After finalising the Moodboards and experimenting with some initial sketches I programmed some workshops to widen my skills. I kind of started a little bit backwards but I felt the needed to expand my skills set and be inspired by new techniques that I could use in my collection.
- I did a Paper Making workshop which was interesting and I loved getting my hands dirty during the process. We used off cuts of paper thrown away by students around the school in the paper bins. I loved the idea of up-cycling scraps of paper to make new sheets, just by adding some PVC glue and water. Somebody during the workshop also decided to add smashed cookies so we ended up having scented paper. I also started thinking of all possible things to add such as dried leaves, paint, essential oils etc.
I then went back to my Moodboards, especially the Mood board and Client board and considered the hand made paper not to be in line with feel I wanted to give to my collection. I realised I wanted it to have a more neat and professional look so I decided not to integrate it.
- For my cards I started thinking about Embossed Paper. In line with the look of m collection I wanted to give a 3D effect and really liked the final results. I embossed on a 200gsm cotton Fabriano paper that gives better results for this technique. I then decided to highlight the embossed part with some metallic embossing but this has cancelled the embossed effect of the paper. I realised that the proper process would have been to first print my design and then emboss the paper, adding maybe just some metallic highlight here and there. However the time left wasn’t much so I decided to just add the samples to my technical file instead.
- For the paper embossing I had to create Laser Cut stencils but after analysing them I also ended up using them for my final cards. It gave the 3D effect I was aiming for leaving me the flexibility to work on the stencil even after it has been cut.
- I did a couple of Ceramic workshops by the end of the last year and I thought it would go well with my high end market to have some ceramic hand made details, since my theme is all about connection. Connecting my organic shapes (woodland references and the berries that represent the atoms of every element) with the structure of the universe (interpreted in a geometrical way taking inspiration from the sacred geometry). I imagined it as an integral part of the bow and as ornament for paper clips.
- The Design Group suggested in their previous visit to play with Origami shapes, in line with my geometrical and 3D effect visual and so I did. I found some very interesting tutorials and decided to personalise them by using my own designs printed on both sides of the paper. In line with my Cosmos inspired theme I decided for the star shaped ones:
- Through my research I tried to analysed in dept every aspect of the visual and tactile feel I wanted to embody in my designs and I definitely didn’t want to have only digital prints. In line with both the WGSN materials trend and my personal preferences and style I opted for Embossed Metallic details and Flock for a velvet, high end touch. The use of both in the same design also conveyed the interplay of light where one would absorb it while the other would reflect it, in line with the characteristics of my theme. I achieved the first effect with the embossing powder using a heat gun. I opted for this instead of foiling because of its embossed feel to the touch which is not present in foiling. I used flock for the same reason.
Anda Avramescu 