What I got up to on my Easter break...

Today I was back at uni after a 2 week break for Easter. However, there was no rest for the wicked! I managed to secure a 2 week work placement in the homeware design team at Matalan head office in Skelmersdale. It's about an hours drive from my home to Skelmersdale so for the first week I booked into a cheap hotel. I did start to wonder whether the work experience was worth it when I arrived at the hotel to discover a black & white TV in my room and no wi-fi! But after completing the 2 weeks I can honestly say it's the most valuable thing I've done with regards to my career. I learnt so much about the job I hope to do after graduation. It also reassured me that I am trained and very capable of a career in design! The thought of the unknown before these 2 weeks had me seriously doubting!

I arrived at a time in their schedule when they were deciding and finalising the colours for each trend for Spring/Summer 2013, and briefing the buying team on the trends for that season so they know what to buy when they go out to the suppliers in the Far East. It was exciting to see all their inspiration and learn their process for building the trends. 

All the staff in the homeware design team made me feel so welcome, they included me in everything they were doing, gave time to teach me things and never gave me dogs-body jobs or made me feel like a burden.

I don't think I'd be allowed to show you the trends for next year but these are some of the designs I did inspired by their trends.

Firstly I drew some sketched, then from those I produced these images in illustrator

I then used these images in cushion designs

Then I produced these mug designs for each theme