Faculty of Design

Material Art & Design

Justine Yan Yee Fong

Concrete Jungle

I wanted to create an outfit that mimics the juxtaposition of the tall buildings and Victoria Harbor. So, I created two print designs, one is a water-marbling print, and the other is a digital drawing print that was made through Photoshop. Water-marbling is a water fabric dyeing technique that was created from ink floating on the water's surface. This technique allows me to create water-like prints. At first, I prepared a container filled with water that was mixed with carrageenan powder. After that, I add paint to the water and create motifs. Then, I placed silk fabric on the water surface, so that the fabric would absorb the paint and stay on the fabric. Then, I scanned the print into a digital file. For the second pattern print, I simply drew grids in Photoshop and used the “liquify” tools, to depict the skyscrapers that are reflecting from the water. The reason that I chose to make a wavy grid is because it gives movement to the pattern, which matches the organic marbling prints. If I create a straight grid it feels less connected to my design elements, since most of my pattern prints and silhouettes have round/wavy features.

“Concrete Jungle is inspired by the landscape of Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour and the skyscrapers that make up its skyline. Victoria Harbour is a hotspot for tourists. Every night you may watch the neon light shows and fireworks near the sea on specific holidays. Growing up, I always loved to visit the harbor because I used to celebrate New Year's Eve with my friends and family, and it is a great place to destress. I enjoyed sitting by the sea and appreciating the view, hearing the sound of seagulls, smelling the sea air; or sometimes, I liked walking down the harbor path while listening to music. ”