Lets go on a journey together…

land rover web imageI was lucky to be selected to take part in the coaching with Cultural Enterprise Office with Lynn O’Neill.  I really enjoyed the bespoke personal service and allowing myself the time to develop.  I was encourage to think BIG, so I wanted to showcase my patterned artworks on a product that would dispel the myth that my artwork was only for scarves.  So I started an self initiated project, for my all time favourite car the Land Rover Defender.

I think the brand really matched the essence of what I’m about and my love of the great outdoors.  I wanted to use my patterned artwork and signature style of delicious colours, patterns, and expressive mark making with a rhythmic flow capturing the essence wilderness of the landscape to create sophisticated, natural and beautiful designs suitable for Land Rover Defender.

land rover section by louise kirby

So I set about creating some hand painted paper designs using imagery of the landscape, fields of pattern and animals.  My visualisation was that I see the Land Rover Defenders as something that can go anywhere with no obstacle and I wanted to capture this in my artworks by merging and blending a variety of terrains into one another to give the feeling that Land Rovers can go anywhere, with spontaneous marks the emphasise the thrill, and adventure of the Land Rover Experience through the rugged British countryside.

I could imagine my patterned artworks on  – exterior bodywork, spare wheel covers, interior upholstery, promotional leaflets, collectable toys, and water bottles to hoods.

From there I needed to visualise the artwork on a product, so without getting my hands on the real thing I tried putting my designs on simple line drawings.  Here are some of my samples.

Land Rover Repeat in Product web

land rover red in product webI searched for the biggest model I could afford and got this lovely toy and set about applying my design idea on the product.  I also made a hand printed silk wheel cover too!  I loved the little model so took it to the park to do a wee photo shoot. Here are some of the photos from that day.

Land Rover web

Land Rover View webLand Rover water web

Land Rover Grass web

I hope you like my creation; do you imagine driving about with my design on it?

I’d love to go on an adventure with Land Rover where I bring the creativity and they bring the wheels!

wheel commission louise kirby web

New year and new products – cushions, cards, art prints and canvases

Stripy Fields Framed ArtI’ve signed up to Society 6 that allows designers to have a range of products.  I have 3 of my designs Fields of Pattern, Stripy Fields and Spotty Fields on this website producing cushions, cards, art prints and canvases for me.

Cushions come in 3 sizes 16″ x 16″, 18″ x 18″, 20″ x 20″ and you can choose to have the cushion pad included or not, available in all 3 designs.  Please click on the cushion and you will be taken to the website.

Fields of Pattern Pillow

Spotty Fields Pillow

Stripy Fields Pillow

 

Cards come in a pack of 3 of the same design and are available in all 3 designs.  Please click on the card to be directed to the website.

Fields of Pattern Card Spotty Fields Card

Stripy Fields Card

Art Prints come Framed or Unframed and in various sizes in all 3 designs. Please click on the card to be directed to the website.

Fields of Pattern Framed Art

Spotty Fields Framed Art

Stripy Fields Framed Art

 

Canvases  in various sizes on white canvas using the latest Epson archival inks, are also available please click here to see.

All products are available directly through Society6, the website is in dollars and it ships  to the UK for a small fee.  Enjoy shopping!  Part of my mission to cover the world in my patterns!

for your tootsies, hoofs, trotters, paws or feet

I’ve moved to the countryside allowing me to be surrounded by my inspiration of Scottish wilderness and thousand of pheasants!  After days out exploring the area I would come home with muddy welllies or walking boots, so I decided to make myself a doormat  to keep my house nice and clean!  Here’s some examples of my hand painted doormats.

Hand Printed Doormat

Indoor use only

Helping to keep your home clean

Each one unique

Material – Coir Mat, PVC backed.

Introductory offer of £25, only available for collection from my studio, please email me if you would like one hello@louisekirby.com

I also had a little play with some other silhouettes and patterns I like!

 

 

All Wrapped up…..

It’s that season, the leaves are changing colour and their is a chill in the air!

I just wanted to let you know about my artwork being used on 2 Anthropologie scarves called Wings of Braemar.  They are only available through Anthropologie stores and online.

They are a lovely quality of wool and I love wearing mine!  I’m really proud that my logo features on the edge and sold in their stores all over Europe and USA and online.  It’s great   having my work reaching a wider audience and with such a high profile that I really admire.

I hope you like them!

Thanks for reading my blog!

Where I Make

I was asked to write a feature with some photos for This Is Central Station on where I make.  You can also see other Scottish artists and designers too.

Welcome to my wonderful patterned world where I capture the drama of Scottish wilderness with nature at the heart of my surface designs.

Everything happens here in my studio in bonnie Dundee – colour studies, developing ideas, playing with scale and pattern, paper designs, cutting stencils, screen printing, painting, collage, fabric samples, mixing dyes, planning schools and community workshops, sewing and the list goes on…

All these steps help me create my surface patterns for a range of products and applications.  I’m on a mission to cover the world in my designs from wallpapers, wellies, ceramics, and murals to Land Rover Defenders – the possibilities are endless!

I have a playful approach and mix together delicious colours, juxtaposing scales, energetic repetitive marks, to create my distinct rhythmic signature.

I love my cosy space where I surround myself with colour swatches, drawings, fabric samples, old coffee pots of brushes, wooden printing blocks and random things I’ve collected.  I like nothing more than getting my hands dirty in the studio.  It’s not too flash but being surrounded by all my inspiration is really important and keeps me focused.

I am part of the Dundee WASPS artist’s studios and I’m in a temporary space on Airlie Place for 6 months while my studio at Meadowmill is being refurbished.  I really like it, it used to be a students bedroom so it has a homely feel with a fireplace and a sink.  I settled in quickly after a quick lick of white paint.  I like the location as it next to the DJCAD and I can see a tree out of my window.  I like being part of WASPS as I’m surrounded by other fellow creative’s from a range of art forms from printmakers, jewellers, sculptural textiles and painters.

I love being in my studio and being playful and creative!

Pots of Colour

I’ve been mixing delicious colour for my scarf samples for Anthropologie.  I’m creating an  exclusive range of silk scarves for their 1st Scottish store, opening on George Street in Edinburgh on the 15th June 2011.  I will be hand printing these in my studio in Dundee and finishing them myself. I will reveal the scarves on my blog when they are available to buy in the Edinburgh store.  Looking forward to seeing my work in their store.

Feathered friends

Just a couple of images of where I’ve got to today.  I’ve been pretty busy up and down scaffolding, more dab, dab dabbing with the brush, stencils blowing in the wind – think my pheasants wanted to take off!  Lots to do tomorrow, with all the stencil of merging patterns and more pheasants.

Continue reading

Flying the nest…

Here are some of my recent paper designs created during my time through the Crafts Bursary in conjunction with Creative Scotland and DJCAD.

Louise Kirby 8

Louise Kirby 4

Louise Kirby 6

Reluctantly I’ve cleared and moved out of my space in ‘the room’ in the textile department.  I’ve finished my time there and have taken my wings to fly to pastures new. I’ve found the experience so valuable to take time to consider my crafts practice, looking at all the strands I have with workshops, making products, designing surface pattern.  I’m going to reposition myself to being a surface pattern designer who creates patterns and illustrations for all surfaces from stationery, fashion, furnishings, ceramics and architecture…

During my time I had a chance to try new things, learn new skills, reconsider my business model, have mentor support and meet lots of other creative people, such a great vibe at DJCAD.  I highly recommend the opportunity.

Not in a straight line

mood board

As a designer I never seem to go in a straight line, my thinking and ideas sparking off all over the place going off in tangents.  I’ve been doing some sampling with different materials and surfaces.  Today was pulling it all together to create a coherent story.  Always great to have my mentoring session, they are so valuable! After my session with Josie I created mood boards to bring everything together.