Textiles and surface pattern: colour and abstract design

What is the course about?

This course aims to inspire your creativity for textiles and surface pattern through developing creative abstract designs from still life drawing, and your everyday environment. You will develop basic colour experimentation through working with paper dyes. These can give you beautifully delicate, through to bright and rich deep colours with which to work.

What will we cover?

You will develop a body of experimental drawings exploring colour and various mark making techniques using paper dyes, with a little colour theory thrown in. Discovering how to mix and use paper dyes to bring your work alive, and simple yet effective ways of creating abstract designs.
You will then explore further ways of finding endless inspiration for colour and abstract design through the use of your own photos or found images.One of the most important and personally inspiring parts of this course is the opportunity to discuss creative ways of how to develop inspiring abstract designs for use in any textile medium.

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

Beginners
- Understand the basics of colour mixing and the use of paper dyes.
- Develop ways to gather colour inspiration through new exploration methods.
- Understand creative ways to develop abstract designs for textiles and surface pattern.
- Gain confidence through the opportunity to build a small body of personal work of new creative ideas, techniques and processes, providing you with the foundation to build upon this within your sketchbooks for future textile and surface pattern application.

More advanced
- Develop your creative experimentation.

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

This course is suitable for all levels of ability from those who want to gain confidence in drawing and developing creative ideas to those more advanced who want to further their creative experimentation.

You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions. There will be demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information. 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 is a creative course with an emphasis on hands on application. There will be teaching materials to refer to such as examples of the techniques and processes that you will be exploring. You are welcome to take photos for your own future reference. There will be discussion, support and feedback throughout the course.
You may choose to develop your work during the time between classes but this is not at all compulsory.

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

-Basic materials are included.
-You may wish to bring a further selection of drawing media that you personally like to work with.
-You may wish to bring 1 or 2 additional personal objects to work from for still life drawing. Consideration of these objects may include any of the following: interesting surface texture, marks, shape and/or colour.
-You will need to bring a selection of 4-6 images which you find inspiring whether this is through colour, textureor composition.These may be your own photographs or images from books, magazines or found and printed out from the Internet.
-It would be useful to bring a simple portfolio/folder to carry your work home in.

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

You can further develop your skills and interest in design through a range of textile courses at the City Lit such as digital textiles, or explore surface design techniques using the Laser cutter or 3D printer.
Experienced students may wish to apply for the go on to City Lit advanced textiles course. Details on how to apply will be shared soon.

Please browse the website for all other upcoming courses.
General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Student Centre and Library on Monday to Friday from 12:00 – 14:00 then 16:00 – 18:00.