DESIGN INSPIRATION

Inspiration Relationship of design inspiration to Textile Artfocus area

Creative/innovative design ideas developedfrom inspiration

Historical/cultural/contemporary factorsrelating to design inspiration

Brightcolours

Bright colours enhance the visual appeal of a textile item and add a lively aspect, which can be represented through a variety of brightly coloured and textured yarns and fabrics, making it suitable for the Textile Art focus area, creating an aesthetically appealing item. Bright colours can be seen throughout my ‘Under the Sea’ wall hanging as the coral reef is brightly coloured, making it easily visible through the use of fabrics such as heat distorted organza and shrinking sheet and satin and rayon threads stitched onto dissolvable fabric. These textured fabrics assist in providing a variety of colours for the textile art item, ‘Under the Sea’ wall hanging. Bright colours are also seen in the marine life within the ‘Under the Sea’ themed design with vibrant coloured fish, a seahorse and stingray createdfrom dyed fabrics and rayon threads.

Bright colours contributes to the creativity of the wall hanging, highlighted through the use of fabrics and textures, enhancing the ‘Under the Sea’ theme. The wall hanging design is created with colours and textures as seen through fabrics to create the coral such as pink and blue heat distorted organza, pale pink satin and purple lycra stitched with shrinking sheet, due to its vibrant colour and natural light lustre.Texture can be seen through fabrics like the innovative shrinking sheet stippled with the satin and lycra to create ‘pancake coral’, and variegated rayon thread stitched on the Vilene wash away. The threads used throughout the wall hanging also create vibrant colour to the wall hanging as the main yarn used is rayon which is lustrous and vibrant in colour. The useof colour enables the design to become more creative and visually appealing to the eye.

Bright colours have been used throughout the textiles industry for decades, influencing people’s interpretations and impressions of thetextiles item, especially throughout textile art. Historically, the use of bright colours can greatly impact the textile item through different dyes based off the resources availablefor the current time. Bright colours represent the wonders beneath the ocean surface, as seenthrough the vibrant colour of the purple lycra, pale pink satin, bright blue organzas, yellow and orange wool and satin and green yarns. Bright colours are contemporary as the base fabric has been created with synthetic dyes such as Liquid Radiance, and I have used fabrics such as shrinking sheet and washaway vilene to create the coral. By adjusting my colour scheme to brighter tones I am conveying a feeling of happiness. Brightly coloured rayon yarns have also been used to create decorative features which are strongly influenced by the ‘Under the Sea’ theme, allowing the wall hanging to be aesthetically appealing.

Marine life

Marine life captures the coral reef ecosystem below the ocean surface, creating a captivating image whichis best represented through the focus area of Textile Art, as it allows for more creativity based upon the magical mysteries that lie below. To enhance the images of marine life, techniques such as applique, freehand machine embroidery on dissolvable material, shrinking sheet and fabric painting allow for a different perspective as the creatures come to life ‘off the canvas’ and capture the attention more clearly. This is best portrayed through the ‘Under the Sea’ wall hanging where one’s imagination brings the plain wall hanging to life, best appealing to the Textile Art focus area. The array of marine life within my wall hanging, such as the stingray, clown fish, angel fish, seahorse and starfish, creates an illusion of under the sea, with appropriate colours and textures used to replicate these images.

The marine life featured within the wall hanging brings the design to life and adds creativity through interesting fabric decorationtechniques. The stingray on the wall hanging iscreated through hand painting the fabric with Inktense chalks and freehand machine embroidery using grey rayon embroidery threads, which enables the design to stay held to the base fabric in areas, creating a three dimensional effect, as the tips of the stingray appear to be coming off the wall hanging. The clown fish is held to the base fabric using freehand machine embroidery which provides texture and a three dimensional aspect. The seahorse and angel fish displayed within the wall hanging have been created from freehand machine embroidery and dissolvable material using lustrous rayon threads.

Marine life has historical factors relating to design inspiration, as they have existed in nature for thousands of years. Marine life consists of the most mysterious creatures to inhibit the earth, with many new marine life species being found to this day. Marine life is represented in my design through decorative fabric techniques such as applique, freehand machine embroidery and dissolvable fabric, using a variety of coloured fabrics and yarns and textures such as shrinking sheet and cording to portray the significant marine life within the coral reef ecosystem. Contemporary fabrics used include more manmade styled fabrics like satin and lycra, as well as rayon yarns which provide added detailand aesthetic appeal to the finish of the marinelife within the ‘Under the Sea’ wall hanging.

Coral

Coral comes in a variety of different sizes, shapes and textures, thus making it suitable for the Textile Art focus area, by which the features can be displayed to create a visually appealing design. The combination of these factors can be represented through fabric decoration techniques such as Vilene wash away material and freehand machine embroidery, shrinking sheet and stippling stitch and heat distortion. These techniques provide an enticing visual effect which draws the eye to these areas, whilst also displaying a tactile effect. These interesting textures and shapes create the outline for an ‘Under the Sea’ wall hanging. The coral featuresat the base of the wall hanging includes a variety of textures and colours, highlighting the Textile Art focus area which best suits my ‘Under the Sea’ themed textile item.

Coral is represented through a creative style inthe ‘Under the Sea’ wall hanging as displayed through the fabric decoration techniques. The variety of coral created on the base of the wall hanging are accumulated from decoration techniques such as shrinking sheet and stippling for adding extra texture, heat distortion of organza fabric to add texture to ‘bubble’ coral, hand sewn beads providing a pop of extra colour and shimmer representing sand and hidden gems, stippled shrinking sheetto create the ‘pancake coral’, and variegated rayon thread stitched onto dissolvable fabric to create coral. The decoration techniques enhance the creative aspect of coral under the sea whilst providing a playful aesthetic appeal.

Coral historically has existed for over 500 million years, through which many coral reefs have only just been discovered recently. The design of the wall hanging explores the mysteries of coral shapes, textures and coloursbelow the ocean’s surface. Throughout my design I have used contemporary design features to show the colourful coral discoveredover millions of years. The different techniques incorporated to create the coral include stippled shrinking sheet for a three dimensional component, heat distortion and cording. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is home to the world’s largest coral reef, with thousands of species of coral being found there. Influencing books, designers and artists around the world to incorporate such beauty

and wonder within their works of art, this coralreef has influenced my contemporary design for the ‘Under the Sea’ themed wall hanging.

PRESENTATION DRAWING

BRIGHTCOLOURS

MARINELIFE

CORAL

FUNCTIONAL AND AESTHETIC FEATURES OFWALL HANGING

Functional aspects of item Aesthetics aspects of item

100% polyester sewing thread has been used to construct the wall hanging due to its strength.

Vertical, curved lines are created through the corded yarns used to create the appeal of the seaweed. Line is further enhanced with the freehand embroidery on the fish, seahorse and purple coral, drawing the eye randomly around the design. Curved lines are created that in the stippling to create aesthetic appeal. Vertical and horizontal lines are created from the outside structure of the wall hanging.

100% cotton plain weave fabric has been used to provide durability, strength and support for the addition of decoration techniques. This fabric created a suitable base for fabric decoration techniques to be attached and is an easy fabric to dye.

Bright coloured fabrics and yarns have been used to create the theme of the wall hanging. Dyeing the base fabric, using Liquid Radiance dyes, from white to blue was used to create the ocean scene, emphasising the different tones of blue. 100% rayon sewing threads have been used for freehand embroidery to stitch the fish, seahorse, coral and stippling on the shrinking sheet, to create a more lustrous and eye-catching piece. Bright colours appropriate for each animal have been used to create a realistic appearance such as purple and pink for the seahorse and yellow, black and white for the angel fish and grey for the accents on the stingray. The brightly coloured satin, organza and lycra fabrics for the coral also enhance the ocean theme.

The use of tear away non woven fabric strengthens and provides stability forthe wall hanging. It also allows machine embroidery to be applied easier.

Geometric and natural shapes have been incorporated onto the wall hanging. The elements on the wall hanging emphasise the distinct natural shapes of the ‘Under the sea’ animals used such as the fishes, stingray and seahorse. The use of shape draws the eye around the wall hanging and createsan asymmetrical appearance. The use of marbles tied in the organza fabric and heated, creates circular shapes, similar to ‘bubble’ coral, as well as the felt balls. The geometric shape of the starfish contrasts against the natural shapes of the rocks and seaweed. The wall hanging is rectangle in shape, making it stand out on a wall.

Vliesofix was used to iron material onto the base material so that the fabric was easier to sew on and wouldn’t move.

Texture is created through the different aspects of the wall hanging. Cordingwas used to replicate seaweed to create three dimensional textures. The yarns used to create the seaweed are fluffy and appear to come off the wall hanging. Stippling on the shrinking sheet fabric is used to further create a rough texture. The stingray has been freehand embroidered around the edge of the shape and the right side wing has not been stitched to the base fabric soit looks like the wing is gliding through the water. The addition of beads on the underside of the wing adds a three dimensional texture to the animal. Theuse of rayon threads and satin fabrics to create the coral creates a lustrous, smooth texture. The felted balls also create a fuzzy texture. The freehand machine embroidery on washaway vilene also creates a raised, three dimensional appearance, creating interest in the design.

100% rayon thread was used for decoration techniques such as freehand machine embroidery due to its lustrous nature.

Rhythm is created through the repetition of the corded seaweed to create movement and interest on the item. The stippling on the shrinking sheet also creates rhythm and repetition on the design.

100% polyester plain weave fabric such as organza has been used for theheat distorted coral due to its ability to be heated and moulded to the desiredshape.

The design is asymmetrical due to the variety of shapes and sea life that have been randomly placed on the wall hanging. This draws the eye around the item.

Contrast is seen in the different textures and fabrics used to project the images, so interest is created, drawing the eye around the scene.

The placement of the stingray at the top of the wall hanging, draws the eye tothe area, creating emphasis to the stingray. The stippling on the shrinking sheet also creates coral that stands out, as well as the green corded yarns for the seaweed. The eye is drawn to these areas.

Strengths of wall hanging: -The wall hanging is a unique design. Many decorative techniques have been applied to enhance the uniqueness such as cording of yarns for the seaweed, appliquéd shrinking sheet coral, freehand machine embroidery to create the seahorse, fish and coral, heat distortion of organza fabric to create coral, beading on the underside of

the stingray.- Decorative techniques used to create the elements of the design resulted in the design turning out the way I had planned the wall hanging to look. The wall hanging is able to be hung in a room and look aesthetically appealing.- A consistent theme has been adhered to creating an ‘Under the sea’ environment that is quite realistic, due to the colours of the fabrics and yarns used.- Marine life has been created through a variety of decorative techniques, creating realistic images.- Overall, this wall hanging is an eye catching design that provides a high level of aesthetic appeal and functional features.- The colours and textures of the chosen fabrics and yarns, creates design features that emphasise the different aspects of coral.Weaknesses of wall hanging:- Due to decorative techniques used on the wall hanging, it cannot be washed in the washing machine, decreasing its functionality.

- Could be considered crowded with too many design features at the bottom of the wall hanging.

PRODUCTION DRAWING

Scale - 1:2Finished size: 29cm x 42cm1. Cording 7. Ribbon embroidery2. Dyed fabric 8. Freehand machine embroidery on 3. Inktense chalk shrinking sheet4. Vilene washaway and freehand 9. Heat distorted organzamachine embroidery 10. Felt balls5. Stippling on shrinking sheet 11. Textured yarn6. Beading 12. Freehand machine embroidery

PRODUCT LABEL