Oblique strategy - Retrace your steps, QC's work

Below image is ok QC final structure.

The material she chose to use was wax and was done by casting. I really like the natural result of this material, especially the fragile yet solid appearance of it.

 QC got the idea of casting this 'wax arch' by combining 2 images from her research together, and then focused on the negative and solid spaces to apply detail to. This wax arch was later transfered to a paper model drape. A series of development was clearly observed and i think it works very effectively in showing the progression of an idea. 

My oblique strategy is ‘Retrace your Steps’…

What can I do to combine the 2 together?  

Developing Camera Film

Paola kindly demonstrated and taught the MA fashion group how to develop a film from scratch … ( im just hoping I remember how to do it next time )

So here are re results… and hurray, I actually took some pictured with the SLR Film camera.

As you can see, some images are over and some are underexposed, I think more practicing for me.

I really want to convert to a digital SLR camera as it will be easier and quicker to adjust the effects, but I find the film more intriguing and surprising. you never know how the final print will come out, and that’s the aspect of success and achievement which I really like to challenge.

''Never try to run before you can walk''

The biggest challenge yet - Literally

 Midway Freestyle Structure

From all the technique experiments and investigation we’ve been doing for the past 6-7 weeks, I have been comparing the Pro and Cons of each, and have finally decided to take the idea of paper folding forward.  For midway evaluation, I have presented this idea with a 2m X 3m paper structure suspended in the air.

Why was this big challenge? As I has just started to get the gist of paper folding – it was

1.       Confusing when I should do a Valley or a Mountain fold,

2.       The scale I wanted the structure in was possible too extreme.

Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this challenge, and the satisfaction value of the finished piece made me speechless. It actually made me want to make another one if not a few more. I thrive on challenges and thrive to achieve a raised level every time. I think this is the main reason why I chose this technique to further progress in.

From looking at this massive structure, I can definitely see a series of it being presented together. Similar to the Jersey moulding drape experiment, the folded structure can too be shaped in many different ways and form. Maybe I can try this next time….

   

People see things differently and consequently imagine and find resemblance otherwise too. As this structure was made with no foreseen image in my mind, it bought a lot of imagination after it was fully constructed and displayed. From different angles, the structures resembles differently – from a clinched fist to a whale to a lockness monster to a cradles…. Can you see what I see? Or you got answers of your own, if so please let me know ^__^

 It is this sense of imagination I find really fascinating and recording the reactions from its viewer is also very rewarding. Though I don’t actually know what this structure is of, the diverse forms it forms is inspiring in many different ways – not only to fashion, but other art disciplines too.

Where next? What research?

During the critique, we have discussed types of research areas I should direct to with this technique, as i still don’t truly believe this technique and idea is mine just yet, I want to mainly focus on the ‘types’ of folding you can do rather than do secondary research on what other artist and designers have done using the method of folding. Other research to look into is the translation of folding in fabric and other materials.

As I know that there must be thousands of people out there thinking the same as me, I don’t want to be influenced by them and possibly unintentionally create something of similar characteristics to what I have seen.  

Doing this type of research can not only give me the initial freedom to do what I want, but to also strengthen my confidence in accepting other forms ( especially on the body )at a later stage.

 What could I have done better?

Looking at the freestyle structure, I initially didn’t think I could’ve done anything to it to achieve any better results, but after the presentation, I noticed a few minor problems….. the way I presented it and the quality of the fold.

As presentation is a vital part of achieving the best outcomes of your work, in future I must carefully plan this too. This time, I think the structure was too high up on the frame which then restricted its ‘freedom’ to move. It also made it very difficult to view the full 360’ of the structure which was a shame (in my opinion) to miss out on seeing.

As the paper was so heavily worked on, some areas of the paper was damaged and creased. Still, this is only the first prototype, I’m sure I can perfect it in due time.

Ready for next challenge?

Oblique strategy is what we have planned for next week, and in order to successfully achieve this, we must give up our final structure ….. i.e either give it to Belgin or QC to work on. Though this is little upsetting in possibly seeing my folded freestyle structure being destroyed and manipulated- I feel I have fulfilled my challenge for this submission and very intrigued to what someone else can do to it to achieve their goals.  

Final Cut Pro - When all things Fail - Final Film

For this video I really wanted to capture the fragile aspect of the stacked boxes. Nothing is eternity and that is what I wanted to display in my work. I have combined the ‘falling’ concept of the boxes with some additional effects to create this artistic movie.

Though it has nothing to do with ‘fashion’, I think it really draws your attention to the shapes the ‘structure’ creates when still and in motion. Each scene contains its own structure and shape- and it is this image which can be used to inspire fashion'

   I have named this video ' When all things Fail' because there is nothing called failure in creation , each step is a learning process and each can be an inspiration to the next - Fail is just another evolving process.

Looking back through this movie now- i think there are many areas which need refining to strengthen the outcome. If I had another go, I think I would:-

·    Take away the background slide show images when the structure is falling. When showing/ watching the final video again, I saw that the background distracts your focus from the falling structure and this is not what I intended to do, ( I now understand the theory ‘less is more’)

·    Re-compose the video, maybe separate the slide show images away from the falling structures and use a still image on the background when structure is falling. I still really like the slide show images and find this very effective in sowing what the structure can be.

·    I would also have more ‘falling’ structures in the video as this was the original concept was about – the ever changing structure,

·    Use more effects on the’ falling’ structure itself to see if there would be any other discoveries

Did I take a wrong approach?

Comparing the final outcome to what I originally wanted- there is a big difference. Thinking back, I only wanted something very simple and clear to the eye- but because of unpredicted elements, sections of the film had to be highly altered to cover up the ‘mistakes’. One thing lead to another- I then wanted to combine even more elements to the film making it even further away from the original idea.  Nevertheless, I did take the wrong approach in solving these problems, but I have learnt that ‘time’ and preparation is the key to using this program.

I wouldn't say this final video is a fail - its just a start to something even more exciting!!

Hoppe Portraits: Society, Studio and Street 24/03/11

I have dedicated today to be a full research day, after the street photography session- the group and I decided to go to another photography exhibition at National Portrait Gallery.

‘Hoppe Portraits: Society, Studio and Street’

With no knowledge and expectation of what his work would be like, I found the street section of the exhibition the most interesting (probably because I just finished taking some myself…). Links between the 2 centuries were still seen through these images and as soon as you step into the gallery, feelings of rewind or time freeze were given. Though the images themselves didn’t inspire me- the idea of preserving time was what I was thinking about.

How can something remain still if it’s living?

Nevertheless, some of his images were printed on metal plates – this immediately attracted my attention because of its difference and shine.

Could a specific surface attract more attention than others – this could be a possible way of present my work … whatever it is

35mm Film SLR Camera Practice 24/03/11

‘’ Photography is the art the science and practice of creating pictures by recording radiation on a radiation sensitive medium’’

After last week’s inspiration of street photography, I decided to do my own street photography with an unfamiliar 35mm Film Camera – hopefully something comes out from today’s film.

Having not used film for so long, I am really anticipating whether I would get any images out of this film – will the pictures be over/ under exposed- will there even be anything on the film?

Film photography… in this century, majority of camera users are switching to digital- the idea of snapping at every occasion is already making me appreciate a photograph less and less. Each frame and photograph becomes so precious and precise under influence of a film camera… in contrast to digital, I was very restricted to what was important to take and what was not – I ended up having 15 frames left at the end of the day!

Today- I really enjoyed the challenge of using a film SLR. I am probing more and more to this method of documentation.

Yohji Yamamoto V&A Exhibition 24/03/11

Today, as a group we decided to visit the Yohji Yamamoto exhibition at the V&A museum.

The exhibition was truly inspiring- not only has it demonstrated the idea of radical design and the levels of extreme ‘fashion’ can reach, it has also given me the chance to see the true forms of something which explores out of ‘body’ context. Though internet and book research are vital aspects in our research process, it never demonstrates the volume and size of each piece. Going to this exhibition has made me appreciated the work even more- the size, the volume, the attention to detail, the concept and the fabrics/ finishing’s are all very inspiring points which I should look into. Reading through the review and description of Yamamoto as a designer, I find his boundary breaking character so encouraging. I aspire to be a designer of such creativity and integrity

There are many parts to this exhibition – the clothes, the accessories, the collaborations with other designers, the catwalk videos, the installations and the use of film and theatre work.

Of all, I find the idea of film the most interesting. In one specific work, he was commissioned by a puppet theatre production to design clothes for the puppets. In reverse, each character was designed to suit the garments, and in response, each character’s personality run parallels to the clothes they are wearing. In this case – life was created based on ‘fashion’. I especially like the fact he used film to document this. Could I use film to control a concept?

To compare- my work and research methods are all based on a few words I ‘designed’ at the beginning of the project- will my final outcome represent these words?

In this, I also learnt that use of material is too very important factors to the characters of each piece of work. He quoted

‘’ 'Fabric is everything. Often I tell my pattern makers, "Just listen to the material. What is it going to say? Just wait. Probably the material will tell you something ‘’

When I design- what am I trying to achieve? How can I use it to its full potential? With lesson on the importance of material, I strongly agree I should calmly understand each matter carefully before proceeding further. If this material was to be a car- what car will it best suit? Think properties of it !!!

Things I have captured from this exhibition

○       Importance of material

All images on page taken from V&A
exhibition website

○       Make life evolve around the concept and not the other way round

○       The past is as important as the present and future, document this in film?

○       Think scale and type- Will it work in a bigger scale- will it still work if different?

○       Is it a moving piece or can it stay stationary?

○       Like tradition- is it eternal, or can it be changed? How can something be developed to make tradition shine again

○       The skies the limit – start breaking some rules

○       Think out of the box, go extreme, there is nothing called wrong, only an experience

Another thing I’ve Noticed in Yamaoto’s work is the loyalty to tradition. Shibori and Yuzen are both very traditional Japanese dyeing techniques, and he uses them to demonstrate his origin and route. With such strong representation, I am so inspired in the way he uses these traditions in his work to modernise ‘Japans’ most treasured knowledge. In a a way- i should also pull through old forgotten knowledge to 'modernise' the creation.

Exhibition is really worth going, so if u have the time- please do- its so inspiring !