Monday 8 February 2016

Q&A Saturday: Jens Answers

1. I chose Printed Textiles as my degree because after researching the course here at LCA it looked like a really fun way to be creative and to experiment with various processes and techniques that I had never tried before. It also allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and to work in a way which I had never previously done at foundation level.
2. My biggest inspirations are homeware design magazines such as Elle Decoration and trend websites such as WGSN. I try not to follow them religiously and mimic everything they feature, but I like to adapt my own ideas to what they forecast and add my own spin on trends.
3. My favourite project so far, surprisingly, was the Context of Practice module we have just completed which included writing my dissertation (which wasn't so fun), but the practical side for me was the most enjoyable and interesting, as it really let me see my own style develop for the interiors market which I was designing for. I loved how my collection of tiles complimented each other when looking at the pattern, colour and surface.
4. My favourite pieces of Emma's have definitely been the fabrics she designed from her most recent project where she was designing based on West African print. She made some samples which she embellished with little beads and pom poms which really brought them to life and they looked amazing. The colours she used as well were really vivid and playful which is something I'm always jealous of her work for, as I am no where near brave enough to use colour so well!
5. I would say that Emma loves using very bright vivid colour palettes for her work whereas I am more prone to sticking to neutral tones with the odd bright colour used as an accent. Also I enjoy mark making and using abstract shapes when designing patterns, as I focus on natural pattern, but on the other hand Emma is more geometric looking at African tribal prints, meaning that she uses rigid shapes in regimented formats. So you could say they are totally opposite!
6. The main thing I find difficult about studying a creative subject is that it's exhausting sometimes to think creatively 24/7. There are days that I will come into uni with a complete mind block and won't be able to envisage the work I want to make, but then other days I will be really productive and produce a lot of work, which is annoying at times but I guess that's what you have to expect doing the course we do.
7. I would honestly say I never feel any competition with Emma when it comes to our uni work, purely because our design styles are so aesthetically different. I feel we're more supportive and helpful towards each other's work and we're always willing to give our honest opinion if we are asked for advice in regards to compositions, colour or materials. If our work was similar to each other then I think we would be bound to feel an element of competition!
8. The biggest advantage of working in our studio is that we get our own individual space to work where we can display our own concept boards, designs and inspiration images, but also that you are surrounded by everyone else's work and so you are constantly inspired by other peoples projects and it's just a really fun environment to be in! Our studio is really spacious and light as well which makes it a really relaxing and comfortable environment to be in.
9. I am currently looking for an internship in the commercial interiors industry for over Easter/ Summer, as that is the area I would one day love to get into. The dream would be to be an interior stylist/ merchandiser for commercial projects, including hotels, restaurants and bars as I feel that there is more interest taken in interiors today and so I want to create an environment that people thrive in in social situations. My final degree show is going to focus again on natural pattern and to what extent natural materials such as marble and stone have been industrialised to be suitable for an interiors market, which I cannot wait to get stuck into!
10. My instagram is @jenlees_design

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