I continued right where I left off yesterday, trying to finish as many of my A2 boards as possible. A good number of my friends spent their entire day yesterday shooting their own work, and I realized how much of a headstart I got because I decided not to do this. I didn't have any major issues when working through these, and I think this was due to the UP portfolio work. I think that my layouts were able to get across the concepts and ideas that I was exploring while also having a balance of research, markmaking, drawing, and samples. 

Looking at my sheets, I am incredibly happy that they reflect the work and time I put into my Unit 7 as well as what I've learned this year about project development and presentation. I would really like to have a tutorial in class tomorrow to make sure that the sheets are coherent and show all of the work I've done. Getting Chris's opinion will really help me to make sure that my work is in line which what the tutors and evaluators expect of us. 

I'm finding that I'm happy with where the work has settled and think that it is very interesting and still true to my ideas of aesthetic. Looking at the sheets I think that there is a good level of experimentation purely because of the number of different collaborators I had. This a main concern of mine when going back through the work I had done this term. I think that I am in a solid place and on track with what I had laid out in my timetable, but I need to allot more time to change and alter parts of my work the morning of handin.

Our photoshoot was today, which ended up being a bit stressful because I had to run back and forth from Archway as I had two shoots. Something that I realized after doing this was that I should have managed my time a bit better in the last few days so that I would be able to have the garment finished to a state of being photographed first thing in the morning. Instead, I did waste a bit of time have to take cars between Archway and my flat to collect garment pieces. The hem ultimately did get finished, however, so I was pleased that the garment aspect of the work is now complete.

I received a lot of positive feedback from tutors during the shoot, as Jo said that she loved all of the pieces and Patricia complimented the cone sleeve shape. I think this is starting to make me feel a lot better about the direction I took the overall shape of the jacket, even though it is much more minimal than many of the other designs. I wasn't pleased about the fit on my model, as he was much smaller than the model I had previously been fitting the garments to. The proportions of the trousers to socks was thrown off, as no leg was shown. Nonetheless, I do think that the overall image was strong, and the colors read really well. 

In the afternoon I began to start laying out work for portfolio sheets, as I know from past experience that these can take a while to produce. The act of starting to sift through work and formatting files makes me a bit relieved, as I feel that I have at least started this tedious process. One thing I was finding was that I was having trouble deciding what to put in and what to edit out. I think that I've been so close to the work I've been making and I've lost a bit of judgement on what is relevant to my outcome. Getting tutorials both from peers and tutors this weekend will help me to filter through what I should put on my boards.

In the evening, I saw the Royal Ballet in 'Manon,' which isn't necessarily relevant to my work but felt it was a good way to come to a close with the project. The overall ballet was not what I was researching in terms of period or contemporary dance, but I enjoyed it very much. Classical ballet in this sense is about pure technique and showing skill to the audience. Many of the steps are not what you would see choreographed currently, but it definitely showed a different facet of the company. The overall set was beautiful but incredibly muddy and brown. Rags were hung from the back of the stage, which did work well into the tie period and concept of the work.

I still have quite a lot of work to complete this weekend, but I am glad that the garment is done. Updating my sketchbook and Workflow and finishing my A2 sheets are the components of my work completion.

My morning was spent catching up on Workflow, but for the most part mine was up to date. I do think that I use Workflow as a tool to progress in my development work, to better understand my research sources and design process. I find that keeping an archive of research really allows you to respond to it visually, and it feeds into your own work in a variety of ways.

I also created an accurate timetable for the upcoming week to ensure that I can finish all the major work I need for hand-in. Continually updating this and making adjustments as they arise really allows yourself to gauge the amount of work you have before I deadline. Although I normally just make bullet lists, accurately planning and timetabling all activities creates a more accurate representation of time.

I struggled a lot with making the afternoon and I think that this was mostly due to fabric selection. The wool and silk did not sit properly together which caused the facing to curve and warp. I'm realized that I would have to make a quick decision that in the long run will benefit me greatly, which would be to remove the hidden placket.

I went back to the research on Savile Row tailoring, and found a lot of images of blazers and suit jackets. I decided to take the traditional two-button blazer and subvert it by placing a single button instead. I think this was an instance where research really aided my design process. I was feeling a bit lost because the hidden placket didn’t work construction-wise, but I was able to find a suitable alternative in a short amount of time. I’m learning to be alright with the fact that the garment may not be exactly as I planned in my head, and sometimes this is for the better. In the instance, the final outcome will have more elements of the initial research.

I re-evaluated my timetable and made some adjustments based on my work today. I want to give myself more time over the next few days to work on my final outcome. I don’t want to rush finishings, and so I need to plan around this. My sketchbook is nearly up to date, so I just need to make adjustments to this and Workflow. The A2 sheets I need to start planning, but I will plan to work on these this weekend. If I cannot have my own shoot, I can use the images from the Friday photoshoot. I’m learning that not everything can be done the way you imagine it when working with a deadline. Learning to know where to best allocate my time is important to meeting all the criteria for hand-in.

Today was our first taught day after break and was mostly focused on peer critiques. We looked at all of the Unit 7 work we had done thus far and also went through the grading criteria. I think that this exercise was particularly important and helpful in being able to see mock grades from another student. I received both merits and passes, as I was expecting from my work today. I definitely feel that there are holes in my work that I need to fill prior to hand-in next Tuesday.

Over break I feel that most of my time was spent on 3-d making, less work being done in my sketchbook and on Workflow. There is a lot of imagery that I have digitally that hasn't been put into my book, which makes the project lack overall. Making sure that my time is well managed over the next week is absolutely essential to finishing all areas of Unit 7. 

Being able to view everyone else's work was also really stimulating to my process. Being able to understand the amount of work as well as the quality of work is helpful to gauge my progress against someone else's. I think that I'm seeing what I still need to do and understand how I should be moving forward.

As for completing the project, I need to focus on splitting my time between all three areas. Working first on 3-d making and garment finishing is my plan because of the photoshoot we have on Friday and my own photoshoot that I have to do this weekend. I definitely feel that my sketchbook is lacking in quantity and missing documentation of process. I was reminded by Olly during our peer critique that toiles should make themselves extremely present and knit samples add to the experimentation aspect of the grading method. Criteria such as time management skills, annotations in sketchbook, and added primary research need to be completed prior to next week. 

I definitely feel a bit overwhelmed by the amount of work I still want to complete before next week. Timetabling out all of my steps will be key to ensuring that I stay on track with my work. 

I've been continuing with garment making the past few days, and everything has been moving along well. I received back the embroidered piece which both turned out very nicely. I realize that I don't have the time to create two looks, and it would be much smarter moving forward to focus my time on one outfit. The jacket will take a large amount of my time, and I don't want to rush the making process. Making sure all of the seams are clean is really important to me, as I think that construction is important to presentation. I'm planning on having all of the shell completed for our first taught day back, and work on the facing and lining prior to the photoshoot.

The patterns for the trousers were already prepared so I went ahead and started cutting them. I always find trousers very relaxing to make and definitely calmed me down from the work on the jacket. The embroideries on the knees made me really pleased, as they worked with the research I had been looking at. 

I think that I'm moving along well, as 3-d making always takes a lot of time. I'm glad that I have the space to work from home, as I never feel I have the space to make in London. I'm trying to get as much work done prior to taught class so that I have less work to do the week before submission.

Today I received back the wool that I had custom dyed to the colorway that I need for the jacket I am constructing. I was really pleased with the outcome of the dyeing process, as the colors were matched exactly to my specifications. Because of the process, the wool stiffened some which unexpectedly will work to my advantage. Tailoring a stiffer fabric will be easier, and the textile will hold up the shape better.

The entire process of dyeing fabric reminds me to think in creative ways regarding the way in which textile can be achieved. With additional time, the options are endless by which you can alter fabric. Dyeing is a technique that I haven't made use of this year and I'm glad that I had the opportunity to test this with an unusual fabrication. Wool can felt easily, so working with dyers who know fiber content well helps to prevent damage.

I worked briefly on design development in the evening, as I'm heading home tomorrow. I definitely have to start working at full speed for the next week, both in my sketchbook and with my 3-d making work. Working from pattern to toile to final garment is going to be vital to ensuring I stick to my timetable.

Although not necessarily relevant to this project specifically, I want to reflect about something that Chris had talked about in regards to collaboration. He had discussed how working with other designers and gaining experience through internships is incredibly important to fashion design. Seeking out individuals to work with the help strengthen and develop your project is also really important. I have been trying to make use of all possible opportunities whilst at CSM, and I have just begun to realize how many more opportunities there are for fashion in London than there are in Los Angeles, my hometown.

There is such an expanse of designers working in London, both large and small, and I definitely want to seek out more internship opportunities once hand in is over come April. One such occurred impromptu today with Lucas from Stella McCartney who asked if I wanted to accompany him to a private Bottega Venneta sample sale and to visit the Chalayan and boutique. I gained a lot of knowledge about Chalayan as a brand in a short time by speaking to his contacts there. I came to the realization of how interconnected the industry is and the potential of one person to infiltrate a number of different brands. Interning and working at a multitude of brands helps in building contacts.

In the evening I attended a triple bill of contemporary works performed by the Royal Ballet. The work that was incredibly relevant to my research was the first of the three performed, a new piece by Wayne McGregor. The minimalism of the movement, costumes, and set design all worked in his favor to create a stunning visual effect. I’m finding that minimalism can still take the form of vibrant colorways. Minimalism can take many different forms and is a point of view that is incredibly versatile.

The main item from my day was the send the fabric to the embroiderer for my final outcome. Because the turnaround time for this is slower than a process like digital embroidery or digital printing, I needed to ensure that enough time would be given for me to still construct the garment once the work was finished. I was really happy with the designs that I was able to achieve in collaboration with Nancy. I think that I scaled them up in an interesting way and considered placement on the body as well. Sizing of print is always important, as it can greatly affect the way the garment is viewed.

We spoke about the concept of her work and she describes her drawings as "a study of breath. Each line is reflective of a breath that I've taken." I work the way in which this fit into the ideas of man and machine, building up the interplay of the subjects. I love how the use of hand embroidery adds a personal quality to the work as well. The visual would be incredibly different if it was machine embroidered. Considering the style of print and embroidery is something I've really thought about with this project, as it has to reflect the research and mood of the project and research.

The main feature of our day today was a finishings workshop we had with Chris, in which we were asked to create a series of pocket samples based on our research. I think that I struggled a bit with this concept, as the types of finishings I tend to like are traditional tailoring finishings. Double welt and single welt pockets often feature on my designs, rather than sportswear finishes or non traditional menswear methods. Especially since my project is based around the ideas of Savile Row tailoring, I feel it is necessary to use such methods. I can understand the reasoning for experimenting in this way, but I don’t feel it is necessarily relevant to my current work.

I also worked a bit on the knitting machine to create a sample based on one of my research images. I built an inverted stripe pattern that I liked, but I don’t feel that the colors were in line with what I wanted in the end. I did like how the mix of yarn weights creates different textural elements in the sample. I am rethinking the possibility of adding knit into my outcome, which is why I wanted to play around on the machine.

I worked on beginning to format embroideries in the evening. I realize how early I have to send off the designs in order to get them back for my final outcome. Getting the images printed at a high resolution and getting them to India in a timely manner will ensure this.

I started my day fabric sourcing in Soho, and I found an incredible handwoven silk that I want to use for my final outcome. I definitely need to start finding textiles to start the embroidery process next week. I always look for fabric that will tailor up the way I want it to but also have a softer drape. The color was one that came directly from the research, and I wanted to be sure that the design decisions came from the research.

I definitely have to build more design developments to find the shapes for the garments. I need to allocate time this weekend purely to drawing so that I have a clearer idea of what the final shape will be. Even drawing a series of flats would help in achieving this. 

I worked mostly on my computer in the afternoon, as I wanted to go back through all of the images I had compiled in my most recent research. I hadn’t responded to the images I took at Studio Wayne McGregor and these were an integral part of the project development. I also went back and looked at the photos from my fitting with Mika yesterday.

I wanted to start testing new color ways, and found that the triadic color way fit the jacket better than the colors I had previously been experimenting with. I began working very crudely in Photoshop to place these on the body and see where the placements would work best. I'm finding the color palette more clearly here and feel that I am able to see the project clearer now.

I spent my day split between the two projects, developing both further prior to the critique tomorrow. The sketchbook for my Harrods project was continued with so that a better understanding of the concept and direction I was taking the final outcome would be present.

In terms of my Unit 7, I did a bit more research to clarify the concepts for myself in response to my tutorial with Helen. I revisited the initial research source, the Triadic Ballet, so that I could understand the ideas surrounding movement in this era. Helen thought that I had restricted the shapes of the body in my designs and pared down a lot of the interesting details. I found that Oskar Schlemmer liked the artificiality of movement practice and wanted to see how the body would be restricted and stagnant because of the costumes. I though that his consideration of the abstraction of the body (a cylinder for the neck, a circle for head and eyes) was something that I should consider as well.

I formulated a way to take on the final two design ideas––one would be based on Schlemmer’s idea that the man is the machine and the restriction of the body, where the other would be based on the concept that the body is a mechanism  and has freer approaches to movement. I think that this idea is quite solid and a way to develop the designs more easily.

In the evening I worked on pattern cutting basic shapes to test on my model that I knew I wanted to use no matter the final garment design. The raglan sleeve and balloon trousers were definitely integral to the structure of the clothes, and I constructed these in calico for a fitting.

I had my tutorial today with Helen which gave me a lot of insightful thoughts on how to progress with my work. We spent a good amount of time discussing my Unit 7 project, which I am most excited by. She felt that the project was developing well, but thought I was rushing too quickly into a final outcome. Creating a timetable for the remainder of the term would help in making sure I allot enough time to each part of the project.

I definitely agree with her that I haven’t done enough design developments to begin my final outcome. I think that I always am concerned about not leaving myself enough time to sew and construct the final garment, leading me to have a false start. I do think that it’s fine to be pattern cutting and toileing, as long as the design developments are there to back it up.

I voiced my concern to her about how whenever I start pattern cutting the work in my sketchbook doesn’t move forward. Helen suggested allowing yourself to be free from your book at this time, and scheduling in a few days where you only allot yourself to 3-d making.

For my Harrods work, she said to take an almost anarchist stance and approach the project from that perspective. We both agreed that the objects themselves read much stronger than the photographs and prints. I definitely need to reconsider the way that I’m working in my book, as the minimalist taste isn’t reflecting the concepts I’m delving into in the work. I really need to think about what I would like to present as a final outcome, as our crit is on Thursday. I still feel that I’m getting stuck in the same place, as any place that I try to take the project is not as interesting as the objects themselves.

My day was spent mostly pattern drafting, as I wanted to start working on the jacket for my Unit 7 work. This is definitely the most difficult shape that I’ve had to make before, and the fact that it is very tailored is tricky as well. I felt that the best way to start this process would be to dive into building the main body of the jacket. I had spent a good amount of time conceptualizing the shapes in my head, but I realized that without actually drafting these there was no point.

Starting to patterncut these full size for the body was very relaxing to me, surprisingly. Once I started I felt that I knew what I was doing and how to develop all of the shapes. Having a raglan sleeve block that I drafted previously was incredibly useful, as I didn't have to take the time to build this from scratch. The once issue I'm having is not having professional dressform. This is really frustrating, as I can't test shapes directly on the body. 

I worked with a new acquaintance of mine, a menswear designer for Stella McCartney, in the evening. He looked over my patterns and said that everything looked just as he would make it. He gave me a lot of tips on sewing jackets, as I don't have a lot of experience in doing so. Small pointers, like cutting down the facing 2mm to have the jacket fit the body better or basting in bias silk or ribbon to the front collar to stabilize the shape more, are really useful to my knowledge of garment construction. He also told me to remove any panels that are simply design details for the toile, as they won't affect the fit of the garment. These can be drawn in on the model to the visual of what it will look like.

I find that I really like to have another person agree with my design decisions, mostly for validation I'm realizing. I don't think that any of the design decisions change, I just like to have someone who agrees with me. I definitely just have to be confident in my decision making and trust that I'm making the right choices for my work.

We had a long discussion about the industry, and a lot of what he said really resonated with me. He said that his tutors at Arnhem said he work was too graphic and preferred more hand-drawn work, though he worked digitally often. At Stella, he uses a lot of digital techniques to build print. We both definitely have major appreciation for expensive textiles and not cutting corners. He designed footwear for his graduate collection that he had custom produced. I'm happy to know that someone who works similarly to me was able to find a solid industry job and be successful with their practice

I began my day at Studio East to carry out research with Wayne McGregor. I was incredibly lucky that the Associate Artistic Director, Odette Hughes, allowed me to take class with the company. I got some great stills from iPhone videos that I can definitely include in my project. The dancers at Studio Wayne McGregor are able to move their bodies in incredibly fascinating ways, and Wayne is very interested in the potential of the body. His interest in science and research has "evolved into a sustained programme of research exploring both the nature of dance-making and the intelligence of the body."

Carrying out primary research in this manner is incredibly inspiring to me, as I have a love for dance and movement that matches that I have for fashion. I'm really glad that I decided to use this as the centerpiece of the research for my personal project.

Later in the afternoon I went to Bethnal Green to source products for my Harrods project. I wanted to start with just 5 items to use, as I don’t want to overwhelm my self with work before my tutorial. I only intend to buy and create all 26 if chosen to continue with the project. I intend to work on stenciling and spray painting these in class tomorrow. I found bin bags, a toilet plunger, a hand-clapper toy, tea towels, and leather workman gloves that are all relevant to the project. I think that the humorous aspect of the project comes into play when the items are either really on-brand or entirely off-brand for the companies I pick. These definitely add to the wittiness of the project.

In the evening I continued with sketchbook work, particularly design development for Unit 7. I wanted to render these to get a clear idea of how the final outcomes will look, and decide scale and placement of the embroideries. I definitely need to get all the embroidery designs sized by the end of the week so that everything will be able to completed in time with the construction techniques I want to use.

I made the decision to wait until I take a trip to New York over spring break to buy wool for the jacket. I’m not finding what I want here London, so I’m hoping that New York will have a wider selection. I definitely want to use a double faced wool so that the structure will hold.

We started our day with individual tutorials to get feedback on our Harrods project thus far. Chris actually liked the direction I was taking the project, going down a much more satirical, humorous route than I usually do. He felt that rather than using already stylized objects that are on the marker, finding new items to brand would be better. Balenciaga bins and Fendi scissors were some of the ideas he threw out, but the ridiculous notion is that these items would actually sell. He really did like the first silk scarf test that I had done, and said he could see that sold at Harrods. The one major note, however, is to find a tangible outcome. I think that I’m struggling to find where the work is going to settle because I’m still focused on having my Unit 7 work be the project I continue for the remainder of the course. I don’t really see myself continuing the Harrods project, and as such I don’t have a long-term plan for the outcome.

Something about the fact that I don’t really care or feel emotionally attached to the subject has allowed me to quickly come up with a lot of solid ideas, though. I find that really caring about your work can be difficult sometimes because you feel incredibly nervous to mess up or ruin the work. I’m definitely learning to free up my approach more with the project, and I think it’s working well.

I also picked a smaller sketchbook for this project, which makes working in it less intimidating. There’s something nice about the paperback form of this one as well, and it’s very comfortable for me to work in.

In the afternoon I began pattern cutting a pair of trousers to start getting 3-d with my Unit 7 work. The one part about patterncutting toileing that can be frustrating is that there’s no clear progress in your book that is made when you do this step. Obviously the toiles are seen on the model in photographs, but for such a time consuming process the payoff is not a lot. This is a step that just has to be done, not matter how long it may take.

I did some research at the library today for the Harrods brief, looking at research sources that could be of interest. The snow has really put a damper on the primary research that I want to do and has stalled the development of my Unit 7 so I’m trying to work on other things to get my brain developing new ideas.

I didn’t find anything that I found particularly stimulating, so I decided to make collages that would build my interest for the project. One of the first initial ideas I had was to collage a bunch of the items from a 1929 Harrods catalog onto one of the Green Man, implying that they are a manifestation of all of the products sold in the store. Since they are a symbol of the store, I definitely feel that this is a concept I can explore. I also looked at a book of silk scarves by Hermés, which I find to be a height of luxury. The incredibly detailed prints and vibrant colors used have high aesthetic value as well. I’m not sure if I will be able to incorporate this aspect into my project, but I definitely feel it is relevant research.

I think that I’m struggling to find a way in to the project thus far, as nothing has been particularly influential to ideas of garment thus far. I may approach this as a textile or product design project and see where the outcome lands. Going to Harrods to do primary research will definitely help my process.

I worked on sampling today to take my mind off of UP decisions being released  the afternoon. I definitely had a lot different feelings in the morning, and tried to make a sample that would be time consuming. In actuality this didn’t work, but was a good attempt and allowed me to create a sample that I was happy with. What Helen discussed about actually responding to your research really resonated with me, and I wanted to recreate the breath lines in a work by my collaborator Nancy. I found that this was quite a successful sample and was heightened by the use of markmaking on the sketchbook page.

I thought about how I wanted my project to progress, as I’m finding that it’s much easier to get stuck when having a long term project. Continually finding pieces of my work that I want to develop further or new research items that could inform design is important to the long term development of the work. Changing between design mediums—2-d to 3-d, drawn to sewn, small to large—are all ways to continue progressing.

In terms of UP, I received an offer for Menswear at CSM which I was very excited about as this was my first choice. I definitely realize how important construction is to Menswear and want to take this into my Unit 7 work.

Today we had group tutorials with our tutors to looks at the progress of our Unit 7 work thus far. I got positive feedback from both Chris and the peers that were in my group, which made me feel confident about the direction I’m taking my work. I think that because I had more time to formulate concepts and ideas on my own, I was much more prepared for the tutorial. The ideas were developed further and I had delved much further into the design process.

Some important notes that I received that I need to take as I continue moving forward are to continue experimenting with color since I want this to be present in my final outcome. Continually developing the idea of the triad is important to have the concept be clear in the work as well. Chris said to apply rules to yourself and to find restrictions in your work; this will allow the design to become more interesting in development stages.

I also need to continue finding physical research sources to draw from and carrying out tests as primary research. I definitely know that I need to find more primary research sources, and Chris really encouraged me to work more with Sebastian. A point of discussion we had was where fashion is and how this differs from the Savile Row tailoring ideas. There is something ergonomic about where clothing is now and where it will develop, and perhaps melding this with the traditional ideas of tailoring could be an interesting mix.

I definitely feel that this project has lots of rich source material that I can pull from and develop into a strong final outcome.

Today I started my morning at ballet class where I found a model that I want to use for the final outcome of my Unit 7 work. I spoke with him after class and discovered that he actually performed the Triadic Ballet at the Bavarian State Ballet. I definitely want to have models that work with movement for this project, so I would love to work with him. He seemed keen about working together as well, which always makes me more excited about the prospect of collaboration. 

I previously contacted Studio Wayne McGregor about taking company class as a means of primary research, but I haven't received a response yet. If I don't receive I response, I'll go to open ballet class again next week and take some informal videos to get some research on movement. There is a loop guitarist and pianist that plays on Wednesdays, so I think this could be a perfect day to collect some primary research. Having stills to pull from video clips would be invaluable to my research process.

I did some research later in the day and discovered something that perfectly encapsulates all of the ideas that I want to explore for this project. William Forsythe worked with technologists from Ohio State University to present data visualizations of his ballet 'One Flat Thing, reproduced.' The project called 'Synchronous Objects' is "both a research tool for exploring the structures of a dance and a wildly creative extrapolation of the way that those structures can be pictorially expressed."

The interface presents three methods of quantifying the dance performance: movement motifs, cues and alignments, or moments of synchronization. The software includes 20 “objects,” or forms of visualization of the dance’s structures, that create different, yet synchronous, ways of experiencing the work. I was particularly interested in the Movement Motifs, which are presented chronologically alongside a video of the ballet. The blocks in the shapes reminded me of the block shapes in Bauhaus weaves. 

This is definitely the best way to present the knit work in my opinion; conceptually this makes the most sense to my process and begins the interplay between the Bauhaus ideas and the computerization of movement. 

I started my morning in Soho to start researching fabrics for my garment designs. I know that I would like to use a cashmere wool in some of the pieces, so I immediately searched for these. Textiles may not be available in the specifics colors that you want so browsing early to see if you will have to alter a colorway or order a piece of fabric in a particular color.

I’m finding that I’m a bit confused by what colorways I want to use so I felt that looking at viable options would be a good way to start solidifying ideas. I found beautiful cashmere wools in a few shades I liked—I particularly enjoyed a mustard and a rose shade I found. I’m deciding how I want to offset these with a third color, and I think that using a light shade of blue could be the answer. I’ll have to experiment with these in my sketchbook to find a triadic mix I like.

I went to the library to continue with my work in the afternoon. I feel that my speed in my sketchbook work is developing rather slowly, but the concepts that I'm trying to translate are coming across clearly. I find that when working with hyper-conceptual ideas the visuals have to be very strong; all of the ideas presented have to be in response to the main concept that is being explored.

Today was a continuation of my work from yesterday, building some experiments with acetate to start developing the idea of the optical illusion. I’m really becoming interesting in shift shape and lenticulars, and started printing images in repetition on acetate to see how they would function when shifted. The experiments were not as successful as I had anticipated, primarily due to the excessive use of black in the images I printed. When shifted much of the image was lost due to the black background. I want to try more tests, this time removing the background so only the main of photograph will be present. I want to try a test with a model in which I take a series of images of him walking, then splaying the photos in colors that have become present in my research development.

I’m finding that the bright colors need to be muted down and balanced with neutral tones already in my sketchbook. I think that it’s very good that I’m able to see this very early on in my book and can see this moving forward.

I always find that this early in my project is where is start to bounce around between different ideas without solidifying a concept that ties them all together. I’ve learned to trust the process, because this will make itself present as I move forward. Generating a systematic way to generate work will also arise.

I definitely feel that I need to do a lot more research into that tailoring aspect of the project, but I feel that I have a good start. I want to do some primary research on Savile Row, documenting the work of the tailors in the workshops. I find that research and response happens in continuous cycles for me, as I will never be done with research. Interesting parts of the sources materials will continue to make themselves present as I move forward.

Today I began initial research for my Unit 7 work by attending a performance by the Royal Ballet of ‘The Winter’s Tale.’ Although this doesn’t precisely relate to the concepts that I want to research for my project, I’m finding it very important to witness as much movement-based practice as possible.

The evening’s work was a full-length ballet choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon on the company, based upon the Shakespearean play of the same name. There definitely was a specific style adhered to in the design of sets and costumes. I thought that the stylistic qualities were effective in showing the change of location between Sicily and Bohemia.

One of my favorite part of the work was a massive tree that formed the set for the act set in Bohemia. There were load of medallions and tassels hung from the branches that created a really beautiful effect. Although I’m not found of ornate design, I do quite like the idea of sampling with tassels.

I’m finding that there is always a theatricality to ballet––this is something I want to keep in mind during the development stages of my project. Although I can appreciate this aspect of dance, I definitely don’t want my work to have a humorous feeling. I feel that there can still be playfulness in a serious context, and that duality is definitely making itself present in the research.

The other idea that the performance sparked was to interact with professional dancers and companies as a means of primary research. Contacting individuals who would want to experiment with movement could really aid my project development. I would definitely like to take open company class with Studio Wayne McGregor as a way to document motion.