14/02/17

 I decided to begin my research for unit 7 today. To begin with I drew up a mind map. I believe that this was beneficial as drawing the mind map allowed me to really channel the topic of research better. From drawing up a mind map I was further able to move away a little from my original one word topic. I still found it extremely difficult to find text from the library which related to my topic, it was only when I began using some of the other words I brainstormed that I was able to find more material from the library. From this I probably realized the importance of mind mapping or brainstorming,  and also how to find or get more out of the library through looking at sources that may not directly answer the given topic but are related to my topic. Today was good overall,  but it could've been much more productive.

 

16/02/17

I believe today was rather productive. I have started to sort out my research page on workflow , ordering things the way I found them so that the research makes more sense to me . I also decided that it would be a good idea for me to begin reflecting on some of the imagery I enjoy from my research , so that at a later stage I don't forget what or why I selected an image. I feel that my time management has been better today , and I've had more of a aim with my research today , so that I was actually more productive. I feel like I still have a lot more research to do , because at this point my research is not yet exhaustive enough for me to have an idea about what I am doing practically to drive my visual response work yet.
I further  believe that it is important for me to give myself a plan/ structure for tomorrow, so that I can continue to manage my time and make sure that I am actively pushing my project further every day.

To do;

go to exhibition to see Red Saunder's: hidden

write a review on this

if inspired by works react visually

develop a new link to project

draw

22/02/17

MAKERSHOUSE HENRY MOORE INSPIRED BURBERRYFEBRUARY 2017 COLLECTION SHOWCASE/EXHIBITION

Before attending the exhibition I did not expect to find anything relevant to my work , and therefore was not too optimistic that I would find anything inspiring to me for this project . Glad to express I actually found a lot to be inspired by. The exhibition was inspired by Henry Moore , so played with many of his interesting sculptural shapes and forms to create fashion and art. This in itself was inspiring , demonstrating how inspiration can come from various places (not necessarily fashion or textiles ) and then be transformed into a whole new art. It was very evident in the final works of the collection where inspiration was taken from Moore's work .Some garments experimented with taking shapes from his work, others materials and this showed me how I could do the same with inspiration I find for myself. I further found two  garments by Burberry very inspirational and am beginning to think of how I could apply some of the things I am inspired by into my own work. The visit to this exhibition was completely worth it , I am glad that I attended.

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Henry Moore's 'draped reclining mother and baby 1983, trial model out of clay ' at Burberry Exhibition image courtesy of me

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'working through the ideas ' Burberry wall showcasing the design process, image courtesy of me

27/02/17

In the beginning of todays session we were instructed to present our individual concepts to a partner and also listen to theirs. I found that this task was good, as it forces me as a student and designer to learn how to communicate my work and my concepts to others. Listening to my partners concept was also beneficial, as her ideas to some respect were quite similar to mine we were able to discuss possible ways of enriching eachothers research. At the end of this task we were put into larger groups of pf eight maybe, and this time we were told to pitch our partner's concepts. This task was interesting and insightful as it demonstrated how well or badly people listened to eachothers concepts as well as how well or badly somebody elses concept was communicated. I found that I was able to explain the concept of my partner quite well, as she expressed herself and I also found that she communicated my project concept well,which demonstrated that she really understood my concept . This was possitive as it showed me that I am now more able than previously to communicate my work to others in a way that is coherent and clear. Furthermore during the afternoon session, we were able to experiment with beginning to translate our research into textiles and given quite limited time to produce some prints /collages /3d constructions which was great I'm my opinion , as I actually made my first experimental move. Having a limited time to produce, is positive in my opinion as it forces me to move forward with my projects especially when I am stuck. I am actually struggling with how to translate my concept into visuals currently, so this activity was highly effective and important for me. I feel like when and if I get stuck that I should set myself activities such as these, so that I can push my work on.

10/03/17

Today was not very productive at all. I feel that I am not working or motivating myself enough to create content and work independently . I need to pick up my motivation, Ever since the last workshop session , I have not developed any new samples. Perhaps this is because I need something else to explore at this point. My tutor has suggested that I conduct some primary research as I had originally intended to do for this project , however I feel demotivated and shy about approaching people to gather information and inspiration to continue on with my project. I further realize that by not conducting the research that I would be not be working according to my action plan , which suggests that I have a lack in disciplining myself. This is something I need to overcome if I would like to progress in my work. I do not have enough time to waste at this point as I plan to get many more samples and experimentation done by the end of this week. 

13/03/17

Today was quite productive in my opinion. I have completed three small weave samples each with holes/ gaps in them. This was quite a long and slow process  as getting the shapes into the weave was initially quite difficult for me. I am pleased with the fact that what I imagined is actually what I am producing. I am further pleased with the fact that although each weave sample follows a criteria , that they all look different. They are a collection of weaves and not just the same weave repeated. Furthermore through weaving I have come to terms with which practical materials I would like to use for the rest of this project and for the actual practical outcome. I have decided to use yarns some which are soft and some which are harder . The idea is that the soft yarns represent sympathy , as soft materials provide comfort and that the harder yarns represent a lack of sympathy as they might bring discomfort to a wear of a garment made from this material. Through creating these weave samples I have further gained more confidence in my original colour scheme of pinks, blues, brown and feel that I have regained some direction in my project.

16/03/17

I think today was very productive. I finally decided to follow my action plan and to do some primary research in the form of a questionnaire and a bit of a social experiment.

The Questions I asked are photographed below.

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                   'Questions' image courtesy me

 

From these answers I attempted to make some visual textiles which represent the responses. Pictured is one beside .

 

I feel that conducting this research has really helped me continue the project. I was able to produce some new responses from the answers I posed so therefore I felt that the research was relevant and practical. I was further not so keen on the idea of interviewing people at first, however for the sake of the project I forced myself. I think this was good as the exercise took me outside of my comfort zone. I think this is key as an aspiring designer as it allowed me to be more open minded and daring, which in turn produced more exciting work.  I feel that although my questionnaire / social experiment had some flaws in it that I still gathered the necessary information to support my concept and therefore I find these flaws acceptable. I further feel that this exercise has made me more confident in what I would like my final outcome to be. I feel that since the topic is very much about people and sympathy that my work should be in the context of the body, i.e. a garment. I further would like to research the idea of how we as people express sympathy physically through touch. This activity/ research could further help the development of a final garment to which my textiles would be applied to, as I could begin to drape on the body while sympathy is expressed and therefore make relevant responses to my research and concept. I feel that relevancy is a area I have really stuck to for this project. I must ensure that my links are coherent and interpret-able. This is further one of the targets I set myself for this project, so I am glad that I am consciously attempting to stick to this.

18/03/17

Today was more  effective  than productive overall. The day didn't start of that way however. I thought that today would be a day where I would work on merely just gathering my research and mostly relaxation . I also decided that since I didn't plan on much work , that I would sort out my old sketchbooks and work from a short course I was on about a year ago. While doing this I struck gold !!! I stumbled across the work of Alexander Calder. Alexander Calder is a sculptor who works with wire to create drawings. Wire was a material that I intended to use (for more insight visit research page) . Alexander Calder is an artist who I have looked into previously and on the course we also worked on the idea of translating wire work into actual drawings . I might repeat this process as it could help me produce some interesting textures and prints for the current project. It is a different approach to my work which is great as I feel that I should have variety in my work and I am trying to explore as many disciplines as possible for this project.  To continue, I think that it is further beneficial to research artists or inspirations outside of the scope of fashion and textiles , as these references can inspire and cause more original responses to take place as the medium I am intending to use (textiles) is already different from the starting point. Furthermore I think it would be good for me to do some research into Calder's work and also experiment in my own work with the idea of continuous line which is a feeling his wire works suggest.  I think that the fact that I have something else to research is great however at the same time I need to be careful with how I use my time, as time management is something I struggle with time and time again .  I have further noticed that Although I am following my action plan to an extent I am not following it religiously. This is not necessarily a problem , however I must remember to refer to it as my action plan is what is meant to keep me organised. Perhaps I should edit my action plan in order to improve the extent to which I actually follow it. At this point I should be making like a maniac , however at the same time more research means more ideas, variety , and interests. So overall I find this very positive.

23/03/17-Critique before Easter

Through today's workshop I have learnt that my grade is not really what I hoped for. I am aiming for a distinction or a merit at least. According to the activity and the peers that graded me my grade at this point would be a PASS. I think that in order to overcome this that I would have to work on the areas I was given a pass in, and those are ‘efficient and realistic time planning’ and Research and planning for my final outcome. I feel that I achieve most highly in the areas I enjoy for instance solving practical problems through experimenting with my textiles in which I was graded a merit as well as conducting a wide range and deep research which I was awarded a distinction in . I think that at this point since the main issue discussed was my action plan and time management that I should update this and try to work against it better.

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My exhibition space for PRE-Easter peer/tutor critique , image courtesy of  @fashion_textiles_csm 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BR_B7BagMmt/?taken-by=fashion_textiles_csm&hl=en

27/03/27

Ever since the critique I feel that I have not been doing much practical work. I have been reviewing my updates on workflow instead and also just looking back at the work I’ve done and thinking about what to do next.            Although I don’t feel I am being very productive at this point I think this time is still good. I am taking a step back from my work so that I can really evaluate if I like where I am going with this project. Hopefully tomorrow will be more productive. Perhaps to ensure this I will draw up a timetable of plans, so that I know what I am supposed to be doing and so that I follow some kind of structure.

29/03/17

Today was quite productive as I decided to begin experimenting with knit again. This is a discipline I originally thought I would use the most, however this did not turn out to be the case. I produced a small sample, however this took quite a, long time (maybe an hour). If I were to repeat the knit but on larger scale it would take me forever, and I cannot afford to spend any more time with experimentations. At this point I feel that I should no longer be really experimenting but more or less know what samples I want to develop and get closer to creating my final pieces of work. Once again time management is an issue for me. One positive thing is that I at least know when I am not using my time effectively. I am further able to identify when some method is not a great idea due to my time restriction. To have avoided this I feel that I should have experimented with knit more beforehand or in the earlier stages of the project as that was the time to experiment. As of now, I think that I will focus on creating the weaves and prints I need to, for my final pieces of work instead. I might revisit knit at so later stage still, if I feel that I have completed whatever else I will need to do in the weeks commencing.

01/04/17

Today was another quite productive day in my opinion. Today I finalized the shape / silhouette I would like for my bottoms to be. Ever since the critique I have learnt that I should further explore with the placing of my textiles when it is applied to the garment. I felt that today I did this , experimenting with a variety of places to apply my textiles to as well as different samples of my textile work , so that I could choose which pieces of Textiles I would actually use and which I would not. I think that this process is important as it is a way of editing work and teaches me to give my self options, instead of just going with whatever I initially come up with. 

04/04/17

Today was not so productive but quite effective. I decided it would be much smarter to create a small sample experimenting with methods of print, rather than directly moving onto creating the print on the bottoms. I had fusible and transfer paper infused with ink. The fusible was a easy material to work with, it allowed me to create prints easily. I think that for this reason that I will definitely use fusible to create my prints. The fact that using this method is efficient and time saving means that I will have more time to focus on construction and completing the garment. This is positive. The transfer paper on the other hand did not do as well. The colour came through slightly and not as opaque as I would have liked it to be. Perhaps it was the material I used for the garment , although I know it to be some sort of polyester or perhaps I did not apply enough pressure or heat. To overcome this issue I would probably use a heat press (that is if the issue is a lack of heat / pressure) since I used an iron. Perhaps I could use the transfer paper on a pure polyester fabric an then apply this with fusible to the rest of the print , however I find this idea quite tedious and it also defeats the whole point of what I had in mind. That is creating different levels/dimensions in my print and the idea of layering.  I might still use the transfer paper, or perhaps abandon its use and replace it with applique.

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Sketchbook page with sample / swatch experimenting with methods of print , image courtesy of me

08/04/17

Today was quite productive as I completed one out of 2 or perhaps 4 weaves for my bottoms. I based this weave on one of the samples I had completed earlier. The weave took approximately 6 hours to complete. This is quite a long time but at the same time I could hypothetically complete at least two weaves in a day. The only issue I had with the fact that the weave took 6 hours is the fact that I was not really able to do anything more than just one weave. I feel that at this stage I am at a good point according to my action plan and that my time management is improving however, speeding up the weave process would really save me some time in which I could develop more samples. One way in which I could reduce the time I take to create my larger weaves could be through using larger / chunkier yarns. This would really speed up the process. Another way I could hypothetically speed up the process is through using a loom instead of hand weaving, the only issue is that I don’t have access to one. Despite this I do believe the day was productive overall.

11/04/17

Today's sessions was quite effective. My tutor made me engage in a group activity  where some  of my peers looked at my workflow , research and reflection folders, and I looked at there's . The point of the activity was to both learn from the strengths and weaknesses of our peers. At the end of the task we received some feedback.   Here are some of the notes I received from peer feedback.

1 )Separate columns?or make bolder headlines for each new piece of research

2) For fashion references find more various . 

3) Love the context and the highlighting 

Noticeably the last point was not advice or an area I was told to improve in , rather it was  something which I excelled in according to my peers. 

Addressing points 1 and 2 I would say that I do agree that perhaps I should separate different points of my research more clearly . However I feel that I don't have to do this with all the research I have gathered. Perhaps it would be wise for me to separate pieces of research which have greatly impacted the direction of my project so that these points of inspiration are highlighted and make my research folder more coherent. As for the points of research which have a lesser impact on my project overall, I feel that they do not need to be clearly separated ,in the way I have been advised by my peers . I feel that this is because  I feel like this research is representative of my flow, or trail of thoughts , these points of research are honestly all part of a transition from one major idea or concept to another. I feel that the format I have chosen on at this point with not labeling each point of research and separating everything distinctly represents this best. Therefore  I do not plan on changing the format of my research file too much in the direction my peers suggested. As for 'the fashion references' I feel this is something I should work on . I am not too concerned with this , though as I have more or less decided on my silhouette already. Yet it is true that I should perhaps have used more , and I will continue to search if I feel it will become relevant at some later stage ,from this date.

13/04/17

Today was the day of our 'final critique ' before the exhibition/ show and the entire foundation course as a whole in general. I have completed my entire garment already , so this is what I presented as we were asked to show what we would like to be exhibited in the exhibition. To be honest I am not yet sure what I want this to be . I would like my sketchbook to be seen so that observers understand what my project is about and see my process, however I would also like them to see my samples and my final garment.I want it all, but obviously that  wont be the case . sadly. cry. This little dilemma is actually quite positive still as I suppose it teaches me that as a designer that I need to make important decisions . In this case what piece of work best represents me as a designer or in the microcosm what outcome best represents/summarizes  my entire project. To be honest I believe this is my sketchbook , despite this I decided to show my garment as this incorporates my textiles and is the final resolved outcome really. Some of the feedback I was able to get is that once again I need to reference the secondary imagery in my sketchbook more clearly and or more frequently. Apart from this I didn't get too much feedback apart from kind words of luck really.For the lack of constructive feedback I would have to decide that today was not so productive , then again it is coming to the end of the project and practical work and coming closer to assessment. So perhaps I should be focusing more on editing my workflow and completing any work which is incomplete

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My fashion illustration ( top half) using mixed media , image courtesy of me ,  ( also available at @memuna2barrie on instagram )

19/04/17

Today was quite productive as I decided I would begin to edit and organize my extended bibliography for the project. While doing this I realized that I am quite pleased with the amount of research I have gathered for this project , whether its 'exhaustive' enough is not for me to say .I feel that since I was focused on editing this today , that I have managed my time quite well for this project . I am pleased with this as time management was an issue I knew I really struggled with. Of course there were plenty of points throughout this project where my time management was not   up to parr per say , however where I am at this point shows a massive improvement. A part of today was also spent on trying to decide which photographs I think were most successful from the shoot yesterday, so that these could be professionally printed and perhaps displayed at the exhibition or used for my portfolio. This took longer than expected as I learnt that something as small as a slight difference in lighting / angle could seriously affect my decision on what is 'better' than something else. Once again I feel like although this was a little dilemma that this was positive as it show me that I care enough to pay attention to detail, which I usually don't fuss too much about. In this sense my editing skills are improving and I am learning to have even more pride or at least dignity when it comes to my work . Not that I did not have this before , but I suppose now it is to a greater extent.

22/04/17

Today was average when it comes to productivity. I mean at this point what is there really left to do? Except for edit workflow and making sure that my supportive work is all in order . I reviewed workflow , to spot any spelling errors or grammatical errors and to be honest I am quite shocked at how many little errors I found! I am pleased that I have given my self the time to properly check for any errors like this as I realise that small errors like this could actually affect my overall grading. Editing is very important and I feel that I really understand this to an even greater extent now , as I have spotted so many mistakes . I must continue to do this sort of editing for the rest of my Unit 7 workflow files and folders , and perhaps tomorrow I could begin with my final evaluation . 

15/02/17

 

21/02/17

WHITE CHAPEL GALLERY RESEARCH TRIP:

Today I went to visit  Whitechapel Gallery .Before attending I checked what was actually on at the gallery , and from lookingc online I found out there was no exhibitions going on that at all directly related to my topic. I decided to go with a friend anyways and found some work interesting and inspiring .The work in the gallery which I found especially inspiring was that of Daniella Rosell's photography , particularly her piece

'Medusa' (pictured below).

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Daniella Rosell,  'Medusa' 1999,From the Ricas y Famosas series, Chromogenetic print ,at Whitechapel gallery February 2017 , image courtesy of me

I feel that this image goes well visually with the other research images that I have already collected.  The shape of the woman's hair in this photograph further resembles some of the shapes that have been  reoccurring in my research so far.  I further very much enjoy the colours in this work and might use this colour scheme with my own work , the pastel pink, orange, emerald green and grey in the background.

 

another piece of work that I found was the photograph below

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Adriana Verajoa 'QuiIquer Coisa'1998 ,Chromogenic print ,at Whitechapel Gallery February 2017 ,image courtesy of me

The subject in this photography places herself in the shelf as if to keep herself in a safe place for storage, potentially until somebody needs her. the white of her hair and then the black garment she wears helps to blend her into the environment she places her self in (cupboard) and therefore she becomes one of the items in the cupboard losing her human attributes. This is how I feel the image could link to my topic as it represents dehumanisation, and the idea that we have become desensitised and in capable of feeling emotion ,like mere objects. This is my own interpretation.

 

 

02/03/17

In today's session we were assigned the task which required for us to choose two samples previously completed, and then to "exhaust the possibilities" from them.We were required only to make two more samples, however playing with scale and material. At the start of the day I actually didn't really have any samples I wanted to work with, so from the samples I had already completed I created some adaptations. I was inspired by the set task to use other methods of changing the original sample so I used the idea of repetition and rotation to create these first couple of samples. After I had made two that I was happy with I begun the task set. By the end of the day I had produced several samples (I didn't count) more than two which I am very pleased with. I believe that today's work shop was extremely productive and effective, as it reminded me and forced me to use methods which would help the development and overall progress of my work and project. I further feel that I have completed enough initial samples at this point so now I can really start exploring more with materials, textures, colours, different methods( maybe screen print) and also begin to implement, manipulate and use the additional research I completed yesterday.

07/03/17

Today fashion and textiles students were reunited to participate in a collage and print workshop. At the beginning of the day after we were briefed on what the day would include I felt that I was going back to square one with my project. I though ' I have already done collage ' at the beginning so I felt that there was no point on having to do it again. The workshop today however was about using collage in a considerate way and molding and transforming imagery in a way that it communicates what I am trying to say with my project. This work shop was great as it demonstrated ways of developing collage. I could manipulate imagery by adding, taking away, merging etc. By the end of the collage making section of the day we were instructed to create our own ( using no secondary images) artwork. I.E mark making , print , drawing. We were then taught the 'half drop' method of creating a repetitive and fluent print, Learning the half drop method was great as I could use this skill / method to develop more print ideas from development work I do from now on. By the end of the session I had created a print and a series of collage works to exhibit for a class crit. (exhibition space and works pictured below). Today's session further really made me realize that my physical / visual response to the brief I have created is not really going where I would like it to. Specifically where I begun to change my colour scheme and concept to some extent . The workshop today has made me realize that I should perhaps review my project brief and further return to the previous research I have done , so that I can remind myself of the purpose of the project as well as remind myself of what I am attempting to communicate through this project. 

 

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My exhibiton space , picturing collages and half drop print 

 

11/03/17

Today was not as productive as I would have liked for it to be , however I am pleased with what work I have produced since recently. I have started experimenting with weave , which I think is very relevant and poetic in regards to my project. Weave like knit is a constructive method of creating fabrics/textiles, where each individual piece of yarn depends on another to keep the structure of either the knit or weave together. Therefore when one stitch (in knit) or one piece of yarn is dropped/missed in these fabrics , the effect of that is evident creating a gap or hole. The constructed fabric now becomes imperfect/incomplete/with missing aspects. The fabric could further symbolise the society where the dropped stitch or yarn represents a missing person or the loss of sympathy. Through using weave I am further experimenting with different disciplines which is one of the goals I set myself for this project. To this extent I have learnt that I  am able to set myself targets and conform to them. I would like to continue experimenting with weave at this point as I feel that I prefer this process over weave. I feel that it is further less time consuming than knit which is a great benefit to me , as I feel that time management is something I really need to work on. I take too long experimenting with one method for example or just doing one sample while I have so many more things to do according to my action plan.

14/03/17

Progress tutorial

Today was very insightful as I got some feedback from my tutor .  (For progress tutorial  feedback please check in the documents page).

I need to make sure that I research the artists my tutor has given me ,as these points of research might help the development of my project.  I feel like it is further true that my action plan should be more concise as I would have clearer aims and objectives or guidelines to follow. The feedback given at the progress tutorial was further helpful as my tutor began to encourage me to think about practical ways in which I could transfer my prints on paper onto fabric.  Methods suggested included applique and heat-press and perhaps some embroidery.  Although these methods are all useful ways in which I could apply my print onto fabric I realized in this moment that I would not have time to fully do justice or experiment with methods specifically such as embroidery. This is because the method is too time consuming and according to my action plan I do not have time for that. The method which I feel I would most likely be able to use is applique as I could use fusible to bond materials together. From the tutorial I further took away that I need to be more attentive to Workflow and ensure that I am reflecting more frequently. I agree with this as reflection on workflow organizes my ideas and mindset.  To this extent I have to work on the way I keep myself organised.

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'Do you keep your eyes peeled?' image courtesy me

17/03/17

Today was quite productive following the work I did yesterday. I decided to refer back to my Burberry research trip and found a piece or two which I found the most inspiring. I was effectively able to  extract inspiration from one piece of research  in particular and begun to extract shapes where I found desirable. In my opinion I think that looking back at this research benefited me. It gave me some new ideas and shapes which is an area I usually struggle in. Referring back to previous research further reminds me what my project is about and I think this is important as I often drift away  from my original starting point . Referring back to old research could therefore help to round off my project , or make a 'full circle cycle' a clear beginning , middle and end to my project.  Furthermore I find ,that the combination of the shapes I extracted and my previous prints are interesting . To this extent , referring back to old research was further beneficial as it has encouraged me to experiment with different types of imagery and also  exploring different disciplines , more specifically mixed media ,merging weave and print. Exploring different shapes, and media and working at different scales were some of the targets I set myself for this project , so I am further pleased that the exercise of looking back has helped to achieve the targets I set myself. The only thing I am not so pleased about today is the fact that I only produced two additional samples of weave. Although the exercise was effective I was not productive enough. To overcome this issue I might consider perhaps working with chunkier yarns. In this was I would be able to complete one weave quicker and then move on to produce more.                                 

 

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My large weave,using different type of yarns , different weights, textures , image courtesy of me 

 

 

19/03/17

Today productivity was average. It was mainly a day of printing and organizing my research thus far. Engaging in this exercise was beneficial however, as I begun to extract shapes from the social experiment I conducted. I learnt that the benefit of collecting visual data/ research is that visual responses easily come from it. Essentially the activity I conducted created several still lives , from which I can extract shapes to continue on creating textiles and perhaps garment development from . The task and extracting shapes from it in my opinion makes my project flow, it is very coherent and this satisfies me as this was also another one of my targets for this project. I further feel like ever since this activity that I have become more clear in what the direction of my work is.This is very positive as I feel more confident in my work.  

 

21/ 03 /17  - 22/03/17

For this period of time I decided that it would be appropriate to finalize any work I have completed so far so that I could take full advantage of the critique before the Easter break. One thing I noticed during this period is that I focus a lot on the making of samples and practical work but that I have been neglecting the written / reflective side of things i.e. Workflow. I was scrolling through my reflections and learnt that for many posts that I was just describing what I did in that day, as a pose to reflecting on what I did and how I could improve in certain areas etc. To continue I learnt that I need to find a balance between reflection and design development or experimentation as both areas would influence one and another. I further realized that the reason there might be an imbalance between my practical and written work is that I spend too much time on the practical. I need to improve with my time management and organisation skills. So that I can discipline myself, and complete the tasks which will surely only make me a better designer/practitioner. During this time I further decided that I would begin to take some of my final garment design ideas and start to actually begin construction. By the 22/03/17 I had completed the top half of the garment. One thing I realised I did not do was experiment with the positioning of my textiles on the garment. I saw my textiles being placed on the sleeve for example of the top instead of exploring different placements I decided to go with the initial idea I had and stuck to it. On the other hand I don’t believe that this is such an issue as I am more interested in the actual construction of the textiles than the garment itself. All I aimed for was for my textiles to be used in the context of fashion.  I further struggled with the idea of creating patterns for my garment as I am not skilled in this area. My solution was to work on my mannequin, I thought this was extremely effective and that it even saved me some time, as I did not necessarily have to make pattern pieces for several individual parts of the garment. I did feel that all the work I did over the two days were quite rushed , had I spaced these activities out more I feel that I would have felt better and more confident throughout the process of making . I went to bed at 3 am on the 22/03/17. Just so that I could finish part of my garment for the critique, although I got the work done this meant that I would be sleep deprived for the critique. This would be not so great as I would have to be very alert and attentive tomorrow. In this way I could really absorb the feedback I will be getting and really progress in my project.

28/03/17

Today I completed some sketchbook work and felt that I worked quite effectively although I did not really produce anything new. I think that working on my sketchbook was good for me as it helped me order and understand the process of my work better. While doing the sketchbook work I revisited some work I did previously which I believe was unsuccessful. I think this work was unsuccessful for several reasons. One is that the colour scheme of this work was different from all the other colour scheme  I explored throughout the project. One of the colours I added to this colour scheme was orange. I don’t think this colour really emoted what I intended for my work. I find orange a quite happy colour and the topic at hand is not happy. Therefore I decided to abandon this work. Leaving this work in my sketchbook was beneficial. Although the work is unsuccessful, it is part of the process. I think it is important for me to see the work in my sketchbook as it shows me all the thing I do not want to be doing, and pushes to progress further in my work.

31/03/17

Today was quite productive. I began to now extract shapes from the work I have done so far that I find interesting, in order to begin the design developments of the bottoms for my garment (outfit). One thing I quite quickly noticed is that a lot of my shapes or things that I could extract shapes from are very, very flat. I don’t necessarily find this a problem however I feel that my garment would be far more interesting if I was able to extract both 2d and 3d forms from my work and research. On the other hand I feel that since the focus on the garment is more so the textiles, the fact that the silhouette of the garment is quite simple is effective. If I could not find a balance in my work between the silhouette and the textiles used in it I feel that my garment would have been a mess and overly endowed. Still I feel that experimenting with both forms would’ve benefited me immensely. I am currently just looking for shapes/ forms that I find interesting and by tomorrow should hopefully be starting to create a silhouette for the bottom half of the garment.

02/04/17

Today I have decided that I would like to use print for the surface design of my bottoms. I would like to experiment tomorrow with how I would transfer the print I would like to use from paper to fabric. I would try to use different methods before deciding on the method I will actually use to transfer the print , in this way I could once again give myself options , and would use which ever method give me the most successful results.

05/04/17

Today was quite productive as I finalized my print design and also decided on  the method which I want to use to produce my print. My print will be made through using  applique with embroidery. I am pleased with my print and thought to apply it to my bottoms after I constructed them. As I am not skilled in pattern cutting I decided I would use a pair of trousers but then adjust them according to the silhouette I wanted for my own bottoms. The benefit of using this method was that I was actually able to successfully construct the bottoms. The only problem I have noticed now is that the waist of the bottoms I made match my own UK size 14. I decided to use a button fastening, and now I highly doubt my bottoms will fit my model. One way in which I could have avoided this slight issue is if I used a waist band as a fastening / closure instead. However I could always adjust the waist at a later stage, when we do fittings with the models. Constructing the bottoms in general was hassle free and quite quick. I am further glad that I decided to apply the print after the bottom’s construction as the placement of my print became way easier than I think it would’ve been had I applied the print beforehand. Overall today was quite productive as I completed the base and practical side  of my bottoms, now all I have to do is create the weave for the rest of my bottoms. I am happy that I have completed the majority of the construction side of the actual silhouette of the bottoms, this means that I have more time to focus on the textiles for the remainder of the bottoms and the rest of the entire project in general. I think this is good as despite the fact that I am creating a garment the area I really want to focus on and am interested in is the Textiles.

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My  nearly completed bottoms/ trousers on 10/04/17 , pictured on mannequin against my yellow bedroom wall, image courtesy of me

 

12/04/17

Today was quite  effective . My tutor set up another activity based around peer assessment. This time we were put in pairs and told to swap sketchbooks . Our partner would review the sketchbook and asses the sketchbooks coherency,annotations, referencing etc. From this activity I learnt that I need to pay more attention to referencing work of artists I  use within my  sketchbook. One point my partner further made was that I have not used enough research imagery in my sketchbook . She advised that I "should put in my sketchbooks, any or all key imagery ". This is something I feel I might have neglected a bit , as I have focused perhaps too much on making sure that this information is kept only on workflow. This is something I should edit. My partner further expressed that she loved the way I worked through my ideas in a quite un-edited and raw way. I believe that I work quite messily and this could be negative  to an extent , however  at the same time my messiness allows my process to be understood better and this is just the way I work. I just need to ensure that my work becomes more clear and edited as the experimental phase of the project  ends and I begin to produce finalized samples.I further need to ensure that I annotate where necessary, as I learnt from reviewing my partner's sketchbook annotations keep the project very easy to follow which in turn makes it more interpret-able. 

 

 

 

15/04/17

Today was not really so productive , then again I don't feel that I have too much left to complete. At this point I have basically completed my garment ( both top and bottoms) so all I feel I have left to do 'practically' is work on my sketchbook. All I really did today was clean up some pages which were extra messy and secure any samples which looked like they might fall out of the sketchbook. I guess that I would not say that the way I spent today was necessarily a waste of time or poor time management solely because of the fact that editing my sketchbook a little, was something which  had to be done , however I do feel that I could have spent the time doing something else, something more productive . Maybe some more samples? Maybe even a tiny bit more research to inspire me to do more. Perhaps I will do this tomorrow.

17/04/17

Today was quite productive as I produced some A2 portfolio sheets of additional work for assessment. I decided to create some more samples collaging with works I had created previously. I found that this was positive as I was creating physical work with the concept of ' exhausting the possibilities' in mind. I further created a fashion illustration based on my final garment which I find quite successful. I think it is quite quirky and expressive like my final garment itself. I still feel that I could engage in some more research to either inspire even more samples or maybe just to support some of my previous research points. To continue tommorow is  the shoot for womenswear so I feel I must prepare for this . I just hope the model is not much smaller than a size 14 in trousers/ bottoms as I would have to do some quite drastic adjusting to the waist of my pants which might mess up the print .

 

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Portfolio page I completed today , weave and print , image courtesy of me 

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My garment from the back , one of the photoshoot images taken on the 18/04/17 photography courtesy of Gail Evans 

21/04/17

Today was  quite productive . It was the day of the hand in for the exhibition. Since I struggled to make up my mind about what I wanted to be considered to go up fro the exhibition I broke the rule , tried my luck and submitted three outcomes . Preference for what I would like to be exhibited  are as follows 1;Garment 2;Sheets with samples /illustration 3; My photographs from the shoot . One outcome or piece I did not submit was my sketchbook although after some reflection I feel that I should have submitted this. One thing which was quite tedious about this was the fact that I left most of the supporting documents till last minute  to do . This meant that I was rushing to complete these documents in the morning and as a result I was quite late for submission ,which was at 10:30 am . My lateness was excusable in the end as we were later informed that Textiles students would submit any work at 12:30 , this provided me with enough time to complete the supporting documents properly. From this I learnt that I still do have to work on my time management , as I had completely forgotten about completing these documents which led to quite a bit of stress and hassle in the morning. To have avoided this hassle I could have checked Moodle for any updates or information which would have reminded me to complete these documents or simply checked my email as I discovered after that the tutors did send an email regarding the completion of all supportive files/ documents. I need to ensure that I am generally aware and informed of what is going on at this point in the course , as the final stages commence.

24/04/17

Yesterday was very productive and tiring. I completed the editing of my final evaluation and even went to see miss Pauline Moon who was very helpful in helping me edit this. She advised that I separate my evaluation into paragraphs  at it makes my text easier for the reader to follow and comprehend. I know all of this however I have been so stressed out about completing everything and getting that distinction....hopefully that I completely forgot about my literature skills. I further ensured that there were no grammatical errors left in my reflection as I cannot afford to lose marks on grammar . I want the examiner and tutors to understand my work as best as possible so that there are no issues with the interpretability of my project . I further reviewed my sketchbook and tried to make sure that all secondary imagery was referenced. Inevitably there were a couple of images I had not credited , which was very annoying as I had lost the references of some . I hope this doesn't affect my grading too much as I have only lost a few reference points. Furthermore I have mentioned when imagery does not belong to me so I am hoping that this should be fine. From this I have learnt that it is very important for me to record any references properly so that I can credit artists/ practitioners where credit is due. Perhaps to have helped overcome this little issue I should have kept a separate file for all my references and imagery. This is something to keep in mind for the future , as there is not much I can do about this now , for this particular project. The project is over ! I can't believe it . I have put in all my efforts and all I can hope for now is that it was all good enough .