A LITTLE BIT 'O' DEVELOPMENT

From looking back at my song response developed designs I wanted to try to recreate them on the stand. I thought this would be helpful as it would help me understand how I would actually make the garments in the end. 

I started by cutting out shapes I had used in the developed designs. I then put them on the stand and connected to each pattern piece as if it had been saying together. Obviously with the shapes not fitting to each other exactly, the process produced some interesting results. My favourite outcome was in fact a asymmetric design jacket that a puffed panel on the back view. I showed my tutor to see what her thoughts were on the construction of it as I was a bit confused myself and how I would theoretically put this together in the construction process. We sat down to try and work it out and it resulted in a couple of changes in order to produce a fully functioning garment. This advice was incredibly helpful as it highlighted problem areas I wasn't even aware of so therefore improving my design skills. 

During this discussion I had loads of ideas pop my head about if I were to create a capsule collection. From this one attempt of draping on the stand I could extract details and implement them into various garments in the collection. I had never really thought this way about a project before so it was nice to play around with these ideas.

This process has definitely developed and pushed my ideas further within the project. I am now really looking forward to designing a capsule collection that will reflect the overall influence of Marc Bolan and his music.

PRINT PRINT PRINT

From the fabulous primary research that I did, I was bound to make a print for this outcome. I started by first editing the colours on all the responses, making them brighter and more vibrant. Then the experimentation begun with layering offsetting and transforming each pattern. What I found interesting about the process was how well all of the responses worked together. At every result they created something totally different.

The first print in which I created was a whole song compilation print. I produced different scales to which I would test out the prints as I wanted to see how well they would work at different ratios. Generally, I preferred the prints at a larger scale as that way they looked more raw and expressive, which I feel reflects Marc Bolan’s music and personality perfectly. I think the reason why I didn’t like the smaller scale versions because they looked of a lower quality, something a high street shop would run into production, which is something I do not want to do.

I spoke to the textiles tutor today and asked for some critique on the prints that I had created. He replied with the really helpful suggestion of testing the prints out on PVC. This would be to see how the vibrant colours and stokes would work with the plastic.

The results were interesting. I'm glad that I tried out the suggestion as it was a learning curve to work with plastic. However, unless put against a white background, the vibrancy of the prints disappeared. This was quite disappointing as I had looked forward to the result of it turning out well. 

The next step will to test out the prints on appropriately selected fabric for what I extend to make the  end garment out of . This will be closer to the time when I have decided what I actually want to make. 

WORKING WITH THE CURVES AND BRUSH STROKES

I feel like this process was successful as it helped me produce some very unique illustrations and initial designs. I found it amazing as the procedure felt limitless in the sense that I could make any shape I wanted. The only aspect of it that wasn't so successful was the fact it was so time consuming. Well for me it was. I am sometimes held back by my obsession to be content with my end results when experimenting. Which is something that I need to work on. That way my results in the future will probably be more reflective. 

The interesting shapes that I had created were great to develop designs from. I received feedback from a peer that they thought that it was a great way to channel Marc Bolan's influence as it wasn't the typical avenue that they would have suspected I would develop it. 

What I am really looking forward to doing is working with the song responses to produce a print, and maybe even work with the shapes created in development to figure put a cleaver print placement. 

MARC MAKING

As part of this project, I took part in a mark making session and also and illustration workshop. The mark making workshop in particular helped me massive amounts as it provided me with some clarity on how to start the research process for this project which was an element in which I had been umming and ahhing about over the past few days.

I had a chat with one of the tutors, Sarah, and she highlighted the reason why I was so stuck on the research process. I was getting to stuck in the words. Struggling to make the jump from research to initial development. This is where the influence of the mark making workshop came in handy. I took the skills I learnt from it, to be free hand and interpret words through stokes, textures and colours, and applied it to my project.

I employed these newly learnt skills by listening to a variety of Marc Bolan's discography and painting to each individual song. Changing colour, style and intensity depending on the effect the song had on me.

I was so happy with the results! I felt as if I had been enlightened. It was a successful process due to the fact that it allowed me to break through my creative block and progress to the development stage.

What I plan to do next is use the technique that I learnt in the deconstruct/reconstruct project and photocopy the responses to then cut around the brush strokes. I will then play around with these for further development.

MARC BOLAN OBSESSION FINALLY COMING TO USE

Today was the start of research for a new project, Three words. Out of the list I had to pick from, I chose the following:

Marc Bolan

Rough

Bleed

I personally chose these words because I had a particular connection to them. I've been listening to T-rex for a while and I find him to be such a pioneer in the involvement in emancipating the male form in terms of dressing and style. The other two just jumped out at me due to the fact that they so raw and that aesthetic has just appealed to me as of late.

I decided to start research early on one Marc Bolan. To be totally honest, the research wasn't about finding out everything about Bolan, but getting a feel for who he was and what his character represented in such a poignant time in music. I started by watching numerous interviews with Marc Bolan to really be able to understand him as a muse.

I found these interviews and films much more helpful than any exhibition visit that I visited on the first day of research as there were no sources of information even  remotely related to my subject. Although, I did find the Sexology exhibition at the Welcome collection very interesting and thought provoking.  I did try to link both Bolan and the exhibition by attempting to research a psychological study on how music (in particular early 70's rock) affects the sexual organs. However, this attempt was unsuccessful as there wasn't enough information out there on the subject. Maybe if this project as slightly longer, I would have the time to properly investigate. It may be the case of looking into this subject for a possible FMP topic.

Ahead of this project starting, I'm really looking forward to how I am going to develop this research as I currently have no clue how I am going to do so. I want to approach it in a different way to previous projects as at the moment i feel as if i am stuck in a rut of repeating the same research routine then leading to similar developments, which I no longer want to do. So overall, I am hoping that this project will be a turning point for me as a designer.