Windmill Gardens Gates

Great to see three new decorative gates I designed for the lovely public gardens in Broughty Ferry called Windmill Gardens. Gates were commissioned to enhance placemaking part of the new re-development of the esplanade.

Site Specific Inspiration

I took inspiration from the history that a wood-turning windmill stood on the site of Windmill Gardens around 1850s. In my design work I like to capture a sense of place and linking the history of the windmill helps to reconnect the name of the park to its past .

Design Process

I went through numerous iterations of composition, imagery and colours with consideration to the technical aspect of producing final designs that would be fit for purpose and meet the brief. I wanted to capture the movement of the windmill blades/sails and I playfully tested different compositions and imagery mixing my love of circles and stripes.

The three gates works as a series but each is individual with linking imagery and work visually inside and outside the gardens. It took many iterations from the bright gates I mocked up (below) to the final designs.

The new decorative gates were to replace 2 old gates that were not fit for purpose and to add a new entrance opposite Castle Green Playpark. I worked with local fabricator AS Fabrication to fabricate and install the gates and used Dundee based Tayside Powder Coated Services to apply the colour and Ieva to work on vectors. Gates were designed to be opened both ways to help with accessibility and consideration was made for the best material and processes for for the site. Colour is important to me and my initial thinking was to have sunset inspired colours but as the designs developed and the choices of colour palette was limited I chose this pigeon blue.

Bigger Picture

For me I want to create a welcoming and uplifting feel for locals and visitors by creating meaningful designs that re-connect people to the place and help highlight the gardens that are for public use.  I highly recommend this little secret garden, always something lovely to spot!

Broughty Ferry esplanade is going through a transformation to help improve active travel, part of a much bigger picture you can find out more here.

I designed gates for Castle Terrace Gardens just next to Windmill Gardens which have a different look to suit the space, you can see a link with the stripes and circles. More info here

Photo above from Dundee City Council

WASPS Open Studios 28th & 29th October

WASPS Open Studios 2017

When: 28th & 29th October, 12noon—5pm on both days
Where: 2nd, 3rd & 4th floors Meadow Mill, West Hendersons Wynd, Dundee, DD1 5BY

I will have my new Dundee Delights cards, enamel pins and tea towels available (and hopefully some screen prints)

Continue reading

Loved Dundee Design Festival 2017

I’ve loved Dundee Design Festival 2017 it’s provided me with inspiration, professional development, place to work, networking and nourishment for me and my practice – just what I needed!

Here are some highlights

Pecha Kucha, with a line up of 13 interesting speakers, my favourites were Leanne Fischler and views on consumerism and the mesmerising sound of Panda Su.

Creative Dundee created a WRKSHP space for designers to work during the festival.  I used for for a couple of days which was great to be part of the whole event as well as tap into things happening.  With Make/Share round the table, I particularly liked the passion and perseverance of Steph Liddle with ceramics.  Great to hear Brian and Mark from McGinaly Bell architects on the start of the journey imaging what the West Ward Works could be in the future and Biome Collective and the creative, interactive and varied work the gaming collective get up to.

My Make/Share was about the process of creating the 12 hand printed patterned illustration wooden panels for last years Dundee Design Festival chatted about the initial conversation with Sion, mind maps, sketches, screen printing, tests, decisions I had to make including the happy accidents and many late nights to pull it off!
There was lots of things take part in, dicsuss and hear about.  Print City was amazing, I love screen printing and the giant 3d shapes really created a interesting space to walk around and loved that the community had a part to play in the creating the visuals.

I chose a blue triangle for Silent Monitors, where the colours and positions were decided by people opinions of how you felt on how your data was being used.

I ate popcorn and drumstick lollipops while watching Graphic Means film brought to the festival by D:Screening.  The documentary was on the history of graphic design production, I didn’t realise how technical it used to be, I bet folk are happy with their apple macs now, even through I’m more of a cut and paste type of person!

Discussion of Why Should we make more with the cool brand Trakke, historic and very profitable Johnstons of Elgin, Clare Cooper and designing aides for the elderly and the inspiring Fi from Make Works.  It highlighted my feeling that we are consuming too much and really should by things that you love with a quality to last or be repaired.

The building is such a great space with the real industrial feel with the exposed pipes and extractors, faded painted lines that separate area and the lovely sunshine shining streaming through the coloured windows.

This worked well with the simplicity of the bright tables legs created by Old School Fabrications showcasing the Factory Floor exhibition bringing together a collection of makers, materials and machines from Orkney to Detroit.  Great to see the links with music and design as well as technical advances of the Ninewells x DJCAD radiotherapy mask and familiar faces of Hilary Grant and her beautiful knit patterns.

There was so much more to see from family workshops, talks, demonstrations, DCA shop with exclusives from Tom Pigeon and Whimsical Lush, tours in the building and factories in the area, Mak Lab workshop, Factory Floor Exhibition, live recording of Creative Chit Chats with a range of questions – looking forward to hearing them!  Not to mention the cool opening night with delicious cocktails on the opening night! Loved the colour combination of the new branding by Sooper DD and Fleet Collective.

Well done to Sion Parkinson and the team that brought it all together!  For more info on the Dundee Design Festival 2017 follow the link.

bespoke wall hanging design commission

I wanted to share a bespoke wall hanging I did a while ago that I forgot to share.

A private client asked me to create a wall hanging for the stairs area in her home that would brighten it up.  She’d seen my work at Wasps Open Studios in Dundee and liked my style.  We discussed what she liked about it for me to create a clear brief for the project.  In particular she liked circular shapes, movement, curves, mark making and feathery grasses with a natural flow of patterns merging into each other (nothing sharp, or dense).  We then talked about colours, type of fabric and finishings.  I visited her home so I could get a feel for the space and to measured up.

I did some sketches that include different composition, colours and imagery (probably more than I needed to as I really got involved in this project – wee problem when you enjoy what you do!)   Continue reading

Drawing Dundee by illustrator Louise Kirby

Dundee PehToday I’m starting a new project called Drawing Dundee.  I am going to draw local products and places in the city and around the city and post every Wednesday on my social networks –  so keep your eyes peeled. (starting Wednesday 2nd March) Continue reading

Vote for the Oak

I am delighted to be commissioned by The Woodlands Trust Scotland to help draw attention to an oak tree in Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Park to help it win European Tree of the Year. Continue reading

Peek at the V&A Dundee Hoarding

comic

Just back back from my holiday so I missed the reveal of the winner of the V&A Dundee Hoarding Design, I was itching to find out as I was in competition against them for the tender.  I drove past to get a peek.  Here’s a few snapshots.

comic 2comic 3comic 1

Well done to  comic illustrator Will Morris and graphic designer David Mackenzie for their ‘adventures in design’ comic idea.  I may not have won but I see it as a positive experience being able to showcase my work to both V&A Dundee and V&A London panel.
close up

I was delighted to be put forward by a panel, as one of ten designers chosen to tender to design the V&A Dundee hoardings.

With a clear brief, prestigious project, large scale, Dundee links and tight deadline it really got my creative juices flowing. Continue reading

Hallyburton Collection Autumn/Winter 2014

Patterned Fields Swirl 72dpi webHere’s my new images for next years 2014 Autumn/Winter Hallyburton Collection.  All inspired by where I live on a country estate in the heart of Perthshire, Scotland.  I’m surrounded by an abundance of inspiration on my doorstep!

Louise Kirby Woodland Wandering 72 dpi

Mood a circleMood c circleMood b circle

Mood d circle

Mood e circle

Mood f circle

I’m continually inspired by the changing seasons and fascinated at the harmonisation of the flora and fauna blending together.  You often find me exploring knee deep amongst the grasses and dotted wild flowers, wandering through the woods of dappled trees and patchwork fields – I hope my designs capture the essence my surroundings.

Elemets brush 72dpi web

Pheasant Footprint brush 72dpi web

This new Autumn/Winter 2014 Hallyburton Collection uses a palette of greens and a hint of warm chestnut.  Some of my artworks include my fascination of pheasants as I follow their footprints around the estate, textured of stacked logs and expressive dotty marks of nature’s elements.

tree rings repeat merged 72dpi web

I create sophisticated patterned artworks for your products using my signature style of a lovely organic movement using repetitive marks and textures in delicious colours.

Stacked logs stripe 72dpi web

Patterned artworks collections can be licensed or I can be commissioned to create something bespoke for your products.

Patterned Fields Green 72dpi web

 

Cards – Winter in Dundee

Winter in Dundee 1It’s that season again…….. I’m going to mention the Christmas word!  I’ve created an artwork called Winter in Dundee and made it into some cards which would make perfect Christmas cards!

Snowflake Dundee Blue web

They are A5, locally printed and blank inside for your own message.  Available to buy directly from me, please email me on hello@louisekirby.com or pop into the DCA shop in Dundee to get them.  They are priced £2.45 each.

I will be taking part in the Wasps Artists Christmas Sale on 30th November if you want to get some there, where I will be offering a special offer of  3 for £5.00.  For more info on the Artist Christmas Sale please click here.

They artwork has my signature style  using rhythmic mark making and merging patterns to represent the creativity happening in Dundee.

Winter in Dundee