar ideas anywhere. I often find many different websites based in Pakistan and india that do wedding cards. these have been a main source of insight into the business and also what is already out there and how unique my idea and creation is. I have branched out and looked at other different similar ideas and things such as clutch bags. The main thing that I look at when I'm researching clutches is the make, embellishment and different shapes and sizes. Clutch bags and necessarily something that I would venture out and consider doing but I feel that idea isn't new and unique. Although my work is heavily researched into my own culture and is mainly catered to that specific audience I don't want to limit myself to a specific culture and hope to inspire other people from all walks of life.

Aisha Khalid - Kashmiri Shawl

Aisha khalid did ann installation for the jameel prize 2011 at the Victoria and Albert Museum. This was an interesting piece for me as it included the paisley element which is very obvious element n my own work but the story behind Aishas work is what really captured me. similar to my own work I like to use personal and symbolic elements. Aisha's shawl was extremely beautiful to look at but the story and idea behind it was a completely different subject. ''Kashmiri Shawl' is a cashmere cloth pierced with 300,000 gold-plated pins which create a traditional paisley pattern. For Khalid, the sharp pins symbolise the agony of the people in occupied Kashmir.' This is an example of another artist who's beautiful work has a hidden inspiring story behind it.

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/exhibition-jameel-prize/jameel-prize-2011/

Research

My main source of research for this project has been mainly focused on decor and the way weddings and celebrations are decorated. The use of colour has been a main influence in my work as I have been specifically concentrating on a new and improved colour scheme to make my prints stand out more in a vibrant manner. Looking over my previous work it was apparent to me that the colour scheme was a little all over the place as it wasn't a main priority so during this course of the project I have decided to pick out images for inspiration that will make my collection look as if they are all from the same book. As when it comes to finding an appropriate lining for my envelopes its not difficult to chose the perfect prints, as I have decided to randomly allocate them a print from the same collection.

Foiling first attepmt

Im not normally a fan of screen printing as I think I can get the same effect through photoshop so I decided to try a different technique in screen printing. I decided to add a metallic element to my flat prints. This was a good idea because it also added a luxurious feel to my prints and also gave another textured effect as the foil rubbed off in some areas. As it was my first time foiling It took me a few attempts to get it exactly how I wanted it. Looking through my prints afterwards It was clear to me that the orange metallic foil brought out the prints and added a more vibrant effect. The orange has now become a running colour through all of my prints, this also makes them look like an over all cohesive collection.

Photoshop Samples

I scanned in my mono prints and edited them in photoshop using the magic wand tool to pick up the textures and colours. It was a lot easier to pick up textures this time compared to last time as I used the paint heavier so the textures were more thicker and obvious for the magic wand tool to select this also made the whole process easier as the colours and textures selected were vivid and deeper so there was less editing needed. I also prepared some positives for screen printing. I made them intricate taking in my research and previous work into consideration. I then scanned these positives in and placed them onto my prints to give them some more dimension. Looking at these images after they had been printed onto silk it was clear to see that the orange colour was vivid and made the prints stand out. When I re-edit these prints again I will make sure to include orange motifs in other prints to make them look more cohesive and part of a collection.

screen printing positives