Talking Colour / Pattern – Willow Ashbury

Here are a few paintings and observations from my visit to the Horniman Museum and Gardens. I found it really inspiring to observe the wide variety of plant species, and I wanted to express their vibrancy through colour and mark-making. I love the abstract feel and the sense of depth that the marks create, but I found it quite difficult to blend as the oil pastels felt quite waxy. Because of this, I couldn’t blend or layer them very effectively, so I decided to use toned paper to add depth. This worked really well, as the slightly rougher texture of the paper allowed the medium to adhere better.

I also created a few quick, inspired watercolour responses. I wanted to express the soft, effortless feel of the flora, and I felt that exploring this medium allowed me to capture that through gentle brushstrokes.

This piece is a more intricate observation, focusing on detail. I thought it would be interesting to take this idea further, so I digitised the drawing and experimented with mirroring to create a block pattern. I think it would be really interesting to add more motifs and develop this into a repeat pattern design.

I found the other, cheaper, wavier pasties hard to work with but really enjoyed working with the medium. For the study I experimented with Mungyo pasties, which were much more effective in creating a softer, more refined look.

I took the motif and digitalised it, experimenting with composition and colourways while adjusting opacity and layering. I feel this effectively created a strong sense of depth in the piece.

I wanted to explore how the previous design might translate as a screen print, so I began by blocking in the shapes with colour to visualise the outcome. This process really helped me consider the relationship between positive and negative space, which plays a crucial role in screen printing. Balancing the two not only enhances the visual impact but also introduces definition in the print.