'Artist's Tools for the Tate'

I am very excited that the collection I have been tweeting and instagramming about in the last couple of weeks has now been launched by TATE!

Read on for a bit of background and some close-up shots of the range.

Photograph by Rita Platts

The overarching idea was to design a collection that would appeal to and create enthusiasm for the artistic process across the diverse community of the Tate visitors – the young and old, men and women, the professional creatives and the less artistically educated, who all have different tastes, but are united in their passion for art.

Photograph by Rita Platts

Colour, as we encounter it in its material form at the beginning of an artistic project, in paints, chalks, inks and pencils, was the starting point for 'Artist's Tools for the Tate'. To introduce a feeling of authenticity into the images, I explored my own creative process, photographing my personal artistic tools in my own studio (with my main creative tool, which is my camera, remaining backstage this time).

Photograph by Rita Platts

                                                                                                 

The material that carries an image and the printing technique that is used have a profound effect on the feel of an image. I wanted to highlight this aspect through the different production methods used across the product range of 'Artist's Tools for the Tate'. (The collection consists of notebooks, mugs, cushions, tea towels, a tray, a bag and a laptop case.) The tea towels, the bag (below) and the laptop cases, for instance, are screen printed, while the cushions like the one above are digitally printed.  

In contrast to the gritty texture of the screen printing on the tea towels or the bag in the image above, the print quality of the tray below is super real. The mugs are special because of their screen printed decals, made by a transfer company in Stoke on Trent (whom I consider to be absolute masters of their trade). I designed the decal to come right up to the edge of the cup and am so pleased that they came out as I intended.

Photograph by Rita Platts

The packaging for all the collection uses my signature cardboard
with a glossy sticker :-)

Overall, my aim was to create a playful, yet sophisticated collection that will enthuse others to pursue their own artistic ideas, perhaps make them go out and start 'that painting' or 'that collage' they have been dreaming about doing, after their visit to the Tate. 

You can now buy the collection in the Tate Gallery Shops and in the TATE Online Shop (they are still adding products as we speak). I hope you find a piece to suit you - as always we're happy to hear from you on our facebook page.

Here's to a creative spring everyone!

Ella x

Special thanks to Rita Platts who photographed me and the insitu products in my studio, and Louie Waller who helped style them, & the cut out product shots were kindly supplied by Tate.