CMYUK has announced the final project for those taking part in its Creatives in Residence Live (CIRL) programme. ‘Oriental Florals & Asian Influences’ will focus on sustainability and circular design and will require a painterly or hand drawn approach.
CMYUK CIRL partner and education lead, Debbie McKeegan commented, ‘This is the last creative brief before we head into product design and production. We expect the graduates to utilise all the skills that have been gathered over the last three projects, distil initial ideas with speed, and move quickly to the drawing board – digital or physical.
‘The Orient has, and remains, a strong influence on the design industry. For this project, we encourage our graduates to look to the past, explore the history and vintage documents of the silk road to create new patterns and prints or turn to the East for Asian ornamental design and style incorporating luxurious decorative elements.’
Mentors for this project will include representatives of fabric printer Standfast & Barracks, textiles design and production software specialist, AVA CAD/CAM, surface pattern designer and decorative artist Diane Marsland and bespoke interiors company, Avalana Designs.
The graduates recently visited Macclesfield-based AVA CAD/CAM for training in how software bridges the gap between the design station and the printing equipment. They also received licences for the AVA software suite, valid until the end of the CIRL initiative.
CIRL graduate, Evie Venables described the experience. ‘Visiting AVA CAD/CAM was such a valuable experience where we got an opportunity to learn about the endless possibilities that the software provides designers,’ she said. ‘We expanded our knowledge and skillsets in areas such as colour management and separation, creating textural repeat patterns and learning new design tools. Having the understanding and ability to use AVA will open doors for all three of us and build on our professional development for future employment.’