Color Theory, Visual Design
Pratt Institute, Color Theory
TEAM Independent Project
DATE 2019
Color theory touches upon an integral skill in visual design. During a color studies course at Pratt Institute, the goal was to utilize our knowledge on color techniques and psychology towards practical product applications in fabrics and textile designs.
While abroad in Greece, I used a culural lens to study and apply inspiration from local environments and craftsmanship towards my textile patterns. Creating patterns with a deeper understanding of culture creates more relevant and meaningful designs that serve as representations of the local people's culture and physical landscapes.
I used photography as a technique to capture and record inspiration in the island of Santorini. These specific textile applications promoted greater awareness of environment, study of color, light, psychology and practical applications. I used digital software such as Photoshop, and Illustrator to create realistic renders.
The following textile pattern was created during my time abroad in Greece, by using the ocean landscape to inspire the pattern design.
The rich colors of the Santorini sunset were broken down into a tiled grid to extract the color palette that would be used. This tiled grid was then manipulated using Photoshop techniques to create a module explorations.
The final module was then used in various repeat patterns until the final fabric pattern was achieved. The pattern translated well for softer textures, and fabrics used for children's wear, and decorative furniture pieces.
The hospitality rug pattern accommodates heavier woven fabrics to furnish hotels and other hospitality venues.
Research for the hospitality and residential rug started with creating palettes and graphs of a Joaquin Sorolla's 1909 painting, Walk on the Beach.
This module was inspired by the look of oil on water as it bleeds and sits on the surface. The chosen painting manipulation was broken down into further tile patterns based on interesting contrasts and common colors. A final tile design was drawn in Illustrator and the patterns were overlayed into the design.
The tile was then manipulated into multiple pattern explorations, some of them highlighted here.
The water inspired pattern of the residential rug is supposed to support softer chenille rug textures, while serving as a cozy addition to any living room.
Tile patterns from the previous exploration were used in further manipulations. Rather than creating a single module, each color tile served as a module that would be ordered in a specific pattern.
The tiles were then merged and manipulated in Photoshop to create a representation of water on glass. Although this image only shows one repetition, this pattern can be repeated for longer carpets.
