There is nothing better than getting a peek behind the curtain – à la Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz – to expand our understanding of our surroundings and the things we love. In fact, it may even be the quickest driver to ignite new inspiration or pivot our view. In this new series by aspire design and home, titled The Toolkit, we are going to do just that by going behind the scenes with our favorite designers and brands to “highlight the how” and discover what makes it possible for them to bring their visions to life.
Together, we will explore the tools and tricks of the trade and ask the complex questions that you may or may not be thinking about yet. We will investigate the process and draw focus to the corners of our industry that often forgo mention – from the intricacies of technology to developing the right color or textural elements of a project.
The tastemakers of our time have a bevy of new tools at their disposal – many of which did not exist just a few short years ago. It is time for us to compare notes, inspire each other, and create the unknown, unharnessed, and unexpected. Everybody has a toolkit and it is finally time to share it.
As this is our debut column, we would like to make a proper introduction to the two voices behind The Toolkit – Kathryn Sanders and Leana Becker.
Kathryn Sanders is a third-generation textile printer and a champion of digital textile printing technology. Leana Becker is a storied interior designer with more than 20+ years of experience – most notably as Kelly Wearstler’s Director of Interior Design. Together we aim to push the conversation and delve into modern design methods and tools that have the potential power to transform our industry. In fact, we are so captivated and drawn to this part of the design industry that we have dedicated our careers to it as the owners of Western Sensibility, a textile house and digital textile printing studio.
As textile designers, printers, and manufacturers, we operate at the cross-section of art and science – two disciplines that have intermingled since the dawn of cave paintings and flint knapping. In our ever-evolving design and technological landscapes you could argue that art and science have never been so intimately intertwined. So much so that it begs one to ask, “In 2023, can you have design without technology or vice versa?”
Before we dive into the toolkits of our colleagues, heroes, and mentors, we figure that we better kick things off by sharing ours.
Adobe Photoshop with Aquario Textile Designer Plugin is where our artwork usually ends up. Whether starting from a drawing, a photograph, or any other medium this application is essential. Using this tool allows us to push boundaries by using gradients, full-width repeats, layers, and seemingly endless color options. The Aquario Plugin helps you to visualize your artwork in various repeat options that can be changed and modified with the click of a button. If you are a textile designer, the Aquario Plugin is a game-changer.
EPSON Wide-Format Dye-Sublimation Printers are the machinery that allows our imagination to manifest in textile form. An operational art form in itself, these revolutionary printers support our vision to print sustainably by using zero water (aside from the non-toxic water-based disperse dyes in our printheads) and far less electricity than traditional textile printing processes, which still account for over 95% of worldwide textile print production.
The Pantone Light Booth is our color-matching lifesaver. In design, language can be everything, which makes it all the more crucial that we are on the same page with collaborators and clients. Our light booth gives us control in our color process and ensures that we have the same experience as clients who may be on the other side of the world.
A textile industry staple, we always have a Pick Glass on hand to analyze textile constructions no matter the setting. For us, quality and consistency is key so a pick glass is a must-have tool. It also aids in our textile development process because we spec out everything in-house.
They say a tool is only as good as its user and – while there is certainly truth to that – it will forever be our goal to build community through transparency by elevating the conversation on creative practices that push us forward.
Photography by Rio Chantel.
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