Embracing Unity Through Design: The Journey of Connected Cloth

-Starting: Our Design Space and Next Steps (Dakota and Ansar)

When we began Connected Cloth, our primary focus was to design apparel that resonates with the theme of togetherness. Our initial steps involved brainstorming ideas and understanding our brand's message. With each design, we aimed to incorporate harmony, love, and connection concepts.

-Choosing the Right Tools: Software for Design

As we delved into the world of digital design, we quickly realized the need for effective software. While Photoshop is often considered the industry standard, its pricing and recent billing issues have made us seek alternatives. We found "Affinity Designer" a simpler yet robust option for creating our designs.

-Transitioning to Digital Art

Transitioning to a digital canvas was a significant challenge for us, having previously drawn on paper. Learning to draw using a tablet and keyboard required a shift in perception. It took some time to get used to images appearing on the screen instead of on paper, but the new tools and keyboard shortcuts offered exciting possibilities.

-AI and Art: A New Companion

Starting from scratch is never easy, but utilizing AI tools like ChatGPT helped us brainstorm ideas that formed the foundation of our designs. We explored symbolic shapes and icons, translating our thoughts into visual representations.

-Our Design Process: From Idea to Image

Each design begins with a concept that reflects our values while maintaining a simple aesthetic. Here's a look at some of our first creations:

1. "Harmony in Humanity":

As our first design, we wanted to ensure that it represented what we wanted to achieve as a group. This design symbolizes acceptance through a circular motif of hands in a handshake.

2. "Good Times": Inspired by New Year's, this design captures the essence of looking forward to a better future and embracing the spirit of the holiday and hoping that we can all come together just like we do at that time of year.

3. "Compassion Connects Us''": Evolving from the idea of many hands holding hearts, we decided on a more coherent design of hands coming together to form a heart.

4. "Grateful Vibes": Initially focused on stylized text shaped like trees, we pivoted to a larger tree design, drawing inspiration from "The Giving Tree."

5. "Love Over Division": The final design reflects our mission, depicting a figure riding a heart over a sea of division, emphasizing that change starts with each individual.

-Formatting and Printing Challenges

Once we became comfortable with our design tools, we faced the challenge of transferring our digital designs onto apparel. Affinity saves files in its own format, requiring us to learn how to convert designs into the correct file types and sizes for printing.

-Lessons Learned and What's Next

Creating our first designs was a learning experience that taught us the importance of patience and creativity. As we move forward, we plan to streamline our design process and group future creations around common themes. Our current designs focus on harmony, and we aspire to create cohesive collections that resonate with our community.

Thank you for being a part of this journey! Your support is invaluable to us, and we're excited to continue growing alongside the Connected Cloth community. Stay tuned for more updates as we strive to bring unity through our apparel, with your support and feedback guiding us every step of the way!