Weaving Designs

The initial inspiration for these drawings were the weaving designs created by Huguenot silk weaving designers. While in the National Museum of Scotland, I came across a weaving book by Bernat Klein and took an initial sketch of the design. This sketch inspired me to do more drawings of this in my own style and different colour palettes.

While the designs of the Huguenot designers were rather floral, I was instead looking at the texture of the fabric woven. My other drawings inspired by the Leman Album were done in another sketchbook, looking at the composition of the florals and motifs in the designs. 

I discovered that the weaving patterns and the interlocking nature of the bricks were very similar. In order for the rest of the design to work, the materials need to make the item. In this case, the threads need to interlock to make a woven fabric. Similarly, bricks need to interlock in order to make a wall.

These two examples can also be seen as metaphors for how cultures have interlocked and fused to make the historical richness of the unique lane. The designs are rather experimental in the sketchbook with me looking at different colours and compositions of the weave as well as thread weight. From looking back at these designs, I realised that they were interesting to do, but that the colours do not really fit my colour palette.

The neon colours used are just a little bright for my palette. Alongside this, pastel colours are used, which again are not used in my palette at all. However, this sketchbook was important in discovering my colour palette and if I didn’t do them, I would not have created the finalised colour palette that I have now. 

I would perhaps use some of these designs in the background of samples and can change the colours in Photoshop. From also looking back through them, I think the designs could make great borders and trims to my samples.