Illustrator clock

I.C.T + illustration

Today we have been on Illustrator, creating paths with the pen tool. Basically for each shape you start on the horizontal grid line and then you go from there and place the anchor lines where the shape would be. Firstly I found this quite difficult on my mind kept wandering but once I payed more attention I found it less complex :)

Black and white final day

Over the past week I have been working in my sketchbook on research and I have been slowly working on my headpiece. I have decided I am going to make my headpiece out of wire- which let me tell you this is not as easy as i thought! but onwards and upwards as they say!

I have gathered lots of information on different designers who inspire me and now am taking tiny pieces from each one to create my own piece.

Yesterday we had all day until 3:30pm to mainly finish everything. My final piece is done (wire headpiece with material wrapped round the base) and my sketchbook is nearlyyy done too- just gotta tackle the designs now. feedback seems positive and I have really enjoyed this project!

again I'll upload photos later (well once I have taken some photos!)

Construction

I was actually dreading today...but against all odds everything went really well! We started to put our bodice together, sewing the darts in first, and then pressing. Then went on to putting the edges together, remembering to match the darts on each side, then over-locking and pressing. we then did exactly the same to the sleeves :)

overall was a pretty successful day, apart from a few minor hiccups...I'll upload photos of the final bodice on my next blog about it.

Illustration update...

Illustrator update...

Now learned how to actually use illustrator AND enjoy using it!

-I know how to create a block man

and woman, to fill a shape with writing and to write on a curved line!

-I can also now create weather shapes

I found the lesson fairly easy and fairly useful and am looking forward to the next lesson!

Black and white

We got set our first sketch book project!!! yess and triple yess! :) think this is one of my favorite briefs so far, even if it is just for a week (which scares me a little as I feel dead set on filling a whole sketch book! - obsessed much?)

But anyway the brief is based around communications in black and white, at the end of the project we'll have some form of garment, whether it be a whole one or just an extravagant sleeve or head piece (- which

is what I am planning on doing!) and sketch book work and maybe a mood board separate to the sketch book? but we can put the mood board in the sketch book if we want.

For my head piece I thinkkkk I am going to use wire and build it up really big and then add black and white material in some form or way. I need to finish my research/designs in my sketch book first.

So far my main inspirations have been architecture and

Issey Miyake.

I'll add a further post for this soon when I get some pictures and more ideas.

Manikin Patterns..

OK, so last time we made a pattern we did flat pattern cutting, but today we did pattern cutting straight on the manikins. I definately prefer flat pattern cutting, saying that though i have never really had much practise with the other method. It was a very stressful day and from the start I knew it would be one of 'them' days where you feel like you can't do anything right and literally EVERYTHING goes wrong. We had to start by taping out the bust line, waist line, neck line and so on, then we had to drape our calico over the manikin and begin pinning, cutting and working out the darts. We then had to take our calico pattern and put it on paper, measuring out all the darts properly and drawing all the bits in. But for the life of me I COULD not get the hang of anything, everyone else was whizzing ahead and finishing before me, which equalled in me rushing and therefore making tiny mistakes and having to back track. Overall from the day though I did learn alot and I think with time I will (hopefully) get the hang of this, otherwise I can just stick to flat pattern cutting. I also learned that I need to stick to my own pace, and not try to rush ahead to keep up, otherwise my work will not be to my best standard.

S.W.O.T

STRENGTH:
Motivated

WEAKNESS:
sometimes doubtful

OPPORTUNITY:
being on this course?!

THREAT:
everyone else on the course :)
(^ but guess in some ways thats good as will push us to work harder!)

P.C illustration = stressss!

Today we went on Illustrator on the computers, this was the first time I have used the programme and I didn't really find it very easy. We learned how to create shapes and how to fill them with colour; which was quite cool as you could use different effects such as swirls and squiggly edges. We then had a template of a diver, which we went round the edge of and filled the outline with block colours. Overall this lesson was OK, but not the most enjoyable thing I have done so far....

<- this is the tester pattern I did to try out illustrator, I'll probably upload more pictures once I've finished them properly :)

Photoshop Military mood board

After creating a mood board by hand and on the theme of 'Random' I designed another mood board but this time on the theme of 'Military' and on Photo shop. I quite enjoyed this task as I like making collages and blending photos in together. I didn't find the task to difficult either: normally me and Photo shop do not get on, but this was quite simple to pick up...

pattern cutting...

On Friday we began pattern cutting- which in all honesty is not my favourite part of the fashion design industry. After drawing out the first part of the bodice I got to grips with the situation and found the rest much easier. Everything had to be very specific, and at first I took a long time trying to add the seam allowance perfectly but again with practise I slowly got better.

that's all for now...sleep deprivation and blog writing are never a good combination.

Seemingly good seams...

Today we got introduced to the hefty, scary and monsterous industrial machines...and we did not hit it off on a good note! :P but on the other side of things they are quite different to the machines I have used before, so I'll give it some time.

I found doing the seams quite simple and easy to remember, although because of my disagreement with the machine, the seams took longer then what they usually would. I also found out today that chiffon is actually IMPOSSIBLE to sew!, note to self; avoid this material at any cost!!!

but overall the day was really good (even though I have never felt so tired in my life) and I learnt alot and am looking forward to using the skills I learnt today in garments :)

(also tomorrow we are starting pattern cutting which should be marvy as I well want to just start the projects now and get desiging and making!!!)

Fresh-Fresh-Freshers!

Sooo the first week has flown by, after listening to numerous different talks about the uni, meeting my course mates and finding out whats in store for us over the next two years I am now very very scared...(but also beyond excited and into the land of nervy-b)

Freshers week has also commenced...dont quite know how I will handle learning pattern cutting on Friday with a hangover? but I guess this comes with the teritory of being a student!!!!! :)

Runway hopes and dreams