Evaluation...

Overall I am really happy with what I've managed to create, I think its very feminine and dainty. I like the mirroring which makes my print look more balanced and I am particularly happy with the focal swan element which helps to break up the design. I started with the house design and although I like the house I think that my style got more like Kidston's with each element. The wax seal and his and hers stamps manipulate a bolder method of shading that is very Kidstonesc. I think that they are probably the more successful elements due to their simplistic shapes. Having said this since I based my style on Kidston's line/watercolour/ more detailed prints so I do think that most of my elements adhere to Kidston's style.  I really really like the swans positioning since it frames the chandelier and provides a more rigid element to the other more randomly placed aspects and I really had fun drawing them out.

I was initially concerned that my design was too crowded but after looking at other Kidston prints I found that they were fairly crowded in themselves. I also didnt like the more spaced out versions that I explored since they felt too empty. My pattern repeats as two elements to avoid putting too many houses together - so the houses and teapots repeat as one row and then the middle repeats separately from that so that the houses almost become anchors within the pattern.

 I was well organised with this project and rediscovered a love for Photoshop (I made my designs in Illustrator and made the pattern in Photoshop). Using Photoshop to make the entire pattern was easy and fun and enabled me to go back into my design and alter the positioning and angles of my specified aspects. I really connected with my chosen theme - I love Pride and Prejudice and think it will definitely appeal to 29 year old females. Its very British and something a bit different to any of the Kidston prints and other Ycn prints already researched. Im hoping that this more original concept will be noticed. Whilst I have tried to keep my design as Kidston as possible I think my own drawing style has crept in. I did try to keep it within Kidston's world but I think the peacock is a variation to that- I found it harder to draw something so complex in a more simplified style although I tried to ensure continuity through my colour use. The peacock is the only element thats not quite right because I think its too liney but it works as an aspect in the bigger pattern so I am happy to leave it.

I had issues restricting myself to the 12 shade colour palette which I did get around by altering the opacity of the brushes but I did have to constantly remind myself to keep to the colour shades. Despite this  I found the project very relaxed which I guess comes from being able to pick your own brief with and outcome that would allow for the use of preferred software. Im very proud of what Im submitting and can only hope that it will be considered by Ycn.