layout designing showing motif placment for sarees and stoles in ihkar design collection

DESIGN PROCESS : From Imagination to Print-A creative journey

DESIGN PROCESS

From Imagination to Print-A creative journey

abstract textile artwork making the start of Ihkar dsign concept-to-print journey
Design comes from that side of the brain that understands the language of color, composition, and balance of forms with respect to proportions! It follows a whole process—how one’s imagination of a concept or theme transforms into a design, keeping in mind the product it is meant for. Let’s break down how a print design is created and the steps involved in developing an original creative design for the textile or print industry.


START WITH THEME/ CONCEPT/ IDEA

THEME : The foundation of the design—modern, oriental, intricate, minimal, romantic, festive, floral etc.

CONCEPT: The core message -underlying purpose “what are you trying to say or explore” It’s a why of your project !  e:g reinterpreting nature in urban spaces.

IDEA: The fusion of theme and concept, bringing them together into one creative thought. The direction, feeling, or season you want to build your design around—romantic, festive, floral, springtime, etc. Once you have a clear theme, concept, or idea, the next step is to collect inspiration. 


INSPIRATION: This can come from observing your surroundings, capturing images through a camera lens, or gathering materials that resonate with your vision. It could be magazine clippings, book illustrations, or even handmade craft pieces created with a particular emotion or idea in mind. The key is to tap into your imagination and give it a tangible form through visuals. 

MOOD BOARD / THEME BOARD

Visual mood board with motifselements for ihkar design design direction

After collecting inspirations, we move on to building a mood board or theme board—a visual representation of all the elements that define your design direction. 

a. WRITE-UP IN WORDS: Describe the theme in words. Choose around 20 keywords that define the essence of your theme. 

b. NARROWING THE THEME: Refine your inspirations—add or remove images, materials, and references that best suit your design direction. 


COLOR PALETTE: Developing a color palette is a crucial step as it sets the tone for the entire collection. The palette usually consists of 3-4 colorways, chosen based on current trends and regional preferences.

 

MOTIF DEVELOPMENT 

floral motif developed through mix of hand drwan and digital mix techniques at ihkar designfloral black motif developed through mix of hand drwan and digital mix techniques at ihkar design

Once the foundation is ready, the next step is to select 5-8 ideas from the board and start developing them into motifs. 

This stage involves creating motifs using various techniques—hand-painting, digital design, or a combination of both. 

Once the motifs are ready, variations in colors and styles are explored to bring diversity to the collection. 

LAYOUT & FINAL DESIGN :

layout designing showing motif placment for sarees and stoles in ihkar design collection

Since we design for sarees and stoles, the next step is to plan layouts accordingly. This involves:

-Resizing and positioning motifs to fit within the desired space based on the product type.  -Ensuring the layout aligns with the brand image and product line.

-Once the design is finalized, we take a test print and check how it appears on the product using 3D software. 

After the final approval, the design is sent for printing! This structured process ensures that the imagination takes shape, leading to a design that is not just creative but also commercially viable.

print design by @ihkar_design

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