11/10/2017

Contexts of Practice 2

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4/10/2017

Contexts of Practice 2

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The first Contextual lecture of the year. The session ran much better than I thought it would, spending time going through the brief and then completing a couple of excersizes. I was confused to begin with by these small tasks and how they would be useful to us, however upon completion and task discussion they began to make sense to me as well as spark inspiration for my own ideas.

So far this year we are working much better as a class together which is helping us massively in and out of taught sessions. I believe this is helping us to speak up in class and voice our own opinions, and to speak up when we do not understand the tasks given to us. In the long run this will hopefully help our time keeping skills and avoid any last minute rush or stress with this module.

When it came to the topic of the lecture itself, the idea of ‘Everything is a remix’ is not a topic we had heavily covered before. This is a different outlook on design that I would say I’d tried to avoid – due to plagiarism issues etc. However, the way that Natalie approached this idea with us gave me a different outlook on this concept, the idea of investigating and responding to another persons work and referencing it properly rather than simply copying. The introduction to this way of thinking will be a huge help when it comes to my research for this module, as it will broaden my ideas as to what I can and cannot do.

Preparation for the next session::

A list of possible research topics;

• How costume reflects change in character
• How modern designers adapt historical costume to appeal to the modern audience
• How costume in film can provoke a political/social/feminist reaction
• What makes a costume from a film become a recognisable or iconic design

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The Brief

5/10/2017

Thursday 201 session was spent reading through the brief, understanding and developing our knowledge of what is expected of us during this project. Even though this can be a tedious task, I do find it extremely helpful in getting started with the project, as it helps to outline what is expected of us and what we need to produce.

It was established that a London trip on the 2nd of November is also necessary for this project so that we can buy fabrics (as well as go to the craft fair!). I’m actually quite excited about it and very happy about how we managed to organise our accomodation/transport as a class – we’re very productive and organised as a class when we need to be which is a great atmosphere to have.

Experience 3

Experience the Experience – Photography.

The final experience that I had chosen was to ‘Experience the Experience’ with photography. I wanted to do this to become more experienced with working with camera and lighting equipment as this is something we will have to use whilst studying at PCA. The tutors on this project were very well organised with a presentation and a plan of action for the first session, a fully-detailed introduction into lighting in the second session, and our own choice of shoot in the last. The presentation was highly informative yet only lasted for half of the first session as we were then sent out with cameras and a list of things to take pictures of. This was a great balance of being taught and learning for ourselves. The next two sessions were then spent with the equipment and also incorporated styling a shoot – a great experience for me. Overall, I enjoyed the photography experience and found its structure and teaching methods to be very rewarding to the cause.

Module 104 -Pattern Drafting Cont.

22nd February 2017

We were given some time to continue with out workbooks today as well as continue with our pattern drafting.

I continued to organise my workbook and then moved on to starting to draft my bodice pattern. This time I am using Winifred Altereds’ book to draft a basic bodice. This is because the last method we used in class proved to have several issues with the armhole of the garment. Therefore we are looking to avoid any such issues with our costumes by using Altereds’ method of drafting.

So far I have found this method fairly easy to follow – although pattern drafting always comes with its brain frazzling moments! I was also able during this session to help out a fellow classmate with drafting her skirt pattern which I thought was a good exercise as it meant that I also learnt how to draft box pleats into a skirt out of a basic bodice block.  I have made good progress with the pattern so far and am looking forward to continuing with this in tomorrows session. By the end of the next session I hope to have finished drafting my entire pattern and begin to – if not finish – cutting out my toile in calico.

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23rd February 2017

I achieved drafting my entire pattern in last weeks session, so today was spent making my toile ready for the fitting next week. Spent the morning cutting out my costume in calico – realised that I had not made a few necessary pieces such as a facing for the buttons, and my collar piece. However, due to the short time frame between now and the fitting, I have decided that it is not necessary to have these pieces ready for the fitting as they do not change that way that the garment will fit the person.

Therefore during this session I managed to make my skirt by putting in all of the gathers and attaching it to a waistband. I then cut out the front and back pieces to my blouse with a 1.5cm seam allowance and left the sleeves too long so that I can set their length during the fitting.

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5th March 2017

Fitting day!

 

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9th March 2017

Today I worked through transferring all of fitting alterations to my pattern. This took a lot longer than I first thought it would as there were more adjustments needed to the front of the bodice than I had planned for. I needed to take in the front of the bodice and then add 1.5cm to the edge to create a button stand. This is necessary to make sure that the buttons lie in the centre of the blouse whilst ensuring that the waist is not too tight on the volunteer.

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14th March 2017

Continued to cut out my garment today – time to cut out the blouse. The plan was to cut out two lots of each piece in order to back the blouse with the same taffeta. However, when laying out the pieces I found that I did not have enough fabric to cut out two lots of each piece. So I have been to the market today and found a dress lining fabric that is as close in colour as I could find to my original gold taffeta.

 

Module 104 -Progress

15th February 2017

During the two reading weeks, I continued working on my sketchbook and final design. For my research I visited Bath Fashion Museum to visit their exhibitions and collect some information about 1950’s garments. I also found some great research on petticoats of the time – which is very useful for this project as I need to source one for my costume. The museum also provided me with some great information on accessories as well as general garments of the 1950’s.

Bath Fashion museum also happened to have a new exhibition on Lace. This was unexpected but highly useful as it fits perfectly with one of my fashion timeline topics in BACP102.

Module 104 – Final Pattern Drafting

2nd February 2017

Todays session was spent drafting and preparing our own skirt pattern. Using a basic skirt block, everyone had to use pattern manipulation books to manipulate and create our own patterns based on our chosen image.

 

I followed instructions from a pattern manipulation book for creating a circle skirt. I created what I thought was a quarter piece for the pattern I want to make. However, after arranging the pattern i created on my fabric, I found that I didn’t have enough fabric to produce four quarters. So with direction from Marie I was able to adapt the pattern that I have produced into a smaller third.

This way I am able to fit three skirt pattern pieces out of my fabric, as well as having fabric left over for a waistband and any other accessories that I may need it for.

The image also shows my chosen fabric for the skirt to my costume. The fabric that I am going to use for the blouse is a gold taffeta.

Module 104 – Pattern Manipulation

25th January 2017

Experimentation with pattern manipulation began today. Due to the fact that we must draft our own patterns for our interpretation image, we first learnt how to manipulate a basic pattern piece.

First, we used original 1950’s patterns to practice technical drawings – as well as using this to understand how 1950’s garments were constructed. This involved considering things such as dart placement, as well as any pleat or tuck placement. This work in presented in BACP104 Workbook.

As we were using books to complete this task, our class worked as a team to help each other with the set manipulations as some of the instructions were confusing. We first manipulated a bodice piece, a more detailed set of instructions and explanation is shown in BACP104 Workbook also.

A sleeve pattern manipulation was then completed by each of us, once again using the pattern manipulation books provided and eachothers help to complete the manipulation. 

I feel that this was a worth while exercise as it has given me more knowledge and understanding ready for when I have to create my own pattern for my 1950’s garment.

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Experience Two -Mapping The Future

18th January 2017

This was the introduction session to Experience Two, which for me is a project called ‘Mapping the Future’ in Fashion Media and Marketing. After having been shown a presentation about Fashion Media and Marketing, I now understand that this is about trend forecasting, futurists, being creative and analytical, being 10 steps ahead of the time.

The project that I am going to complete is based upon Macro Trends – thinking long term and 2 years ahead of now.

The brief is as follows:

BAIS300: Interdisciplinary Studies Tutor: Lucesca Holmes, Fashion Media & Marketing Lecturer Date: 18th January 2017 ‘MAPPING THE FUTURE’

3 WEEK PROJECT BRIEF: Exploring trend forecasting in a wider contextual view, this project will encourage you to expand your thinking within your own discipline (your programme area) and beyond. Developing a range of techniques, key theories and research methodologies, you’ll explore the creative process of ‘Mapping The Future’ – by observing, analysing and connecting seemingly unrelated threads which are shaping the world around us. You’ll de-mystify the trend-forecasting process using a creative and collaborative approach that allows your research to be developed and be inspired by everything and anything. In general, fashion, art, design, culture, science, innovation, music, film etc, all respond to the same cultural mood. Developing your own unique style to research and analysis, you’ll gain the ability to spot, decode and translate a future macro-trend, which you will creativity present during the Interdisciplinary Studies event on Wednesday 7th February 2017. This brief will inspire students who are passionate about research, design and innovation, and for those that are excited about the future and the constantly evolving shifts and youth culture movements (behaviours, tastes, styles, interests).

‘Mapping The Future’ will fascinate your thinking of the fashion industry, and will also enrich your ongoing creative practice and idea generation for 2017 and beyond.

DELIVERABLES: Collectively in groups, you will research, develop and produce one macro-trend for Spring/Summer 2018. The end result should be an exciting and beautifully presented theme highlighting the overarching concepts and design directions for the future.

TREND 1: BLURRED REALITIES The Digital Frontiers / Digital-Evolution / Altered States / Tech Dependence / Hyper-Real / Seamless / Experiential / Immersive / Connected / Man-and-Machine

TREND 2: CONSCIOUS CONSUMER New Earth Perspectives / New Values / Humanifesto / Crafted By Nature / Upcycle / Eco-tech / ‘Glocal’ / Sustainable

TREND 3: DESIGN FOR DIVERSITY Gender Neutral / Gender Fluidity / Normcore / Minimal Simplicity / Ageless / Timeless Utility / Function Creates Form / Borderless / Societal Acceptance / Re-formed / Less-Is-More /

Action plan:

I must now collect some research for the next session, find something that has inspired me or I find interesting or abnormal. By chance I am going to London tomorrow with my costume course to go to Goldhawk’s Lane, so I am going to try and take pictures of anything that grabs my attention and see if I can fit any of the ideas that I have into one of the three trend ideas.

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25th January 2017

My tutor was unable to make this session as she had fallen ill, so I continued to work on research for macro trends and finding the five pieces of research that I could present to the class for the next session.

As I went to London with my costume class last Thursday, I spent the trip constantly looking around for inspiration for this project, as well as taking all the pictures that I could.

I found myself inspired by the architecture of the underground, the curves and white tiles, as well as the ageing of the wall and posters. Therefore I am going to take some images of this into next weeks session and see if these ideas would work as part of Trend 3: design for diversity – as architecture is a completely neutral thing that is not considered to be male or female.

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1st February 2017

The last session of Experience Two – mapping the future. Producing our final outcome was the task of this session, which meant using photoshop to produce 2-3 slides each based upon the chosen trend – Blurred Reality. I had never used photoshop properly before, so had little idea of how to use the programme and found this quite confusing at first. However, I got to grips with a few things and managed to produce two slides that I am  happy with.

The first one I based upon smart materials and the developments that are happening in fashion because of this. Nowadays it is very common for people to wear clothes with glitter or sparkle to them, so I lead off of this and applied the smart materials and found garments that had LED or some sort of florescent component to them. I chose to stick with navy blue as trends at the moment have become very mono-toned and minimalistic. Therefore I think that bright florescent colours such as yellows or pinks would not be as popular as blu or black. 

The second slide that I have produced is focused on the face and make-up of futuristic looks. I felt inspired by metallic appearances as this would be in-keeping with the developing technology of this age. I have experimented with some of the features on photoshop such as the image ‘curve’. As a first attempt on photoshop I think that I have been able to produce an effective piece of work, and I am happy with the the progress that I have made.

 

Experience Two Reflection

Overall I have enjoyed this experience and found it very interesting to get some insight into a different subject. Even though I find using Photoshop confusing I feel as though I have learnt some valuable skills that I can apply to my other projects such as Module 104 – where I have already manipulated my interpretation image to form three images of my colour pallet. For that particular project this has been highly useful as I am sure it will be in future projects also as it has taught me some valuable computer skills that I did not have before.

Indroduction Hat Blocking

4th January 2017

BAIS300 – basic buckram

My first experience of using wooden blocks and buckram. I was confused as to how this small project fitted into interdisciplinary studies, however, when I understood that it was BAIS300 as a project it became much clearer to me. 

The basic principles of hat blocking is that;

• the buckram is placed over the block
• the fabric is made damp
• it is then stretched over the wooden block until there are no crimps and darts left in the fabric

I think that I completed this task very well as a first attempt and very much enjoyed the task also. This is something that I have always been curious about and wanted to achieve whilst as PCA, so having an introduction into in now will be very useful for Module 103 next term as it means that we will be able to move quickly past this stage and onto the next steps of millinery.

Some people chose to work in teams for this, however, I found that working on my own produced an outcome that I am happy with as well as meaning that I know how to complete this stage without the help of others.

– Please see technical file for more detailed intructions into Introduction Hat Blocking.

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11th January 2017

This is the second and last session of basic hat blocking, so we all felt a little time pressure with this project. Today consisted of cutting the correct shape out from the basic buckram base that we had created, and then learning how to attach wire to the edge of the hat.

This took me two attempts to get the hang of as we had to use blanket stitch to attach the wire, and I was holding the hat the wrong way up meaning that my stitch was not working as it should have done. However, once it got the hang of it, it is quite a simple task to complete and enjoy – although I do need to learn how to use a thimble effectively!

Overall I have enjoyed this small project, it will be highly useful for Module 103 as that module can then focus on teaching us how to complete a hat rather than the basic buckram level.

I intend to finish the basic hat block with wire in my own time and write up all of the construction details of how to do this in my technical file.