Designing textiles online

What is the course about?

This is a fun, intensive course to advance your creative direction and push your understanding of designing textiles using Photoshop. The aim is to understand and take you through how to build a mini textile collection from basic hand drawn designs through to complex pattern repeats. You will learn how to develop designs using a range of hand drawn and Photoshop techniques and explore how mark making, colour, pattern structure, and scale effect your final outcomes.

You will be taken through a well-constructed and structured pathway of repeat pattern making techniques to help you develop your designs. In this process you will be looking at producing more advanced samples of your work, and producing coordinated patterns such as dots and stripes to compliment these complex patterns.
This practical course will be delivered online and onsite to print, and will involve tutor demos presentation and class
discussion.
To participate in this online class you will need:
- A reliable internet connection
- Access to Adobe Photoshop on your computer
- A computer/laptop/ with a fully updated browser (preferably google chrome). Your device will need a microphone,
and preferably a camera.

This is a live online course. You will need:
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera.
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.

What will we cover?

The topics we will cover include:
- Creative drawing and mark making techniques
- Experimental scanning using your phone or scanner
- Cleaning up drawings and artwork content digitally
- Expanding design development work on Photoshop
- Developing drawings and content into complex directional block repeats, half drop repeat pattern, complex mirror/symmetrical repeats and complex multi-layer repeats.
- Learn to balance complex patterns with simple repeats like stripes or spot repeats
- Managing and working with brush swatches colour and pattern tiles
- Sending a file to a professional printer in our digital lab.
- Sampling onto fabric using the heat press and printing onto paper in our last session in the studio.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

- Analyse your creative work and define the direction you wish to develop
- Create content and drawings defining a new body of work
- Advance textile learners may develop old designs applying new digital skills to old drawings, artwork or designs
- Develop a body of digital designs saved for future use
- Understand Photoshop applications for pattern design and repeats
- Create six final repeat patterns designs applying new skills to design and drawings.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This as an intermediate course in textile software design but refreshers are welcome. You need to be confident and competent in your use of Photoshop and be able to import files, make selections, use layers and select and adjust brushes.
Ideal for learners who have completed Designing textiles online using Photoshop: stage 1, or students, designers and artists wanting help to develop their surface pattern design skills.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, technical handouts will be provided You should be able to use numbers and be able to do simple measurements and calculations.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

This course taught online using zoom with live technical demonstrations, Q&A, group discussions, and bi-weekly 1:1 with practical activities.
You will need to login into our Google classroom before our sessions starts where all course materials will be stored. Details on how to access this will be provided in advance.
Week 10 we will be in the studio printing and heat transferring onto fabric. Student preparation and homework outside sessions is strongly encouraged.
When you enrol on a course at the City Lit, you are entitled to student discount on Adobe Creative Cloud please read below.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

You will need a computer (not a tablet) with update-to date version of Adobe Creative Suite Photoshop and Illustrator and an up-to-date version of Chrome as a browser. Your computer must have a camera built in as we will be sharing screens in live sessions.
• Please use headphones with microphones during our sessions as this will block out all room noise
• Some basic drawings materials, black pens, a sketchbook or A4 white paper, note pad to take notes
• Using your phone to take images if you normally use a scanner
• A task will be issued before our first session based on your mood board of ideas or designs

When you enrol on a course at the City Lit, you are entitled to student discount on Adobe Creative Cloud.
Please note:
• You will need to create an Adobe account using your City Lit email address which includes your student number. (This is in the format 123456@student.citylit.ac.uk)
• You can access your City Lit email through your supplied Office 365 account.
• When your course finishes and you no longer have access to your student email, the software will continue to function on the installed machine for the remainder of the annual subscription.
• At renewal, you will need to create another Adobe account using your personal email.
• The Adobe account is not accessible to City Lit and technical support is extremely limited as a result.
• It is recommended that you do not use the online storage available on Adobe accounts as access to your work is subject to the continuation of your subscription.
• Adobe sales can be contacted on 0800-028-0148.
Please check on system requirements for Adobe creative cloud via the links below.
Adobe Creative Cloud for Students
Adobe Creative Cloud for Students - system requirements.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

We run designing textiles online each term, providing a progression path for learners to continue their studies and build upon their skills set.
Please browse the website for upcoming course dates.

General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Student Centre and Library on Monday to Friday from 10:30 – 12:00 then 15:00 – 17:00.