The Green Approach to Designing

The power to design using a direction to include sustainability is more than a growing trend. The agenda for the future is to recognize whether designing or buying(end user)have ecological responsibility. Environmental issues are not just the responsibility of governments, it’s everyone’s responsibility.

Sustainable design is our future, in order for the world to pull back the chaos of pollution and the over use of our natural resources. We need to consider connecting with nature and the ability we have as humans to recreate from what is being wasted, this brings me to my current research.

My research is about the fundamental urgency for ecology issues to be recognised by designers and consumers. Responsible shopping co-existing with responsible designing.

Re-using, up-cycling, reducing is a key link to how we can change and start to consider sustainable products.

                                             The Green Design Initiative

In my search for such products I have noted a number of designer/makers who are currently re- using products that have forfilled there use (wooden palettes).

There is a growing trend within design, recycling palettes into useful items.

Outdoor furniture is typical of how designer/makers are reusing, recycling wood to useful and ethically pleasing furniture pieces.

Corner Sofa made by hand .Sean Satchell.

Bright turquoise has been used to compliment the climate in Menorca. This colour is also traditional in this area of the Mediterranean used within local architecture on the island.

Designer maker Sean Satchell has transformed unwanted palettes into useful garden:patio furniture.

Creating bespoke furniture specifically for individual requirements.

Re using, reworking materials gives designers the choice to add social responsibility to the designer/maker roles.

Small side table or Plant Stand.

The Adirondack Chair Traditional Homestead style.
Named after a Mountain

As philosophers and researchers gather information on what is happening with our planets resources Theodore Roszak points out

“The epidemic of our time is the lie of believing we have no ethical obligation to our planetary home” .

Studio Space/Workshop

Workshop space can be created in small spaces for ease of production processes and can link easily within  individual homes. Removing the need to pay for working premises and also keeping costs down.

Sean Satchell in his workshop up-cycling wood.

Traditional Hand Carpentry

Traditional wood work processes limiting waste.
Small work spaces reduce costs for the consumer.

      My blog is a away not only to connect to consumers but also to connect with Designer Makers and companies who are relevant to my research and current interest.

The Green initiative currently trending is for people to think about our environment and consider our own unique carbon foot print and in small ways we can change the current global green house effect. Buying products that have used little or no natural resources is a good thing. Up cycling is a way of insuring less global waste which is deeply effecting our oceans and wildlife.  https://pin.it/lof44skxwygknm

  Local Traditional Stores

Traditional Small Independents shops that like to include local crafts are ideal locations for smaller items. Small enough for tourists and locals to shop easily stock. 

Small boutique: Cuitdella Port Menorca.

Specialist eco conscious natural fabrics tie dyes and batik sarongs and throws are sold including other home interior items and jewelry. Created from a previous fishing boat house, this store is filled with charm and interesting little handmade items and weathered patined  bric a brac.

Eco-conscious designs have over the last decade or so changed from it’s original perspective of tie dye throws, rope beaded curtains and hemp bean bags established in the 1960’s. Linked to the hippy sub culture which previously represented anti –fashion. Empowered the consumer with visual cues of his/her socio political power associated with animal and human rights. The new eco conscious market challenges these understood stero- typical images. This is a challenge for designers of which many have eco conscious production and values but don’t promote it as their main aim. Eco-ghosting is the terminology designers who eco produce but don’t shout about it. As consumers become more and more aware designers are responding accordingly.(the Guardian)

Philippe Cousteau - An Arctic Discovery

                                                   Environmentalists

Ocean biologist Jacque Cousteau (1910-1997) was an inspiration when I was growing up and also for many people interested in ocean environmental and conservation issues.

Recently Jaques Cousteau’s grandson has been part of a series of documentaries highlighting environmental and conservation issues of our planets oceans, he specializes in oceanography which is looking into scientific aspects of our oceans to better understand what is happening due to pollution and global warming issues.
The sketch books to the left and below show some pencil drawing illustrations I would like to create some wall papers and fabric with either one shell drawing repeated with marl effect
warn out blistered dried out backgrounds to add a tactile approach to create a relaxed vintage feel to my design work. I would also like to create some seaweed and coral repeat surface pattern using one colour or two that are tonal. Black backgrounds and silver ,gold and bronze would add opulence and romance to surface design. 

background textures.

Ocean theme drawings.

under water background.

He has recently also highlighted concerns in regard to melting ice gaps in Antarctica and has explained present forecasts are not accurate. The environmental issue is far greater in terms of climate change and biodiversity within our oceans

Oceans and sea creatures have been depicted within art and design since ancient Greeks and Romans and other ancient cultures, tribes and religions. I have chosen to use oceans, wildlife, natural flora, nautical imagery as my focus in order to improve knowledge of conservation and marine ecology of our oceans.

Oceans are the colour blue. Colour  theory is a method of inquiring what effects can a colour have on human behavior. 

Sketches of ocean shells.

History of Oceans

    Cultures are developed against our oceans around the world. Romans are one of the earliest super powers who used the sea to transport goods around their empire. Researching ancient cultures gives us insight into how history has developed so that we can understand how our cultures across the globe functions previously so that we can create links to modern day society. It shows us how previous trading links, linking continents developed. Looking at sea levels at different historical eras can give us important information in regard to when sea levels dropped which in turn created an environment for humans to travel across continents.

Screen Printing with Natural Dyes Part Two

What do I want to find out from my project?

I am going to be looking at green eco conscious processes and also add knowledge about conservation biology to inform the viewer.

 Firstly how I can make my own natural dyes/inks using traditional processes.

·         Researching ancient recipes from the middle ages in order to include ways to create art within eco conscious values (incorporating environmental needs to reduce global warming).

·          This will include developing my own dyes with added natural thickener to create screen printing inks for printing. This clip shows how you can easily create small screens to work from home. The demonstrator is also using home made inks.

      The reasoning behind this is to reduce my carbon footprint by not using chemical dyes and also I will be reducing my package consumerism. Every time someone buys something from a shop it is packaged usually by single use plastic, foam etc which is usually single use plastics. How can the world population change this process for the better care of our planet. Confronting these issues of climate change, ozone wholes in the sky is to act individually. If we consider how charities work and how they are funded, we can see a connection. Every penny counts and in the same way it works for climate change or the draw down effect. Pulling back our global emissions to create a zero emission level.


Sketchbook showing research into natural printing

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How to simulate screen printing in Photoshop | lynda.com tutorial, Deke'...

Design Parameters

My research will be about finding a balance between the traditional home spun processes of artisan craft and modern technologies making sure limited ecological damage is occurring as best as I can achieve.

 Since becoming a designer some 20 or so years ago I have noted an interest in printed fabrics, I however choose to study knitwear design as I was interested in textiles as well as fashion and knitwear bridged a cap for me.

In a similar way, I want to develop for personal and career goals a practical art process which includes new technologies and traditional processes in a way that is complementing bridging a gap between the old and the new.

I am looking at the methods of printing inside of digital art and traditional printing processes. Comparing what effects can be created and how different processes create different effects within similar visuals.

One of my research questions is to evoke a response that creates a human hand made process to modern contemporary process using digital art. I will also be researching why this process is a contemporary design inspiration for many designers and their client base. The need to evoke a humanized approach while also using                            

     Today’s Digital World Responses

Within today’s cultural and economic developments many people are in contact with digital technologies because of this they are wishing for more homespun products in order to re-kindle there connection with nature.

Also people are becoming conscious of ecological damage through human destruction of the natural world and resources. These people are wishing for a more traditional historical reflection within design in order to feel calmer and more relaxed.

     new digital art technology.

Printing Fabrics

Sketch Book

There are numerous possibilities within print making in terms of techniques. Screen printing is one of many processes .Screens are photographed using specific CAD equipment onto photo sensitive paint. When it has been photographed and left to try. The ink that has not been blocked by the image, which is printed onto paper and layed down on top of the machine.In the same way a photocopier works, can they be washed away. Leaving the screen ready to print, the following image is the image which has been hand drawn and then scanned in onto illustrator were it is then repeated to create a fabric pattern. Screens for fabric is slightly different than for paper, a different screen mesh is needed.

This pattern repeat is small in scale as I will be printing it onto Muslim to create a summer scarf.The image is a proto type of other images that can be used within the same scale and repeat with a structure colour scheme. Monotone been the type of colour way used.

Lino Cherub print.

Photograph manipulation using photoshop.

Calico fabric samples, traditional screen print process.
Fabric screen printing using a screen print and a screen print table. This process including's using your eyes to place and hold down screen print with fabric weights to keep it in place. The time scale is actually quicker than with paper.However you can print onto paper this way. I have started to print a muslim scarf as it would great for a light weight scarf.

Muslim is very tactile, light and very floaty. It has been determined that 4 repeats one way and 4 the other way, will be needed 4 prints taking approx 2 hours. Meaning 4 hours would finish the printing process, two scarfs could be printed together.Concluding that the pattern would face the right way on both sides. I will be adding embellishment on the ends.

Calico samples have been created for bags for live , tote bag in order to reduce global warming and pollution via plastic wastes. These accessories could be also used for promotional purposes to encourage sales within other areas of design. A number of designer lead stores and labels use T-shirt, tote bags, postcards etc as gives to promote certain world campaigns. The cherub print is a reference to sympathy linked to religion used sometimes on memorials in churches within frescoes. Cherubs are fashionable as statues within homes.

Refining my MA Proposal Plan.

MA Proposal Refinement Plan

My project is an exploration of the natural world, looking at how nature’s resources are depleting and how ecology is developing and where it should be going in order to create a better future. I will be integrating traditional and digital art to create new textiles and wall art.

Ocean Shells.

Antarctica melting ice cap Photographed by Christian Aslund-Green Peace 

Sketch book ideas Oceans.

A Proposal plan for an MA should have a number of elements , it should be easy to read and understand if it becomes too complex it might miss the main points of the brief. My proposal is more about what I want to be doing within the next 5 years it also suggests a customer base which my be difficult to meet. I have since changed my MA proposal to a short marketing plan to encourage consumers,customers and viewers to seek a deeper connection to ecology ,a visual  campaigning strategy for our futures and our children's futures.
I have chosen a number of campaigns to use as subject matter. Green Peace Antarctica Ocean Sanctuary, a leading campaign to create a globally acknowledged conservation area. The Queens Canopy- a conservation development plan of planting new trees. British based conservation strategies including the RSPCB and other needed approaches to conservation and ecology in the UK. 

 My ideas could then be packaged into varies product ideas from T-shirts,scarves,sarongs, key rings, bag trinkets, book marks and home accessories.

Chrisian Aslund Photographs of  Antarctica

My creative statement     Evolution V Heavenly Utopia needs to have a theory value that can be developed into a written project. I have unpacked the meaning of this creative statement to include ecology theory. Ecology Evolution V Heavenly Utopia Orthology.
 I will be pairing this down even more as its still to complicated.
Ecology issues explain evolution in terms of genes shared across species and molecular evolution (shared ancestry in the evolutionary history of life).

Ocean Mammal sketches.

I am currently reading up on how the earth developed and how global warming can be reversed within current analysis including information currently developed via an international coalition of leading researchers,scientists and policymakers who have come up with realistic and practical solutions to climate change. It is believed if all the techniques are utilized and deployed collectively across the world then over the next 30 years, they could not just slow global warming but reach what is being called drawdown. The point when green house gases peak and then begin to decline.

Therefore the main point of my MA proposal is to create visualizations within current campaigns to encourage ecology based awareness of global warming. I will be looking into ways of reversing global warming and I will be using and embracing and harnessing current digital art techniques to create hyper real luxurious print effects and mixing this with traditional print making. Using natural dyes and traditionalist values akin to the arts and craft movement of the 19th century to encourage viewers to think traditionally in regard to their current lifestyle choices.

My mindmap below, shows how I have progressed my thoughts to a point that know equals we’re I am at with my proposal for my Masters in Design.

 Mind Map of ideas.

Contemporary Practice Print making with embellishments :Proposal

                  From Knit to Print

                             Turkish Cotton Jumper with Pom Poms(Good housekeeping Promo)90's

MA Project Brief PRESENTATION.pptx 4.06.18 With Sound-2 by victoria meadows on Scribd