Planet Ruby Starrs

My Degree Results are in and I'm very pleased to announce I have graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Textiles and Surface design - never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would do so well when so much of the course work involved technology and computer aided design!!!!  Anyone who has followed this blog will understand the ups and downs, tears and faffing I have had getting to grips with Photoshop - sheer determination made me keep going plus as I got more confident I realised just how much making use of CAD could enhance my work and how mastering it became a personal challenge!!! So it is done - I have overcome an incredible amount of technology and my slamitinRubystarrs brain is full - but this is not quite the end yet.  I have been fortunate to be nominated for NextGen Awards Premier Vision - this is a chance to be seen by all the 'right' people in the design industry - quite who the 'right' people are I'm not entirely sure but it is a fabulous ...

I started this blog on Jan 8th 2016 as a task I had to complete for a Newcastle college module when I was studying the printed and constructed textile course there.  It wasn't the right course for me - it made assumptions about learning abilities and suited a younger audience who wouldn't question methods and had little experience of textiles or life in general.. Of course what the younger generation had was computer knowledge and I would never have survived the two years I wasted there without support from the other students sharing their computer savvy!! In among the little teaching we were given, we were expected to devise, implement and write this blog with little or no tuition or any guidance - (yes that is harsh but I had no idea at all and when I sought support it wasn't given at any level) I was very proud when I mastered the technology and programme needed and I managed to put this together and feel quite pleased it has survived for four years!!!  For me this blo...

Slowly (very slowly)I am coming to terms with the technology world...but its simple things like putting the blog on my tablet and then being able to find it again and then even simpler stuff like making the space bar work every time so all the words arent joined up...... Why does the app on my tablet have to be different to my computer..I cant edit this so well and putting photos on is a nightmare... any suggestions or help much appreciated. This is test blog from my tablet (If you want havent guessed already) now to try and add a picture ... I think this about sums it up my whole trial by tablet. I have now managed to disable the app and load up the computer version which has made the whole thing a lot easier. Goodness me I'm quite brilliant!!! Every thing I try to do is only working by trial and error and when it is sucsessful I've no idea why it happened or how to repeat it.  I'm much better at interpretive dance even dressed as a squirrel.  I've just ad...

One of the nice things I did this week (I did many nice things with good friends visiting) was to visit Bamburgh Castle - wonderful place, beautiful sunny afternoon, magnificent views, interesting artifacts, lots of very beautiful vaulted ceilings and interesting stone work - some huge chains and generally just a pleasant day out..... more of that later... but this post is about really about college work!! I am being challenged once again with CAD at college.  This time its Adobe Illustrator - aggghhh although to be honest I'm finding it easier than I did photoshop... I guess that's because I did Photoshop and some of it has stuck so doing CAD isn't quite as alien as it seemed last year. Still technology defeats me, give me a skein of wool and a pen any time, it's a bit like Ebooks nothing can replace the smell and feel of the real thing and I can't help wondering how much this technology contributes toward ''Fast Fashion'' which will eve...