Street Style Phone Cases

I google imaged street style phone cases to get a feel of what they are like;

These are some of the Moschino cases, obviously I want be able to create these but just an example of how far the phone case market is going. 

Relation of the design to the product.

After receiving feed from the presentation, it became clear that I need to have more of a solid reason behind my art work and why I'm putting them onto these products.

• I want to create a line of designs for use on a wide array of products, specifically phone cases and tshirts. 
• My main target market is within the youth street style culture. Aprox 15 - 25 yo style/fashion conscious people.
• During my research it is clear that trends have drastically changed and developed over the decades.
• 'Fast Fashion' is what current young people want.
• 'The phrase “fast fashion” refers to low-cost clothing collections that mimic current luxury fashion trends. Fast fashion helps sate deeply held desires among young consumers in the industrialized world for luxury fashion, even as it embodies unsustainability.' 
• https://www3.nd.edu/~jsherry/pdf/2012/FastFashionSustainability.pdf
• Previously A&F was a popular brand with most youths wearing their logo and strongly branded tshirts, it was a status symbol. Now the youth have become much more fashion/style conscious, partly due to the rise in social media, meaning fast fashion is much more in demand. ***they can not be seen in the same outfit twic***fashion is constantly changing***must keep up with the changes to be cool***
• These brands have adapted to these changes, as the youth aren't as concerned about brands anymore. A&F is a lot more basic and plain now, which is what the youth want.
• Now knowing that the target market want designs/products that are simple and could potentially last more than one season and also something they'd be willing to share on their social media platforms.
• Referring back to street fashion - ITS THE NEW FASHION ACCESSORY
• 'Because your iPhone is so visible, whatever you use to encase it becomes a defining personal statement. That’s a fair amount of pressure.' http://www.wsj.com/articles/phone-cases-the-new-it-fashion-accessory-1440706448
• Brands such as Moschino have changed the iphone cover game, making huge rubber cartoon style cases, it gives the usual fashion conscious and 'sophisticated' people have fun with their accessories. 
• Having fun with these designs is something I want todo and achieve, I don't want them to be boring or the same as the next one. 

Creating emotional connection through design

https://designshack.net/articles/graphics/how-to-create-an-emotional-connection-with-design/

If a consumer can quickly understand a design, then they will find the design more appealing as their brain has not had to struggle to understand. Designs are easiest to read if the contrast is not too high or there is not too many distracting patterns going on throughout the design. These are a few factors I will need consider when creating my final concepts.

Aurochs Skull Design

On my trip to the McManus I came across an Aurochs skull which I really liked the shape of and hoped to incorporate it into one of my designs. After researching the framed flash tattoo designs, that was the style I was hoping to achieve.
So using a mixture of photoshop and illustrator I came up with these designs.

I used the stipple work I have previously looked into, to help add subtle shading into the design which I think works well here and helps add slight dimension and depth without being too over powering.

I wasn't too sure about the design of the frame so below is a version without the frame but with the centre filled in.

I also implemented the design onto a phone case and a tshirt, I think the design works pretty well on the tshirt. Although it has been pointed out to me that it bares resemblance with a certain reproductive system which is something I'll probably need to look into and edit the design slightly. 

However I am overall pleased with how this design and concept has turned out and I'm now excited to get on and create further designs with a similar concept.

Tradional Flash Tattoos

As I continue my research into tattoo designs, I came across 'traditional flash tattoos', which is very much the direction I want to head in. Also a lot of them bare resemblance to that of Sailor Jerrys designs.
Below are some designs I particularly am drawn to.

I particularly like the designs where they are put into a frame as I feel they look more finished and tidy. This is something I think my designs are lacking, so I hope to incorporate some of these design aspects into my own work.

I decided to create some of my own flash tattoo concept, while trying to keep them contemporary and relevant to the current trends. 

I also took the cactus into photoshop to add colour and try out the stippling technique, to help add shade and depth within the design. 

Overall I was happy with how these experiments turned out and hope to develop on this style of design, throughout my project.

Mandalas

As I have been researching tattoo designs, I notice the mandala design is quite a popular concept. I learnt a good technique in Illustrator on how to create them.

To help add interest to the design I used the technique of dotting used in tattoo designs to help add more tone to the design. Making the overall design more dynamic.

I also wanted to try add something other than just lines in the mandala designs, so in this design I incorporated a fly design I had seen at the mcmanus. I'm not overly pleased with how this one came out but I think if I kept playing around with it and pushed it further it would gain more interest.  

Here I have added part of the mandala design onto a skull drawing, I really like how this design came out especially the added shading I did again with the dot work. I hope to continue with the design concept and push it further, hopefully adding more elements.

McManus Visit

I went to the McManus to have a look at the taxidermy exhibition, as I was hoping to include some animals in my designs. As it would be good to get some proper references for my designs.

New Phone Case!

I decided to try out a new way of putting my designs onto phone cases, this putting the designs onto a translucent case. Meaning the colour/effect of the phone itself can interact with my designs, something which I find quite interesting and exciting as I have not done something like this before.
I used this simple hand drawn design I had drawn a while ago, but through illustrator to change the design into a vector then created the phone case!

This is the final design on the transparent case, really love how it came out and I'm excited to produce more designs for use like this.
I also think interacting with the phones logo on the back would be an interesting design idea to play about with.