Reflection & Shadow...

I find that most reflective surfaces such as mirrors, metal, windows and water can transform something fairly simple and effortless into something imaginative and dreamlike..

.. Shadow creates somewhat of a mystery or the unknown. Similar to reflective; it's sort of the dark equivalent..

shad·ow 

* shade or comparative darkness, as in an area.

* a dark figure or image cast on the ground or some surface by body intercepting light.

* shadows, darkness, esp. that coming after sunset.

* shelter; protection: sanctuary in the shadow of the church.

* a slight suggestion; trace: beyond the shadow of a doubt.

* a specter or ghost: pursued by shadows.

* a hint or faint, indistinct image or idea; intimation: shadows of things to come.

* a mere semblance: the shadow of power.

*a reflected image.

                 Light & Dark

Initials Ideas continued...

Giving my research and concept of light a little more thought and scrutiny gave me the idea of reflections, and the reflection of light on various surfaces and different reactions with varied materials... 

Reflection  Re·flec·tion
* The act of reflecting or the state of being reflected.
* Something, such as light, radiant heat, sound, or an image, that is reflected.
* The folding of a membrane from the wall of a cavity over an organ and back to the wall.
* The folds so made.
* Mental concentration; careful consideration.
* A thought or an opinion resulting from such consideration.

Initial ideas...

After a lot of research, the direction im heading into is light. Light is a very important form of communication. Without it, communication proves a lot more difficult. When people think about light they automatically associate it with the sun, the moon, lightbulbs, candles or fire. I want to find a diversion (so to speak), something that interrupts the direct link between light sources and vision.

(Ryan Mcginley)

Let there be LIGHT...

Workshop: Negative Space

Subtraction Cutting is DESIGNING WITH PATTERNS, rather than creating patterns for designs.

On Thursday, our class all took part in a workshop based on subtraction cutting. 'Subtraction cutting' is an approach to garment pattern making that incorporates chance discovery, distance, gods-eye views and the capability to cut fast and inaccurately without bothering too much about the numbers and maths behind it.

The idea behind subtraction cutting is that the pattern that are cut don't represent the garments outward shape, but rather the negative spaces within the garment that make them hollow. Simply put, shaped holes cut from huge sheets of cloth through which the body moves.

(http://www.julianand.com/)

(Photographs from out workshop)

 Arranged pattern pieces and cut away the negative shape.

(photographs from our workshop)

 Cutting out circles to create tunnels for the body and then sewn together.

Some of the final outcomes taken on fujifilm instax 100. And our end result!

Probes; SKIN dresses

I came across this video produced by Philips Design. This year the probe project area SKIN has led them into creating and developing a range of dynamic dresses as part of the ongoing research into 'emotional sensing'. The dresses show interaction between the body, its actions and the near environment with pattern and colour change.

30 Years of Japanese Fashion

The current exhibition '30 Years of Japanese Fashion' showing at the Barbican Art Gallery in London is a perfect way of starting off our research. For many years Japan has been renowned for its innovative and cutting edge designs in fashion, technology, architecture and science. All interlinking together, supporting and enhancing each others aesthetics and attributes.

The designers showing their work include Issey Miyake, Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto, whose work made a massive impact on the fashion scene in the late 20th century. Among these Junya Watanabe, Jun Takahashi, Tao Kurihara, Fumito Ganryu, Matohu, Akira Naka, Mina Perhonen and Mintdesigns. My drawing on the right is inspired by Issey Miyake's 'Minaret dress' 1995. (image taken from http://www.dhub.org/ )I really love the architectural qualities, along with the creativity of the pattern cutting and the deviant choice of fabric materials; Polyester plain weave; pleated and heat- and pressure-set; plastic hoops. This has heightened my curiosity and inspired me to explore and look into properties and characteristics of materials and fabrics.

To conclude my trip to the exhibition, the pattern cutting techniques and methods that were shown are what really stood out to me. The display of 2D to 3D on the mannequins were also amazing, loved it!

(image taken from the exhibition photography - www.barbican.org.uk )

Hussein Chalayan

...However, what really drew me to Hussein Chalayan's work as a designer, was the collection he produced graduating from Central Saint Martin's in 1993. Titled 'The Tangent Flows'  it consisted of clothes that had been buried in his back garden and dug up again.

I think that the decomposing element creates really interesting and unique textures.