Simon Marks Textiles | DESIGN

For block printing, I take inspiration from old prints of the 19th century rediscovered in a dusty tome, archaeological digs, Tarot cards, ancient Peruvian jewellery, stone jali screens, wrought-iron balconies.... an eclectic mix. I sketch out a basic design, then decide on how many colours the print will have.Then I carefully adjust the skecth to make sure that it will join & repeat perfectly when printed. The deisgn is then drawn out finally & given to the block-maker. Each colour needs a different block. Silk, wool, cotton & jute all take on colour from printing differently.

For batik, I like to paint out the designs in colour on paper, then I can experiment with repeats, tracing over an individual balance between the waxed resist and the dyed cloth.

For Ikat I do a rough sketch of a design. As the design will be tied onto the yarns before weaving I then decide with the person tyeing the yarns what the most suitable size for the repeat will be. This depends on a combination of the finished length required, the thickness of the yarns & the width of the loom. I then make a final inked colour pattern and give it to the person tyeing the design.

If scarves are being woven, the weaver & I decide on how much space is to be left inbetween each piece on the loom depending on fringing, tassels or a stitched edge.

Finding the right quality & combination of yarns is extremely important. Silk, Cotton, Wool, Ramie, Bamboo, Banana, Pineapple, handspun, machinespun, thickness, thinness. As is the right weight & quality of cloth for printing. There are endless permutations. I am constantly on the hunt for different varieties to incorporate into my work.