Freelance surface designer Rachel Tomkow is a graduate of the University of Bolton in Textiles andSurface Design in 2013.
‘I have always loved drawing, painting and being creative. Whilst I had already gained a number of qualifications in art, design, textiles and fashion, after a number of years away from studying, I decided to go back to University and studied for a BA (Hons) Degree in Textiles and Surface Design at The University Of Bolton, gaining a 2:2 and graduating in July 2013. The surface design element particularly interested me and I improved and developed a skill in creating designs that could be used for surfaces such as fabric, ceramics and wallpapers.
Whilst I am a freelance surface designer, I would like to see some of my designs on finished products and be sold in the likes of Anthropologie and Liberty’s.’
‘Using a combination of papers, paint and drawing ink, I have produced a variety of simple but effective pieces of textured work and designs. Cutting and collaging papers and combining them with a loose style drawing of things that have inspired me such as objects of nature like plants, animals and birds, layering them together, sometimes placing tracing paper with loose style drawings over the top help me to create my designs. Whilst some of my work has been done in traditional ways such as by hand or screen printing, I also like to scan in work and manipulate my designs on Photoshop and illustrator by changing things such as the colour so that I am also producing modern, contemporary collections. I enjoy going to see different shows and exhibitions and visiting the likes of Printsource, The First Cut Exhibition, Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair which have been great to see.’
‘Inspired by the likes of Quentin Blake, Claire Coles, Rob Ryan, Raoul Duffy and Matisse, I also like to look at the likes of WGSN, Elle Decoration, Print & Pattern to see what is currently on trend and what is going to be on trend in future seasons.
I love to work on brown paper and brown paper bags, creating different backgrounds using paint, ink, collage and cut out work. I am working on some new designs and pieces of work using these elements with a theme based on flowers. These could be kept as they are and mounted as individual pieces or expanded in to full length, one off pieces such as wallpapers and murals.’
