Flowers!

In between bits of dye sampling for my vines (still excited about that piece) I managed to make a few sample flowers that might go into a headpiece. I used about half a can of spray starch on them to make them a bit more sturdy but they still need something else. I also got a bit too excited and sewed them together without a stem!

Cotton

Silk



 #flower #silk #cotton #petals #vines

Busy week

This week has been very exciting. Remember the vine piece I showed you that I said you'd have to use your imagination for? Well you wont have to any more! I spent all week rolling paper to make vines, painting them and attaching leaves so I could make this mock up...
My work bay (that I'd just cleaned) went from this...

...To this in about 10 seconds (that's it looking fairly clean for all the painting I did!)

 And it turned my hands into this

But I came out with all these beautiful vines that took up half the studio and made a bit of a mess of the floor but look really exciting when they're all put together

 What do you think?

#vines #fashion #accessory #dyes #workbay

Working, Working...

Time seems to have flown, I seem to have been constantly working and yet dont have much to show for it...
 
Since my last update I've had a few ring commissions which were slightly terrifying to make. The same style as my I&G rings I knew what to do but the fact they were for customers and what if I got it wrong was a bit scary. Thankfully everything went fine and I have 2 very happy customers.

I also mastered Illustrator so I could make a file to Laser Cut. Never been much of a digital person before - I prefer using my hands than a mouse on a screen - so I'm actually quite impressed I managed to work Illustrator.

(Red is cut out, Green is engraved and Blue is Kiss Cut)

I even had chance to work on a few designs, You don't get to see the full things yet but hopefully you'll get as excited as I am at this stage. There's gonna be lots of embroidery, beading, silver, laser cutting and more exciting stuff!

(You might need to use your imagination a little for this one, they are supposed to be vines so if you imagine them covered with leaves and in colour it might be a bit more exciting haha)

#designs #vines #lasercutting #Illustrator #rings #commissions #butterfly #fashionaccessory

Photo time!

Finally up to date with photos of things for you!
 
Here's the printing workshop we did last week:

 

 
 And some ones of my work!

 
 #etching #drawing #butterfly #flowers #leaves

Dry Point Etching

We had a few really fun workshops at Uni today in different printing techniques. We did dry point etching and Collagraphs.

The dry point etching was really fun having to scratch out all the areas we wanted printing and getting messy with the oil paint. We have our own printing press from 1835 that we use to actually print with and had great fun creating enough pressure to make the print work. I was quite pleased with how mine turned out and would like to try some more of it.

We didn't finish the collagraphs as the last part of the process was to coat everything with PVA to make it more durable to print with but it was great fun sticking loads of stuff down and getting covered in glue and paint!

There are loads of pictures of this workshop on our degree show Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TSDDegreeshow2014 and you can keep up to date with all our work and preparation for the final show!

#printing #etching #collagraph #facebook #degreeshow

Back to Uni...

I've been a bit naughty and neglecting this blog over Christmas! Hope you all had a very merry festive period.

Last time we spoke I was just getting ready for the Alex Gabrielle Design event, seems like years ago! It was a really fun event and even made an order or two.
I'm back at Uni now and have started drawing for my Final Major Project

I also had a very hectic weekend as I went down to Liberty in London to show my work to the Buyers there as part of their Best of British event. It was so exciting and terrifying!

It was an incredible experience and I'm so glad I went. Although they didn't want my products just yet they did give me some really useful feedback about my work which I will be using in my Major project and so I can take that next year!
They also recommended going to the Isabella Blow exhibition at Somerset House and that was incredible. Loved seeing Philip Treacy's and Alexander McQueen's work up close, I couldn't wait to get making!
(Sadly you weren't allowed to take photos so we have a nice one of Helen outside Somerset House)

#Christmas #FMP #drawing #LibertyLondon #BestofBritish #SomersetHouse #PhilipTreacy #AlexanderMcQueen #IsabellaBlow #London

The Holly (but sadly not Ivy)

Although I've been a bit naughty and not been posting much (any) new work I'm here to atone for it by showing you some of the goodies I have for the Christmas event I'm taking part in this weekend!

These are (top to bottom) the Fuchsia and Fuchsia/Jay earrings I made as part of my Metamorphosis of Nature project, Holly earrings and some special new surprise rings exclusively available at said event.

They are a 6mm wide silver band and have I & G stamped onto them.
(I honestly didn't put this picture in to show that I do occasionally have hands that aren't covered in dye!)

 #Christmas #earrings #ring #silver #I&G