Experimentation evaluation

Below are a list of media and tools I used throughout my experimentation process.

Media:- Silk, voile, cotton, netting, threads, elastic, ribbon

Tools:- Heat gun, soldering iron, lighters, candle flame 

My experimentation mainly consisted of heat manipulation. My aim was to try and achieve a way to create a burnt and disintegrated effect. Using the heat gun allowed me to achieve a successful texture in the fabric samples. By holding the heat gun for longer, this created a more disintegrated effect which left holes in the fabric. I was happy with how the outcome appeared as it represented the relationship falling apart well. I decided to create a vail to go with the wedding dress, again using a heat gun on the voile fabric. The vail showed a gradual texture as it became closer to the bottom of the dress, this represented the slow and disintegration of the relationship, highlighting how a punctuation mark reflects the ‘fading away’. This was a focus that I aimed for in my PLP that I managed to achieve.

I managed to use a range of materials also stated in my PLP. I used a gathering technique when adding the rough looking fabric pieces to dress. Layering and repetition was also used when assembling.

Research

The research over all was very successful as initial ideas were altered and changed for the best. From my research, I have gained knowledge on body language and how it send signals of communication without speaking. Now I am more aware of these signals and can recognise them from other people. This part of my initial research then lead me onto how body language connects to relationships and therefore became the stem of my theme.

 After referring back to my brief and wondering how I could connect this together, I researched further into the word ideology and eventually managed to interpret my concept into the brief successfully. How you see things on the outside, doesn't necessarily mean that they are realistic on the inside was the ideology I stuck with. From my relevant research, I was able to achieve my aim of finding out a way to show how a punctuation mark can interpret the unseen factors of a relationship. It was done by conceptually creating an ideology that combines with something that is unique to the modern world and presented in a costume form.

By researching online and combining information with developed ideas, my individual ideas for my practical work had altered. I managed to narrow my options of a final piece down through a clear progressive process which I think I demonstrated very well. With gained information on commitment - from multiple online web pages, my development lead me to realise why I chose to create a ladies wedding dress and how it was relevant to my overall brief. I feel it was a successful way to represent my concept overall.

Self evaluation

Strengths and weaknesses: 

A  key strength that continued throughout my portfolio of work was timekeeping. I Felt very positive about the time I spent on each stage and became very aware of aiming to follow my plan. As a learning outcome, I had to develop my individual creative practise by using techniques that I already have experience with. These were heat manipulation and  mainly stitching - Both of which I feel confident and in control of. I feel I demonstrated control using these techniques by the texture created throughout.

Something that I did not manage to achieve that I personally wanted to produce was have my final design put onto illustrator and shown at various angles. This was so that if I were to go onto design, this could be the beginning of a portfolio for professional practise. However I do have the next brief to achieve that as I have much more time to plan and develop it. Another improvement that I feel I could work on is the illustrations of the mannequins and dress designs in my sketchbook. I want them to be more presentable and to resolve this, I am going to practise and create my unique mannequin structure for future designs.

Ta daaaa!

Here is an image of my overall presentation. 

After adjusting small sections of the lower part of the dress and attaching fishing line, it is now complete. I am happy with my overall finish as I feel it represents my concept well and highlights the fading away issue. Now I will go ahead and work on my evaluation...

Research inspiration

Hanging the dress: 

So after collecting all my research needed, I found that I was inspired mostly by an exhibition in Edinburgh called "Beauty by design". The detail in the garments were so intricate and well finished. Although it was the way it was presented that really caught my attention. 

I find the way the garments are hung look so graceful. They look 3D as they have been attached with metal wire. The wire has been stitched inside the garment for it to hold its shape. As they have also been hung with wire, it looks as though they are floating. I really think this way of presenting is effective and therefore will continue to think of ways to hang my piece - with insipiration taken from this.

Preparing to exhibit...

After researching for inspiration on how to present my garment, I felt a strong colour contract was needed. I felt because my dress is white, I needed a really dark background in order for it to stand out successfully. I managed to borrow a large black curtain that will be hung as a back drop. 

Putting up the curtain was a real challenge as it was very heavy and difficult to handle. I was assisted in this process as I struggled with it on my own. The tools that were used in this process were a staple gun, ladders and long planks of wood. The staple gun seemed to be the quickest and most secure way to attatchment the curtain to the ceiling. 

After the curtain was hung, I came across a slight issue. Along the bottom of the curtain was very loose - which made the overall appearence unprofessional. To solve this matter, I thought about putting a weight behind the curtain to hold it down flat. I used pieces of wood from the workshop and borrowed and piece of wood from construction to pin down the curtain. This seemed a much quicker way than cutting and hemming the fabric. 

Alternative idea

After sketching out dress designs that related to my concept, I thought of purchasing a second hand dress. This would be a better idea as it's mainly about the focus of my concept and not the structure of dress.  I began to phone charity shops and ask around to see if anybody was selling their wedding dress. Eventually after no success from the charity shops, I managed to find one on a Facebook selling page. 

My ideology of what you see on the outside, doesn't necessarily mean reality. My ideas of altering the dress so that it looks close to perfect on the outside and in contrast, burnt and disintigrated at the back of the dress. This again reflects back to my conceptual idea that when you see a couple in a relationship in public, you assume that everything is fine. So when you walk to the back of my dress, there is a gradual subtlety that represents the slow Disintigration of the relationship. I need to now experiment and create sample pieces and also plan how I will hang my final piece.