Here we are, at my final experimentation post before I start designing! I am upset that my experiment stage will be closing to an end but excited that I can now start playing with patterns, colours and scales. 

Let's start this blog post with my final sea creatures page in my sketchbook. This includes sharks experiments, a regular blue shark and a hammerhead shark.

My Hammerhead shark page shows a technique that I haven't done before. I have created a pattern with fine liners, watercolours and sharpies. It's a technique that I didn't personally like as it's messy however,  I did surprise myself with how quickly I can just create mark makings and add layers of different motifs. As I have said before, I think messy creates the most interesting patterns, and that is the best part.

On my shark page I have tried to experiment with the string print technique. This is where you create a painted background on one card, doesn't matter what, then you lay down your string on another card however you like. You then take the painted card and  place it on the string card, then press down applying lots of pressure but not smudging. This technique is effective with a heat press, but since I didn't have that kind of machine I used an iron instead. The outcome wasn't what I wanted but there was some kind of pattern going on... and I also burnt my carpet in the process! This experiment wont be used in my final outcome as I don't have the correct equipment for it. 
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​When I had finished my main experiments, I began experimenting with backgrounds; I have created such mesmerising patterns using techniques such as bubbling ink, marbling, and fluid painting. 

Bubbling ink isn't a technique I've used before but I can say it is so fun! The only downside I found was the fear of accidentally sipping the ink rather than blowing, but hey, i'm just silly. I created a double coloured effect and it's my favourite! I managed to see some of the sea creatures by looking closely at the bubbles, so I drew them on top of the experiment with an ink pen. 

Marbling is my all time go-to experiment because every marble experiment is different to one another and I love the beauty of that. It's exciting every time I create a marble effect. Due to running out of marble ink I was only able to marble on card and not fabric. the effect that I got wasn't as strong as I wanted because I was using acrylic paints and corn starch for this experiment. I will be buying marble ink very soon so I can experiment this technique properly. On the right side of the page, I have machine embroidered on the card using normal thread but also woollen thread for variety of thickness. 

On to the final experiment of this project, fluid painting. This is a technique that I have wanted to try for a very long time. I have seen it on youtube, pinterest, Instagram and was taken by its beautiful appearance each time. It's very similar marbling where each pattern is different due to the fluid. For this experiment, I used acrylic paints mixed with soap water, I poured different colours slowly into two different cups. once they were full, I flipped them upside down quickly on to a flat canvas then just as fast I picked the cups up letting the paints flow freely and over each other. This background will be used within my final project; not as a background but as borders or even filling in some patterns. It ties in greatly with the sea waves when crashing against each other. I am proud of this experiment as it came out just as I wanted, if not better!

I have very much enjoyed creating every single experiment in my sketchbook and I cannot wait to share my designing stage with you all! Stay tuned!

Welcome back to my experimentation blog! Today I will be showing you more of my experiments within my sketchbook; there are new techniques being used and inspiration being taken from other artists. 

Let's start off with my pages with dolphins and plants. I have used techniques such as; burning fabric, collaging, paper scratching, etc. My favourite technique has got to be burning organza; I loved how the fabric was shrinking and creasing in a fast motion. The ends of the fabric had hardened with some bubbling effect in some areas. This is an experiment that I will definitely use in my final products, it's a quick an easy technique but one of the most effective.

On my dolphin page. I have used ink to paint a background, I then stuck on a piece of card on top of that painting once it was dry. I then began to scratch on the card in the shape of a dolphin so I could see the colour below. it had worked in the end, however, it was very difficult to get through the whole card. In the future, I need to use a thinner card to stick on top so I can scratch through without problem. On the same page I have created a silk paint background similar to the ink painting. I wanted to add salts to create a diffused look, I however, didn't have the salts that are used for silk painting. After some thought, I tried to use regular table salt, and it worked just the same! Whoever said, we learn something new everyday, was absolutely correct. 

My next experimentation was on jellyfish and another sea plant. My sea plant experiment is my favourite because I used Carolyn Saxby as an inspiration for what I have created. She layers collectables and fabrics then machine embroiders over it all. I have done the same technique; using felt. hessian, net, satin, and cotton linen. It has created such a beautiful picture and I am pleased with the outcome. I will be using this technique within a final product as it is so effective. I can visualise this kind of technique for a child's textured textiles book where they can feel the different materials and textures.

My jellyfish page shows my burnt organza technique again, I have angled the way I burnt the fabric so it curves in all around creating the jelly fish head. I think it's such a mesmerising technique and I cant wait to make more soon within this project. On the same page, I have also created different hand embroidery stitches that can be used for the stingers of the jelly fish, they range from; running stitch, zig-zag, chain, herringbone, and cross stitch. Just above this experiment, I have machine and hand embroidered jelly fish (the body being cushioned). I love mixing both kinds of stitches because it creates different textures at the same time. 
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Another one of my favourite pages in my sketchbook include my fishes and green plants. Here is embroidery central; I've used it to cushion my plants, I've used it to colour in my fish (DORY!), I've used hand embroidery to fill another fish, with a complex plaiting embroidery threads beforehand. I have also created a fishbone ribbon embroidery to represent a leaf. All of these experiments were successful and my favourites because once again it has many textures, but it is also three-dimensional which develops my experimenting skills and will enhance my designs and products when I come to the making stage. I have used hessian multiple times to create these stitches because it is open weave, which means it is a lot easier to get the needle and thread through without trouble. 

My next experimentation was dedicated to two pages, I know.. special one! One page was on a full octopus and the other page was on just a leg and its tentacles. Once again, I have brought in burnt fabrics to represent these sea creatures. I believe that the burning fabric textures ties in with a lot of the patterns the ocean creatures have. I haven't only burnt organza, I have burnt satin too, with the background being silk painted. The strips of burnt satin have turned out so beautiful I want to keep them forever! The curls that have been created are precious and look delicate. It can represent the delicacy of the ocean as a whole, how it is in danger by the pollution created by us humans. 

Another experiment on this page is shibori! What a beautiful sight! I rubber tied marbles in organza then placed it in boiling water for a few hours. Once the time was up, I managed to untie all the marbles and this manipulation was created. It's such an easy experiment and also very much effective. My three-dimensional experiments will be taken forward to my final outcomes as my project is about textures under the sea. Shibori wasn't the only 3D experiment I created; I paper-mached an octopus' leg and painted it with some splatters of black ink. It ended up looking gruesome in the end due to the gloss of the glue, however, it did have a coral look to it which is why I kept the experiment. ​

A final experiment for this blog post is on crabs and stingrays. My crab page is paper-based to show experiments with stationery in thought and not just interiors or fashion. I have created an effect of laser cut paper chains (crab chains), however, I had to use scissors to cut the chains out due to limited facilities. One chain was created plain, but the other chain was created with a background of finger prints. The finger print that I have created is actually the historic way of making a paisley print; to my mind it looked like crab arms so I used this technique to create a tossed and layered design. It's a simple design but it can be either used as a tertiary or secondary design as there is just one motif. 

Onto my stingray experiment; I have once again silk painted a background but with more colours from my colour palette. I have machined and cushioned on a stingray with a chain stitch running down representing its tail. I love how the salts have diffused, it reminds me of the ripples in water when something is moving within it. I have also machine embroidered on yellow mark makings in the background to help me visualise this experiment as a design, I will have the stingray repeated around the page. Where my stingray is cushioned, I have put in bondaweb to create a crackling sound when pressed on. This gave me the idea of a child's soft toy!

Another day, another blog done! These experiments are making me feel so refreshed and wanting to create more! Stay tuned for my next blog on final experimentations...​

Working full time and having a project alongside is tough, I didn't realise how tough until now. I'm just glad that creative activity is my number one motivator, otherwise, I would be struggling.

Late last month I had emailed Swansea university lecturers for a chance to meet them to see if I was able to do a masters. As soon as I had a response, I was at my desk planning and researching for this project. I loved how fast and easily I was picked up, and how eager I am to do what I love. Textiles. Everyday I think about the masters, and each day I am pushing myself and creating beautiful creations. Even to this day, I am on full motivated power, which has brought me to my experimentation stage in this project,

 I have used techniques such as; fabric manipulation, lino printing, machine embroidery, collaging, silk painting, etc. To fit in all my experiments within my blog, and to keep it interesting, I will split my experimentation into 3 blogs for you all! So there is more to see and enjoy. 

Here are a few experiments that I have created at the beginning of my sketchbook:
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Here is my first page of my sketchbook; The left page is of my lino printing, and the right page is of layering lobster paintings using different scales.

On my lino page, I have printed onto different thickness of card as well as calico. To further develop my printing, I machine embroidered onto the calico to bring some texture into my work, I have created tight stitching creating a rough surface, this represents the top side of a starfish. I have also created loose stitching on top of the tight stitches to create a different, softer texture. Aesthetically and texture wise, I am pleased with this outcome. I will definitely be using this kind of technique within my designs, whether it be in a final product or even final fabric samples. 

Looking at my lobster page. I feel like I have over crowded all the lobsters that have been layered on top of another. In the future, I would use the outlines of the lobsters, I believe that will be more effective because the background will be more visible (mark making).

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Here is a page with sketches and quick drawings of shells. I used a variety of HB pencils to create the detailed sketch (top left), using my fingers to blend and smooth the surface, creating shadows where need be. For experimentation, I have machine embroidered on vanishing muslin to create a large shell, just like the sketch. I painted over the stitches after I washed the fabric off, it made the threads stiff just like I wanted it. This represents the hard shell. On the same page, I spent some time to weave using wool, felt, and various types of fabric. After I had finished my weaving, I machine embroidered on top, drawing the cartoon-like shell. 

The reason why I have drawn cartoon-like sea creatures/treasures throughout my sketchbook, is because my target audience is all ages, so I was thinking about the children too. It's playful for them.

Here is a vibrant page of seahorses and turtles. This is one of my favourite pages due to the colours and how I've experimented! I've used ink to paint my seahorse then blown in different directions creating a playful aesthetic. I have also used metallic flakes to smooth down onto the seahorse painting for an elegant attribute to the sea creature. My true style to experimenting is neat, I am known to be a perfectionist; for me to be messy in this experiment was really out my comfort zone but I learnt to love that side. I didn't want to be careful anymore, I wanted to carry on being adventurous with my experiments because it creates the most beautiful patterns. 

To experiment with my sea horse, I have fabric manipulated the body by creating a loose running stitch down the middle and then pulling the fabric in towards the centre. It has created a beautiful representation of the bumps on a real seahorse. The colourful background was done by ink painting on a thin piece of paper which seeped through to the cotton that wa  s lying underneath. 

On the right page of my sketchbook, I have drawn and water coloured my turtle. it is such a shame that I don't have the facility to transfer this painting onto fabric, like I would do on a heat transfer. I did however, mimic the patterns on the arms, using the technique of quilting. I have also created a sheet of simple circling using free machine embroidery. I made sure to have speed quite low so the stitches wont be curvy but straight sided. The machining looks like the shell of the turtle and I love the outcome!

On every page in my sketchbook I have added mark making that relates to the drawings I have created. These mark makings will be taken forward in my designs as tertiary designs.

Thanks for reading my blog today! I understand it was long but I hope my experiments inspired you all! I will be continuing my experiments blog very soon, keep an eye out!

Time has come to start drawing and creating motifs for my designing stage. My excitement has exceeded to a level I didn't even know existed! Since I call this project a 'mini project' (meaning that it won't last very long. Short and sweet), I will be putting my drawings, mark-making, and experiments all into one sketchbook. I want my sketchbook to be full of life with a lot of textures. 

My drawings vary from the beautiful creatures under the sea, to the plants that lay within the coral reef. I've loved drawing on every page, it was a lovely time reminiscing about my time visiting aquariums and beaches. I have used a mixture of mediums for my drawings, such as; Ink, Pencils, Fine liners, etc. Below is a collection of my drawings:
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I have zoomed in on some of the drawings to show the slight details. My drawings range from quick sketches to detailed. There are various styles of illustrations too, such as, the dotted lobster drawing, and the scratched sea horse. 

My next stage of this project will be taking these drawings through development/experimentation; it's my favourite part of any project I have done. It's a time where you can really set your creativity free, there are so many different experiments that we can play around with. The best part is that every experiment will create a different outcome each time. It's like getting excited over and over again.

Experimentations will be on my next few blog posts! I hope you'll get inspired by them!
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Colour has one of the key roles within design, without it, a pattern would not be complete. It's the aspect that makes a group of designs a collection. They compliment each other with the tones and shades creating a powerful aesthetic. Colour is such an exciting existence, it plays with your emotions and can tell a story, depending on the colour/shade you use. For example, some colours that are vibrant tend to keep you mesmerised by its beauty, some colours will give you the feeling of serenity and some colours can give a negative impact. This is where the story within the design lies; the theme and colours chosen is subconsciously done at the same time.  When thinking about the next project's theme, we can visualise the colours that relate to that subject. These colours are, initially, our own take, our own experiences with that certain theme. 

On the topic of colour, I wanted to show you all what else I have decided regarding my colour palette for my current project 'sea life'. During yesterday's blogpost I mentioned a small colour palette that I came across on WGSN called 'key colours', which is made for the seasons S/S19. I am still taking that forward with me. However, I have added more colours to the small palette. I still remained using WGSN to find the rest of my colours, which I did! The reason for wanting a larger palette is because I believe that I need a different shade of each of the colours from my existing palette. This will create depth and slight shadows in my designs to give a 3D aesthetic. 

Sifting through WGSN, I came across a report called 'Colour Evolution' created by Hannah Craggs. It's a report that showcases many different colours and what shades were trending during the past (S/S18), the present (A/W18), and what colours will be trending in the future (S/S19). All the colours that showed to be a trend in S/S19 were the colours that I was looking for to expand my colour palette. Below is an image of colour board:

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The colour collection that I have created work well with each other, they bounce off one another helping to maintain a balance of serenity and vibrance; this is from the two shades from most of the colours on the palette.

I can see where I have printed the orange and coral in the second row, they look very similar, I will need to tweak the coral colour slightly to make it lighter than what it is now. Otherwise, my colour palette will be showing two 'same' hues. 

As you can see above, I have added images on the side of my board to show how well the colours tie in with the sea theme. The hues are just as sharp and vibrant as the photographs and that shows a good sign for the aesthetics of the designs that I will be creating at a later stage.

I hope you loved the colour palette like I did! I cant wait to share my designing stage where I add colour to the designs! 

My next post will be about my drawings, stay tuned!

Can we just talk about how beautiful nature is?! I have been sifting through pinterest and my personal images from aquariums and beaches. It feels like my stresses float away and I'm consumed by serenity. Definitely similar to the guided meditation that I am sure we have all done at some point in life. I can feel myself going back in time within the pictures I hold, I can  feel the exact same excitement I felt when I saw a seahorse in the Bristol aquarium for the first time. Reminiscing is one of my favourite things to do, especially with memories as precious as this. 
I want to share how beautiful these images that I found and have, I want to share my experiences with you all.
The colours within these images are so inspiring, vibrant and luminous that it prevents you from looking away. it puts us in a trance like state, absorbing all of the beauty there is.
I visited WGSN website to have a look at what is trending and what the colours will be in S/S19. The colours that I saw within the interiors section was pastels. As beautiful pastel colours are, it isn't the vibrance I was looking for.​ I came across a global colour forecast created by Jane boddy and Luke Tebbutt for S/S19. It was called 'Key colours'. it consists of five colours that ranged with vibrant and pastel colours. It brought a balance between harsh and dull, making the collection of colours eye-catching. 
These colours can be layered to create its own exciting colour within my designs.
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I hope you all liked this experience sharing and colour loving blog post as much as I did! 
Next post will be up very soon with some exciting drawings!

Welcome to my second blog post on my page! Within this post I want share with you all what my new project theme will be. I am creating a project to build my motivation back up and leave my creative block behind. I have thoughts of wanting to do a master's degree in Textiles as I feel that I haven't exactly finished my education path. I strive for knowledge on the textiles world and I know a masters will definitely assist me in that field.
I recently emailed lecturers within the Swansea University about visiting the campus and talking about the course in depth, and they agreed to meet me which I was thrilled about! I am not exaggerating when I say my motivation shot up in to the sky after that encounter; numerous design ideas flooded my brain, I wanted to show the lecturers what I can do, what I am capable of. 
I started to think about who my target audience is? what my design style is about? what is trending?
All these questions luring my mind, so I did what I knew was best; I created a mind map. Not only on my 'brand' but also on my new theme idea. Sea Life. For this new project, I am targeting females and males both, aging between 20-45.
My target audience are travellers who have an emotional connection with their personal experiences, who love to carry a piece of wherever they travelled to with them. They love creativity and enjoys their lives to the fullest, as we all should.

The reason why I have chosen sea life as my project theme is because it's a calming, beautiful creation within nature.  I am planning to add vibrant colours to bring the feeling of excitement everyone should feel when looking at the beauty under the ocean. I want to balance the excitement from colours and the serenity of undersea, to create a collection of appeasing designs. Not demanding but at the same time not underwhelming. Sea life is a topic that I have always been interested in. I am in awe every time I visit an aquarium or a beach; there is something new that I would find with each visit. whether it would be a new shaped shell I haven't seen before or just the textures of the stones and starfish that I managed to touch. 
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I am excited to share this journey with you all. I am counting this project as a 'mini project' due to having a month and so to finish it for my meeting with the Swansea lecturers. Wish me luck, and enjoy my work! ​

 Hello and welcome to my first blog post at Umeed Design! 
I want this page to let you know who I am as a person as well as a designer; but also give you lovely people a taste of my journey within design! I hope you enjoy my blogs as well as my creative journey...
 Let's start off with the easy part shall we? So... who am I?
My name is Ana and I'm from Swindon, a town based in Wiltshire. I was born and raised here by both of my amazing parents. My ethnicity belongs to Pakistan as both of my parents were born there. Having a complete different culture than most of my friends, while growing up, was tough but I grew to love that part of me. It's what made me feel unique. I went to Cardiff Metropolitan University to study Textiles for 3 years, I graduated with a BA Honours in summer 2018. I now work full time while designing on the side. 
You may be thinking, 'how did you get into designing?'.
​Well, when I was in school, I wanted to be so many different things; doctor, teacher, anything that involves helping people. But those career choices didn't really make me look forward to beginning that lifestyle. Then, I was told how well I was doing within textiles and Art which threw me off guard because that was the first time I was told I was good at anything. That is when I knew I wanted to be a designer. My initial dream job was to be an interior designer but during  my  third year of university I was introduced to designing for stationery, and that is a field I have not looked into designing for. I am so grateful to my lecturers for showing us all parts of designing because now I truly know who I am as a designer and what I want to do. Textile and Surface Pattern Designing. It's main technique is my favourite part of designing; digital design. It's another sense of freedom for me. I feel like I can do anything with digital design and it is amazing. 
What are the techniques used within my designing?
My main technique is digital design using photoshop and illustrator; you can do absolutely anything on those programmes and is so worth our time. Hand embroidery is another technique that will be in some of my designs, it's so therapeutic to me but also really brings that design to life, different kind of embroidery stitches have different textural feelings and it makes you feel excited how it'll feel when you finish stitching. To create my designs, I love going through a process which consists of; drawings, paintings, experimenting then designing. It's a journey process that we all would have learnt from school and it's now a part of me. 
I hope you all can spend some time looking around at the work I have created within the past year on my webpage! I will be uploading more blogs on my current design project, so keep an eye out! I will also be opening an Etsy store to sell soft furnishings and stationery, I will keep you updated on when I will be opening!
Thank you for reading and I hope to see you soon inspirers!