Spots, Dots, Stripes and Checks

In this project we were in groups of 3 and each of us had to create a garment to show in our uni fashion show, which also worked together as a final look. we could choose to design with either spots, dots or stripes and checks. I chose to use spots. I began with collaging various circles of different patterns and colours from textiles

I then edited the individual spots, by increasing the saturation and contrast, creating a sharper and more graphic spot.

I chose the bottom right spot to use predominantly in my final design.

Once the spot was chosen, I decided I would make a circle skirt as my garment, as I felt the shape would fit my design, I also chose to use thin neoprene as my base fabric because I felt that the garment would need to be slightly more structured.

Below is some mockup visualisations of my print placement.

I decided to use the top right placement as I felt that it would bring some  gravity to the garment,

This final garment on my model.

Print

My two weeks of print was split up over the Christmas break.. In my first week we were taught basic digital print skills on Photoshop and Illustrator. Having previously done a Digital Print Course it served as a recap. I went to Kew Gardens to gather research and inspiration for my print collection, focussing on the surfaces and textures of the plants.

Below are a few of my favourite shots.

The colours I found within the plants were very natural and served as inspiration for my colour palette. 
My final 4 digital prints.

After the Christmas break we were printing using newprint stencils (I made templates based on the surfaces plants in Kew Gardens) and acid dyes on silk. I liked the process of making the acid dyes from the powder as it reminded me of my A-level chemistry.
We used a mixture of silkscreen and mono printing to create our final 6 prints, Each stencil only lasted about 3 prints. It was a very stressful day in the print room to finish all 6 samples.

This is my favourite print from the collection

Upon reflection I found it quite amusing that my prints have an African quality about them, as I had just returned from South Africa. I really like the way they work as a collection but are all very different yet have the same almost tribal undertone.

I enjoyed printing I could definitely see myself specialising in print or digital print, as the technique feels very natural.

Comparing the National Army Museum and Imperial War Museum

As you enter the Holocaust exhibition in the Imperial War Museum you are greeted by a video depicting Jewish people reminiscing about what life was like before the Nazi’s. As you go through the rooms you are following a specific timeline of events which culminate in the mass murder in the concentration camps and the defeat of Hitler and the Nazis. It feels as though you are being told a story and the way the exhibition is displayed it has an impact, there isn't too much information and it’s in a wide range of media such as videos, posters and artefacts  I think the Museum is portraying Jews as “the ultimate victim.”

In Contrast, when you enter the World War I & World War II exhibition in the National Army Museum the layout has a less personal atmosphere, there doesn't seem to be a flow in the information given which makes it harder to decipher the story it is trying to tell. When walking through the exhibition you feel almost overwhelmed with the amount of information on offer, there doesn't seem to be a single angle or vested interest imposed on you.  However, it has a more interactive approach as they have remodelled many scenes from battle incorporating sound effects and realistic dummies.

Overall, I feel I engaged more with the Imperial War Museum. The general layout and display felt more personal and although there was less information you still got a wider picture of what happened as if you were being told the story first hand and thus evoking more emotion. However, although the exhibitions had a brief crossover through WWII and Germany I feel I can’t fully evaluate them against each other as they are predominantly for different purposes and are presenting different histories.

Rough Guide: Surfaces in Kensington

On our first week of term we were given a project where we were to create a rough guide to london. We got split up into 5 groups and were sent to location either;

• Shoreditch
• Brixton
• Kensington
• Soho
• Southbank

My area was Kensington.

Out of the 5 options, Kensington is the place I have the least interest in and know the least about. As an area it's pretty predictable, clean white/pastel houses which manicured lawns and designer clad inhabitants. I decided to focus on parts that they can't gloss over which are typical parts of London; decay and destruction from everyday use, I focussed on interesting colours and textures in Bricks from the houses as well as chipped paint and cracked or stained tarmac on the floor. I took over 100 pictures, here are some of my favourites.

I like the blue stain contradicting with the shrivelled petal. I think it shows a scruffy side of Kensington that would usually be swept under a coat of white paint or tiles or something. It also looks like a mistake an art student would make whilst documenting the area.

I particularly like the vibrancy of this image, this was taking along Portobello road, which is arguably the most interesting part of the area. I like how the crack creates such a strong contrast to the shocking red paint.

I arranged the images as thumbnails and places them in my sketchbook as colour swatches, using colour classification system. The sketches were done using Conte chalks.