Sunday 1 December 2013

digital wallpaper with squid and things

I've finally gotten around to doing a post about my first batch of digital wallpaper and I'm really excited to share it! You should have seen me when it was coming out of the printer, I was jumping like a child. Despite the very grumpy technician who I'm hoping doesn't blog or I probably won't be doing any more wallpaper. 

Here are some first examples - SALAMANDERS, SQUID & SLUGS.
My lovely housemate Louise modeled them in front of our house (technically we borrowed our neighbours' door since it's more photogenic).











It makes such a difference to see them on a big format like this and I'm looking forward to where it takes me next. The print on the brown wrapping paper is pretty effective I think so maybe I'll make a line of wrapping paper! Definitely a good time of year to do that..
I have a big deadline coming up on Tuesday so you shall hear from me later!

Monday 18 November 2013

frogs & squid

So I've been moving forward with Photoshop a little bit and I'm finally getting more comfortable with it. About time! Here are some examples of playing around with multiplying the same ink drawing countless times. 
Next time I'll remember to add the background before flattening the image.

 


ALSO. Today I've digitally printed my first ever actual wallpaper, I'm so excited about it! I'm afraid you'll have to wait until next time to see it..
Finally trying to come up with a brand name, too. Stay tuned!

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Love Walk Cafe

Last weekend was just so inspiring in all aspects- after Renegade I decided to stay with Kim one more day because we were having such a lovely time together and I just wasn't ready to go back to Birmingham yet!
We went for brunch at Love Walk Cafe in Camberwell (South East London) which was really cute, not only was the food amazing but the design of the cafe was just funkyyy. I've started noticing interiors more recently and really liked the way this one was done.





Also I've never had an iced chai late before and it absolutely blew my mind. Together with my beetroot quinoa burger!
Also the company was seriously nice, my friend Tom joined us and him and Kim hadn't seen each other for about 3 years so we did some catching up and reminiscing.


love these stairs and this girl!

Tuesday 12 November 2013

Renegade Craft Fair

I went to London last weekend and stayed with my very good friend Kim (check out her blog, she's pretty amazing) who's just such a sweetie. It was so cozy with her, we were snuggled up with her kitty Negs, watching silly TV shows and food, of course.

hello autumn leaves and pretty hairstyles! (both done by Kim)
We went to Renegade Craft Fair just off Brick Lane in the Truman Brewery. I'd been there before when Kim had her own stall and really enjoyed it but this year there seemed to be just so many inspiring things! It was really nice to talk to some of the designers and see how they got to where they are and how they make their products. Here are some snapshots of my favourite things!

follow the Christmas trees!
rhian mclaren (www.rhianmaclaren.co.uk)
lucie ellen (www.lucie-ellen.com)
eightbear (www.eightbear.co.uk)
designosaur (www.designosaurYEAH.co.uk)
Floss & Mischief (www.flossandmischief.com)
i am acrylic (www.iamacrylic.co.uk)
blank inside (www.blankinsidedesign.co.uk)
Alice Shields (www.alice-shields.co.uk/index.html)
BENU (www.benushop.etsy.com)
Stuffed Nonsense (www.etsy.com/shop/stuffednonsenseuk)
Vivid Please (www.vividplease.blogspot.co.uk)
Kayleigh O'Mara (www.kayleighomara.com)

Well done to all of you exhibitors, it was so inspiring and motivating. I also got my very own pair of black dinosaur studs from designosaur, after taking a very long time to decide which colour and shape to get! Very happy with my purchase, they go with anything!






Monday 4 November 2013

brickwall shoot

I guess I have always had slight trouble with self-confidence and I've recently been learning that especially in the design/fashion industry this is pretty important. It's of course useful in general, with job interviews and things but I know that a little self-confidence is healthy and shows that you believe in what you do and that you're good at it. 
Today we had a guest lecturer at uni, he's kind of a big shot in the fashion industry- helps organizing giant fashion events and has worked with very big names. At first I thought he was kind of a show off but then I realized he has done a lot things to deserve that self-confidence and without it he wouldn't be where he is now. And I could see it wasn't a pose, he was just that kind of a person who went after what he wanted and wasn't shy about it. 
SO I realized my first step towards building up my confidence was to try out some posey photos for my blog! I definitely need to work on my face expressions but it's a start.







Industrial places really speak to me, I like the different textures of the bricks and the garage doors. Lisa (my classmate from uni, the photographer) and I came across a building site with cranes and tractors so maybe we'll try that out next. There won't be a shortage of those in Birmingham for sure!

Sunday 3 November 2013

creature intro.

Even as a child I preferred strange creatures and monsters to princesses and dolls (not many things are scarier than dolls if you ask me). My dad would read me Greek Myths and Legends almost every night before going to sleep and I loved the likes of Minotaur, Scylla and Charybdis and Centaurs. And creatures from the deep sea have fascinated me for many years now (thank you David Attenborough!), I really like the fact that humans haven't been able to discover all that lives all the way on the bottom of the ocean, they haven't managed to infest and destroy all of nature. Yet. 
But even the creatures that have been discovered are often so incredible, I sometimes can't believe they're real and not from some sci-fi movie. Those twilight-zone organisms that emit colourful light or never touch a hard surface in their life. But even things living on dry land are sometimes just so weird! Platypus? Anteater? Armadillo?  

So right now I'm working on depicting strange animals that just fascinate me, together with repulsive animals that gross me out. But I feel bad for them because they're so unloved- people always choose cats, bears, owls but I think the not so pretty creatures have just as much right to be displayed on a dress, right? So get ready for some slug and earthworm dresses. When I learn how to do pattern cutting. 

I never worked with Photoshop during my BA and it took me a while to get the courage to actually open it and play around with it. But I started watching some YouTube tutorials and slowly started using the basic tools and learned how to do a repeat pattern! So here are some of my first attempts of my creature drawings on repeat. Exciting!

shrimp (crayon&ink drawing)

bugs (pen drawing)

gulper eel (pen drawing)

armadillo (pencil drawing)

Friday 1 November 2013

in a nutshell

Hello all of you out there! So I'll be honest- I'm totally new to blogging and I guess it'll take me a while to figure out how I'm gonna go about it. But as I've been learning, it's usually better to just do things instead of think about them too much so I'll just jump straight into it. 
in St James Park, London
I'm 24 and I'm from Prague, Czech republic but this is my 5th year in England. I did my Fine Art degree in London and have now moved to Birmingham to do a Masters for a year. 
Textile design to be precise. I only realized I wanted to keep studying towards the end of my degree- I kept looking for textile design jobs or internships but they all wanted a qualification in a similar field and Fine Art was just too broad. Then I stumbled upon this course in Birmingham, went to see the campus and talk to the deputy course director and just knew it was just what I wanted.

So here I am! It's a really nice change to be able to draw lots and not having to think about the meaning behind it too much, which makes a nice change from my degree. 
It'll take some time till I figure out how to actually use this medium that's completely new to me, but I'm pretty excited! I guess I am a little old school- don't have a smart phone or anything, which I think will have to change soon since in the design field it's obviously essential to be active with your social media sites. And as much as I hate to see people on the train all staring into their iPhones or Kindles, I guess I'll have to subdue quite soon. 
Not to Kindles though! Nothing beats a real book.