So it’s been quite a while since I’ve posted, I’ve got a lot going on at the moment so there isn’t much time left for cross stitch! However the hour or so I get here and there is definitely worth it when you see your cross stitch forming. Here’s a peak at my progress so far!
I’ve decided to stitch the main focus of the cross stitch last and start with all the surroundings first. This way putting the final piece into the puzzle will be exciting!
So I’ve added the WordPress app onto my phone, this should come in handy when I want to post but can’t be bothered to get my laptop!
Just thought I’d share a couple of small projects I have completed recently in between my big project.. Christmas spirit has arrived! (This is unusual for me!) I also stitched a small card for a family friend! 🙂
Whilst thinking through what I would need to embroider for my final book, I decided to get more organised in order to be able to complete these in time for my exhibition..
I’m extremely glad I decided to do this as theres a lot more than I thought there would be!
Here is just a quick sample of the pages I will be producing, the vectored animals are simply in place of where the embroidered characters would be. I’m really excited to see m designs coming together! 🙂
Following on from my Design Research Methods Module, although i’ve already handed in this, I would like to continue my final piece for the degree show. I am currently in the process of cross stitching the characters for my book. Heres a quick sneak peak…
Stay tuned to see more of my progress 🙂
After a lot of hard work, I finally managed to produce my client based Rationale!
The next step is to actually produce the final book ready for my exhibition! I’m excited to see the story produced! Stay tuned to see the development for it!
Now that I had my collaged scenes ready in my book. It was time to work on the characters and how they would work within the book. I originally thought that I could use velcro so that the children could stick the characters on the page where they belong. However, when I furthered my ideas, I realised I could develop this further by introducing learning features into the book too. I came up with the idea of using magnets. This would allow the child to place the character where they feel it should go; thus learning the meaning of the sentences written.
Below are the interactive stitched features for the example double-page spreads:
As shown above, words are also moveable so the child can learn where certain words should go within sentences. I am very pleased with the way this has turned and would love to carry on this with further books.
I now decided to work on how I would put the book together. As I wanted to create some kind of stitched cover, I would need to hand sew the book together in order to place my own cover on. Below are just some developments whilst I was securing the cover:
Front Cover
Front Cover
Front Cover
Front and Back cover sewn together
Although time consuming, I really feel that this paid off!
Since my last post about the development for children’s book, a lot has changed! From hand-drawn characters, to vectored characters and to cross-stitched characters, the best option was finally chosen! I decided to choose the cross stitched characters which I had previously talked about:
Cross-stitched characters
These would prove more durable as they cannot tear or break when handled. This would be especially important as the children would be handling them constantly.
Now I had decided on how I would like the characters to look, I decided it was time time to begin on a theme for the story itself. As Autistic children cannot deal with change in routine and new situations well, I picked a day out which would only be a ‘one-off’ and that the child would therefore not be used to; A Trip to the Zoo.
Whilst thinking about the style that this would be produced in, I wanted to continue a craft style which I had already begun with the hand embroidery. I decided to use some collages which I could play about and experiment with. After a lot of tests, I finally came up with a style I would like to work with:
Collaged Tree
I then used this to produce a double-page spread for the book:
Landscape Double-Page Spread
I was extremely happy with the way my ideas turned out. However, due to my short time-scale, I knew I wouldn’t be able to produce the whole book to the best of my ability in time for submission so I worked on producing a of couple of double-page spreads which would be exactly how I wanted them to look.
So as you may have read previously, I joined the design team to publicise the University of Chester Degree show. With the theme being UnLucky/Lucky, the photographers took some fantastic photographs of students which we turned into magpies…
Me as a magpie.
Me and two other designers; Lauren Hailstone and Callum Peters each came up with what our ideas for the posters would look like..
Callum’s Poster Design
Lauren’s Poster Design
My Poster Design
We have put our designs forward to see what the majority prefers the most. However, due to a short timescale, we had to swiftly quick a design which we would use for an invite. We collectively decided that Lauren’s would be the best for this in the format of a postcard style.
All opinions welcome & don’t forget to come visit the show opening to the public JUNE 21ST!
I’ve had a couple of busy weeks and still have a couple of ahead of me and i’ve possibly just added more work for myself. I optionally decided to join the design team for our end of year degree show. I am one of 7 members of the design team who will create/design the publicity and literature for the final show. We are working together with a team of Fine Artists and Photography students to create an exceptional end of year show. Stay tuned to see how we get on and definitely get yourselves down to the University of Chester Degree Show starting 21st June 2013 (precise dates will follow soon).
On another note, following on from the last post about the Batiste Dry Shampoo range, I have improved my designs so they all fit in with each other better. Below is the old set, followed by the new set.
I think the improvements are obvious and the designs are now appropriate to be a part of a ‘range’ of seasons, however, opinions and feedback are always welcome.
Whilst creating and producing a portfolio for myself, I decided to create it so the layout fits in with my Personal Development Plan. Here are some quick screen shots of my progress so far:
1st Year University work
Pre-Degree Foundation Work
3rd Year University work
Looking through and choosing which work I want to appear in my portfolio brings back memories from all the development processes I have undergone and how far I have come from leaving School as i’m approaching the end of University. Scary thought, but i’m feeling good right now! 🙂
Amy Simone Design 