Diane Bresson was awarded this years prize at the New Designers Exhibition held annually in London. Diane, who studied BA print and textiles at Central Saint Martins, created a stunning portfolio of work that stopped our judges in their tracks. Well done Diane!
Find out more about Diane Below:
What was it like to win the Colour in Design award for 2018?
Winning the Colour in Design Award 2018 was a true surprise and it is very encouraging for the future. Surprisingly for my previous project I only worked with black and white so my graduate collection is the complete opposite and a challenge to myself. It is very rewarding to see that it paid off and I will definitely continue to explore and use colours for my next projects.
How important is colour in your work and why?
I like the beauty of rather simple shapes and I feel like bold colour brings more depth and complexity to my work. It also allows me to create playful and versatile patterns as for my project I have investigated how one motif made of geometric shapes can be transformed completely when put into repeat with different colours. I also like to work digitally and traditionally at the same time and keeping a consistent colour palette between the computer screen and the paints and pigments was a bit of a challenge but a very interesting one.
What or who inspires you?
I enjoy bright colours, blacks and whites, geometric patterns, and complex arrangements from fundamental shapes. I am fascinated by how everything around us can be decomposed into shapes and geometric principles. I draw inspiration from various fields; including from Martin Gardner's recreational mathematics, Karl Gerstner's graphic design writings, Op Art, and M.C. Escher's intricate patterns.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
I am quite spontaneous in my way of designing and I have always created my best work when I was not following a set plan. I like to get up in the morning without knowing what will come out of my research and experiments.
What would you like to achieve in the next year?
In the next year I'd like to expand my practice and gain professional experience. My long term goal is to be able to work for myself, either as a freelance or within my own studio, while continuing experimenting. I hope every project and experience from now on will get me one step closer from that goal.
Tell us about someone who really made a difference to your creative journey in the past few years. Who are they and what did they do/say?
My creative journey took a new turn when I arrived in London 3 years ago to begin my BA in Textile Design. Since then I would say that rather than one person who made a difference it is all of the creative people I have met along my way, from the tutors and my classmates to my colleagues and bosses at my part time job in a wallpaper studio. Being immersed in a creative community I was able to take advantage of the advices and insights of many different and passionate people.
What is your favourite colour?
This project was the first time for me really working with vermillon and while I don't know if it is my favourite colour of all time it is definitely the one I liked the most in this project. Depending on what colour sits next to it, it can get more red or more orange and it's a much deeper, rich and complex colour than I expected. I sure want to use more of it in the future.
