Getting into interdisciplinary

First full day back and it was time to properly start the new project after initial research over Easter. We were set and task to respond to our research and the fabric workshop. We were asked to produce 5 exciting detailed fabric samples in calico or other materials. These were directed to a more 3d format giving shape to garment ideas rather than flat surface detail I had concentrated on over easter and within the initial fabric workshop. My intension within the project is to achieve innovative silhouette ideas, playing with placement, scale and repeat. I definitely need to incorporate CAD and also think about pattern cutting more- I found some relevant Japanese pattern cutting through recent research, which has inspired me a lot. I found the time limit of today effective, working under pressure to meet a deadline is when I'm most productive.

I like the avant garde stance towards this project, giving me the freedom to experiment. The area I want to focus on within the metamorphosis theme is the idea of decay along with deformity and disease. Through research over easter I liked how this is destructive and negative topic can be transformed into a aesthetic garment. I choose this theme as I found it to be an alternative viewpoint and would be quite original as well as giving me scope with shape and surface detail.

I really need to start opening my mind to pattern cutting a bit more, as I can’t put my ideas to life without it. This will influence the shape ideas, as some shapes are not possible or suited to particular fabric when constructed. I want to produce a well-constructed garment, bringing together everything I have learnt over the year so far.

Below are some initial large scale 3D samples i have produced;

The beginning of the last

This first week back after easter has definitely been an eventful one. First day back was the hand in for Fashion, Art and Culture.  Due to the extension this project had dragged on a bit, finding myself a bit bored and frustrated with how to improve the project on the whole. I managed to produce a good body of research as well as being quite pleased with my final image reflecting what I’d touched upon. My evaluation for the project included myself enjoying the freedom of this project with the idea of it being a cross disciplinary approach to fashion. I have always taken a fine art approach to my work and found this a good opportunity to take this further, having few restrictions in terms of subject area, construction and presenting a final outcome. I enjoyed exploring how much fashion; art and culture integrate, giving me room to explore my own personal response rather than working to meet a particular target market. Through researching past and present works from fashion and art disciplines I have managed to create a contemporary and innovative argument within my final image.

I chose to focus on the cultural communities/identities theme where I mixed elements of globalization through examples of traditional dress from Japan and Poland coming together to form a cultural mix representing the cross section of cultures within Britain today.  The subject lacks individuality as their identity was hidden acting as the victim of capitalist control with the feeling of always being watched and controlled. This was also incorporated within a metal corset and shoulder pieces where appropriate imagery was used in conveying a negative image of this lack of individuality. This is a very literal take on the subject area, thus to communicate a clear message within the image. This negative take on contemporary society is linked to the issue of status frustration and how national identity is being lost.

I found the use of metal effective with a heavy reliance on stereotypes within traditional dress for example the kimono sleeve within Japanese culture. The use of traditional dress also allows for comparisons to be made between the past the present.

With the many elements within the subject area I have chosen to cover it was hard to bring them together coherently, although the aim for the final outcome was for it to look purposely awkward and mismatched to illustrate how globalization has allowed cultural mix to emerge- Britain itself is a big mismatch of identity.

From referring back to my original idea I have successfully kept to my argument and intention, yet allowed for my ideas to develop so I could experiment with materials and approaches. I am happy with my final image. I feel it’s an effective composition with good use of light and mise en scene. If I were to do it again I would possibly change the arrangement of the subject, with them acting more centrally to create a stronger image although a submissive subject more clearly communicates the intention of the image. I feel this can be well applied to the online gallery.

With the help of this project I have a better understanding of fashion as a professional activity, which is influenced by and reflects the society it is surrounded by.  It has critical and contextual dimensions and is a reflection of social, cultural and economic situations.  It could be argued that my final idea included too many elements and that I should have possibly chosen one element which I could further develop into a more coherent and focused piece.  I think I maybe overcomplicated what I wanted to say, yet it can also be argued that this over complication is another example itself of the complication within society itself. 

I definitely gained a lot from this project and enjoyed it on the whole, it was a good eye opener to the creativity of fashion which I want to translate into future work. I felt I managed my time well and I have successfully improved on this throughout the year. My favourite project so far! 

Breaking up for Easter...

I have my elective (experimental drawing) within the first week of the Easter holidays, as well as managing to get lots of hours at work when I’m home so I need to structure my time well in producing a good body of work within the elective itself, and the two course projects I need to finish and develop. There’s also working with third years when I get back- it’s quite scary but exciting as well as a good opportunity to get a good insight into what’s to come and what I should be working towards. It’ll be the first time this year I have been able to work in a team so I’m looking forward to see how this works for me as I’m use to working independently.

Examples of what I did within the week of my elective:

Evaluation for my elective:

During my experimental drawing elective I used a wide variety of materials and techniques with manipulation of scale, angle, proportion, texture and layering etc. I used a camera to document my findings, allowing me to evaluate what I had found throughout the day, while incorporating photography itself. Alongside the practical work I researched into other artists for inspiration. Some of these were new artists I had never touched on before which broadened by awareness within the subject area, giving me a better understanding of how to achieve a good range of experimental drawings.

Drawing is the base of everything in any art discipline, developing and improving on this from what I’ve learnt in the elective will hopefully filter into my own discipline giving me a better understanding of producing more innovative and experimental work from now on. From this elective I agree with drawings as being evidence of thinking and making a mark. This can be altered through process of experimentation and development. It’s a journey through time and space and can be unpredictable and surprising.  Within my drawings I included different processes through drawing noted by Richard Serra (1978) by manipulating a wide range of materials. Drawing can be evidence of thinking (Vija Celmins, 2004) and evidence of going from one place to another- as a kind of journey.

Throughout experimenting I really liked working with wire and its dense structure, which can be molded again and again. Photocopying allowed a good effect with light and dark, which I interpreted through different qualities of line to give a completely new approach. Scaling something up or down or interpreting something into a different medium can completely change the perception of it showing how versatile drawing can be.  I particularly found layering effective, it seemed to tell more of a story. The drawings can work together either in contrast or to show the change from the original image to the last.

I liked the idea of things changing over time whether it was using a sundial or when I look pictures of grumbling objects. It was effective to see how the original structure has changed which from these images I developed through experimentation with technique and approach. Paying attention to the idea of drawing as a means of travelling.

What surprised me the most about the elective was the scope of techniques there are and the materials you can use to produce a drawing. I Really liked using collage, I found it freed up the use of line and can be built on with the use of texture.  Interpreting an image from 2D to 3D and back again was a process I found useful in creating a new approach to an object playing with different mark making, scales and proportions.

I maybe should have developed each mini project more, or alternatively focused on maybe one project throughout the elective to achieve a more rounded outcome that showed the true development from one idea to the next in the process of experimentation.

Some artist research from my elective;

William Anastasi

Nancy Grossman

Donald Kolberg

Claude Heath

Hussein Chalayan exhibition- Design Museum, London-

Victor & Rolf

Lanvin

Louise Goldin

Love this exhibition, really inspirational in terms of shape ideas and surface treatments. There was such a wider variety of fabric and materials, I'm excited to really get into this project now.

Final Image for Fashion, Art and Culture-

Location; Hyde park, Leeds. Most effective at night, the takeaway light work really well.

My beautiful model!

interdisciplinary processes

I'm really excited to properly start this project, I like the idea of the cross section of approaches and techniques in producing something innovative. I have already been researching into the three interpretations of the metamorphosis theme and have found good inspiration for fabric manipulation through a wide range of materials. I really enjoyed the workshop right at the beginning of the briefing, I loved making a mess and experimenting with a range of papers, fabrics and alternative materials in producing new textiles using the heat press and wax etc. I’m currently developing my research and particularly like the idea of metamorphosis when its applied to the ageing process or deformity and disease. I have collected some inspiring imagery and looking forward to developing this further…

These are a couple of examples from the fabric workshop. I really enjoyed this workshop, with the experimentation and freedom of materials. I found i tended to work far too small at first, yet gradually gained for confidence in larger scale. It was important to work in a larger scale to comprehend the link from the scale and how it found be applied to a garment, either as a single embellishment of repeat in a whole surface treatment- I needed to think about how these materials would be able to move on the body. 

Critical Studies essay

I recently completed by Critical Studies 1500 word essay. My thoughts are a bit mixed to what the results going to be. I Chose the gender question and I felt it would be a broad subject matter as well as a controversial one in fashion. I enjoyed researching, touching on theories and debates. I am unsure how well I will do, as I hadn’t written as essay in a long time. Need to work on my comprehension as well as the structure and flow of the essay but overall I think it was a focused and well thought through essay. I decided on edited my research into the area of women and trousers. It was good to evaluate how historical circumstance can change ideals within society and gives a good insight into how much fashion and culture work so well together. This was also a good opportunity to work on my editting skills within an alternative way as this was a short essay.

Creative Design Practices feedback

I was really pleased with my 78% mark for this project, as I was unsure how well I would have done in this project. I learnt a lot through research and enjoyed working to a more limited brief and was pleased with my outcome. I really enjoyed the first part of compiling the shop reports as I usually focus on higher end fashion for inspiration. This was more of a reality check into how mass fashion works as well as all sectors within fashion. It was a good insight into budgeting and choosing fabrics, with strong focus on consumer needs and expectations. There was good feedback from tutors but improvements included;
Develop CAD skills for more polish professional look, I’m use to a more fine art approach and need to think more about the context and type of work I am producing for the target market.
Larger fabric sampling in trying out the fabric construction techniques I outlined in my research and development. It's important to understand how the fabric will fall when it’s in actual size.

FAC

Since my original written proposal I have continued to research to generate more ideas as well as working on my final piece. I’m definitely going for something quite innovative and unwearable- I think this will be vital in communicating my idea expressing it in a dark aggressive way and getting a reaction. Within my idea I have developed three elements; hidden identity, traditional dress and mixing cultures and the idea of government control over two previous elements- all grouped within the idea of globalisation within modern day society.
Within the recent crit the feedback to my slide was maybe to edit some of my work down, so a clearer message can be presented. I’ve found this is quite a common thing within my feedback throughout the year and should really take it into consideration. My work tends to be quite overcrowded and I try to put too cover everything rather than focusing- this is important when it comes to my final image. It needs to be clear and concise.