After finally finding some inspiration in relation to my
designs I decided that now would be a good time to start thinking about what
product I wanted to make. I looked at the products available in the Whitworth
and decided I wanted to try and create something that isn’t already available. I
researched various Gallery Shops, such as the V&A, MoMA and the TATE, in
order to familiarise myself with the kinds of products that are on the market
in a similar setting. Some of the ideas I had for final products included tea
towels, cushions, stationary, umbrellas and men’s ties and so I began
researching these items from the various gallery websites.
After
the visit in New York I remembered how Bradley Rothenburg had created something
unique by using unfamiliar materials, and there was one material I had in mind
that I have wanted to try for a while, and I felt that the Whitworth would be
the perfect opportunity. I thought that using Thermochromic and Hydrochromic dyes
for printing would be something PLAYFULL and INTELLIGENT, and PERSONAL – e.g. with
regards to the idea that the print would respond to an individual’s body heat,
changing and disappearing. My initial idea was to create umbrella designs using
Hydrochromic dye, which I realised is becoming a fairly popular idea and I wanted
to push myself a little further, which Is then when I thought about designing a
line of swimwear using the same dyes. However I realised that the idea of
swimwear wouldn’t really fit well with the shops at the Whitworth. So I then
started to explore possibilities for the use of the Thermochromic dyes, as I thought
they might be a more suitable choice for the gallery. Based on this idea I knew
that the final product I chose would have to be something which buyers connect
with physically. This is when I started looking into various clutch bag
designers.
I started testing prints with the Thermochromic dyes,
initially just so that I could gain an understanding of how they worked, so for
example, testing if they would print on top of a standard pigment print and
what would be revealed or removed from the print when heat is applied. After
creating some tester samples I knew that this was the idea I wished to pursue,
and I pitched this idea to my group and tutors in my next tutorial.
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