Justin Cases and Sienna Galtry use waste yarn and pom-pom making to explore colour theories in First Year Textile Design Studio Structure

Pom-pom making in action with Phoebe Chen and Bianca Stewart (right)

The Australian Bureau of Statistics released an information paper in 2013 detailing the types of waste generated by Australians and how it is dealt with i.e. recovered domestically, exported or disposed of in Australian landfill sites. The report classified textiles and leathers as being ‘inseparable / unknown waste’ and therefore too difficult and costly to recover. As a result 501,000 tonnes…of leather and textiles were sent to landfill between 2009 and 2010.

The issue of textile waste is a global one. In the 2017 edition of How to be a Fashion Revolutionary a suite of alarming statistics were shared. “Last year, the world bought 73 million tons of textiles, yet only 20% are recycled each year…around 350,000 tonnes of used clothes go to landfill in the UK every year”.

The Textile Industry is working on a range of measures across design, manufacturing, science and technology to eliminate waste – in the meantime we (the designers and users of textiles) need to be considerate of our material choices – questioning the origin and processing of fibres / fabrics as well as methods for end of life.  Check out the Lateline interview with Clara Vuletich and Clare Press for some innovative ideas.

We are keen to make good use of our waste yarn, so if you have any ideas / projects send them through to emma.lynas@rmit.edu.au, after all, “Waste is only waste if you waste it” (Will.i.am)

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The WIL Studio in third year offers students a direct ‘real world’ experience in preparation for working life and career development as a textile designer. This project aims to highlight the significance of having a record of relevant practice or experiences to assist graduates in securing ongoing employment after graduation – most commonly within the freelance design market.

Small groups of 4-6 designers were partnered with a WIL sponsor to develop a freelance project, responding to a live industry brief. Project teams individually researched and presented design solutions to the industry client – much like a working freelance studio – successful designs were then commercialised for a range of product outcomes and are now available in the Australian market.

The Design To Print WIL Studio gave the students the opportunity to design unique wallpapers that will be available for purchase on the Design To Print custom wallpaper shop.

Image: ‘Altitude’ by Ooi Ken Liew for DTP Custom Wallpaper

9 final year students participated in the project, working over a 5-week period with weekly meetings and reviews to develop the final artwork and submissions. Gianni Favaro and Mick Kass from Design To Print were on hand throughout the entire process to provide feedback, technical advice and aid in the design direction when needed. The first iteration of designs were also showcased at the VIVID (Vibrant Visions in Design) Competition in July 2015, with Marieke Bruins’ ‘Ombre’ design selected for the key panels in the exhibition stand.

Image: Marieke Bruins’ ‘Ombre’ for DTP Custom Wallpaper at VIVID – image courtesy VIVID

Image: ‘Ombre’by Marieke Bruins for DTP Custom Wallpaper

Managing Director of Design To Print, Gianni Favaro explains, “It was a totally invigorating experience to be amongst such enthusiastic and talented young people with a passion to create and who are not afraid to explore their imagination. The creative future is assured as technological advances are made from design to print, pardon the pun, and creative young people such as the ones that Mick and I had the pleasure of working with will continue to have inspiration and the support from institutions such as RMIT.”

As part of the WIL studio project, the students license their design work for a period of time, with a commission paid for every sale of their work on the site. Currently on www.dtopshop.com.au, each of the students is profiled alongside their wallpaper designs, with the intention of this being an ongoing program, with new students having this exciting opportunity available to them each year.

Image: #1 by Daisy Watt for DTP Custom Wallpaper

When asked about the importance of programs such as this in supporting the next generation of designers, Claire Beale, Program Manager for BATD,  says, “It goes without saying that it is of primary importance that emerging textile designers have every opportunity to work with the industry on live projects. The Design To Print Custom Wallpaper project engages students with the wider market comprising home renovators, decorators and designers, enabling them to bring their highly creative design ideas to a myriad of applications.”

Claire goes on to explain, “From the perspective of the program, projects that showcase the skills of textile designers to a broad customer base are a great way to inform the public about just what it is we can do to enhance your life and demonstrate to the design profession the potential for collaboration and innovation in a commercial sector.”

Congratulations to our emerging designers, and thanks to Design to Print for another successful collaboration. Check out the full collection of designs - buy now! – on the DTP webshop

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The brief included 2 phases. Phase 1: The immediate need – develop products for Araluen to sell in the lead up to Christmas 2015 (post to come) and Phase 2: The long term need….

At the beginning of the semester we didn’t have a clear idea on what this might be.  After some initial research we discovered that there was an opportunity for us to explore sensory textiles and their application to interior spaces for adults on the autism spectrum.  After reading a fantastic article by Gaudian et al titled “A designer’s approach: how can autistic adults with learning disabilities be involved in the design process?” students began to use their textile design skills to explore the six sensory systems of touch, sight, sound, smell, vestibulation and proprioception specific to hyper-sensitivity (i.e., being overly sensitive) and hypo-sensitivity (i.e., a lack of sensitivity).  The project encouraged students to experiment with materials and techniques and to speculate on how they could be used to stimulate or calm individuals on the autism spectrum.

Karen Tytler from AMAZE (Autism Victoria) generously provided her time and expertise giving students an indication of what it might be like for people who experience hyper or hypo sensitivity to stimulus.  She shared a very moving documentary titled spectrospective: stories of autism which provided first and second hand accounts of living with autism.

Image: Araluen’s Helen Ryan and Karla Birch meet with BATD student Maria Dare to discuss her collection of brightly coloured 3D croquis.

In the time since students have been working individually and collaboratively to develop croquis using both analogue and digital techniques. Overall the project provided textile students with a different way of working, guided by intuition and play rather than trends and market segments.

Image: collection of sensory croquis by second year BATD students

Gabby Draffen: sensory croquis concept for flooring.  Image credit: Gabby Draffen.

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Third year students undertaking conceptual design development along with responding to Industry Briefs. Currently they are finalizing designs for Country Road and also exploring a ‘Collage’ brief which involves risk taking and material studies. The two projects offer a taste of the depth and diversity of contemporary textile design practice.

Second year students are extending their skills in the print, knit and weave workshops along with the computer labs. Projects range from design development for upholstery through to painting and drawing in the floral design style and traditional Indian block printing.

And our newbies – the first year students having been drawing up a storm to the sounds of music along with 3D form exploration using paper and clay.

Here are some examples of what they have been doing…

Observational Drawing with Mixed Media

A visit from 2nd year students giving 1st year students tips about the course

Different Mark Making Methods explored

Floral inspiration materials (aka flowers!) kindly provided by Casa Verde flowers

The post Welcome to the 2015 BA Textile Design Teaching Year appeared first on RMIT.

Millie Grant’s Zine About Dreams

Millie Grant

Nicola Wong’s dedication to musicians who wear glasses

Nicola Wong

Carmel Ben-David explores Gen Y

Carmel Ben-David

Taryn Rae reflects on night time antics

Taryn Rae

Jess Orgee re-tells the story of Frankenstein

Jess Orgee

Alice Honman reflects on the quiet offline times worth cherishing

Alice Honman

Kiaya Byrne gave us a snapshot of a messy world

Kiaya Byrne

Mietta Postlethwaite ponders where our dreams go a night

Mietta Postlethwaite

Emma Woods puts the fun into eating veges

Emma Woods

Emily Bird created a handy guide for us all in the event of an invasion

Emily Bird

Emily Bird

The post Recent Work Digital Textile Design & Storytelling appeared first on RMIT.

Today’s posting shares recent work in our second year of the program, our regular contributor Emma Lynas outlines the Wake the Hub project and examples of student work:

The 2nd year Textile Design Studio Space project was developed in reference to two significant events for both RMIT and the broader design community that took place in the middle of 2013.  The much anticipated ‘Dream the World Awake’ exhibition by renowned Belgian fashion designer Walter Van Beirendonck and the official opening of the RMIT Design Hub.

Image: Walter Van Beirendonck - source

Image : RMIT Design Hub -source

Beirendonck has been described as a “20th century variation of the 19th century romantic, with the same fascination for impossible loves and predilection for the beauty of nature, fairy tales and their dark undertones, emotions, intuition, fantasy and the power of the imagination” (Debo, 2011, p15). 
The Design Hub on the other hand is a tall sensible space, free from unnecessary clutter and distraction.  The façade is made up of hundreds of circular disks, perfectly round in perfect alignment, there to serve a purpose, not merely to decorate. 

The exhibition and building were referenced by students to explore ‘what could be?’ and develop contemporary ethnographic inspired motifs and colour palettes along with; repeat patterns, forms and fabric swatches. The project provided students with the opportunity to play with interior or exterior surfaces and space, and gently or not so gently wake the Hub from its concrete slumber.

Image: Sarah Chan – Wake the Hub simulation 1 - Credit: Sarah Chan

Image: Sarah Chan – Wake the Hub simulation 2 – Credit: Sarah Chan

Images: (L- R) Jackie Young, Fran Bertini, Laura Bateman, Sophie Murphy

One of the requirements was for students to use the lino reduction printmaking technique to design a repeating surface pattern that could be simulated into the Design Hub.  Jackie Young (left) used geometric elements integral to the architectural landscape of RMIT.  Fran Bertini (middle) focused on the people that make up RMIT’s design culture, whilst Laura Bateman (centre) referenced architecture for pattern development.  Sophie Murphy (right) referenced tools of the trade to create her repeating pattern.

Image: Wake the Hub: Rebekah Archer, project statement

Designed to bring warmth and energy to the Hub through the addition of greenery and plant life, a series of sculptural planter boxes and a decorative woven vase holder have been created.

The planter boxes used to create the vertical garden are made of brightly coloured staggered layers of wood, giving the geometric motifs a three dimensional effect. Inspiration for the motif designs was taken from the various symbols used within terminology across all RMIT creative disciplines. The final motifs are interpretations of the symbols used to represent features of a building within the area of Architecture.  A set of standard graphic symbols is used on Architectural drawings and plans to convey meaning; knowledge of this pictorial language is imperative in order to work successfully within the industry. The plans for the Design Hub feature many of these geometric symbols, and these were chosen to be adapted into the vertical planter box motifs.  The decorative woven vase holder focuses on colour within the design and has been created utilising a palette found within the Hub, featuring tints, tones and shades of grey with highlights of bright colour. 

The planter boxes have been designed to hang on the perforated steel walls found outside on the pavilion area of level ten. They are easily rearranged, allowing for interaction with the living sculptural garden through the changing of the layout of the planter boxes. The woven vase holders hang from the same perforated steel walls found in the kitchenette areas. Large quantities of herbs are grown outside in the vertical garden and are picked and stored in the hanging woven vase holders, giving workers and students a constant supply of fresh herbal teas. The combination of the social aspect of making and sharing tea,and the coordination required to maintain a large outdoor garden will help to instil a sense of community and collaboration, as well as opening up and softening spaces within The Hub.

Image: Callum McKay, Wall Panels

Callum used articulated shapes to create a series of pigment printed tactile wall panels.

Image: Cassie Byrnes

Cassie worked with organic shapes and painterly techniques to create a free flowing conceptual wall hanging for the exterior of the design hub.  Her paper form explored colour and patterning across a 3D structure.

Claire Norris, Lino reduction print & digital animation

Claire channelled the ghost of Ned Kelly, (supposedly buried beneath one of RMIT’s city campus buildings) to create an uneasy mood and feeling within the Hub.  Combined with long tendril like textiles that brush against the skin, the idea was to put people on edge whilst walking down the stairs to the basement area. 

The post Recent work – Wake the Hub appeared first on RMIT.

Here’s what you need to know:

 

Image: Work: Domenic Coloca, Photographer: Adele Cochrane, Model: Stephanie Walravens

The exhibition will explore the relationship between contemporary design and current social issues. Can fashion, textiles and objects worn on or near the body be an agent for change? Can making be a political act? 

Themes that might be explored include: sustainability, gender and socio political issues.

The exhibition will showcase a diverse range of mediums and approaches. Exhibitors may submit garments, accessories, textile samples, fabric lengths, multimedia works, jewellery & objects designed with the body in mind. 
Approaches include: 

• Process based work
  When the process of designing and making is more important than the outcome eg:
  research and production
   
• Object based work
  A physical outcome that can be worn or objects designed with the body in mind
   
• Action based work
  Participatory / performative outcomes either as a maker, viewer or wearer eg. workshops, audience engagement, live performance, video documentation etc  

The format of The Matter at Hand will take a similar approach to last year’s show: Refashioned which showcased student work as well as incorporated workshops and a public forum. This shifted the gallery from a static to an active space, inviting the broader community to participate in discussion about fashion’s potential to engage in critical discussions about our society.
 
OK, how do I get involved?
 
Visit the RMIT Link website, create an account, and fill in the online application form here:
You can also join and follow the event on Facebook

The post The Matter at Hand 2014 – LinkArts exhibition call for entries appeared first on RMIT.

 

Kate Fletcher talks to BA textile design students and BD fashion students during L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Week.

Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne, image credit: Esther Paleologos

 

Cassie Byrnes – Home in Brunswick Victoria, Home in Mackay Queensland

Cassie Byrnes concept book

Lauren Tausend – journal work

Lauren Tausend – project outcomes

Studio – drawing and painting

The project was a great success which many wearable items coming out of the workshop areas.  A few examples can be seen below:

Claire Norris – weave swatches and neckpiece inspired by formative years living in the Philippines.

Aybike Uysal – Time spent in the local park

Rebekah Archer – Close up of weave swatch.  Final outcomes – a collection of woven neckpieces

Ruby Talbot-Dunn – Print swatches inspired by a colourful home in Freemantle, Western Australia, final outcome – printed shawl.

The post Recent Work – Flora Mea Localis appeared first on RMIT.

Image: The Young Ones project work by Claire Norris

Monday’s studio class was used to build on existing skills learnt in first year to create a series of repeat patterns for either print (digital or screen) or structure.  In Tuesday’s workshop new techniques were delivered and applied to a range of textile swatches, print, knit and weave.

Image: Jenny Ellery on exchange from the Glasgow School of Art developed a fantastic range of kids prints for the independent market. Best of luck with your studies back home Jenny, we will miss you!!

Image: Callum McKay designing for the artistic parent, printed street wear for cool kids.

Image: Shiver me timbers, Emily Chandler channels her inner pirate to develop fantastic playful knits for kids

.

Image: Amy Yu makes the most of the fashion illustration (for kids) workshop to generate templates for her knit swatches and hand painted artwork.

Image: Laura Bateman worked with a nostalgic theme and winter pallete, warm knits for little boys.

Image: Sarah Chan is proving to be a master printer, fantastic techniques and attention to detail evident in her range of final swatches.

Image: Lauren Tausend works with a palette inspired by ‘hundreds and thousands’, super sweet for little girls.

Image: Sophie Lew brings Frankenstein into the world of weave, hand woven swatches for kids apparel

The post Recent work – the Young Ones appeared first on RMIT.

You’ve seen the sneaky peaks of the preparations for the show, read the individual profiles of our talented graduates, now see the film!

Produced by a + b = c with the support of RMIT Link Arts & Culture Directed, shot, edited & post production sound by Michael Quinlan. Music by Tim Harvey Executive Producer Elise Cakebread Featuring: Meaghan McLeish, Jessica Fitzgerald, Tara Whalley, Sophie Curtain, Edith Barrett

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