Foundation Art Exhibition

Just thought I would upload these photo's of my screen printed wallpaper that I produced for my final major project as part of my foundation art course - May 09. You can compare this with my print work for Level 1 of my degree and see how my skills have advanced.
Phillippa x

Embellished Surfaces

When I started this module I only had very basic embroidery skills - by this I mean practicing zigzag stitches on the sewing machine, which generally resulted in the needle snapping or getting the thread all tangled up on the fabric. So understandably I was cautious about starting this part of the module. However, I've had a breakthough, I instantly got to grips with the techniques practised in the workshops and this gave me the confidence I needed to really work hard and try to produce a good embroidery collection. I photocopied my original drawings from module 1, Visual Language, then I created several A3 layout compositions and from these I produced my final 4 embroidery samples. Keeping in mind that I produced my collection solely using hand embroidery, I think you can appreciate how long it took me to complete them. At this stage in my degree, I am very happy that I now have a good set of print and embroidery skills that I can apply to future projects. I have the patience for both disciplines, as they are both time consuming, but I still definately feel that print is the way forward for me.
Phillippa x

Printed Surfaces

So, yesterday after 8 weeks of hard work, it was finally time to hand in my print & embroidery collections. This module was a big learning curve for me because it involved alot of getting to grips with all the different dying and printing techniques. Many hours were spent in the dye lab, looking attractive in my apron, gloves and mask, mixing acid and procion dyes (to dye my fabric) and experimenting with a variety of printing methods including: metallic, opaque, reactive, discharge, expantex and foil. On my foundation art course(Sept 08 - June 09) I had specialised in print, producing lengths of wallpaper for my final exhibition, however, moving on to Cleveland College of Art and Design to study for my degree has enabled me to challenge myself and produce more advanced prints due to the more industrial style facilities. Screen printing is such a fun technique, the possibilities of the prints you can produce are endless, aslong as you keep an open mind and be creative with what you have to work with. I produced 2 A3 abstract screens & then took it from there - masking off parts of the screen, moving the screen around, and combining my favourite elements from both screens, to produce visually interesting prints. The module required a minimum of 6 prints, in total I produced 10 - a main collection of 6 and a mini collection of 4(this collection used heat transfer as a starting point). In addition to this I kept a technical file, including a boat load of technique samples and designer research from my favourite interior designers, including the likes of: Missoni Homeware, Cole and Son, Designers Guild, Erica Wakerly, Osbourne and Little, plus many more. I haven't uploaded my entire collection, but as you can see from the examples, colour is a major theme of my work, always has been & probably always will be.
Phillippa x

Getting Started

My name is Phillippa Copping, i'm 19 and I'm in my first year studying BA Textiles and Surface Design at Cleveland College of Art and Design. Art and Design has always played a big part in my life. As a young child I would attend arts and crafts summer schools and there's no doubt that this is where my passion for art came from. I love going to big art galleries to view the work of renowned artists but also small galleries exhibiting and selling the work of local artists and designer-makers. I enjoy visiting museums to develop my knowledge of the history of art and design. My favourite area of art and design is creating patterns and prints for interiors, for surfaces such as wallpapers and fabrics. As a designer my creative strengths include: being able to produce bold, vibrant and striking patterns using a confident colour pallete. I draw my inspiration from several sources, including nature, antiques, interiors, fashion, architecture, places I have visited, and so on. I like to approach design with an open mind, because inpiration can be found in anything if you think creatively. That is why i'm also interested in several different art forms, such as: fine art, sculpture, fashion and photography because it helps to further expand my understanding of the art and design industry. My favourite fashion designers are: Matthew Williamson, Basso and Brooke, Emilio Pucci, Zandra Rhodes, Chloe, Rodarte, Mary Katrantzou, Belle Sauvage, Anna Sui, John Galliano, Zuhair Murad, Marchesa and Christopher Kane. For interiors I love, MissoniHome, Liberty, Designers Guild and Cole and Son. In the future I aim to have a successful career in art and design working for a design company, perhaps in London or abroad, producing prints and patterns for a range of surfaces, I am currently torn between interiors and fashion.
Phillippa x