In this project, Pattern and Culture, I have explored the
theme of Islamic, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, African, American Indian and
British/Celtic cultures and the traditions and styles involved in this range. I
researched into the different cultures and developed my own approach on
creating patterns that I felt represented them. Using different media and the
print making facilities, along with Photoshop towards the end of my project. I
then developed these patterns into Notebook sleeves on Photoshop and put these
around small Moleskine notebooks. I chose to use Islamic, Indian and Celtic
patterns as I felt these worked the most successfully.
My aim for this project was to represent cultures around
the world and create a sense of them ‘crossing over’ and sharing the
differences through a range of colourful, detailed patterns and shapes. I do
feel my sketchbooks and final outcomes show the cultures through the patterns
themselves and the sense of them crossing is put forward by the mixture of
patterns put together in my notebooks and prints.
At the beginning of my project I did not fully know where I
planned to take my development. Towards the end I decided I wanted to
incorporate stationery, in my statement of intent I mentioned I might consider
bringing in cityscapes and putting my patterns onto these. I have not done this
as I felt stationery was more appropriate for the area of design I am working
in.
I have developed a much wider range of knowledge on the
different illustrators and graphic designers that are appropriate for my theme
but also I have discovered others that may support my future studies. Due to the
nature of this project I have also gained knowledge on other design areas such
as surface pattern and paper cutting designers. My skills have developed
greatly during this project, I now have better ability to work successfully in
Photoshop and the print making facilities. Alongside this I have developed my
own style of working in and presenting my sketchbook work and have begun to pay
much more attention to the level of care required when creating my work. All of
these skills are ones that I can continue to use and develop in my further
studies in art and design.
I have found that primary research has been difficult to
gather, for example direct, original sources of the different cultures that
linked to my project. As a result I have relied heavily on book and Internet
resources and would have benefited from more primary research.
I
feel my project has been successful, the outcomes I have created reflect my
aims for the most part, along with the development in my sketchbooks and other
work. The large prints I have done which are expanded versions of my notebook
sleeves represent culture, as do my three hand drawn prints. If I did this
project again I would attempt to produce my own notebook with my patterns built
into them, on each of the pages and then the entire book cover would be of
cultural influence instead of just the sleeves. I would also gain more primary
research by travelling further to more places to gain a first-hand insight into
the cultures and what they include. I would have loved to have had the
opportunity to travel further a field such as to places like China and India
and gain a real first-hand insight. I would also consider making my work have a
clearer message, although I do like that the concept is fairly subtle.
I have enjoyed this project as I feel I have developed greatly as a designer and have more ability to continue in the design area as this project has given me the skills and confidence to do so.
