Daisy Handford
Textiles
Final year project
Vulnerable Entities [Read more]
A Selection of Printed Samples
A combination of prints created both digitally and in the print room. Through my designs, I experiment with linear qualities, bold colour and scale.
Birds of Paradise
I absolutely love to paint. This piece is inspired by the abundance of birdlife I encountered when travelling in Ecuador. I aim to produce work that is impactful and eye-catching and which both engages and informs the viewer on the world around us.
Colour Stories
I love to group together my prints through colour and create colour stories. This helps me to visualise how my prints can be used and put together in an interior space.
Victoria Amazonica
This print came to life by hand painting onto the screen using procion dyes. I wanted to create a watery, fluid effect that really captures the beauty of Amazonian water lilies.
Linear Studies
Line drawing is another great love of mine. I produce detailed studies of my subjects using fine liners. This technique translates well into the print room, as I often create full content, linear screen prints.
Spectacled Bear
After learning about Ecuador’s famously elusive spectacled bears, I completely fell in love with these mysterious and enchanting creatures. Although I wasn't lucky enough to encounter them myself, I learnt a great deal about their huge significance and sadly, about their rapidly declining numbers. This knowledge inspired me to make spectacled bears the star of the show in my final degree collection, in the hope that it might promote greater awareness of this amazing creature.
Ecuadorian Orchids
I was blown away by the Amazon rainforest, by its vibrancy and its incredible biodiversity. I was particularly amazed by the countless species of orchids that can be found there, in every conceivable colour, shape and size.
Fabric samples
I aimed to translate the colours from my travels in Ecuador into my designs to create an exciting and vibrant body of work. When my work is hung, I love seeing the range of colours I have chosen and seeing my ideas brought to life.
Daisy Handford
I have a passion for colour and print design and love to push boundaries by exploring the beauty in the unexpected. I specialise in designing for unique and exciting interior settings that showcase my designs.
For my own projects, I gather inspiration from observations of the world around me and particularly from my travel experiences. To kick start the creative process, I enjoy pulling exciting colour stories from my own photography and produce high quality, detailed studies. I particularly enjoy seeing my drawings and paintings come to life by creating high content, impactful print designs, both digitally and in the print room. I aspire to utilise my skills in the textile industry and design prints for luxury and exciting brands that are as passionate about colour and print as I am.
Final year project
Vulnerable Entities
Awards
Runner-up in the Ted Baker Womenswear Print Project for Loughborough University.
Work Experience
Print Designer at Joules
Working as part of a small print team for twelve months gave me a realistic, first-hand experience of being a professional print designer. I designed for women’s, men’s and childrenswear, and was also involved in a number of interior projects. I gained confidence in my painting and drawings skills, and in working digitally. I hugely developed both my Illustrator and Photoshop skills, and my approach to projects and designing collections matured considerably. I had a fantastic year which contributed hugely to my personal creative development and was thrilled to continue to work for Joules as a freelance designer after my placement ended.
De Gournay
My placement at De Gournay gave me a unique insight into how such a highly regarded brand operates and maintains its reputation. Assisting with bespoke projects and visiting some of the clients’ homes confirmed my love for the brand and the service they offer. Working alongside their head designers, I developed my research skills by visiting the British Library, learnt unique painting techniques used by in-house artists, developed my digital competency and experienced working with clients. This gave me the measure of the model of customer this brand is aimed towards and the pressure caused by the high spend and high expectations of this client base.