Repeated Prints.

What I like most about doing research on repeated prints is that you really can find them anywhere. The repeat print above is one that I designed on Photoshop. Although it isn't as grand and beautiful as some of these others I have recently found it was a fun starting point.

A lot of inspiration for new work, as we all know, comes straight from books. Most commonly found at the library, or bought for your own personal use. This one in particular I have found to be continually useful for ideas to be used in screen printing. I have found that a lot of people when designing their own pieces of work tend to like have their background as a solid colour, or an obvious landscape design, where you can see the image has been designed with perspective in mind. However these two images haven't. 

The image above has a very fine and delicate repeat print over its surface, but that is not what the viewer first sees when he glances at this image, he sees the background. The painted stripes gives the image a far more vibrant and visually interesting perspective. Having the paint stripes go horizontally, and the print going vertically the image becomes less of a print and more of a pretend weave. 

 

What I found to be visually interesting about this image is its pattern blocks. It isn't divided up into different blocks of colour. It has been separated into sections of pattern, and the patterns have been designed so they set off the foreground pattern. I also love the colour choice.

I thought is picture had a very retro feel to it. And although this looks very much like a one off that someone took a long time to do. I can see it becoming a fabulous repeat. 

Turquoise and Violet, utterly beautiful. And although at first glance you might start to wonder whether the colours would have worked well together, or whether it would be better to use something else. I thought about this, but then decided that it was quite breathtaking with such contrasting colours.

This picture made me think about the importance of layout and design. Do you cut out the picture and then draw on it, or do you draw the picture and then cut it out. This bag has a spring-like colour swatch feel to it. It is very visually interesting.

This picture made me reavaluate what I thought was important to have in an image. Things that I would have thought couldn't go together have come together in this, and has made the picture better because of it.

This continues to show me the importance of textured backgrounds.

This image shows me the value of layering. What gets laid down first, and why? How does one layer effect all the others laid on top of it?

And although I'm not allowed to draw on my walls at home, I can most certainly say I like the idea, and love this work. I can really appreciate the beautiful simplicity of these patterns and how they add depth and playfulness to the layout of the room.

Here is another example of careful layout. From a distance it looks like white leaves on a red background, but when you're up close you can tell that both colours have different patterns in each of them. The leaves having spots and the background red having lots of tiny flowers.  

The strength of colour is what drew me to these pieces. I love the idea of layering everyday boring items onto exciting and stunning stripes making both the stripes and the print look better.

I also looked into book coverings made primarily in the Art Deco period. Their eyes for detail and repeated or mirrored pattern was simple and visually lovely.

Although you can't see it so well in this image the dotted swirls where actually embossed into the leather, and they were filled with a sparkling gold.

What I found most impressive about these designs was the fact the book was complete unless it was open. Until you had laid it face down you wouldn't be able to see the beauty of the overall design.

This one really shows you the importance of pattern design. Whether you create a pattern in the background or fill it in block colour. And to always consider the importance of texture.

I didn't think I'd be so influenced by repeated imagery, but when you start seeing a pattern come come together through such simple means it's hard to stop working on it.

While doing this research I have decided that although some imagery looks great with lots of colour it is best to start simple and straight forward, and keeping your colour ways small and sophisticated.

Even subtle changes in a repeat can make a bad or boring repeat into something quite extraordinary.

I have decide to make a habit of comparing and combining my work with other peoples. Then I can see what truly makes an image. 

At first glance, I thought print for a castle, or at least fashioned with an old style theme in mind.

Bright blue and yellow. Although not commonly easy to paint together, but printing is another matter. I don't really like the star design, but the layout is very good.

What I loved most about this image is the wavy textual piece. It would make a great repeated print.