From Luxury Goods to Common Goods? Evolving Styles for Digitally Printed Textiles

Digital tools for textile artists working with print are coming into their own, and a new visual language is starting to evolve. This article provides an objective analysis of these emerging styles for surface and textile design, as well as a personal account and exposure of my own experimental processes as a practitioner working with CAD.

It introduces a comprehensive means for categorizing these new styles created by digital printing. It also offers a unique reference for textile historians and designers who are interested in the way in which digital fashion transitions from the catwalk to the high street.

The article covers recent works by textile artist/designers working in this medium, investigating these new styles within the history of computing, as well as exploring the time lag between the introduction of new technology and a change in design styles.

The technology used to aid textile design is undergoing rapid and radical changes. The fact that Photoshop was only introduced 16 years ago puts this into perspective. The article traces the beginnings of computer-aided design in the 1970s, following it through to the most recent innovations in digital textile printing. By viewing the changing relationship between “tools” and “style”, it provides an anthropologically informed framework that recognizes the role of artists in mastering new technology. With this interdisciplinary approach, it is the first article to bring together the overall history of computer-aided design with that of its use in the textile industry.

Ceri Isaac

Research

My research involves exploration of the new image styles for surface design made possible through the use of digital photography and inkjet printing. I am fascinated by the idea of photographing objects or textures that are reminiscent of traditional motifs, in a manner that is not too obviously computer generated yet remains modern in impact.

Since my work relies on digital printing, looking towards the future of this technology as well as forming links with industry developers and other research centres is also an important part of my research.

Current Research

My current research involves a collaboration with New York artist and costume designer Karen Young on the possibilities that digital textile design brings to modern dance and performance. The imagery for this project is drawn from the natural history collections at the Horniman Museum London.

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