The Koi Fish designs were inspired by mythology and legend within Chinese culture. One legend in particular was the legend of the Dragon Gate. The tale tells of how for a hundred years, koi fish battled the current in the river and tried to jump up and over the waterfall. Many became tired and let the current wash them away, but one golden koi never gave up, growing stronger everyday until one day he jumped over the waterfall. The gods turned him into a Golden Dragon, to fly through eternity collecting pearls of wisdom, for his perseverance in the face of adversity.
Using some photographs I had taken at an aquatic center, the pictures showed how the fish gracefully moved through the water and how they shimmered as the sunlight light caught them and how the light reflected and glimmered with the movement of the water, and the rich and vibrant colours. I wanted to capture this on a wallpaper design and into a Textile design.
I wanted to make fabric look like moving , bubbling water by manipulating techniques, embellishing, embroidery, and shaping recycled fabric. Firstly I painted all of the Koi fish, Waterlily and backgrounds as individual elements in watercolour. Then they were scanned in, cut out layered and put on to one of chosen my backgrounds to create a repeat pattern, capturing the elements that make them such an important part of the Chinese culture
This piece was painted as individual elements, using watercolour paints, and were then used to design several interchangeable wallpaper drops in Photoshop. Each design is compatible with the others, and has an offset repeat. I wanted this piece to feel like you were standing in front of a real pond of koi.
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