I am often inspired by fashion and surface design. When I start a project, I usually add to my mood board several catwalk and textile images. Fashion designers find ways to innovate classic themes each year. I think we can learn how to innovate in design and illustration if we observe closely fashion trends.
This year, one trend which caught my eye, reported by Pattern Bank, is "Hand Marks". It features "linear drawings, sketched texture, graphic lines, paint drips, abstract brush marks, felt tip marks and varied pen and pencil" (Pattern Bank 2015, p.31).
Laura Slater, Textiles, 2013. www.patternbooth.com
Prada, Spring 2016 Ready-to-Wear Collection Photos. Vogue.com
Michael van der Ham, Spring 2013 RTW. Vogue.com
Georgiana Paraschiv, Graphic 81, 2015. www.behance.net/GeorgianaParaschiv
Christopher Kane, SS16, VOGUE.com
Chung-Im Kim, free grid. www.chungimkim.com
I was inspired by the textile designs of Laura Slater. Her influences are architecture and natural environment. Her ink markings on fabric are abstract and appear random; there is a great sense of rhythm and texture movement. Slater discusses her process "develops through photocopying, re-scaling, over drawing, and layering" (Laura Slater, 2014. www.heals.com).
The Hand Mark trend is also visible in the works of Georgiana Paraschiv. Her minimalist, brush mark patterns vary in scale through the layout. I found this technique interesting since I usually adhere to a particular scale for all elements in a composition.
From the catwalk, design labels like Prada, Kane and Michael van der Ham, showcase garments with ink lines, splatters and mixture of brush marks in various scale.
Via the Pattern Bank SS17 report, I also discovered the work of the textile artist Chung-Im Kim. She creates complex silk screen patterns on industrial felt pieces. By hand stitching the felt pieces together, the patterns are assembled and grow into organic complex wall structures.