BRIEF SIX - FEATHR - SUBMISSION BOARDS

BRIEF SIX - FEATHR - BRIEF & EVALUATION

PROJECT BRIEF - 

PROJECT EVALUATION - 

BRIEF SIX - FEATHR - SUBMISSION

Evidence of submission. 

 

BRIEF SIX - FEATHR - DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT

BRIEF SIX - FEATHR - WATERCOLOUR STUDIES

Watercolour mushroom studies developed from the identification book purchased specifically for the project. 

BRIEF SIX - FEATHR - HSIAO RON CHENG

When thinking about the soft colour scheme I want to apply to my outcome I remembered an artist that I recently discovered while browsing through projects on Behance. 

Hsiao Ron Cheng is a Taiwanese illustrator who specialises in creating calming digital portraits that fuse humanity and nature together in a cohesive outcome. The colour schemes Hsiao applies to her work are soft, calming and help to create an almost dreamlike feeling within the audience. As previously mentioned, I want to apply a soft, pastel colour scheme to my illustrations so that the wallpaper created in response to the brief is aesthetically pleasing. 

Below, I have chosen a selection of Hsiao's work which clearly illustrates her inspiring use of colour.  

Link

BRIEF SIX - FEATHR - VISUAL RESEARCH

Although I have defined a focus for the project I have yet to outline any of the design decisions such as the colour scheme or what technique will be used to create the mushroom illustrations.  Therefore, after defining the theme I collected a body of visual research reviewing wallpaper type patterns and illustrations to help inform the project design decisions. 

• Pattern is rather sporadic and does't have much order - relevant to the untamed nature of plant and tree growth.

• Layers of leaves, branches and flowers help to create a busy, layered aesthetic that helps to draw the viewer in and capture interest.
• Additionally, the colour scheme used on this design is really effective, all of the colours seem to be muted which ensures the outcome is not too imposing. 

• This pattern has more order to it than ones previously reviewed and yet creates a sporadic appearance through the placement of small details such as the flowers and leaves. 
• It looks like water colour paints have been used to create the pattern due to the inconsistencies of the solid colours.
• Using watercolour paints to create my response is a relevant method of producing my illustrations due to the natural feel it gives to outcomes. 

• The pastel colour scheme used on the above outcome ensures that the outcome is not too garish and distracting. 

• Mushroom pattern shows how my final outcome could be composed.
• The illustrations of the mushrooms are really affective and strike a visual balance due to their red caps and pale stems. 

• Pattern created with objects found in nature, in this case, leaves. 
• A similar technique could be used to create my outcome. However, finding and documenting the desired mushrooms would almost impossible due to their geographical location and legal status. 

• Hand rendered watercolour pattern - identified by the inconsistency of solid colour. 
• Although  the pattern is appealing due to the consistent colour scheme and interesting visual nature of the flamingos I think the piece would benefit form a background colour other than white. 

• This pattern is interesting due to the varying perspectives the artist has given the pinecones.

RELEVANT TECHNIQUES -

• Pastel/Muted colour scheme.
• Watercolour illustrations.
• Play with perspective & positioning when creating pattern.

Image-set Link

BRIEF SIX - FEATHR - INITIAL IDEAS

After reading through and analysing the brief I immediately started progressing with creating ideas for my response. 

As previously outlined, the brief is very open with regards to what visuals are created in submissions. Therefore, as the brief gives us the artistic freedom I first created a spider diagram exploring things that interest me.

After creating the diagram I highlighted some ideas I believe could be developed into a pattern or be used as wall art. 

FAVOURITE IDEAS -

• Universe - stars, solar system etc.
• Aspects of nature - Trees, leaves.
• Botanical plant illustrations.
• Mushrooms.
• Psychedelic mushrooms.
• Meditation.
• Yoga positions (not highlighted on diagram).
• Pattern found in nature.
• Maps.
• Geometry.
• Woodworking tools.
• Craft tools.

CHOSEN VISUAL THEME -

BRIEF SIX - FEATHR - INITIAL BRIEF

At the start of this week I found a flyer in the third year studio advertising a competition brief for an American wallpaper company called 'Feathr'. The brief tasks entrants with creating innovative wallpaper designs that break the current boundaries of design within the wallpaper industry. 

The brief is appealing as it is open with what it asks for from a submission giving artistic freedom to participants responding to the competition. At this current point in the academic year I have yet to complete an illustration focused brief, and so the competition presents me with the perfect chance to engage with work that will engage the illustrative aspect of my practice while allowing me to retain artistic freedom. 

The brief downloaded from the Feathr website is displayed below; 

IMPORTANT POINTS - 

• Make wallpaper into art.
• Feathr want to see our take on art focused wallpaper.
• Customer profile - Stylish young home owners who want something unique on their walls that they can talk about.
• Designs are submitted to Feathr.
• Submitted designs will be published on the Feathr website and the feather community and team will vote on designs with the best going on sale. 
• There are  no limitations to colour or ideas.
• Feathr pay 5% royalties, based on net revenue, on every design sold.
• One winner will win a lump sum of $5000.
•  All artwork will remain our original work and not infringe copyrights.

SPECIFICS -

• Create artwork as a replicating design for a 53cm x 10m wallpaper roll. 
• The roll length is 10m, so the vertical artwork repeat has no limitations. 
• Repeats can be straight matches, offset matches (half drop) or mirrors (half drop) or mirrors.
• Only one tile of the repeat is needed for the initial artwork submission. 
• width 1560px.
• Length - one vertical repeat of the design.
• If the design wins you will need one print ready tile.
• Width - 53cm plus a 2mm bleed either edge.
• Length - on vertical tile of design.
• Format - TIFF.
• Colour - CMYK.
• Initial submissions close 31.12.2014.
• Submit on the feather website - www.feathr.com/submit.