Zoe Louise Barker

Surface Pattern Design

Zoe Barker — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 18:15:22 +0000

A very creative surface design project is underway for Jonathan Ward London. I have a lot to live up to as the brand is so beautiful but I have been asked to use my textile design skills to design some surface pattern designs for packaging. I have the brief and the research is underway. Very excited and as always I want to put my all into this project so I am also rather nervous!

You can see my initial development here to get a taste of how I start the design process. I have no doubt that the end results will be different to this though. As the creative juices start flowing the ideas evolve, and evolve, and evolve! It’s nice to keep track of the development work to remind me of the efforts put in and the journey I’ve taken.

I have also uploaded some development designs to my portfolio.

“Finest Quality Scented Candles”

Zoe Barker — Mon, 16 May 2011 18:15:17 +0000

I have completed a lovely repeat pattern design for a new client to be used across packaging and stationery and as a result I have been awarded more exciting work. This time I will be creating concepts for an interior product display for Jonathan Ward London. Results will be added to the portfolio in due course!

Founded in 2008 after four years of fragrance research and design, Jonathan Ward London has quickly gained an enviable reputation for producing the finest quality scented candles.

Design Copy Right of Jonathan Ward London Ltd 2011.

Botanical Inspired Florals

Zoe Barker — Thu, 05 May 2011 16:23:32 +0000

Just wanted to upload some more illustration and textile designs. These botanical inspired flowers are hand drawn first in pencil, shaded and then overlayed with ink and coloured markers they’ve then been layered up in Photoshop.

Just for fun these ones!

All images copy right of Zoe Barker 2011. No use reproduction without prior consent. Thank you

Print Happy

Zoe Barker — Tue, 03 May 2011 11:15:52 +0000

I love working on ‘tangible’ projects and although my forte is fabric print I’m a dab hand at choosing card and paper stock too.

For the last week I’ve been umming and ahhing on various textures and finishes from the gorgeous GFSmith paper range. I have made headway this morning and requested (a very complicated) quote for some touchy feely business cards with a difference. Fingers crossed my client likes my choices too!

Lovebirds – An Ode to the Royal Wedding

Zoe Barker — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:21:46 +0000

Another addition to my developing technique and an ode to the happy couple, Kate Middleton and Prince William.

I drew some Lovebirds with the trusty 2B pencil, overlayed with 0.2 black fine liner, overlayed again with 0.8 black fine liner and cross hatched with a 0.1 and then I played around with colour layers in Photoshop. Tada!

This technique is a lot simpler than those I have used in the past and quicker, I’ll have a full collection before you know it and I’m quite excited to see the technique evolve organically the more I do.

Bluetits

Zoe Barker — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 10:31:06 +0000

I’ve been playing with some design ideas and techniques based on my collections gone by. I used these drawings in 2008 but somehow they seem more relevant to me now. I have simplified the techniques I used back then, which brings new life to the li’l Bluetits.

These Bluetit designs are based on layering coloured tracing paper over freehand line drawings. I welcome your thoughts…

A wonderful hub of creativeness

Zoe Barker — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 10:18:02 +0000

As always I have ideas galore. The trouble I have is that i think too much, achieving zilch or I act too rashly, achieving zilch. So it’s time for new tactics and my blog is a good place to start.

It has been difficult since graduating from Chelsea in 2008, the recession hasn’t helped and nor has the creative degree. The Masters was a great focus for me when I was finding it tough to find work and I am proud of myself for achieving so many qualifications in the discipline I adore. I tried and tested 3 work avenues but the London design studios and fashion houses weren’t for me.

The fashion scene is London bound so where to go from here?

I’m hoping I have sussed a new approach that will help to focus my creative mind and maybe it will evolve into something wonderful for like-minded creatives:

With no ‘boss’, no ‘lecturer’, no ‘tutorials’ or ‘fortnightly reviews’ in my fashion world it is difficult to stay positive and achieve my goals. My ideas seem to have no purpose. What I need is focus; a place to track and monitor my progress. A blog is ideal place to start and I am hoping the idea will evolve into a wonderful hub of creativeness for like-minded people where we can share advice, feedback, news, views, sell our products and promote our collections.

In time, my blog’s appearance may change to reflect this ‘organic hub’ but for now I leave you with my thoughts and would love some feedback.

It’s been a while!

Zoe Barker — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 09:18:50 +0000

It’s been a while since posting, I’ve been busy cooing over my two new nephews and scribbling in sketchbooks but the time has come to start bombarding the blogging world with my views and news.

To get the ball rolling I’d like to share with you my favourite find of the week. I’m a girly girl and can never resist a floral – having said that I have also been described as a bit of a prude when it comes to showing flesh so, if my bank balance could stretch to the extravagance, this barely there number would be admired rather than worn. I love the simplicity, the softness and the scattering of just the right amount of flowers to make an impact but not too many to replicate Alexander McQueen’s spring 2007 bouquets.

Understanding Textile Design

Zoe Barker — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:15:45 +0000

Textile design is often misunderstood and for good reason – the discipline itself, the process and the practice, is not in the public eye. Having said that, textile design itself is always in the public eye, found on interior furnishings, apparel and artwork to name but a few. I’ll touch on the discipline in more detail in a later blog. For now, I’d like to introduce some examples of the development stages of a textile design to show the time and talent behind the finished pattern design. These include:

1. Drawings

2. Colouring

3. Digital editing

Computer Arts – Repeat Performance

Zoe Barker — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 21:38:43 +0000

Although this article I contributed to is an oldie, I came across it again recently and it has helped me make a few design decisions. In light of this I have decided to share it once more – hopefully it will prove of interest to someone else out there. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

http://www.computerarts.co.uk/in_depth/features/repeat_performance