Week 21 - 3 Words - Week 2

TUESDAY

After doing some research, I found hallucinations can occur in those that suffer from mental illness, or those that suffer from substance abuse. Either way the one thing both scenarios have in common is they're both an internal struggle, that the suffer has to face alone in their own head.

Considering this, I started to think of the best way I could portray that. I wanted it to be obvious something was going on in someones head, without it being obvious as to what.

(My own photo)

WEDNESDAY

Wanting to keep this an internal struggle, I started to sketch out humans head at different angles. I want to create the illusion of someone trying to shake the evil and nightmarish images in their head. 

I could have surrounded the heads with images of real things people find frightening - which I did consider - but people who suffer from hallucinations go through that alone, and I thought by drawing the actual images would make it too relatable. 

(My own images)

THURSDAY

I spent the final day painting my final piece. When it come to the fourth column, I picked painting over garment for 2 reasons. The first being everyone was very busy during this last 2 weeks, with interviews and our final major project being first introduced to us. That I honestly didn't think I would have the time to make a garment I would be proud of. Secondly, I thought it would be a nice change. so far all my projects have been fashion based. I've done the mood board and final line up, that I thought this would be a nice change. 

In my final painting, I kept with my idea of the moving head, adding colourful skulls around the faces, to symbolise, despite someones outer appearance, you have no idea of the hell thats going on through their head. It's everyones own personal struggle. 

(My own image)

I am happy overall with this project. I did honestly try my very best. But again, it was a busy 2 weeks, and I can't help but think I could've got so much more done had I not been as busy. 

Week 20 - 3 Words - Week 1

TUESDAY

As stated as the '3 words' project, we were given a list with 4 columns. We had to pick 1 word from each of the first 3 columns, and then an outcome from the final column. From the first column, I picked; words from favourite song/book/poem.For 'words from favourite song/book/poem', I picked the lyrics "I fell into a burning ring of fire", from Johnny Cash's song Ring of Fire. Just because it's an old song that I can remember often being played in the background of my childhood, especially in my nans flat. From the second I picked artist; Takashi Murakami, and finally, I picked mismatch, from the third column.

(My own photos)

I picked Ring of Fire, just because it's a song I heard a lot growing up, and a song I like. Even now I am more than happy to still listen to it. 

I brain stormed with the lyrics "I fell into a burning ring of fire", noting this is a song about someone who falls into a heavy drug addiction with no way of escaping it.

Really, once I made sense of what the lyrics were about, the rest fell right into place. I considered looking at hallucinations for my project. Since the lyrics are about drug addiction, Takashi Murakami's work is images of what we see in dreams and nightmares, which is similar to the reaction and effect of drugs. Then I thought 'mismatch', would be an interesting way to explain the inner torment  and effect of those hallucinations that can start good, but turn into a nightmare.

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY
Having decided that hallucinations, was going to be the main focus of my project, I thought it would be wise to do some research of hallucinations. So I spent Wednesday and Thursday gaining as much information as I could on the topic.

(My own photos)

Week 19 - Politics in Fashion - Week 2

TUESDAY
I used today to start off my rough designs. By doing this I took a shape from the whales skin, photocopied it 8 times and used them photocopies to then manipulate shapes on the stand. It was from these photos of my stonework, that I developed my own rough designs, selecting my favourites and drawing them out, as a possible selection of my final line up.

(My own photos)

WEDNESDAY

I attended an interview at Middlesex University, so was unable to get much of my work completed. However once I was home I did manage to complete some frankensteins - I thought it would be good to consider some silhouettes before I make the decision of my final line up.

(My own photos)

THURSDAY

Overall I wish I had more time to work on this project. When the final day came round I had completed everything I needed to, and had a final outcome ready to be seen:

(My own photos)

But I can't help but think if I had more time I could have made something amazing! Or at least my project could have been that much better. It really didn't help that I had to have 2 days off out of the 6 days I would have been in, but I'll take that as a lesson learnt in time management. There's going to be times when I miss sessions or have a busy week, and I need to be able to work around.

So overall I was happy with this project, although I wish I could have spent another week on it.

Week 18 - Politics in Fashion - Week 1

TUESDAY

As soon as I was told this project would be based around any politics of our choice, I knew exactly what I was going to do. A few years ago I had watched a documentary called 'Blackfish'. The documentary highlighted the poor and cruel environment orcas are placed in at the hands of American business Sea World. I have never been more repulsed by a documentary, and promised myself I would never go back to Sea World.

I started this project by creating a brain storm. This was filled with information I already knew, as well as information from the internet and the documentary 'Blackfish'.

(My own photo)

WEDNESDAY

Today I had an interview at East London University, so I was unable to get much work done. However I managed to print off images I can use to create mood boards tomorrow. 

THURSDAY

As I was searching images and looking through my brain storm, something that stood out to me was how imprisoned, uncomfortable and tight those tanks must be for the orcas compared to the ocean. With this in mind I considered bringing the idea of bondage into my work, as well as the whales:

(My own photos)

Moving on as quickly as I could to the design part, I traced the patterns on the side of all the whales in my concept boards onto one sheet. Then photocopied it multiply times on one sheet of paper, before cutting this out into shapes of garments. I noticed the pattern I had created was similar to something called 'racking'. 'Racking', is a sign of aggression when a whale drags its teeth along the skin of another whale, cracking and ripping the skin. This is something that happens a lot when the whales are in captivity. 

(My own photo)