Textiles+-+How+designers+get+inspiration

toc =Introduction = Fabric and yarn manufacturers are the first to predict seasons colours and patterns, and they then promote these far in advance to the designers, offering swatches and samples, designers will then take these colour and pattern schemes and consider how best to stylize them into garments and products that will meet with consumer approval, be a refreshing development on the previous seasons trends and be very marketable and profitable to both the manufactures of the fabrics and the clothes, and the designer houses. And this is all done at least two years in advance. Designers need to know and understand what consumers want to buy in the future, they need to have a very good understanding of current and future trends, colours, fabrics and textures as well as the latest advances in textiles technology from printing fabric to creating 3D fabric. Predicting future trends relies on the designer keeping abreast of the latest fashion trends, attending trade shows and exhibitions, following specialist fashion blogs and magazines. Understanding the **target market** is an important aspect of this. =Trend and Colour Forecasting = Trend forecasting is the process of predicting key changes one, two or three years ahead, it is the direction in which a textiles design or product tends to move over a period of time and the effect that this has on other aspects, such a culture, society or business. Below are two videos, the first published in May 2014 trend forecasting 2015, and the second published in May 2015 trend forecasting 2016. On YouTube you will find many examples of past, current, and future trending. These particular example are very good as they also identify the influences taken from history, art, architecture and nature, consider this when you begin designing. What are your influences and inspiration? How will these inspire you in your designs? media type="custom" key="27770029" media type="custom" key="27770027" //To search for the latest trends and colours type into your search engine "Trends SS 2016" or "Trends FW 2017" (SS = Spring,Summer, FW = Fall,Winter)// Additional resources can be found at the following links: @http://www.colourandtrends.com/ @http://www.pantone.com/trend-forecasting @http://www.fashiontrendsetter.com/content/color_trends.html =Mood boards = Mood boards are made up of a range of visual research imagery based on a particular them, which is presented as a board of a presentation page. It is used to summarise design or visual thinking and acts as a starting point in the development of new design ideas based on a particular them and represents the current starting point. Mood boards often contain the following and are collaged together: They allow the designer to communicate their ideas to the target market, to reflect on research into ideas, colours, concepts,and etc, and to focus on research ideas and modelling techniques. Using the internet to collect images the designer can create digital mood boards using a range of software, however there is a particular fashion shopping website that allows you to create your own mood boards. media type="custom" key="27770045" media type="custom" key="27770051" Polyvore an on-line fashion collection, and each item included it highlighted below and you can click on them to enlarge them and find out the details of where it is sold and how much it costs. Further examples of traditional cut and paste mood boards from Years 7-9 Design Technology at STC http://msc-ks3technology.wikispaces.com/Mood+boards **Colour Theory** Designers use colour to make their products appeal to different people, they try to predict which colours will sell best, both in fashion clothing, textiles products including soft furnishings and interior décor. The choice of colour can also be crucial depending on the ethnicity and culture of the target market. Colours also can look and feel hot, cold, heavy, light, busy, cool, relaxing, refreshing and can influence emotions. Colour plays an important role in the fashion and textiles industry as it is the first thing that people notice, the colour of a product and instantly make a decision whether they like it or not based on the colours and pattern. Students should note that it is very important to remember that colour choices and very personal and your client may choose a colour scheme for no other reason other than they particularly like it. Its also worth noting that not everybody sees colour in the same way (read the following article to get a better insight We don't see colour in the same way Take the colour challenge: @http://www.xrite.com/online-color-test-challenge We can see over 7 million colours. These are built from some basic building blocks: 1. **Primary colours.** Red, blue and yellow are the basis of all other shades, and can‟t be created by combining other colours. If all three are mixed together in equal amounts, they will make black. 2. **Secondary Colours.** This is the term used to describe the three colours that are created by mixing two primary colours together. There are three secondary colours: violet (made up of red and blue); orange (made up of red and yellow) and green (made up of yellow and blue). 3. **Tertiary Colours.** These come from mixing one primary with one secondary colour. These are six: saffron (red and orange); lime (yellow with green); lavender (blue with violet); purple (red with violet); amber (yellow with orange) and turquoise (blue with green). When combining white or black to the above-mentioned colours you obtain **tints** and **shades**, while **tones** describe the depth of a colour. **Neutrals** are subtle shades from the palest range of colours (beige, cream), and are used for balancing vibrant or rich colours. **Cold colours** have a high proportion of blue in their make-up, such as violet blue and some greens, and they have a calming effect. **Warm colours** have more red and yellow in their make-up. They are energising.
 * Trend boards** and videos are a way of displaying key information, and these are used in industry to reflect the concepts and ideas that are **forward looking** and that could be developed for products needed in the shops for the future.
 * The influence of trend forecast**
 * pictures/photographs/images
 * fabrics & trimmings
 * textures
 * colours
 * words & text

Applying colour to textile products is either done by printing or dyeing for more details about these:

Cultural differences also need to be considered when selecting colours in the design of products as certain colours can have different cultural associations and meanings which are not always positive or appropriate. The table below identifies some cultural associations: For greater details about these cultural associations check out this link: @http://webdesign.about.com/od/colorcharts/l/bl_colorculture.htm
 * **Colour** || **Cultural association** ||
 * **Black** || Black || **West:** mourning / death. ||
 * **White** ||  || **East:** mourning / death. **West:** purity and weddings. ||
 * **Red** || Black || **China:** celebration and luck - used at both funerals and weddings. **Hinduism:** purity and weddings. **West:** danger, sexual, and celebrations. ||
 * **Blue** || Black || **China:** immortality. **Judaism:** holiness. **Hinduism:** colour of the God Krishna ||
 * **Green** || Black || **Islam:** sacred colour. **Some tropical countries:** association with danger. **West:** safe colour, nature and the environment. **Ireland:** religious significance (Catholic). ||
 * **Yellow** || Black || **Hinduism:** sacred colour. **West:** Easter, spring. ||
 * **Orange** || Black || **West:** Halloween. **Ireland:** religious significance (Protestant). ||
 * **Purple** || Black || **Thailand:** mourning, widows. **East:** wealth. **West:** Royalty. **Feng Shui:** Yin, spiritual awareness, physical and mental healing. ||

=Patterns = Good design is essential to the success of a product if it is going to be attractive to the target market and consumers. The key principles used in design are **line, shape, pattern, form, colour** and **texture.** The combination of these elements can add visual effect, uniqueness and the possibilities are infinite, all these considered by the consumer will decide whether the product will be successfully or not, and your research and design specifications will inform your choices. In textiles **"lines"** can be used both as a visual form as well as a texture on a fabric e.g. Corduroy. Single lines, pin stripes, diagonal, vertical, horizontal and curved lines can be used in different ways to affect the way we see and feel be it on clothing, soft furnishings, interior designs, or art. In textiles **"shapes"** can be used to create well ordered patterns or both on the printed fabric or in the texture or through fabric manipulation e.g. smocking.
 * vertical lines - appear to add height, and make shapes seem narrower
 * horizontal lines - appear to shorten, and emphasize the width of shapes
 * diagonal lines - these add movement and swing to the fabric depending on the slant
 * curved lines - create a softened effect and can be used to emphasize curves on the body
 * geometric - these are very regular and precise e.g. circles, squares, starts, the layout of the pattern is also measured and precise and these are often repeated across the fabric.
 * free shapes - these tend to be less precise, flower, heart, animal or leaf shapes and the design can take up a larger area, however it is often repeated.
 * "Pattern"** is a combination of lines and shapes and by using different combinations of these and adding colour the designer can create unique and innovative textiles products, however the "pattern" should be suitable to the product and the target market. Repeat patterns, is when the pattern is repeated over the fabric, this can be a very small repeat tile of 1cm x 1cm to a large floral repeat for curtain fabric which could be 1m x 1m. Take a closer look at the third pattern! On first glance it looks like a traditional floral design suitable for a blouse or soft furnishings, however on closer inspection its actually made up of bones and skulls.
 * "Texture" ** in textiles relates to the surface of the 2D and 3D structure and finish of the fabric as well as the ** "form" ** and shape of the actual clothing and products. Surface decoration can also add to the texture by using techniques such as embroidery and printing.

 