Art has come a long way over time.
Whereas it was previously unimaginable for any work to go beyond traditional art, today’s digital textile designers push the envelope with fresh, creative concepts.
Modern textile designers have been able to experiment with various methods of incorporating artwork into their designs because of the development of digital design tools. The opportunity to take on these new problems has attracted illustrators and designers.
Many fashion houses have hired digital textile designers to breathe new life into their attire. In addition, many contemporary artists consider it profitable to use their work to create textile designs for various products.
The game of fashion and art is radically changed when the elements of self-expression that come from one’s choice of clothing are combined.
The Process of Designing Digital Textiles
The fabric is pretreated with liquid solutions throughout the digital textile printing process to more readily accept the dye and absorb the colour. Then, a printer is fed this cloth, and tiny droplets of dye are sprayed onto the fabric. The final step of the procedure involves ensuring the design’s permanence through streaming, dry heating, or the use of pressure.
You should be aware of the market’s four key segments for textile printing. Clothing items like t-shirts, hats, and bags can be printed with pigment inks directly using a variety of roll-to-roll pigment printing techniques. Soft signage direct printing is employed in the advertising sector.
Then there is direct/transfer sublimation printing, which only functions on materials made of polyester or fabrics coated with polyester. Another specialised type of printing that is more prevalent in Europe than in other regions is textile printing using acid and reactive inks.
Inspiring Patterns
It’s far simpler to see something for yourself rather than just read about it in any visual art. And since digital textile design is no different, here are a few accomplished digital textile designers who can provide you with a better understanding of the full procedure.
London-based digital print designer and illustrator Charlotte Linton established her company in 2009. Since then, she has been merging hand drawing with digital fabric printing techniques to produce stunning seasonal scarves and other apparel collections.
One of the Chicago-based textile and design business founders, The Patternbase, Kristi O’Meara is a painter and graphic designer. Numerous prestigious journals, including Chicago Magazine and Dutch Elle, have featured her art.
Designer of jewellery and textiles Karen Mabon introduced her “Karen Mabon” line in 2012, featuring silk scarves and other accessories. Her brand’s product line has since expanded to home goods, accessories, and sleepwear.
Her designs deviate from the digital textile design heritage of repeating printing, so the design varies depending on how the wearer positions it.
Advantages Of Digital Textile Design
The limitations that traditional printing placed on textile designers have become accustomed to them over time. Currently, the design process is completely entwined with these constraints. But a new generation of designers is emerging, and more and more are realising the benefits digital textile printing can provide them. What these benefits are in detail, and how they can alter the way you create textiles, are described below:
Distinct patterns that don’t repeat
With digital printing, you may make a distinctive design without being restricted by what is on a screen. You can make your design as lengthy as you like. The file size you want to produce is the only theoretical restriction you have. This implies that you could design clothing with a single front and back.
A broader colour palette to choose from
A digital textile printing device produces colours by mixing minuscule dots of its primary process colours at the microscopic level. A digital textile printing machine can produce more than 16 million colours. Imagine the possibilities when you have access to such a varied colour pallet.
The market’s demand for digital textile design
Expensive and unique designs used to be reserved for haute couture apparel displayed on the catwalk at major fashion weeks worldwide. But over the past few years, more and more high-end retailers like Zara and H&M have begun to include distinctive and daring designs in their lines. Why? Mostly because the market demands it. Big high-fashion businesses are cleverly reacting to consumer demand for unique garments by adopting digital textile printing techniques.
The current trend towards originality has a significant impact on textile designers as well. When faced with the constraints of standard printing, how can you produce original, high-quality designs? You may broaden your creativity with digital textile printing, and it provides you with all the tools you need to produce future-proof designs.
References:
- blog.spgprints.com. (n.d.). [The Note] Digital textile design: what are the new opportunities for designers? [online] Available at: https://blog.spgprints.com/digital-textile-design.
- Khan, A.Z. (2022). Digital textile design: How do designers make wearable art? [online] GoVisually. Available at: https://govisually.com/blog/digital-textile-design
