Looking At Textiles

A guide to the fundamentals of the materials and techniques used to create textiles.

A detailed study of Tudor textiles, highlighting their extravagant beauty and their impact on the royal court, fashion, and taste At the Tudor Court, textiles were ubiquitous in decor and ceremony. Tapestries, embroideries, carpets, and hangings were more highly esteemed than paintings and other forms of decorative art. Indeed, in 16th-century Europe, fine textiles were so costly that they were out of reach for average citizens, and even for many nobles. This spectacularly illustrated book tells the story of textiles during the long Tudor century, from the ascendance of Henry VII in 1485 to the death of his granddaughter Elizabeth I in 1603. It places elaborate tapestries, imported carpets, lavish embroidery, and more within the context of religious and political upheavals of the Tudor court, as well as the expanding world of global trade, including previously unstudied encounters between the New World and the Elizabethan court. Special attention is paid to the Field of the Cloth of Gold, a magnificent two-week festival—and unsurpassed display of golden textiles—held in 1520. Even half a millennium later, such extraordinary works remain Tudor society’s strongest projection of wealth, taste, and ultimately power.

Fabric for Fashion: The Complete Guide is the only book specifically for fashion designers to explain the behaviour and properties of different fabrics. Fashion design is largely determined by how the fabrics work, move, feel and look. The most successful fashion designers are those who understand their materials, who match design skill with technical knowledge. This book bridges that gap by providing a mix of practical information and industry vocabulary, visually examining generic fabric types, discussing the characteristics of fabrics and showing how to exploit materials to push the boundaries of design. With stunning colour photographs that show how fashion designers, both past and present, have worked with fabrics, the book’s prime objective is to stimulate creative exploration of the relationship of fabrics to fashion.

Shows examples of textiles from around the world, including textiles decorated using paint, dyes, sewing, embroidery, and other embellishments.

New in paperback, this colourful book takes the reader on an international textile tour with a fabric-collecting fashion designer. Pieced together much like the fine garments it portrays, this book presents in glorious photographs, samples and sketches a raft of remarkable clothing from all over the world. Taking the reader from Vietnam to Benin, from Central America to northern India, the book is brimful of stunning costumes, vibrant fabrics and breathtaking detail. All designers and anyone who loves fashion will find this volume a huge source of inspiration, as will all fans of off-thebeaten- track travel destinations.'Fabulous to dip in to, full of inspiration and intrigue, you'll feel like you've made the journey yourself!' - Craftsman Magazine 'Fantastically vibrant ... bright turbans and intricate embroidery galore' - Wanderlust 'Lovely ... a wealth of illustrations of people and their finery all over the world' - The Irish Times

A practical and inspirational guide to help embroiderers and textile artists make the most of sketchbooks to inform their creative work. The artist’s sketchbook offers an exciting platform to explore a host of mixed media techniques. Using a combination of paper, textiles, found objects, pencil, ink and paint, Shelley Rhodes shows how a sketchbook can act as an illustrated diary, a visual catalogue of a journey or experience or as a starting point for more developed work. Whether out on location or in the studio, Rhodes explores every stage of the creative process, from initial inspiration to overcoming the fear of a blank page, manipulating paper and images and incorporating ‘found’ objects to build a sketchbook that is both beautiful and inspiring. Sketchbook Explorations is the ideal companion for everyone from the beginner to the more experienced artist looking for exciting techniques to expand their repertoire in mixed media. The book explores: Why work in sketchbooks? The importance and joy of working in a sketchbook. Ways of recording and investigating ideas that inspire. Techniques in mixed media from found objects and layers to three-dimensional sketching. Creating on location. Using electronic devices to develop ideas.

Textiles Now celebrates international contemporary textile design, focusing on fabric and fiber designs from the past five years that have been created for use in decorative art, fashion, and interior design. Lavishly illustrated with photographs showing the textiles and, where appropriate, their end use in context. Clear captions provide information on the contributing artists, their techniques and inspirations, enabling a deeper critical understanding and appreciation of the medium. Organized into three sections embracing constructed textiles, dyed, painted and printed textiles, and stitched and mixed-media textiles, the images are arranged to make an impressive visual statement. The book includes over 400 images from around 100 textile and fiber artists ranging from new graduates to experienced practitioners, making an indispensable reference for anyone with a passion for textileswhether student, professional, or hobbyist. It will also appeal to those with an interest in color and pattern, including artists and graphic designers.