Sketchbooks

An essential part of any design process is the gathering together,and recording,of inspirational and influencial components. It’s by using and adapting this information that you will work towards an eventual outcome.

For a textile designer these components or information will be an eclectic mix of inspiration in the form of passions seen and recorded.It could be any one, or a combinations, of a 1.000 things, for e.g.

Land and City scapes,Floral,Figurative,Nature, Architecture and Geometrics etc…

Drawing and painting,photography,scale, movement, colour, texture, materials and possible outcomes can all be found in a design sketchbook.

It’s in these books that ideas are pursued or allowed to lie fallow until they become appropriate.

Not giving up and continuing to work away at your ideas brings rewards – You do improve and you do get better. It is not necessarily always the most obviously gifted people who survive, it’s the ones who stick at it and our committed.They are not always the most confident but they are the ones who really, really want to do it. Be as openminded as these people -this attitude will inspire  you try out new ideas.

Soon you develop a voice,opinion or a signature and, for the time being, you are happy and ready to move onto the next stage.

Contextual reference is handy too.Knowing this information helps you understand where your work sits  and where you and your work aspire to be seen  in the future.

Sketchbooks are vital when taking ownership of research and information.Who else has your unique way of seeing things ? Don’t keep it to yourself.Share. You know how inspirational you find others work.Let everyone benefit from your vision too.