Spring Collection Planning
Those that know me, know I love a good spreadsheet. Methodically populating tasks into a spreadsheet will make planning my collection, to launch in just 12 weeks, a LOT easier. This may not be the most exciting start to a blog post, but without this rigor the huge list of tasks associated with the launch and managing my art print business can all seem a little overwhelming.
So, I’ve outlined 3 stages (planning, painting and launch) over the next 3 months, leading up to releasing a collection at the end of March.
The planning stage will take 4 weeks. I’ll be looking at what aspects of my work really excite me and what areas I want to push forward with, spending a couple of weeks exploring these themes in greater depth on paper, before planning formats and sourcing materials. The painting stage will last 6 weeks and I will be filming my painting process as I go, even the ugly paintings, of which I am sure there will be many.
I'm trying not to put too much pressure on myself regarding the number of final paintings I'll launch, to be honest I'll be happy with anything more than 2 or 3! It's all a learning process, one I plan to repeat every quarter this year, and the only way is up! :)
Week 1 has involved trawling through all of my clippings, sketchbooks, experimental paper works and paintings spanning back to the start of last year, and really honing in on the things that inspire me and make me happy, looking at repeatable aspects and areas I wish to explore in greater depth.
I have sorted through piles and piles of inspiration and organised it into two main boards (plus a colour board), with accompanying notes, that will inform 2-3 lines of enquiry I will explore over the next two weeks. These will be written briefs I will pop in my sketchbook, ready to start experimenting on paper next week.
Currently, there are 3 main areas I am focusing on:
Shapes
Exploring more of the organic, leaf like shapes and black loops that are present in a lot of my pieces, but really concentrating on how these shapes can be created in new ways and improving the overall composition by utilising negative space.
Marks
Scrappy mark making is my thing. I think it's because when I express myself in this way it has a great calming effect, my hand and my brain can finally keep up with one another. I am constantly looking to evolve my mark making, through new tools, different movements and less control. The wilder the better. I will be focusing heavily on experimenting with mark making during the planning phase.
Neutrals
As you will know if you follow my work, I absolutely love colour, especially fluorescent pinks and oranges. But I'm also excited by the juxtaposition of muddy, muted neutrals with pops of colour, so I will be exploring this in more depth and I have already developed a colour scheme that I will be working with over the next few weeks.
Any of the above may change, but that's all part of the creative process! For me, this process is not about overly planning every aspect of what I am about to paint, it's about equipping my subconscious with tools to call upon when I finally reach the canvas.
I will be sharing more insights into my process here, in my Studio Diary, and on social, so make sure you are following to see what happens next! And if you want to be the first to know when the new collection launches, sign up to the Collectors Club by filling in the form below...
Krissy xx