Digital technology is changing the face of textile design, from methods of creating and presenting designs to the ways in which they are realized. Working in a digital environment, designers are afforded more time to experiment, explore, and create, while manufacturing technologies offer innovative new printing solutions. This practical and inspirational book examines a new era of textile design and features clear tutorials and case studies revealing how digital techniques are being employed in the fashion, interior design, and home furnishings industries.
The development of digital printing onto fabric is changing printing methods and removing the restrictions that textile designers have traditionally faced: freed from concerns about repeat patterns and color separation that are key considerations in screen and roller printing, designers are able to work with thousands of colors and create designs with a high level of detail. There is also greater freedom for experimentation, as one-off production is now possible as well as small print runs and prints engineered specifically to fit within a garment.
Software programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator present the perfect platform for textile design. These have become the industry standard tools for textile designers, offering them the freedom to work with both bitmap and vector-based imagery, manipulate drawings and photography, and create accurate details and graphic effects.
While digital printing allows a rich mix of layered imagery, the surface and tactile qualities associated with some methods of traditional printing can be lost: as a result designers are finding ways to put these qualities back into the fabric using techniques such as overprinting and embellishment, and this combination of digital and handcrafted techniques has even created a new hybrid craft.
Whatever your interest in textiles—whether you are a student or professional, designer or producer—you will find this to be an essential and comprehensive guide to an exciting new field that is pushing the boundaries of textile design.
