Fashion and Art Culture, Then is now.

I feel my first project was a great starting point for me to get back into the swing of things after having 9 weeks off.
It gave me the chance to learn about new designers and also learn a little bit about advertising and promoting. I enjoyed making the final piece as we could choose whoever and however we wanted to this. I learnt new skills which were embellishing, researching and putting a sketch book together. Images show my final outcome which i made from a cereal box to create a 3D effect.
To improve this project i would next time base on embellishment in more detail instead of using the embroidery foot in any direction.



3D FINAL DESIGN
The 3D design shows a cereal box covered in calico, with another slot of card through the middle to create a 3D effect i have then embroidered all the calico using bright colours of thread. I have called the advertisement 'Bows and Buttons'. From this i have hung over sized buttons, added bows inside and plastic flowers to create a pretty feminism look, this was the aim i was looking for. I was pleased at the time with the box as it was the first project, but i know look back and think i could do an awful lot better. I am still pleased with my sketchbook as i can look back onto it for help with designers and ideas.
I now know where all trhe best art galleries and shop window displays are in Leeds due to been sent out to take pictures for inspiration. I was inspired by the pretty, delicate feminism displays which involved corsets, underwear, sequins, flowers and glitter.
From this i could focus on Alexander McQueen due to over sized garments and pretty colours and bows he used in his spring/ Summer collections. I could also focus on The Gibson Girls to add a bit of vintage and old fashioned glamorous look.







IMAGES
The images above show pretty delicate garments by Alexander McQueen including butterflies, flowers and netting. Images of the Gibson girl outfits and a more modern image of a Gibson Girl modelling Lingerie, this could be based on a 1940's housewives. i have also put my own images up which i have taken around Leeds of shop windows including jewelry and summer garments.

Alexander McQueen Revolution
This video by Alexander McQueen has inspired me with my sketchbook work and designs due to been so unique and individual it has a large impact on the audience, which is what i would like my design ideas and thoughts to be like.

Overall i have thoroughly enjoyed this first project and will use the skills and knowledge i have learnt in future projects and the fashion industry.

Drawing

This module was extremely helpful to me as i have improved allot on observational drawing and fashion figures. I have found my own personal style of drawing without using a stencil.
I found each exercise helped in different ways as we had to draw in different ways such as with our eyes closed, using the top of a pencil, attaching a pen to a paintbrush, using our left hand and drawing the object in ten seconds. Attaching a pen to a paintbrush was the best result as it gave a squiggly messy effect which looked rather artistic.
It was nerve racking when we had to draw each other as we had to pose in different positions stood on the table, it helped as we got to actually focus on the right proportion of the body which helped with fashion figure drawing.
The range of materials i used to draw with was outstanding as with some of them it was the first time i have used them and found them great to work with.
I found the techniques that worked for me best was drawing in ink, fine liner and oil pastels, and watercolour.
I have also improved my photo shop skills on this project as i was not very confident at all using CAD, but i now know the basic skills to change colours and textures to an image, i altered five of my images on photo shop by scanned them in and changing the effects, adding highlights and backgrounds etc.
I have taken some images of my favourite drawings from this module.








IMAGES OF MY WORK
The images were inspired by fashion figure books, my friends and garments found on the Internet from high street shops. I have also looked at silhouettes, different poses, proportion and faces. I feel the style that suits me is a simple silhouette with extremely look legs that's in proportion.

Shirt Project

This project was interesting for me as i have done a shirt project in the past for a college module. It was interesting to see if i could improve on this and see how different i could make it compared to my last shirt. The only difference was that no machines were aloud it all had to be hand sewn.
The project was inspiring due to learning about new artists and designers and looking at different ways of making there work into new shapes to create a shape for a garment.
Eva Hesse was my artist, i loved the way she used ropes to create cob-web like patterns this reminded me of draping fabric which give me inspiration for my final design, i could then interpreted layers and tears into this. I looked at ways of ripping and tearing the fabric, layering pleats, gathering and ribbon. I also looked at buildings, landscapes, stress and people crying as all these things reminded me of this theme. The shapes of all these different things gave me new ideas and inspiration in ways i could cut and change the fabric.
For the final design i had to buy a mans, ladies and child's shirt, from this i had to cut them up and create one new garment from all of them by handstiching them together. I used two sleeves as the main body, i layered the collars together and tore them, all the extra fabric i layered, pleated and gathered. I used two ladies sleeves to create a halter neck top. I was pleased with the final outcome.
I have learnt allot of new skills for this e.g: handstiching and how to use and place the fabric in different ways.
Images show final results of the back and front of my shirt, and also ideas for my developing process.





IMAGES OF EVA HESSE'S WORK
Images which have inspired me due to draping string and wool which can be done with fabric.




IMAGES OF LAYERS AND TEARS
Layers and tears reminded me and inspired me with buildings, crying (tears), tiered fabric and layered landscapes.










Sunday, 13 December 2009

Creative design Realisation

I feel this project has strongly helped me to understand dart manipulation, seams, zips and fullness and flare.
I feel confident on where all of these should be placed on a garment, i also feel confident on how to actually insert a zip or how to add fullness and flare.
I enjoyed taking pictures of my own garments showing where zips, seams, darts and facings where found. This gave me a better understanding before i starting to build up the development folder.
The development folder has helped me tremendously as i can always look back onto it if i forget something or to show me how something is done to keep refreshing my memory this will then make me remember on how to do something without having to ask for help each time. The folder also helped me with the project Creative Design Practices due to designing my final collection, as it gave me an understanding of which dart, seam etc would work best for each garment. I will defiantly use this folder for the next two years at uni and i will also use it in the future in the fashion industry.
After choosing which garment to make from my eight designs i chose to have armhole seams, puffball sleeves, an invisible zip down the centre back, gathering, a large bow and a neck facing.
IMAGE OF MY FINAL GARMENT
Front and back veiw


I was pleased with how my garment turned out apart from the zip at the back as i found the time very consuming, i did not have enough time to unpick it and redo it.
The hardest part of this project was having to redo one of the sleeves three times as It was very repetitive unpicking it and redoing it. I think it is also best to unpick a minor fault and redo it so it is perfect as the final result is a strong achievement and needs to be presentable.
I feel this project has giving me a lot of new skills such as, pattern cutting, block making, dart manipulation, different types of zips, fullness and fare and actually putting a garment together.
If i were to do this module again i would ask for more time sewing as i feel that to make the garment in one day was very consuming as we had to finish it in our own time. I would also change my pattern and make a completely different design.
Overall this has been a module that i have learnt the most from and will learn my new skills in the future, i have thoroughly enjoyed it.

Creative design Practices

SHOP AND TREND REPORT
I enjoyed the trend report more than the shop report as i found it quite hard and time consuming to take pictures and capture the garment in my mind, where as the trend report was more Internet research which was alot easier. I found it interesting to see what trends our in fashions this spring/ summer. I focused on candy floss and inner wear as outer wear.
I was quite disappointed with my shop report as every page was repetitive due to drawing a garment and writing around it. I now know to draw on the stand and on a figure to add a bit of variation in my sketch book.
TEMPLE NEWSAM
I found Temple Newsam inspiring as we actually got to visit it. It was really interesting to look around the building and look at all the different surface patterns such as curtains and wallpaper. It was also interesting to see how each room differed from one another. I pictured the shapes in my mind to take in for inspiration to design garment shapes such as ornaments, close up details on furniture and chandeliers.
My favourite part of temple Newsam was the Chinese bedroom as i loved the over sized four poster bed and the floral bedding. Also the wallpaper was spectacular due to the small attention the detail.
I found the drawing part quite hard as observational drawing is my downfall. I figured out just to do a quick outline of the basic shape and place this on a figure to create a garment shape for my development.
I mainly focused on curtains and how they drape as i could put this into fabric to see how it works. I worked on the stand for this with fabrics such as chiffon's, net and silk. It was interesting to see how each fabric draped and if it worked well or not. From this i found that chiffon was the best fabric to use.
I then sampled out the fabric to see if it pleated and gathered. From this i then looked into Sculpture as they wore draped robes.
IMAGES FROM TEMPLE NEWSAM
Images which inspired me at the house







I enjoyed the development which involved playing around with my fabric and draping the fabric. The images show me working on the stand and inspiration.





FINAL LINE UP
I was pleased with how my final line up turned out as i focused on a middle high street shop Top shop, so i could design garments which i would actually wear which makes it easier for me. I stuck with silks and chiffon's which were green and pink to stick with my theme Candyfloss. I also added in suspender belts and stocking to add inner wear as outer wear into the trend. I have scanned one of my fabrics in.

Overall i have enjoyed this project and will take the skills i have learnt into consideration for the future.