NEW MANUAL AND DIGITAL EXPLORATION IN SURFACE TEXTILE DESIGN: A SUPERUSER APPROCH IN DESIGN EDUCATION

Abstract

Manual exploration versus digital exploration is now adays part of students learning processes and there is a growing need in society to understand the relationships between manually created surfaces and creativity based on new technology. Still manual exploration is necessary to understand and cherish he unexpected that can be understood, transformed, discovered and create new value, for product design students and the product. This paper will take into consideration several aspects of learning. One approach is instructors showing creative ways to find new surfaces through exploratory surface design methods exposing students to open result design processes. Another approach is students working more independently as superusers to explore their own surfaces. A third approach is evaluation and collaboration between instructor and student in digital exploration introducing the student to digital textile printing, textile science, sustainability and at the same time introducing students to academic writing. The digital textile printing was related to exploring surface design and then transformed into patterns for digital print. In this qualitative study it is documented what the hand can create, intuitively with textiles, provoking and understanding the aesthetics of surface textile design by using force of nature such as low minus degrees, flames, light exposure combined with digital textile printing. Core values in this paper will be based on natural fibers in printing on wool and silk to enhance quality and ensure a stronger connection between product and consumer. The discussion evolves around the value of emotional design in new technology and Donald Normans concepts in ‘Design for everyday things’. The consumers ability to connect to such aesthetic design is explored in relation to social sustainability.