J|LONG SS17. Muse

• Creating a muse for our collection.
• Mid 20s lads lad, heritage and background of motocross, long styled hair, a cheeky chap, works hard, rough around the edges, is cool as hell. 

J|LONG SS17. Drawings

• Using the the patterns from the car mats, I took a range of prints from them using black media to focus on the texture and pattern and the designs. 
• Developing the prints in Photoshop, repeating patterns and cleaning up the designs ready to use in print.  
• Looking to create prints that can be used continuously within our collection covering panels and sections on garments. 
• Working on creating simple but effective designs. 

J|LONG SS17. Primary Research

• Keeping in with the motors, metal, wires and steel I was able to visit a scrap yard to collect some primary photos for the group to work from.
• Looking for patterns within the materials at the scrap yard as well as collecting images of where primary colours have been used, linking all of our research together.  
• I was also able to collect a range of materials from there to help with our development and research. Collecting a range of car floor mats, boot carpets and liners, pipes and wires, seat belts and tyres, materials we will be able to work into as a group and develop from.

• As well as this I own a vintage trials bike that I was able to take photos from as well as accessories like boots and gloves to develop our own designs from. 
• Taking inspiration from the panels and designs from both the bike and the clothing, as well as colours and looking at the proportion of colour that has been used such as on the bike.

VERSACE FALL/AUTUMN 2014-2015

• Versace's 2014/2015 collection inspired by Western cowboy and motocross biker theme. 
• Shades of primary colours used for the colour scheme including metallics. 
• Looking at how Versace used denim to create a motorbike look by creating new fabrics .
• Distressed denim covered in paint and latex to create texture, giving an effect of leather.

HOOD BY AIR FALL/WINTER 2014-2015

• Heavy influence from fastenings of zips and eyelets.
• Fastenings used for detail as well for function.
• Opening up garments to create different lengths and aspects to a garment. 
• Looking at how part of a garment can be unzipped and removed in relation to our own designs for a summer collection. 

J|LONG SS17. Initial Ideas

• Wanting to create a collection inspired by Motocross, bike racing.
• Mixing in the idea of vintage pinball artwork and collaborate the two ideas together within our designs.
• Leading off from the motocross, we want to incorporating a technical part of the sport into our theme. Looking at the design of the bike and it's electrical parts, at the wires, bolts and engines, incorporating a range of silver tones to go along side the colour scheme.
• Using primary colours for our colour scheme, blue, red, yellow and green for a classic collection while using vintage dulled tones of these colours to relate to the sport, of been muddy and dirty, with a base colour of greys and white so the colours are not too over empowering and garish.

EVALUATION

From one starting point I took my design ideas in two directions working on materials and developing my design through print to create a final, main sample for Bradford Textiles, live brief competition. As well as taking my prints and developing them in context, putting my prints onto the body and creating a fashion look book.
Originally I intended on creating a print for a menswear collection but as I started to develop my work it turned into a women's sportswear collection. During this process I felt it could of become a unisex collection but eventually I found that my designs became more feminine and sporty.

Taking my drawings and developing them through process and design I feel I have come out with some strong samples and prints. 
I developed on a style of using line to build up colour and detail in my drawings, taking inspiration for artist Tracie Cheng, I found this style of drawing really worked with the theme and related well to my images of mountains and ski slopes. 
I feel I have been experimental with my work using a range of fabrics that have helped develop my prints further by adding texture and different qualities to the designs. Working with both digital and screen print and finding that both bring different element to my work; as for screen printing I preferred how vivid the colours became but as for digital printing I liked the range of colours and design that can be printed, unfortunately the colours where not as strong as I would of like them when using certain fabrics so screen printing was my preferred choice for my final print when using the airtex, spacer fabric. I think I could of developed my designs further by experimenting more with a background colour, working on coloured paper from the start but I feel the white backgrounds have worked well, fitting in with my colour scheme and the ideas of snow. 
I think what works well in these designs is the layering of prints, using different scales on top of designs worked well making my prints more contemporary and lively. I think I could of push some of my designs further but I refined my drawings and worked with the ones I found most striking and which appealed to my theme and context of sportswear the most.

I took a more graphics approach through my self initiated project, creating a fashion look book to present my designs in context. Setting up a photoshoot to get photographs to work with then digitally importing my prints onto the garments to make them my own designs. 
Looking at big sportswear companies such as Adidas and there Primeknit X Tubular collection for inspiration from there photoshoot, I found the images had minimal background and a relaxed mood which appealed most to me and I wanted to create a similar theme for my own photoshoot. Using a white washed, brick background I felt gave a simple, textured and clean background to work with, adding a slight filter to the images to set an effect and atmosphere. As well I looked at Adidas for the placements of my prints, seeing how they use line and print with in their collections. 
I found I really enjoyed this path of working digitally and creating a collection that I took from my original designs. Taking most of my inspiration from Kinfolk, for the influence of creating a concertina look book and layout. When designing my look book I would have preferred if it was one sheet with my images printed on both sides but I found for the size of printing I wanted It wasn't guaranteed it would be in line so I used two pages for the layout and found this adds to the texture and design of my book. Working through this I feel I found a style of design that was most successful for my theme and context that gave the best impact of my work. I would like to explore this way of working more in the future. I also feel I have shown my theme of skiing and the mountains well through this project as well as involving my original photographs into the final piece.