My Context:

My creative practice sits within the field of contemporary wearables. I am particularly interested in exploring ways to merge both fashion and 3D design. I aim to create work that is non-functional and purely for exhibition, weather this be on a catwalk, within an exhibition space, as part of a window installation or used in a fashion editorial.

Reflecting on a visit to London I have been able to put the work I create into context. If I were to continue making I would aspire to create work similar to Zoe Bradley. Bradley’s work is significant to my creative practice because she offers a bespoke design service where she creates installations to compliment a brand. Like me, Bradley is influence by the natural world surrounding her and her signature material is paper. Although many of the pieces she creates are for either advertising, installations, exhibitions or editorials she also has an online shop which sells commercial pieces. These pieces range from £60- £1,350. I was initially surprised by the massive range in price, but this has helped me to gain a better understanding of the context that I am currently working in. I had previously assumed that paper installations would be cheaper because there are no precious materials involved, however this research has helped me to understand that work is also priced on the hours that are put into the making.

Although I now have a better understanding of my the context in which my current creative practice sits it, I do not have the intention to set up my own studio or work individually within the creative industry. My long term professional ambition is to become an Art and Design teacher within a secondary school setting. I have undergone a number of professional experiences that have helped to confirm that this is the right career path, included a recent two week placement within a secondary school. To support my career in teaching I realise the importance of fully understanding my creative practice, this will help to form the knowledge that will underpin my teaching. I strongly believe that gaining a better understanding of my practice helped me to secure my place at Brighton University on their Art and Design PGCE. 

Short project:

I have approached this unit with the same reoccurring themes and objectives, however I intend to use this project to develop new and existing skills that will be beneficial to me as a teacher. Before I can explore new skills and use them within my project, I must first gain a better understanding and knowledge of the skills required to teach art and design. This became the basis of my short project.

Skills that I saw to be important:

- Different styles of visual recording 

- Model and maquette making

- Photoshop and illustrator knowledge 

- Understanding of photography 

- New technology (laser cutting)

- Breadth of artist knowledge

Initially my project started with a similar focus as my previous projects, using inspiration from natural repetitive forms and trying to use these within wearable structures. At this point it was crucial for me to question what it was about these objects that really interested me, this would allow me to decide what I wanted to focus my work on. By looking in depth at the honeycomb structure of bee’s and wasp nests I realised by focus was on the depth of the pattern and its geometric structure.

I began to translate this focus through drawing, trying to capture the detail of the structures pattern.

The most successful drawings were:

Although these visual recording sessions successfully allowed me to capture what it was about the objects that is important to me, these type of drawings were not allowing me to convey the depth or structure that I was influence by. I could achieve similar outcomes by just using photography because these sketches are simply copying the pattern rather than investigating something new, I also felt I was repeating myself by recording the same types of patterns.

Most successful photographs were:

These photographs provided a starting point for a translation of these qualities into initial designs. Rather than only using simple techniques I wanted to learn to use Photoshop as a way to create initial designs. 

Initial designs using Photoshop. 

I found that the programme allowed me to make quick, clean initial designs, however my designs need to emerge in a more hands of way rather than in 2D. In future I need to use my sketchbook and these types of designs more as a thinking tool and a way to work through problems rather than creating initial design, because my designs are material lead. 
To allow me to best translate my ideas it was crucial for me to stop designing in 2D and begin my research through material investigations. I wanted to use crafting techniques that would be available and achievable within a school setting as this is one of my short project objectives. To further my ideas I used the book ‘folding techniques for designers’. The use of this book allowed me to explore different forms and surface patterns and improve my paper folding skills. Some key designs were the ones that I could see potential to manipulate into wearable pieces.

Initial surface patterns.

Simply recreated these designs wasn't pushing them far enough.

From these patterns I started to adapt their size and structure, allowing me to create something that is more obviously wearable. Looking at artists such as Lianna Sheppard allowed me to visualise how I could make these designs more wearable.

Lianna Sheppard's work. 

I was drawn to the idea of dramatically increasing the size of the sample to create something more ‘avant-garde’. Previously I had been using the patterns from the design book, allowing me to reproduce the samples perfectly.  Drawing out my own patterns presented problems, trying to recreate one of my designs took longer than expected as I made many mistakes with the maths. Reflecting on this I should have practised the patterns on a smaller scale and worked out the exact measurements rather than trying to draw them straight onto an A0 sheet of paper, preventing so many mistakes.

Being inside the origami.

Folding these patterns was very time consuming, therefore I want to explore the process of laser cutting in the future. This is also a form of technology I saw being used within the technology department by some of the art students. Although this process could be expensive, by increasing my use of this technique it will help me both professional and creatively. By drawing the patterns directly onto the computer this will also help me to eliminate the chance for mistakes, I need to remember to cut smaller samples to check before producing a larger piece.

To further develop this project I need to experiment with how and where origami can be put on the body. Now that I have initial samples that have to potential to be translated into wearable forms I need to revisit my initial designs and create new designs that communicate more about how these pieces can be made.  I believe this will help me develop this short project into a full programme of study and will help to drive me to produce a more finished and professional looking wearable pieces than I have in previous projects.