Day 2 - Open Screen printing at Capellagården.

Day 2 brought more printmaking fun using the method of 'open screen' printing. The technique uses paper forms against the screen to create a resist when the ink pulls through, much like that of stencilling. Ripped paper restricts your control of realistic image making and produces an abstract and more graphic effect. Stencilling can be done by cutting out images and then printing the negative space, anything with paper in the way is left as the unprinted surface which is the opposite way to printing the positive. It took us a few goes to get our heads round this and I'm still a bit stuck!

Lisa demonstrating the ripped paper effect.

I wasn't particularly enamoured with my attempt probably because it ended up looking weirdly rude and biological! However, it certainly taught me how to make more freer forms with the ripped paper.

Creating a freer pattern with ripped paper.

Er, the end result!

I'd definitely repeat this technique by using cut out stencils like my second attempt below:

Stage one of my stencil design

Layer 2 of the stencil print

I added more paper inside of the petals to leave white shapes.

Final layer of cut out leaves

Välkommen till textilier

The textiles course at Capellagården is an intense two week course led by the lovely and  inspiring course leader Lisa. Prior to the course we were asked to find some fabrics that we were particularly inspired by or were attracted to. These were pinned up on the wall and presented. It was a simple but very effective little ice breaker to get to know your classmates' tastes.

The beautiful 1950s textile rooms

A row of screens drying outside the textile studios

My collection; you could tell I was a sucker for detail!

The very very very long fabric table

Even the washing up is co-ordinated at Capellagården!

Day one also involved stamp printing with potatoes exactly the same activity you used to do at school. It was so much fun! Some students in the other classes did scoff at the thought of a kindergarten activity as our first lesson, but it proved to be a great way to kickstart our brains into thinking about patterns, distances, geometric shapes and colours. A humble but valuable start to the course I think!

Erika limbering up.

The brief was to form a geometric pattern from the potato print method.

Here are a few of mine - bit oriental looking!

The strips are sample fabrics to experiment on.

I found that printing in black enabled me to 'read' the pattern better.

Here's a close up of my final pattern on linen. If I did a course on upholstery then maybe this might be the seat fabric!

When we filled the walls with all of our potato prints the results were astonishing. There was such a variety. Who could have thought the humble potato could produce such wonderful patterns?

An introduction to Capellagården, Sweden

This summer I embarked on an adventure to Capellagården school of handicraft in Sweden to take part in its international summer course in textiles and printing. 

Capellagården is located in the village of Vickleby the center of the World Heritage of Southern Öland. In 1957 Professor Carl Malmsten found a dilapidated farm in Vickleby which he purchased and turned into a school devoted to hand and mind, a joining of people all over the world to embrace their craftmanship. Years later the school still teaches these craft skills in textiles, woodwork and ceramics and offers a unique welcoming environment with its picturesque buildings and tranquil gardens to both visitors and students. I certainly found that and embraced the warm sense of community. There is really too much to document in one blog post so I’ll have to report my findings in several sections, I hope you enjoy!

The famous Capellagården door

The cosy textiles room

The ornate signage at one of the entrances

The beautiful farmland that Carl Malmsten fell in love with.

A snippet of the bountiful gardens

Gino's Cake Club

Design for Gino's Cake Club Flyer

Flyer for Retail Revival for a new menu for Gino's Cake Club.

North Finchley Stall Making Workshop

Today I had the pleasure of being invited by Retail Revival to attend a "stall making workshop". I was joined by some students who are learning how to run and sell vintage items at their own market stalls at One Mitcham's Vintage Stalls Market. The workshop focused on what type of vintage goods they were going to sell and to what audience. It also gave them the challenge of dressing their stalls by coming up with a brand identity or logo for their shop name. I was on hand to discuss some of their ideas and to help them focus more on what they wanted to communicate within their brand. It was really rewarding to draw up some of their ideas and to bring their brands to life. We also discussed running themes in the look and feel of their stalls and how best to package items or create signage. The Market will be happening on Saturday 8th March and I'm sure the students would love people to come along to give feedback on their efforts and more importantly buy some vintage treasures!

Symphony Jewels 

This group were selling retro vinyl records alongside second hand jewellery, so it was tricky to communicate both strands in one logo. However we thought the simplest approach was to take the decorative nature of the treble clef and incorporate it into the long shop name with jewels and notes surrounding it.

Downstairs, Lynn and Sally were busy upcycling and revamping some old furniture. I helped create the "shabby chic" look by drawing place settings on the tables

Some alternative labels for Sally's Cake Stall - price tags on wooden spoons.

For anyone who is around Mitcham on Saturday, here is the promotional flyer for the event.

Ted Baker.com

Now that I have finally broken up for the year for Christmas I can reflect on some of the biggest projects I've been able to contribute on this year. One of which was the amazing opportunity to illustrate the website for prestigious fashion label Ted Baker! A summer of hard graft paid off and here are the results!

http://www.tedbaker.com/uk/ted-at-your-service

Original rough for Ted Baker site.

Decorating Cricklewood's Windows

Yesterday I had the pleasure of working with art student Kreos in decorating some of Cricklewood's shop windows. We had to advertise the up and coming Silk Road Festival in September which is a week long event and also the Car Rally. Some of the cafes wanted to advertise their Special Breakfasts on offer. Kreos was especially talented at drawing cars so together we did three shop windows.

Emma and Asger Tattoo

I am really excited about Emma and Asger's late summer wedding in Rye. Especially as they are both fantastic designers and illustrators it will be a creative one. This was the result of their request for guests to make tattoo transfer designs as their wedding favours. Mine was inspired by the nautical theme of their wedding. I can't wait to try on others too.

Check out their invite!

One Mitcham events

A series of posters created as part of the Regenerate Mitcham project. One Mitcham market events.

2013 so far..Part 2 Mitcham Valentine's Market

Thursday 14th February 2013 brought love and romance to Mitcham for Valentine's Day in the form of the Mitcham Valentine's Market. The event was the first in a series of events designed to revitalise the town centre as part of the Rediscover Mitcham project – a multi million pound project to improve Mitcham town centre.

Organised by One Mitcham and funded by the Mayor’s Outer London Fund and Merton Council, Mitcham town centre was transformed into  a romantic haven of hearts, flowers and cupcakes. A timetable of highlights included dancing, balloon twisting, facepainting and even free tea and cake! The events ran into the evening with dozens of jazzed up stalls to invite the local community to the event.

I had the honour of working with the Architects Studio Weave to decorate the market stalls by hand lettering romantic signs such as "Hello Sauce Pot (kitchenware)" and "Get Fruity (greengrocer). The  day was an enjoyable event and I was able to have a chat with the stall holders about the project and what they thought of the revamped market. There was also a bit of spontaneous sign making on the day too which kept me busy.