Introducing Colour.

I've started to think about adding colour into my work, as I want to show that I am able to work with different colour ways other than monochrome. I feel it is important to show that my work can be versatile. 

I've also decided I want to add some further prints to my monochrome collection, but in new colour way. When gathering inspiration for my next collection I was inspired by the colours in the rusted lobster pots and fishing ropes, I feel that these colour ways could be appropriate to finish off my previous collection of print designs. 

I've started this week to do some mark making, experimenting with colour proportions and how the new colour palette might work together, before taking the new palette into the print room. I do think the palette is working, the flash of orange against the blue tones really stands out and sets the other colours off.

Further Drawing.

Taking inspiration from the photographs that I've taken of textures and surfaces, I've been drawing and mark making to create patterns to work from.
I've started in monochrome again so as to focus in on the marks, and so I don't distract with too many colours to start with.
I feel that these drawings look similar to the previous set, even though I have tried to create a different feel with the marks and forms I have been creating. I think this is perhaps because they are two monochrome collections, if colour was added I think the forms would take on a different feel.
I think it's important that I spend more time developing the drawing for this project, but using colour, and perhaps thinking about composition. I'd like to focus on motifs and all over pattern so it's obvious how my drawings could be translated into repeats and pattern designs for interiors.
I do think that some of the forms and patterns I've created are successful, but need a tweak composition wise.

New Directions & Visual Research.

Fig 1 & 2.

I've been thinking about adding another strand to my project, to gather new inspirations to create a new body of drawings from. I didn't want this new strand to be totally disparate from my current project, so wanted to still think it terms of nature, but perhaps taking it from a different perspective. 

Whilst researching I came across 100 Abandoned Houses, which are photographs taken across Detroit, in particular I was drawn to the houses that had been taken over by nature, and almost reclaimed. 

I think this would be an interesting perspective to look at for new inspiration, looking at nature reclaiming in different ways, and find my own photographs and visuals to work from. 

I've been gathering a range of photographic visual research of various surfaces and textures that represent nature reclaiming in some way, looking at how moss and rust will gather on man made surfaces. Also looking at how nature reclaims itself, with growths like fungi that I found growing back onto dead trees. 

I have gathered a substantial amount of photos to begin another set of drawings from to then inspire a further printed collection. 

I think that some of the colours that are coming through in the rust photos will definitely be influential when looking into a colour palette, especially against the vibrant green, something I will refer back to in a few weeks. 

Fig 1, Fig 2. 100 Abandoned Houses (n.d) [Online] [Accessed on 9th January 2014] <http://www.100abandonedhouses.com/>