TRENDS was the ‘Art & Business of Surface Pattern Design’ topic last week and it’s continuing through the whole of this week too.
So if two weeks out of a fifteen week course are devoted to one topic, the chances are it’s pretty important.
But with the Mid-Century style and Animal Skin prints being the two trends I was already very much aware of, both of which I dislike, I wasn’t much looking forward to this part of the course.
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| One of the few Mid-Century Modern designs I actually like - but it's not my style! |
Just as well then that, right at the beginning, we were sent forth with our cameras to take a closer look at the trends in our local shops.
By the time I had compiled these records of the different aspects of what I found, I had decided that there were several elements I could work with.
First, the currently popular motifs, for instance the painterly
florals that I saw on both gift and fashion items as well as on homewares, are right up my
street!
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| from Pip Studio |
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| from joules.com |
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| from joules.com |
. . . prompted me to attempt a Butterfly 'mini-print', though I'm still unclear as to how to get the butterflies really evenly distributed in a repeating pattern. (I'm very much hoping that's something I'll learn later on in the course!)
This week we were directed to an online Trend Report for the coming season and asked to identify key trends and palettes that we feel able to work with.
There seemed to be so many options that I wonder how they can possibly all succeed in being the 'style of the day'.
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| This one, using a single watercolour butterfly, worked a bit better! |
As well as the outsized florals, checks and polka dots, even patchwork is forecast to play its part in 2013!
So – all is not lost! Even if I don't want to create Mid-Century Modern patterns, I can still design using the ‘trending’ colour palettes-
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| Image from patternbank.com - Jasper Conran |
3 comments:
Great post Judy. I don't mind trends as long as there are plenty to choose from and I don't feel like I am being told what to like. I am noticing the stores pushing a lot of peacock holiday decorations this year. I have to rebel on principle. I think butterflies should always be in style. :)
I wasn't sure I'd like following trends but I must admit I've loved finding inspiration from both future predictions and looking back at the past trends. I think I'll be really picky at what I choose to follow though!
Thank you for your comments, Victoria - I'm glad to read that you are a bit of a 'rebel' and a slave to your Muse, rather than to trends!
My impression is that there will always be plenty choose from, which is a relief for me as well!
Hi Nicola - thank you for your comments. Like you, I was very dubious when I saw that we were to spend two weeks on 'Trends' but I agree that looking more closely at the subject can lead to fresh inspiration.
I think 'picky' is good!
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