Sunday, 27 January 2013

Reflection

Thinking back over this first term at Chelsea, I feel that I have learned a lot. This blog has been a great way to record the experiences from my educational journey in London. The study tasks given to me each week at lectures have been interesting and I think blogging my findings is a brilliant way to be assessed instead of writing a response and handing it in to be marked and never seen again. It has been extremely worthwhile, and a great, relaxed way to get back into writing. I feel that my research has been fairly thorough, equipping me with enough information to complete each task to the best of my ability. Attending lectures, making notes, sourcing key books and online information have been vital in producing each post on my blog. I feel that the content and visual information has been relevant and well chosen, and I have worked well in decision making and analysis of given resources. I worked well in communicating my ideas, being very aware that what I was writing would be seen by the public and my peers, so I was careful to present content that would be both interesting and thought-provoking, while still sticking to the tasks given to me.


I think the strengths in my blog are: good photographs, which are clear and relate to each post-I like blogs that are visually stimulating and make you want to read the accompanying text...the content is relevant, to the point and doesn't really stray off the key ideas that I am trying to debate...good presentation in the way it looks and it's layout for ease of reading for people to enjoy. Basically I wanted to make my blog fun while informative, I didn't want it to be bogged down with boring, strung out posts that weren't enjoyable to read. Weaknesses: I could maybe have posted more of my drawings and studio work but this is something that I definitely will do in the future, I plan to keep my blog up to date and carry on with it throughout my time at Chelsea, so there will be plenty of opportunities to show my work and ideas...The regularity of each post-from looking at other people's blogs, I realised that they maybe had a better pace than mine, I should have posted each week, after each lecture while the ideas and information were still fresh in my mind, but again this is something that I will improve on through time.

Thursday, 24 January 2013

Print

My final taster block was print.  I have screen printed before, but what was interesting about it this time was I learned how to coat and expose my own silk screen from scratch.  I am not a huge fan of printing...I think the whole process is just too long, washing your screen, waiting for it to dry, mixing each colour of dye individually...also I am never pleased with the outcome: it is really hit and miss whether you end up with a good print on your fabric or not.  So many little things can go wrong.  However the print tutors managed to make the classes really fun and kept me interested.  I just don't think I am a print person, I never wear it & I never admire it on the catwalk or in shops.

Prints that inspired my work...




Tsumori Chisato Pre-Fall 2013

Inside the print studios...





Testing the dyes...



Experimenting...




Final Samples...






We also had a couple of days of print CAD, where we got to play around and experiment with Photoshop and Illustrator...







Catwalk images WGSN










Stitch

Stitch at Chelsea is quite a different approach to what I have previously learned.  It is less about translating an image directly onto fabric through embroidery, and more about experimentation with media, translating marks from your drawings and trying to come up with a completely different technique to what others are doing around you.  I found this block really enjoyable.  I think the possibilities are endless when it comes to designing and it is what excites me most.  It has been my favourite discipline so far.

Some stunning stitched catwalk creations...




Giambattista Valli Spring/Summer 2013




Stephane Rolland Spring/Summer 2013

My stitch ideas and developments...





















Final samples...





Catwalk images WGSN