(How to
become a textile designer)
(How to
become a surface pattern designer)
(Learn to
design prints for fabric)
I have some friends who are painters and fine artists who
would like to create some textile design too. While going to university and
getting a four year degree in Textile Design is clearly the ideal, if you have
already studied art but want to transfer your work to fabric, or you feel you
are too busy to start at the beginning, this is the article to help you.
If you did attend
university you would study Weaving and Knitting too, but this article is just
about printed fabric and print design.
First here is an over view video.
The steps
are;
Create art. Turn it into design. Sell it.
Create art.
I am assuming you are an artist, and you have drawings or
paintings, or can generate them, so you need to get them scanned or
photographed to a high resolution and into a design program such as Adobe
Photoshop.
Suggested resolution
300dpi.
Suggested file size: 27 inches square.
Never copy: you are creating work which may be sold so you
must only use life, imagination and your own photos for drawing reference, any
photos even faintly recognisable, used as a source, that does not belong to you,
lead you into legal danger.
Turn it into
design.
Once you have scanned your art you need to make it into a
continuous repeating pattern for sale or printing.
I have made three movies to show you how this is done.
Movie 1
Movie 2
Movie 3
Also there are some great easy step by step instructions in
these books.
It does take a bit of learning but it can be done by even a
not very computer literate person if you persist.
The Fashion and Textiles Museum (London) also have one and
two day courses regularly if you prefer a teacher.
Turning art into design.
Selling it.
In my experience this is the scariest bit for most artists.
I know I have to make myself find the courage EVERY time I’m going to meet with
someone and try to get art out there. You do have the courage, and when you do
sell something you will feel a million times better than you ever did getting
paid for the job in the bank or the cafe!
Selling things made with the fabric, crafts.
If you want to get a bit of your design printed on fabric and
then make something such as handbags to sell.
You can get some fabric printed
at:
Spoonflower.com (simply upload and print)
Forest digital. (More of a service aimed at professionals,
much better if you want larger amounts.)
When you come to sell your craft objects you might try “Not
on the High Street”.
Also if you are going to do craft fairs and markets you
should read this article and save yourself a lot of time and money spent on
mistakes, (I made all these mistakes and spent that money!)
Successful ways to sell at a fair.
Selling it.
Selling the
design through a studio or agent.
If you want to sell the design you need to decide how: sign
with a design studio, sign with an agent or sell it yourself.
Pattern observer have an excellent free course on the
market.
If you want to sign with design studio you can leave the
selling to them but you won’t have much control over how much gets sold.
Have a look at some at the London Textile Fair. Chat to them
and make an appointment to view your portfolio.
Send some samples to the exhibitor list from Premier Vision
(a big trade fair in Paris).
The same applies to an agent, get a list and contact them or
go to an event and chat to them.
Selling it
yourself.
Traditionally printed textile design is sold at big trade
fairs like Premier Vision and through agents with suitcases full of samples,
but more and more is being sold online too.
You can sign up with a web site and sell your art online.
Some are:
Patternbank
Spoonflower also offer a selling platform.
You can also research and contact companies directly and see
if they can use your print design. Here are some products with my designs printed on them.
Some other resources I have created include:
Colour wheel
Inspiration, where
from.
Finally be organised, no “to do” list basically means no day
in terms of getting work done. Track your progress and study management as well
as art.
I hope this is helpful and that you can have wonderful fun
designing fabrics. Don’t let people discourage you, don’t bother with too much
self criticism, I find life gives you plenty of that. Just keep creating art
and exchanging it with others.
There are some brilliant groups on facebook and linked in to
join and not feel so alone as an artist.
Feel free to contact me if I can help.
Best, Kirsteen
Kirsteen Lyons BA (Hons)
kirsteenann@gmail.com
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