Initially, in our first session, we were given ice breaking questions as groups of 5-6. These were a great activity set in place by course leaders which allowed students to get to know their peers somewhat better and to get us conversing with one another in a natural way. This was a strong introduction and insight into what this course will be like over the year. Bouncing ideas off one another is a great way of gaining new ideas and progressing and moving forward in a creative space. I felt this was really beneficial as it enabled us to find the start of the first mini project a little more accessible. 

Part1 - the first project we were assigned by course leaders was to pick 3 words out of a bucket. 1 being a material, another being an action, and a last one being a variation of ‘ism’. For this task, we were set apart into smaller more intimate groups of 3. Following on from selecting 3 words at random, we were next asked to work in our groups to pick apart these words, and reflect our opinions of what the word means to us off our other team members. This was primary research, not using any aids like google or books etc. This was the foundation of research, using only mine and my peers knowledge to try and comprehend and understand these 3 words in a context that would make sense to us. I feel this was an effective task which pushed us to speak our minds and explain our ideas to others. It also forced us to present our ideas in a physical way that wasn’t written, which helped to build confidence and presentation skills. More over, this task really pushed us to think outside the box and in an unconventional and un-orthodox manor, getting the creative and imaginative section of the brain in action. I learnt lots from this part of the first project. It helped me to push my ideas forward to others, and enabled me to dissect words in a way not usually done. For me, this was a really productive lesson that I feel I have taken on early into the course. The three words my team selected where ‘rubber’, ‘wrap’, and ‘Utopianism’. The next stage was to link the 3 words together and create a series of ideas and sketches for potential designs based entirely off them. At initial glance you may think that these words had little in-common and would be challenging to intertwine, however, after our first task of picking the words apart, it became clear that there was some clear correspondence between them. As soon as I saw the word ‘utopianism’ I automatically considered its polar opposite, ‘dystopia’. The idea behind the words dystopia is that there is an imagined state of suffering and decay within the society I which we live. With many connotations to mass death and an apocalyptic setting. Through understanding the polar opposite of the word ‘Utopianism’, ‘dystopia’ I was able to build the foundations for my intermingling of the 3 words. Personally, I found it natural to link the word ‘wrap’ and ‘rubber’ to this idea of an end of the world type of setting, being dystopia. I could imagine dead bodies wrapped up in thick rubber skins implemented by an alien race that has come to take over the world. I immediately had images of the film ‘war of the worlds’, with that sinister and twisted aesthetic. Through my understanding of this, I could then push myself to link it back to the more positive and idealistic reality of Utopianism. Rather than having rubber engulfing dead bodies, I switched the idea on its head and thought that you could have large rubber wraps which encapsulated whole cities etc. I felt this would act as a barrier, concealing happiness and a tranquil habitat within, blocking out the harsh reality on the other side of the rubber ‘skin’, in turn, allowing a sense of utopia to thrive within, where bad toxins and negativity are banished. I then took this concept further and transferred it to a more personal and small scale version. I thought that there could be a sort of rubber skin which humans could where which would create a sort of bubble around them, allowing them to block out the harsh reality and letting them have a sense of personal Utopianism within this second rubber skin which wraps around their body. This links right back to my initial idea of a dystopian setting of dead bodies wrapped in rubber skins, but I had adapted the idea for a more positive context. 

Personally, i couldn’t help but feel that this task really pushed me and challenged me. I hadn’t previously put so much energy into dissecting words, and breaking them down to their foundations. This was a constructive lesson in my opinion and feel like I can move forward from here. Although I struggled to grasp the concept of the task initially, I feel that eventually I began to understand it on a deeper level which helped me progress. I managed to overcome my issues by talking to my team and tutors for different perspectives on the task at hand, allowing me to achieve a clearer understanding. 

In my next session, I will try and keep a more open mind and write/sketch exactly what I think in that specific moment. This will enable me to have a larger body do work to use for inspiration and may help me to grasp the task at hand faster and with less struggle. I plan to make more notes and and jot down my ideas consistently throughout. 

To conclude, considering I began by failing to comprehend what was being asked, I eventually found my feet and achieved an imaginative initial design proposal/ concept which I feel I can build upon further in the following session. 

The second session began with an introduction into our sketchbooks. We were shown images of previous years books as an insight into what sort of aesthetic and vibe our own books should have over the course of the year. This was beneficial in the sense that we could more clearly understand what sort of work we were going to be producing within the course, and the level of presentation etc. required. 

The first tasks were a series of sketching challenges to get us warmed up and to help us overcome the intimidating first page of our books. We began with a line drawing of our design where we couldn't let our pen leave the page. Following this, we did left handed sketches and blind folded ones too. These initial tasks really enabled me to overcome the concern for leaving blank white space in my book, and further helped me to accept that not all work in my sketchbook will be my strongest outcomes. I feel that just through these exercises, I was able to understand that I have to keep an open mind about everything I produce, whether I feel it is a strong piece of work or not. The important part of my sketchbook is that it must show the journey from start to finish, and present my struggles and how I've worked to overcome them. Personally, through these exercises I feel it has opened my mind up to accept my mistakes, and consider them as part of the process which will eventually enable me to be a stronger designer. Seeing as I am only 2 days into the course, I still find it hard to accept the 'failed' parts of my sketchbook, but this is something I will learn over time. In addition, I still felt as though I retained myself slightly from allowing my ideas and imagination to run completely wild when sketching in my book. This is something I will make a conscious effort to stop, so I can reach a greater creative level.  

Next, working in teams of 2, 1 person had to describe their idea to the other, who would then try and imagine and sketch the opposing persons proposal. this was a quick 10 minute task that challenged our team work and ability to sketch freely with no real pointers. I felt as If I was able to comprehend the oppositions idea quite well, and I managed to sketch something very much like his idea. all of these exercises are great ways of building upon my skill set and are things I had never done before. I've learnt that its great to have lots of experimentation and trials with completely new ideas that I'm not comfortable with. we further went on to work with collaging, which in my case brought an aspect of 3 dimensional work to my sketchbook. It was super constructive repeating a similar task of creating our design, but in a range of different formats. It adds to the diversity of my sketchbook and presents a range of varying skill sets.

All of these tasks were based around this common theme of 'visualisation'. Through the repetition of this visualisation in different forms, I could grasp a clearer understanding of my designs. Due to the tasks all being quick 5-10 minute exercises, it made me think and work quickly, which as a result allowed me to produce more exciting and abstract ideas. 

how did feedback assist my visualisation?

The feedback I received from another class mate about my initial visualisation for my design was mainly positive, however, it helped me realise where I needed to reinforce my work with more informative visuals, that allowed others to understand scale, materials and purpose more throughly. They could understand the basic idea, but I didn't give enough context to my design, meaning that the main purpose of the design wasn't understood clearly enough. Therefore, to improve my visualisation, I had to put my proposal within the intended surroundings, give better visuals of its scale, and present the materials used in a more interactive manor. I added further sketches, photoshop designs and painting that allowed for the purpose of the design to be understood more easily. 

On a whole, I learnt the importance of visualisation and how it is used to convoy an entire proposal without description. it is all about communicating your ideas across through means of creative formats, e.g. sketching, collaging, model making etc. More so, I learnt the real importance of context, and purpose. without these points being in a visualisation, it is hard to comprehend the idea. 

Today's session consisted of learning more about contextual studies, and striving to understand the reasoning and drive behind why it is so important in a creative role. Context is what gives artwork meaning and a space to thrive. Without context, artistic outcomes would be meaningless and lack substance, rather just physically appealing objects.

Our tutor went on to give us a scenario where something in the future would change, and we were asked to write about how we, as creatives, would respond to this change. My particular scenario was based upon the idea that I was living in a future world, where no one had eye sight. We were given 20 minutes to write a response to the previous question. Then, in pairs, we had to read out our write ups, and record them. Below, I have added an attachment of my voice recording:

How could I apply this new vision of the future where there is not sight to my ideas factory visualisation? how would you adapt your current design?

My whole visualisation design task was based upon the idea of utopia, rubber and wrap. In some ways, you could argue that a world with no vision, would allow for an idealistic environment to live. People wouldn't be self conscious of their appearance, there would be no ability to see good or evil, and as a result, could not have a preference to your surroundings. I world where no one could be judged for their looks, or what they wear, in that sense, a sort of harmony could be achieved. This reflects my design idea for the visualisation task, where I planned to give users a self sense of a utopian landscape through the suit I had visualised. However, to cater for this new world without sight, instead of creating a sort of visual utopia, I could integrate sounds and music that give the user a feeling of a perfect place.

Which pathway within the foundation course effects society the most?

In my eyes, the most influential and impacting pathway on society of the fashion and textiles route. Without diversity through clothing, there would be little individuality, and as a result, less ways to separate yourself from every other person on the street. If everyone was to dress similarly, it would be harder to distinguish someones personality, mood or current situation, resulting in a very cold and unwelcoming environment to live, where beings can't express their inner self.

In todays session, we were put into groups to present our design proposal for the end of this weeks project called 'ideas factory'. All of our experimentation and development of ideas had led up to todays exercise of pitching our ideas to a group. We were asked to make notes on the feedback we received from the other group members about our pitches to then reflect on them here, to say how we would adapt and change areas of our proposal next time we were to present it to a group. the questions are as followed:

was your outcome successful and did your peers react? What did they say?

- I believe my pitch for my proposal was a success on a whole. All of my peers reacted in a very positive and intrigued manor which suggested that I had caught their interests and made them feel a certain way about my idea. They responded with, " you have created a great visualisation of your idea. It was easy to follow what your intentions were through the imagery and layout of the design pages you created." They also added, " The mixture of different mediums and techniques to convey the design was great. The way you showed all aspects of the design, and the function, setting and scale was also as huge benefit". From my feedback, it is evident to me that I have effectively pushed my ideas across, and visualised the design from start to finish which was clearly displayed. To improve next time, they mentioned, " you could make it an experience for multiple people/ a group of people, rather than just one person at a time. This would make it more interactive for everyone involved, rather than just the person in the suit at that time." My peers suggested I could place a small camera within the mask of the suit, that filmed the user, which was then projected onto a screen for others to enjoy their reaction to the experience. All of the feedback was really constructive and allowed me to see where my stronger skills were, and where I could improve in the future.

 Did your approach clearly communicate the concept and capture peoples imagination?

- From the feedback I received, I feel that I did clearly communicate my approach quite thoroughly, to the extent that all group members could understand my vision, and see how the experience would unfold in real life. The group were intrigued to know more about my motives behind the idea, and said many positive comments about the concept. The main reason I could tell my concept and pitch was successful and captured their imaginations was through their reactions to it. The way they were so engaged and questioning of the design highlights their interest.

 How did it feel being part of a group critique?

- I felt it was a great place to not be afraid to make mistakes. It was a super constructive process, which really helped to build self confidence within the work we had created, but to also recognise where things didn't go to plan and what you can work on next time to be more successful. I feel as If I learnt valuable lessons during a day of critiquing work, and having mine critiqued. I learnt how important it is to be enthusiastic and excited about your own ideas. If you rant, then others won't be either. It is all about selling yourself and the idea to the audience, and in order to achieve this effectively, you must be confident that your idea is the best in the room. I also learnt to pace myself, take my time and engage with there audience at all times during the pitch. You want to keep them involved and interested, otherwise its a hard sale. It felt good being part of a critique session because I also felt I helped others to see their strengths and weaknesses, giving them constrictive feedback which they can build upon to better their own work.

The designer I have selected to write this research essay about is Rick Owens.

Firstly, I felt Rick was a strong candidate to base this task upon due to his skill within the fashion industry, but also through the furniture he designs. I am greatly intrigued by his un-orthodox garments, but also by the way his skill set branches out into alternative industries too. Not only this, but in addition, many of Ricks collection have a reoccurring aesthetic that stresses post apocalypse. Owens architecturally influenced collections have a stark and brutalist look that reflect his insight into what he feels the future holds. Now, more than ever there is cause for concern for the wellbeing of our future upon this earth, as we inevitably edge closer to polluting our planet beyond repair. I feel that Rick, more than any other designer voices his outlook about our future through the materialistic things he designs, strongly conveying an idea of a dystopian, and apocalyptic end. I believe this is most strongly presented within his runway shows, where he has the ability to exaggerate his work, creating an eerie mood, through an intermingling of foreboding music, dark earthy tones and sinister silhouettes. Ricks work is very forward thinking, and he never dwells upon the past, but projects a not so hopeful futuristic scenario, through how he intertwines large, unsightly structures within his runway looks, and masks the face of the models in alarming ways, conventional beauty is not Owens' intention. He's a great example of a designer who can really set a mood through their collection and shows, and make the audience feel a certain type of way,  causing them to react to his stimulus. I feel that rick has the ability to get the audience on the edge of their seat through the drama of his pieces and production, which as a result leaves everyone so very engaged and intrigued, left questioning their own thoughts on what they are seeing. He challenges the audience's current understanding of fashion couture, and for this, I think he is at the height of his game. What excites me most about rick's work is his ability to captivate an audience through the production of his shows, and through the way in which he manipulates and utilises silhouette and shape so much within his pieces, suggesting his architectural interests, and referring to his love for furniture design more so. 

This subject specialism in design interests me so much because I feel it's a place where you can be as diverse and incompatible as you desire. The only limits are ones you set yourself, and for that, I think it's a wonderful thing. I adore how you can shed light on your own outlook on life through the design of materialistic things, where your audience can interpret it however they please. I can see myself within a career based around fashion, but whether that be designing, styling, branding etc. I'm yet to figure out. 

In todays session, we complete a one day project based entirely around the fashion and textiles pathway. This was a really beneficial and exciting day, which I feel gave me a great insight into what it would be like to specialise in that pathway. Personally, I feel this session really aided me to realise things was intrigued and excited by within the pathway, and areas I would need to improve upon, If I was to select it as my specialist course. 

We began with completing a range of un-orthodox and abstract sketches in our books that helped loosen us up for the remains tasks within the day. This first hour consisted of sitting within partners and groups, where we would use one another as models to reference from. The sketching tasks were blind 2 minute sketches, left hand and blind sketches, continuous line drawings and mix media layering outcomes also. Due to the short and punchy time period given to complete each sketch, with no more than 2 minutes per piece, it really challenged my skill set and pushed me to work fluently and efficiently, to try and get the most out fo each 2 minute period.

Although I struggles initially with the strange drawing techniques, after a few repeats and more time with the pen in my hand, my outcomes had progressed dramatically from initial sketches to my last few results. I feel this progression was reliant on repetition under short time periods, allowing me to build my confidence with the medium of choice, and work more sufficiently and effectively. 

Key points I took away from these tasks were: Spend more time looking at the subject than your page. This will allow for a more true reference to the reality to be produced. Don't rely on you own imagination when sketching a still life/observational drawing. It helps to mark the outline of all the shapes and structures of the subject before adding detail. This allows you to create well proportioned and accurate results. Trust your hand eye coordination, allowing your hand to run free and mark lines exactly where your eyes tell it to. 

I strongly feel that the above are all valuable lessons that I've taken away from those basic drawing tasks, and are ones that I can take forward with me for future reference. It also allowed me to understand what sort of drawing techniques I would be utilising within the fashion pathway, which is a really good insight. In addition, I realised that within fashion, they love to mix medias together, to create more playful and engaging responses. This was evident through the print making and collaging we did later in the day. I'm a very hands on person and love to be physically making work. These short print designing and collaging tasks were so engaging and exciting to me. This is something I can really see myself doing in the near future. 

The last task fo the day consisted on using g a wide range of strange and wacky prints, fabrics, and materials to design a structural piece of design upon the body of one of our group members. This is where we could get as creative and free as we liked. I absolutely loved this task, as it was a sort of styling session. I found this very therapeutic, and felt comfortable creating silhouettes and layering fabrics in unique ways. Through this I got an even greater insight into the pathway, and this really opened up my mind to seriously considering this as an option for later on. Something about the sketching of clothing upon the human body, and then actually physically creating artwork for the bodies structure is really appealing to me, and through completing this project, I've been able to understand the pathway more thoroughly.

In todays session, the focused pathway was product design. Once again, this was a short, one day project, giving us an in sight into what sort of practices you would do within this specialist pathway. 

The entire project was based around an idea of designing and making new packaging / devices to hold / store fruit. We were asked to buy tomatoes, lemons and a watermelon for the mini project. While out buying these fruits, we had to take photos of existing packaging and storage of the fruit, and do quick 3 minute sketches of what we saw while completing this primary and secondary research. This was productive, as It allowed us to see real designs that are currently implemented, and meant that we could ensure our designs were unique and forward thinking. After this, we then had short periods of time for each fruit, to sketch some proposals for ways of storing these fruits using as little materials as possible, and making them as ergonomic and simple as we could, while still portraying clean design. After these sketching tasks, we then were given a range of materials to make models of some of our designs, so that they can actually store/hold the fruit. We took photos of our outcomes afterwards for our sketchbooks. All of this work came down to our final group design proposal, that had to be able to hold the weight and shape of the watermelon we had bought. In my group of 3, we decided to take this down a fashion focused route, and thought we could design and build a fashion accessory which would hold this melon. We ended up making a sort of shoulder bag that allowed the melon to be stored, hands-free. It was a really effective and sustainable design, make entirely from cardboard, with a few pieces of strong duct tape. This was a really effective solution and made use of very little materials.

How did you find working with so many constraints? did it make it easier or harder?

Personally, I found working In this style quite challenging to begin with as I'm used to being as imaginative and creatively free as possible, however, working with rules and regulations to follow made my thinking process much more ordered, but I wasn't able to churn out as many designs in the time given as I would have done without constraints. I further feel that this style of working brought my ideas down to earth a little bit, and what I was designing was much more realistic than it would have been if there was no limits, which in a way, is a positive thing, because it means my work is more achievable. 

Did the constraints make it easier/harder to generate ideas? why?

In my opinion, working with this many constraints made it easier and simpler to imagine rough ideas in my head, however, when I was physically drawing and designing, I found it challenging to try and think of innovative designs, while still catering for the purpose. I think this is due to having to constantly consider what I'm designing, and whether it meets the criteria, rather than doodling ambitious creations. 

was product design what you expected? what was the best part of the say? why?

I feel that I had a good understanding of what product design was prior to having the session, but through completing the tasks throughout the day, I was able to comprehend the practice more thoroughly, having a greater understanding of the sorts of creative techniques used, like sketching and miniature model making etc. These are used to try and visualise what a final product may look like aesthetically, and should convey its function too. I enjoyed the product design session, however, I felt very restricted by the brief which is a down side in my opinion. I wasn't able to design and make models of something that was of interest to me, which is why I feel it dint appeal to me as much as it could have done. My favourite part off the day was the model making. I am a very hands on worker and love to be producing physical work that shows you progression from initial design to real life object.

For this particular contextual studies class, we were previously asked to bring in a hand held object that can be taken apart and broken down into its components. I decided to bring in an old disposable camera as my object. The whole focus of the session was to learn the key differences between the two words, structure and form, and use our objects to write short passages describing our object of choice, without saying what it is. We then went on to chose a partner and sit back to back to one another. We had to read our descriptions of our object and the other person had to guess what it was. 

The whole point of this task was to try and get a better understanding of what structure and form meant, as they were the 2 words that all of our sessions this week were based around. 

Through these tasks, I was able to have a stronger understanding of the 2 words. I learnt that without a structure, the form cannot exist. The form is built up of a components structures and shapes. The form is what we see externally, the visual aesthetic of an object at first glance, without looking any deeper, its general shape and format. The structure of anything is what it is actually constructed of, and what something consists of, internally and externally. The final sum of all these structural parts completes its form. 

Although this may seem like common sense, through the challenge of describing my disposable camera without saying what it was, I was able to grasp a stronger idea of how to effectively describe what I was seeing infant of me, without pointing out the obvious. It enabled me to think more deeply about what I was looking at, and what the context of object is etc. 

Personally, I feel that these are really transferable and constructive skills that I had picked up through todays lesson. Now, when it comes to me describing a final design proposal or idea of mine, I'll be much more familiar with how to go about describing it, in terms of its form, structure and context, which will result in a more engaging proposal of ideas. In addition, I learnt that sometimes it is beneficial to study what you are describing thoroughly, and think past what it initially looks like at first sighting. Think about its purpose, audience and function, rather than its aesthetic. This way you can get a much more rounded and informative point across, that isn't just describing its appearance. This links back to the first week of ideas factory where we were pitching our visualisations. If I had this skill back then, I would have had an even more successful visualisation pitch. In my eyes, this really shows my own progression over just one week of work within foundation. Ive developed my understanding ands ability to dissect words and ideas down to get to a deeper understanding.

Below I have added the voice recording of my paragraph explaining my object (disposable camera).

For the third session of week 2, we were introduced into the fine art & sculpture area of the course. I felt that this was a very positive and beneficial insight into this particular curriculum area, due to it being very hands on and without guidelines or rules in which we would have to follow, unlike the product design introduction we got on Tuesday. At the beginning of the session we were given 3 cards with words and images on them. On the back of each card was the polar opposite of the front of the card.These were our prompts in which we should construct our sculptural installations around. Other than that, there were no other regulations or limits to stay within, we were given free range to do as we pleased with the entire day, aslong as by the end off the day we had created a sculpture or some sort, that we could explain and push across our reasonings later.

Personally, I found it very refreshening that the tutors didn't push us down any routes, but let us do as we pleased, allowing our imaginations and creativity to run completely wild, within the premises of the uni site. There are both pros and cons of this style of working. Firstly, I was initially a little confused and worried as I was unsure where I was going to take the task, due to there being no guidelines or prompts. This can sometimes be counter productive if you do not have a basic idea of where to start in your head. However, I feel as if I learnt a valuable lesson through this creative block that I began with. I found that it is much better to start doing something, even if you are unsure where it will end up, rather than procrastinating and getting no where. Although I didn't have a clear image fo my final outcome, I selected a wide range of materials and objects, and began putting them together in an unplanned way. This was the best thing I could have done because it enabled me to see what didn't work so well, and from this point, I could progress and make constructive changes to what wasn't working initially. Through this trial and error process at the start of the day, I was able to understand the concept of just 'starting somewhere', even if it isn't where it will eventually end up. The positives about this style of working are that once you get going with a concept, there is nothing stopping you making it as creative and wild as you like, which I personally love. I loved the ability to have free range and create something entirely out of the norm. This is a technique I have never worked with before, and I initially felt out of my comfort zone, but after time, I came out of my shell a bit and began constructing an installation that I felt was quite strong, by the end. Another aspect I loved about this day was walking round and seeing all my class mates outcomes, and noticing how diverse and differently everyone brain worked under the initial instructions for the day. Every single person came out with an entirely contrasting final piece, which was great to see. I was also able to learn a lot from other peoples work. It pushed me to see how I could approach certain tasks differently in the future, and inspired my ideas.

Do you feel it matters whether the structure created relates in your mind to the cards we started with?

In my opinion, it is not important whatsoever. I feel that all that is important is that to the person who created it, they understand and know the relation, and can explain it to the viewers themselves. It isn't entirely necessary for the outcome to physically show each one of the words we had selected. The words may be conveyed through the choice of materials used, or through the way the sculpture is structured or composed etc. Visually, it isn't that important. 

What were the most successful strategies and processes used?

As I mentioned earlier, the best strategy I began with was just starting to make something, even if that wasn't going to result in my final outcome. The creative block I had at the beginning was stressful, and prevented me from just starting from something. I overcame this and began putting injects other and arranging them in different ways to try and get an idea of what I could potentially do with the task set. Without this trial and error process, I wouldn't have achieved the competent final response that I did. Another successful process I used was layering fabrics and materials over hard structures, securing them with rope. This was visually very engaging and have my design shape and form, which I felt really worked well. It wasn't just a basic silhouette, it had depth to it. 

How did chance, error and mistake create surprise in your work?

The trial and error process made me realise that sometimes my mistakes and accidents were the most intriguing bits of work, and even the most effective in some cases. I believe this is due to the unexpected and surprise of it all. These are the times that keep your work progressive and beneficial to you, as you learn from your own mistakes and also learn to cherish the things you didn't expect to happen.

Todays session was a graphic communication/illustration class. The one day project was based around designing illustrations, cutting our stencils and screen printing. This was a great class, and I felt very influenced by it all. To start, we were each given a printed letter on a page. We then had to use illustration skills to design an image including the letter we were given within the design. I was given a large letter C in the middle of the page. This actually was a bit of a disadvantage, as it meant I could not fit much of a surrounding image on the paper, as the letter occupied the majority of it, which meant I had to work around this, not allowing me much space to design. when designing illustrations for screen printing, I learnt that it is key to keep then lines refined, and bold, so it is simpler to cut the stencil afterwards. some of my initial sketched designs were far too intricate and sketchy to be cut out and used as a stencil, which was one of my first mistakes. I ended up designing a sort of iron man inspired helmet/mask, which occupied the whole left side of the page. We then cut a stencil for red ink, and the other one for the black ink, in order to get two separate layers. In addition, I realised the importance of cutting the stencil as perfectly as possible, and always making sure the tracing paper and image are aligned correctly. 

I felt as if it was a very productive and constructive day. I learnt lots about screen printing, how to design an effective stencil and how to ensure everything lines up for the final outcome. These were all new techniques to me, and I had not before used any of them, which is why today was a great eye opener. I feel graphic communication is a potential pathway for me, as I love designing graphics and illustrations, and being very hands on all the time. 

Were you able to adapt your idea and visuals language to the screen print process effectively?

As I mentioned, initially, I found it a bit of a struggle to think of and design a graphic that would translate well on a screen print, purely because I hadn't done one before. However, after conversing with tutors and my peers, I was able to establish a more well rounded understanding of the process, which in turn, enabled me to generate more fitting, and effective design ideas for printing. in my sketches you can see a clear development and refinement of my sketching techqniues and illustrations, from some of my first ideas, to my final design. I believe this shows my experimentation and progression quite well, and indicates the advance in my knowledge of the process, and understanding what will and will not work successfully. I adapted my ideas by initially designing more simple illustrations, and also using fine, single lines, no tone, shading or sketchy marks.

How did the restrictions shape your final image?

The main restriction set in place was the shape and size of the letter we were randomly given at the start of the lesson. This pretty much shaped what was and wasn't possible for our designs, and final screen printed outcome. As I mentioned, I feel as if I could have come out with a more effective outcome if I was given a smaller letter, which had more options in term of design, allowing it be more easily manipulated. Due to the nature and size of there letter on the page I received, I was given very little surrounding room to work with, so I could only really fit 1 half of my design onto the page. In the end, this actually made for a pretty cool design touch, with only half there face showing from the side of the page> this left negative space the other side which gave my print space to breath. 

What were the biggest challenges faced during the workshop, and how did you overcome them?

As I mentioned, the biggest challenge I faced was not being entirely aware and competent with the process of screen printing. This acted as a disadvantage to begin with, as my designs were not ones that would be very compatible with screen-printing. I mentioned how I overcame this issue in the opening paragraph. 

Todays session was a one day textiles project. Right from the get go I learnt that textiles may be way more open top variety and new Ideas than I had first anticipated. I wasn't initially aware how broad and diverse textiles can be, ranging from fabrics and garments, to sculpture and installation. Not coming from a textiles based background, I wasn't knowledgable in this, however, this made me open my eyes more, and really engaged and excited me for the remainder of the day. Learning how open to multi media textiles is really pushed me to want to learn more, and inspired my view on the pathway.

We began with a range of different drawing techniques, based off a collection of items that we were asked to bring to the session. These techniques were multi media sketches, continuous line drawings and outlining the shapes seen before us. These were very similar to the sketching exercises completed in the first fashion&textiles session. I feel as if I had really developed my skill set from the last time we did these. I felt more confident to trust the exercise and just go with the flow of what I was seeing before me. In contrast to this, I still find it hard to set my mind at ease when completing these tasks. Naturally I really try to make my drawing/ observations as accurate and detailed as possible, which isn't the case with this style of sketching. This is something I still need to work one further and hone my skills a little more.

I really enjoyed the second part of the session. We experimented with mark making on acetate, using multi media, then projected it onto a wall, creating great visuals, shapes, patterns and prints. This was a really constrictive task, as it is something I had not experimented with previously. we completed this as a group piece, and the final outcome was so effective. 

What were the positives and negatives of working on a collaborative piece?

There is a great mixture of both. Through working on a group outcome, where each individual has their own input, you get a great sense of character and individuality shining through the work. The small variations in the techniques used to create the acetate designs by each group member really brought there outcome to life, and meant that it had lots of personality and character. Its hard to get this type of variation when you purposely try yourself to do it. A negative aspect of it may arise if your team fail to work in collaboration with you, and do not take everyones ideas into mind. You have to be very honest and open to change when working in a group. Everyones opinion is valid, and everyone has the right to do as they please. This can cause faults within your outcome if not everyone is on board with a concept etc. but you must work together to overcome any issues.

What was the most successful process or outcome from today?

Personally, I think my most effective and engaging work were my acetate designs, which I then collaged and presented largely on a blank wall. These were the most simple things to make, and took little time, but the visuals that were produced from them were so strong as graphics within themselves that I feel it was a very effective and worth while process. The outcomes portray the work to be much more intricate and time consuming than it was in reality, which is always a great outcome to have. So for that reason, I feel that was my most successful piece from today

What successful aspect of someone else work could you use in your own work in the future?

I saw another group using their fingers and ink to draw the outlines of their image onto a large piece of paper. This was a really eye catching and effective way to put marks down on a page, and really inspired me to be much more imaginative with the way I apply marks to a page. I feel this was a really intuitive way to work, and the results were so great, as I feel you have the most control over your own hands, rather than a drawing tool etc. This is something I can see myself utilising in the future.

From the get go of this 1 day fine art project, I knew that I was going the thrive and enjoy it thoroughly. The project briefing was so engaging to me, as it was based upon techniques and style that I was very familiar with before hand, which meant the work that we would be creating would flow naturally and I'd be able to produce some effective outcomes. The project was based on this idea of taking an image and using a range of diverse techniques to erase something from it, creating an entirely new aesthetic, and giving the image a new meaning and focus.

The whole concept behind the session was very familiar to me as I had used very similar techniques in my Graphic design a-level last year, which is why I felt so comfortable with this particular class. Although I had an understanding of it all, I still learnt things, and was introduced to new artists which aided my outcomes for the day. The tutors shows us a range of different approaches we could take, giving me much inspiration for how I wanted to attack the task. Through experimentation with a wide range of processes, I developed my outcomes the further through the day I got, quite dramatically. Initially, in my head I had the idea of just simply using paint for the day, like was suggested, to erase areas fo pictures, by covering them. Although I did use this technique briefly, I then thought it would be cool to delve into much more experimental approaches, to cary my outcomes and highlight my progression. Through this experimentation I discovered many more processes which I can take forward with me in the future of my work. The majority of these techniques were super simple and took a matter of minutes, but in my eyes, these are normally the most effective results. I've learnt that less is more in fine art, personally I completely agree. I love something that at first sight looks simple, but when studied you can unlock all the meaning and depth behind it. This is the most intriguing style of work in my opinion. Some of my most powerful outcomes were ones where I simply sanded down the faces of people form magazines, or burnt the heads away etc. This simple change of erasing the focal point of an image creates something so entirely different, and gives off a more eerie and sinister vibe, which in turn really compliments the remaining imagery well. Or, on the other hand, it may  contradict the remaining image, which as a realty creates a really emotive and engaging visual. The 2 most effective techniques I picked up throughout the day were the sand paper effect, and burning. I will definitely utilise these processes in later work.

What were the biggest challenges faced?

Personally, I feel that the hardest part of the day was actually searching for and trying to locate the perfect imagery to use in my work, and actually coming up with original ideas that hadn't been used in the same way before hand, making your outcomes as unique as possible. I spent much of the time just trying to find the type of imagery I wanted to use. That being black and white, polaroid style shots of people, in urban settings. The imagery is so I'm portent as it shapes the outcomes aesthetic, and helps provoke a response by the viewer. If its dull and characterless, it won't make for an interesting outcome. I really tried to select my images carefully, I wanted ones with substance and depth. The majority of the images I selected were ones from fashion campaign editorial shoots etc. In addition, the next hardest part was creating new ideas. I had to go through lots of experimentation to understand what had been done, and what was unique to me. I was able to find my own path, and create a range of images that didnt just mirror an artists work, which was the goal.

I feel this particular lesson within the fine art pathway was my favourite, and I felt very at home and engaged/interedted with the work I was producing. Out of all my work throughout these first few weeks, todays outcomes are most most favoured and cherished, I feel proud of what ive produced, and they look great in my sketchbook. I can see this particular style fo fine art being very appealing to me, and could be a potential route. However, I may decide to use the techniques I had learnt, but within an alternative pathway.

Todays session was all about architecture, and simply building structures from basic materials.This was a much more hands on and interactive approach than architectural design, which I was a huge fan of. A short presentation at the start of the lesson gave us much inspiration and influence for the day, and put our minds into a creative space before beginning. I learnt that it so important to be ambitious within architecture, but also, there is always a fine line/limit of what is and isn't possible in reality, which is vital within this particular field, because if it isn't physically possible, a design is worthless. throughout this day, we made a series of structures and forms from only bamboo sticks and cable ties, and did various sketches and drawings of these within our books. I much preferred the hands on crafting of these forms rather than the sketching, which was less engaging. I feel a learnt much about the course, and we had a good taster of what it would entail. Although I enjoyed the day, I felt I wasn't able to be as creative and free as I have been able to be in other pathways, which is a negative. 

Another thing I took away from the day was that a triangular structure is much more supportive and stronger than a square structure, which is something useful to know. I found this out through trial and error when crafting my first form, and from this point, I opted to work only with triangles, and they create a great reinforced structure, with a wide base which has great structural value.

My particular response to the brief was a sort of ready to wear tent like structure, which was essentially designed to be worn by a user, and acts as a sort of mobile shelter/tent on the body. I wanted to use my interest in fashion design to hit this task in a different approach, and create something that had structural form and shape, but was fashion forward in one sense. This was a reflection of some work I had seen by designer Samual ross (A cold wall), and also inspired by an ss19 runway show by Rick Owens. Within these designers runways I saw architectural influence seeping through, and this directed me in a certain direction when approaching this task. 

What was most successful about my structure was its ability to fit the human body, yet still maintain a sense of abstract design, with very exaggerated features. It was functional in the sense of a portable tent, however had a great aspect of design, which was very visually pleasing and aesthetically engaging. 

To improve upon my work throughout the day, I could have challenged myself more think of a more imaginative and creative design, something more far fetched and exciting, other than a tent, however, with the brief we were given, I felt it was fitting.

Todays session was an introductory session into the 4D pathway. Going into this lesson I had no idea what to expect, as I have no prior experience or interaction with 4D before. Therefore, the whole day was a big leaning curve from start to finish, where I learnt lots about what 4D consists of, and how broad it can actually be. I essentially learnt that 4D can be anything from a live performance, to a short film, to photography or sculpture. There is so much possibility within the pathway which makes it quite engaging and interesting. I got the impression that it is one of those pathways which you can decided to take your work in any direction you like, slogan as it lies within the guidelines of 4D. 

Our session was based around this idea of the human body, and a camera. We were asked to consider how photography in itself is a performance. In addition, we were asked to use the human body as furniture and sculpture. Other than these pointers, we were free to do as we pleased, which gave us endless possibilities. I took this very literally within my group, and actually decided to use my body to mirror or recreate existing furniture, like tables, chairs, book holders etc. In our group, we then found a sort of pillar/plinth which we felt could be used to present our bodies as artwork or sculpture. I sat with my legs crossed on the plinth and used yellow tape to outline myself on the white wall behind me. This acted as a frame for the artwork to sit within, on the plinth. Once again, a very literal take on the tasks given, yet very effective and successful. 

One of the key things I had to try and comprehend within this particular class was the idea that either the photograph/video of the work could be the creative outcome, or, on another hand, the process of capturing the video or photo etc. could be the artistic outcome. For me, it took me a while to get my head around this concept, as this isn't something I would usually consider in the other creative pathways, however it has really opened up my mindful and now I can look at any photo, performance or video and question whether it itself is the art, or the process that was endured in order to achieve that final outcome. personally I feel this is a very constructive lesson to learn, and it is something I had never before considered, which is great.

Is there a specific point at which action becomes art?

in my opinion, any action that has a meaning behind it can be art. If there is substance and purpose behind an action, it can be explained and analysed in terms of artwork. However, on the other end of the scale, when you think of an action, you can describe its appearance or aesthetic as art,. picking apart the structure, form and silhouettes present. With this, there is no need for their to be any meaning behind the action, just its visual look can be seen as an art form.

When does photography become a performance?

To me, photography becomes a performance when the image captured speaks endlessly to you. If a single image can allow you to imagine the situation, setting, and atmosphere at that particular time, it almost becomes an imaginary performance within your head, where you can visualise what was occurring at that exact point, and the process endured throughout. In itself, photographing life is a performance. you are capturing one particular moment out of endless possibilities and scenarios, of a world that is never still. Time can never stop, and therefore we are inevitably and constantly moving forward. With this in mind, when a photograph is taken, you are capturing one individual moment from the performance that is life.

Todays contextual studies class was a constructive lesson in how disect and analyse words, and also, aided me in describing a setting in more depth and meaning. We were put into groups, and given a quote, which we were asked to analyse and pick apart, to try and gain a greater understanding of what it meant. The specific quote my team were given was, "is there a language within space"

Initially this is quite a challenging quote to understand, and even comprehend. you first think of outer-space, but soon realise that there cannot be language up there due to lack of particles as its a vacuum, and so language/words would not resonate.  So we next thought about space, and its relationship to language. After some thinking and sharing ideas, we came up with the following outcomes In response. There is a literal relationship between language and space in the fact that In a small, confined space, language would be restricted and limited, whereas within a large space, there is room for resonance and expansion of language, and so there is much less restriction on it here. We then decided to think a bit deeper, and beyond the obvious initial thoughts. We next thought about conversation, and how when there is a pause in a chat, there is no literal language, however, the awkwardness of the situation speaks a thousand words, and this space between speech is filled with mental language, or language spoken to yourself. Furthermore, in every sentence and phrase spoken, there is a physical space between one word and the next. This may be in the form of a pause when physically speaking, or in a physical gap in the words written. More so, another interpretation and reflection of the quote can be seen in social circles, and where you know you are welcome and not. IF there is somewhere you know you are not completely welcome, you don't rely on someone to tell you, you simply know, through this mental language. Without language being spoken, you know where you stand socially, which is another really interesting and different way to analyse the quote. It is almost as if there are invisible barriers, where peoples train of consciousness and mental language blocks you out. 

The next part of the session was based on the idea of using an image of a surrounding that we were familiar with, and one that excites us. We were then asked to describe this place, without giving away any obvious hints to what it was. This is what I wrote:

"Bold and garish, not easy on the eyes. An immersive experience for sight, sound and smell. The rolling buzz of polythene wheels across the cracked concrete slabs that stretch across the area. Brutalist concrete pillars support the heaviness of the roof, and add a touch of design to the rough and ready surrounding. Built to last many lifetimes, engulfed with various artworks by street artists, and home to people that love 4 wheels. The banks slant off viciously, and the stairs are unforgiving. Bystanders gaze, intrigued, yet not wanting to get too close. They enjoy the excitement from behind a metal barrier, which surrounds the space. Damp drips from the concrete ceiling to the paved slabs, leaving puddles of uninviting substances. A mixture of dust, dirt, sweat and grease. Wheels screech and hum as they role over the gaps in the slabs, as fellow mates cheer in appreciation. A mixture of this, with the current of the river it sits beside, and the everyday conversion of by passers, a clashing of sounds, and sights."

I was describing the skatepark on Southbank, in London. I found this task very productive, and felt I learnt a lot of transferable skills from, doing it. Through not being able to say what it is, but just describing the environment that it is, you really gain a deeper understanding of all the components that make up the space. It enabled me to visualise every aspect of what I had seen, felt, smelt and heard when being there. This In turn made for a really deeply descriptive piece, that helped imagine all the experiences there for each one of your senses. I believe this descriptive skill will help me to analyse and break down artists work better in the future, and will enable me to be much more imaginative in the writing of my own research, and artwork.

Todays session was a graphic design class. It was labelled 'say it loud' and was focused on the typography and use of lettering within graphic design specifically. This began with us swapping phone numbers with a random person in the room, in a manor that we didn't know who's number we had been given. We were then asked to have a 30 minute text conversation about both of our fears, and what scares us the most. We then used the outcomes of this chat to design a graphic design installation somewhere within the classroom, of a single quote said in the conversation by the other person. 

This was something I had never thought of doing before, but it was actually really good at giving me ideas for potential future work. I felt it was a constructive lesson that I could engage with due to using processes not used before. I did feel that it was quite restrictive in terms of allowing me to be experimental and imaginative, as they only allowed us to install within the class room which obviously meant all we had were white walls and suspension points from lights. This being said, I saw a lot of very imaginative and creative pieces done by other class mates, which really inspired me and helped me to notice how I can better utilise the space I have been given. I saw lots of work that made use of perception, and you placement in comparison to the work, which was really engaging and intriguing to me. I wish this is something I thought of before hand, but its a lesson I have learnt and I can take forward with myself which is productive. 

Although I felt my response was fairly successful, it definitely wasn't as engaging as It could have been If I had played around with perception, orientation and depth etc. This would have brought my 2D outcome to life, given it more character and a much greater sense of design. Another thing I wish I changed about my work would have been its scale. I wish I experimented more with dramatic scales, from really huge to tiny. This would have made my results much more interesting on the eye, and hopefully given viewers a better reaction, which is very important. I believe my use of muddled letter fonts and sizes was a successful point about my outcome, and how I used tape to outline the human body, which was relevant to the quote. I just wasn't entirely satisfied with the final response to the brief, and I was I tried much more experimental things with the task given. 

What I've learnt from this lesson is that I need to try and be more imaginative with my ideas, even when there are strict guidelines to follow. I need to be more experimental and use trial and error in my approach to finding a process or concept that really speaks to me and excites me personally. 

For the first lesson of our final week as diagnostic students, we are focusing on fashion. This particular session was based around jewellery, footwear and fashion accessories. This pathway is something I had never been exposed to previously, and so everything was quite new to me, which was really exciting. I was very engaged from the beginning of the lesson and continued to be throughout. I found very much inspiration within the first powerpoint presentation the tutors showed. Many of the designers on it I was familiar with, which instantly made me more excited and wanting to know more about the course. Our task for the day was to design and make a fashion accessory, shoe, or piece of jewellery, with 3 individual words as our guidelines; suspend, support and surround. Other than these 3 words, and any materials we could find in the classroom, we were left to our own devices, to make whatever we wanted to. This is the type of lesson format I love the most. Where we are given quite small guidelines, so we can be as imaginative and creative as possible, without many restrictions. In some cases it may be beneficial to have stricter rules, however, in the case of fashion design, I love to be free to be as experimental as possible, which was allowed in this class, which I adored. 

For my final outcome of the day, I made use of thick card, string, an old belt and thin plastic cover from packaging. I opted to make an accessory/clothing piece, that can be worn over any outfit, which was designed for a runway aesthetic, of very over exaggerated and ambitious, like runway fashion is. My piece wrapped around the body, and presented large triangle panels of card, cinched around the hips with the belt. These triangles covered the back and front of the torso, and gave off a very architectural vibe, but in a fashion purpose. 

I initially found the design process fairly challenging, as we were only allowed 1 minute per design. This was quite stressful to begin with, but once I managed to get my ideas flowing, I feel like the 1 minute time period actually enabled me to produce a much more diverse pallet of designs, and a larger quantity of them too. I feel that this is a great process, which brings out the most in your final design ideas and making, as it enables you to have a much better understanding of all the possible options, and also really activates your creative mind. I did find It a challenge to keep up with the timings, which was my downfall. I probably did 2-3 less designs than I was supposed due to timing issues. To build upon this next time and improve, I will try to forget about what my drawings looks like and focus on just getting the basic ideas across to the viewer, without taking too much time on details etc. 

In conclusion, I do feel that I answered the brief in most cases. From my initial designs, I took inspiration from multiple different ones, and compiled them into one final design, which I then made. My outcome clearly related to the words surround, and support. The outerwear piece wrapped around the front and back fo the torso, leaving very little of the upper body on show. In addition, the use of the belt to cinch the card in at the waist added this element of support, and structure to the design. I feel that if I focused more and whittled my ideas down slightly more throughly, I could have portrayed the word suspend within my work. Although the actual outcome itself was suspended from the body, it wasn't working to suspend any body parts etc, which I feel meant it didn't reflect the term as well as it could have> I could have used some sort of sling system to hold a limb in the air. This would have benefitted my design well.

Todays lesson was based around the fashion communication pathway. Before even starting the session, I was very intrigued and excited about this day. Fashion styling and photography are things I'm very interested by, so I felt that this particular session would be my favourite over the while diagnostic section of the course. After completing the tasks throughout the day I can confirm that I enjoyed myself and was most engaged with this session over any other one. To me, this gives me clear hints that fashion communication is a very serious option for me as a specialist pathway. I feel I got the most out of this day because of my interest in what we were doing. It actually pushed me to work harder and think more creatively, resulting in some amazing outcomes in the styling, photography and sketching of the model. All of the looks we created in my group of 3 were diverse, engaging and ambitious. One con I could take away from today was that I found it fairly challenging to work in a group, where everyone has a different outlook and varying ideas of what they feel is an engaging aesthetic. This is something we defiantly worked on throughout the day, allowing us to help each other and elevate our work to a greater level. In some cases I feel that we could have co-operated a little better, and listened to one anothers point of view a bit more. This may have made our outcomes more diverse and exciting potentially. I will improve these group skills the more group work I do, and gradually it should become much easier and more productive for me. This is one part of the day I found hard at points, however, I will make a conscious effort to better this.

What I loved most about this day was the fact that there wasn't any aspects of it that I disliked. I throughly enjoyed the styling, and loved the photography side of it too. In addition, the fashion drawings we did of each look were amazing also. I love working on the body, photographing the body form, and then sketching the styling down onto paper. These are all things I can see myself doing, and I feel very inspired and motivated by this pathway. I feel that I really excelled in the correct selection of materials, and placement on the body. I was able to think intuitively, and come up with some strong looks. In my opinion, if I was too retake the photos, I would have chosen better, more suitable locations for the styling we had done, just because I feel that some location choice really didn't compliment the looks, and didn't help to enhance the overall aesthetic I was going for. I would have been more adventurous, and gone outside of the uni boundaries to get some much more captivating shots, out in busy streets of London. In my opinion, this would have bought this 1 day project to life and really boosted the appeal of the outcomes. 

I feel that on a whole, this session was super productive for me. I found a pathway that I feel quite passionate about, and this has really pushed me to consider fashion communication as an option for myself, particularly styling and photography.

This weeks contextual practice class was based upon fashion, seeing as this final diagnostic week was fashion focused. In particular, the class was titles body and function. David began by showing us a slideshow, looking into how over there years, the idealistic body shape of women has changed, and the process/ things they did in order to achieve these 'perfect standards' set in place by society. We looked into things as far back as the 1500's, where the corset was introduced. This was used to alter the growth direction of women spines and hip bones, to give this very curved and exaggerated figure. I found it fascinating how over the different eras, the perception of the perfect female body has changed, from super curvy, to super slim etc. It made lots fo sense to look back in history, to see how fashion has obviously evolved, but also how the techniques used in order to strive for the ideal body shape has also, and how the standards have varied so widely. Another very interesting thing we conversed about was how men and women, back in 16th century, would wear structures beneath their clothes to increase their physical size, and wore large wigs also. They did this because the more space you took up, the more powerful and important you were, leaving less space for others. This is how people presented their wealth and authority, by making themselves physically larger. Men would wear huge shoulder pads, and even metal structures underneath their clothes to add size, which was similar for women also. In addition, we spoke about how back in these eras, the more place the skin, the wealthier the person. If you were tanned, it showed you laboured out in the sun, and proves you had a physical job, meaning you were less wealthy. If you fast forward to todays date, it is the complete opposite. To have a tan nowadays, shows you can afford to go on many holidays and live a more lavish lifestyle. No one wants to look pale anymore. This proves the evolution of the ideal body over the years. 

After this, we were given a quote with a fashion focused context, and were asked to pick it apart and work out what it was conveying. My groups quote: "the more aspects of human endeavour and habit are subjected to the logic of fashion, the more unattainable the regulations and stability of both."

After conversation we came up with the points that our lives are dominated y globalisation. It is impossible to keep up with fashion, as it forever changes like liquid in an unsettled surrounding. It highlights the gradual liquidity of culture on a whole, and suggests the every changing industry of fashion. The pressures it puts on people, due to the fast pace of renewal of a collection etc. 

Finally, we were asked to write a brand identity for our most recent styling work completed the day prior. Below is my outcome:

-The essence of form 

-The human body is a clean slate, which I use, to manipulate and distort materials around, in order to tell the audience a story. Through this morphing of clothing upon the body, I can depict a variety of structures, resulting in diverse forms. The essence of form is my artistic platform, where I am able to express the true meaning of the word, and portray the manipulation of the body through garment selection and utilisation. I’m motivated by the every changing world around us, constructing looks that are timeless, and will never be swallowed up like fast fashion does. Taking inspiration from my out of city background, I have been able to find the perfect equilibrium within a very one sided industry, through seeing what life’s like on either side of the divide. This is beckoned through my designs, and brand, as I come from an outsiders view point. Through the use of draping, wrapping, concealing and cinching, this collection has a very distinct aesthetic, and sports a varied range of materials, from hessian cloths, and crinkled cotton, to thick pvc latex sheets and plastic netting. All materials that in have come into contact with, living out of the city. I don’t design clothes for the body, I create silhouettes and shapes on the body, allowing for a unique structure, personal to only the body it was built upon. My influence comes from anywhere but other fashion houses. I don’t look for whats trending, instead, I, look for what has no relation to fashion, and here, within these deeper influences, I find the essence of form. However, if I was to give this away, I would no longer be the minority, but the majority. 

Our final session of the first part of the diagnostic course was titled, 'your surrounding', within the body and function section. The basis of this day revolved around using our surroundings, to take down sketches in our books, which would ultimately be used to create a structure which will be worn on the body in one way or another. We firstly went outside of the building, and had to take down 6 quick sketches from the surrounding area, looking out for interesting structures and shapes. After this, we had to use our drawings and select 6 shapes from the 6 sketches, and draw them, out large on paper. Next, we cut these shapes out and had to join them together using tape to create a 3D structure of some sort, which we then had to place on the body, as a sculptural garment.

What I enjoyed about this particular session, was how we used sketches from our surroundings to create something for the body eventually. To me, this is a really cool concept, and a great way of creating something for the body in an un-orthodox and unique way. What was great about this, was that through using images of surroundings, what we were creating was purposely built for the body, and so when it all came together in its 3D form, it would sit on the body in very strange ways, but gave the work great character, due to its very experimental nature, and the idea of the unknown. 

Although I did enjoy the photographing of the outcomes on the body, along with working out ways for them to sit on/within the body structure, the lesson just did not catch my attention as much as others have, like the styling session earlier in the week. I just don't feel as the outcomes from this session were very strong and refined compare to the other days focused on fashion. All I ended up with was a random paper shape, which was just thrown away at the end of the lesson. However, in contradiction, I did really enjoy the process in order to create there piece, and for me, this was the best part of the day, and the artwork in itself, the process. 

I feel I learnt quite a unique technique from this day. That is to use your surroundings for inspiration more, and trying to think outside the box when looking for external influence. Rather than looking for fashion inspiration for this work, we actually looked at buildings and architecture, which gives you a much more unique outcome, which has been developed through a more experimental route, which I love. These are things I feel I can take forward with me on this course, and utilise at later dates to enhance my creative process. 

To improve, I wish looked out for much more abstract shapes to begin with, as many of the things I drew in the surroundings were quite simple, and didn't have many exciting shapes within them, which made my final outcome more basic, when it could have been very abstract and fun.

For my extension project, I decided to choose the fashion pathway, in particular, the fashion communication option. I decided to go for this because out of all the one day projects we completed, the 'do, undo, redo' session was one of my favourites. My initial thoughts after sighting the brief were to take this extension week in a personal direction. Seeing as subcultures were a part of the brief, §I felt it was necessary to do something true to me. This thought process automatically directed me to skateboarding culture, as it is something that i've grown up around and immersed within, from my early teens, meaning that I have a good understanding of what it entails, and what the trends are within it. After curating a range of images that I felt would inspire my work for the project, I gained a much better understanding of a potential direction for my project to go in. I felt It was a very productive process to construct a moodboard of references as it allowed me to have a utensil that I can always refer back to in order to gain influence. This is something I plan to use throughout to prompt my ideas and find alternatives if I become stuck. The majority of the imagery within these pages were from 90's skate/grunge culture. This was the desired aesthetic I wanted to try and recreate, but in a more exaggerated and powerful manor. I planned to do this through adapting garments to make them more oversized and exaggerated, giving off a more engaging and eye catching effect, which would transfer better into a photo or short film. An example of how I may do this would be to add an unnecessary amount of cargo pockets to trousers, or making them dramatically wide in the legs. This is a simple way of adapting a garments in order to make it look more dramatic and create greater impact on screen or within a surrounding.  A reoccurring theme throughout all my primary research was this idea of rebellious kids, and what teenagers within these skate/punk/grunge cultures get up to. This idea of rebellious kids is something I wanted to convey through my photography. I may decide to do this by having my model smoke a cigarette, or pose in a location that isn't deemed appropriate. This will help to push this youthful and free image further, and make more of an impact on screen with my final outcomes.

On the second day of the extension project, I started to visualise my ideas a little deeper, and begin to bring my whole concept to life. Using visualisation techniques learnt very early on in the course back in ideas factory, I was able to imagine my concept, the setting, the aesthetic etc. in a very conceptual and ambitious way. Rather than using regular drawing techniques to portray my thought process and ideas, I used a range of medium, such as collaging with fabric, plastic cardboard etc, painting, and stapling different layers together. Through doing this, I feel it helped me to convey mt ideas further, and bring them off the page, and into a slightly more 3 dimensional format, which resonates with the viewer and makes them much more engaged in there concept you are portraying. This idea of trying to intrigue people around you is something I picked up from various crit sessions and from talking to my tutors and peers. For this reason, I felt it was very necessary to utilise this, to make more work stand out more. Not only did these outcomes allow others to visually engage with my concept, it also enabled me to do the same, and gain a deeper understanding of my ideas, and how I wanted the final outcomes to appear. This was due to having a wide range of mediums, presenting me with various parts and sections of the concept that I was trying to imagine, rather than just 2D basic sketches. In addition to this, with all my visualisations, I tried to give them an aesthetic which embodied the cutlets of choice, being this grunge skater vibe. I burnt edges of pages, reconstructed pieces using staples, tore sections out etc. These processes further opened up my mind to the cultures of choice, and allowed me to understand them a little better I feel, as I am constantly presented with that particular aesthetic, in the presentation of my work. Today I developed my understanding of how important it is to get your ideas out of your head into the sketchbook, even if it does not look neat. I had many concepts in my head but failed to put them to paper, meaning I forgot certain things. This is an error on my part, and I don't want to let this happen again, as I feel I could have lost out on creative ideas. In future, I will jot down my thoughts as they come, to ensure I don't forget anything major while in the experimental research stages of my project.

Above is an image of my final visualisation for the shoot. Here, I had stated the location, surroundings, garment selection, their fit on the body, the colours and how I want the photos to come out. This page is vital for the shoot as it is one place that holds the majority of the information needed to make the shoot successful, in terms of what Ive written on this page. The sketch of the model in the garments portrays how I desire the clothing to fit on the body, and is one variation of how the model will look on shoot day. Furthermore, I decided to do some quick sketches to accompany the writing which enable someone to look at the page and understand the aesthetic of the shoot straight away, before even reading my explanations. The reason this page is so important is because, here, I have changed the aesthetic and garment choice from some of my previous visualisations of the shoot, on prior pages of my sketchbook, but I was sure to state clearly everything I wanted the imagery to be within this page. The reason I had changed the looks from previous pages slightly, is because I wanted to portray a more authentic, 90's skater boy/grunge youth through the images I was presenting, and some of the clothes I had depicted on previous pages were not obvious enough in my opinion. In addition, this page enabled me to have a much better and clearer understanding of the shoot, and exactly how I wanted everything to be due to me annotating and analysing sufficiently. This made the whole process much simpler to follow. This visualisation process was one I picked up in ideas factory, and revisited in this extension project, which really aided my final outcome, as I had solid foundations and references to work from.

Through the contextual practice tasks we were given today, I was really able to consider my pathway options, which ones suit me best and where I can't see myself being. The range of activities we completed made me think about my potential pathways, in a way that let me consider the pros and cons of each, taking into consideration my personality and where I feel I would fit in best. For example, in some pathways, there is much group work and activities, whereas other areas are very self lead and the majority of the work will be done on your own. Its very important to select a pathway that suits your personality ad character, and your motivations behind working, if not, it may be a struggle and could cause unhappiness. I found it was also important to consider the nature of the pathway, in terms of designing and making. I am a very hands on person, and I love to be physically creating work, that isn't just 2D drawings in a sketch book. For me, the 2 pathways I am most intrigued by and interested in are fashion communication and fashion design. I have pros and cons for both pathways. For example, I love the idea of being able to make garments and experiment with altering and changes clothes .I feel as if I would miss physically making things if I was to take the fashion communication pathway, as it is a lot less hands on, more ideas, and concepts. One reason that I love the idea of both pathways so much is because I love the idea of working on the human body. For that reason alone, one of the fashion pathways will one ideal for me. Im very excited and engaged with working in this format, and creating looks to fit the body structure. Within fashion communication, I love the styling and shooting, and also illustrating there looks I'm putting together also. I am finding the decision in which fashion pathway top go down quite a challenge as i'm so drawn top both.My extension project has been based on fashion communication which I've thoroughly enjoyed, as I was able to bring the hands on craft of fashion design into it slightly, as I was altering a pair of trousers. For this reason, I felt very engaged by the mini project, as it was sa little bit of all aspects of fashion. 

One part of the session was to use our descriptive writing skills to describe an object in depth. I chose brown wrapping paper:

'Mountainous like folds and ridges protrude from within. The un-orthodox structures created through pressure give it a certain sharpness and roughness. The ripples and crinkles, imperfections in the prior smoothness and calmness of the original form, a mere memory now. The contrast from beginning to end. Starting out so flat, so tranquil, and in a state of equilibrium. After, a muddled structure, with nothing but oddly sized edges and eerie points. The rustling and high pitch crinkling notes that beckon from it as external force is applied. The smell, quite earthy, and raw, with a hint of chemical imbalance from the manufacturing process still remaining on its surface. Soft to touch in its first form, but jagged and rough after scrunching. It’s easily manipulated and morphed to fit nearly any shape desired. Strength is not its most notable asset, tearing quite effortlessly if pressure is applied at 2 points in opposing directions to one another. This isn’t something you can consume, yet if it was to be eaten, it would assume it tastes as it smells.'

I always get a lot out of these descriptive writing tasks. They keep my creative mind in motion, and really push me to consider all aspects of what i'm describing, which is very important when it comes to explaining your artistic outcomes within the course. Without the ability to describe in detail, and engagingly, ive learnt that it will be hard to capture an audience and intrigue viewers, resulting in a lot less effective response. 

On the final day of this extension project, I brought all of my visualisation and concepts to life. I began with a test shoot to see how the outfit would look all together on body, and I ended by going out and taking all the photos, which were my extension project outcomes. This day was super productive, as I was able to see my visualisation and ideas from the beginning coming to life. I loved this stage the most as I was able to physically style my model, and work with the garments on the body, which is something I finds so engaging and exciting. The manipulation of different fabrics and materials on the body to transform an aesthetic is very intriguing to me, as i'm able to b use my creativity and eye for styling to my full potential here. Also, I really enjoyed directing the model, to pose and m one as I say, in order to achieve some authentic and original looking shots. This whole process was something I really enjoyed, after the stress of trying to arrange it, as this was the time when my creativity could shine, and I could put all my hard work and visualisations into full effect. The whole fashion communication pathway is something that I can really see myself doing now, after completing the extension week. I really feel as if my work ethic fits within the pathways boundaries, because I love to work and design on the human body as my canvas. This is something that id get to do regularly within fashion communication, as it is all about how you use garments and photography to convey a message or story. Also, I love directing a shoot, and using my creative imagination to come up with fresh ideas and ways of pushing forward a message through what actions the model does, and how they wear the clothes. In addition, I find the photography very exciting also, as this is how you are capturing all of your hard work into one moment in time, and is why this stage is so important. Lastly, i have developed a bit of a love for creative and descriptive writing throughout all the contextual practice classes I've attended. These have really helped me to push my creative writing in a more effective and engaging direction, where I am able to write freely and passionately about the work I have created. This part of a fashion communication project is so vital, as it is where all of my motivations and references are highlighted, and where I talk about the work and what it means to me. All of the points I have mentioned are valid reasons why I think this pathway is for me, and why I feel so passionate about it. 

How successful where you in translating your objectives and and concepts through your final outcome? what would you have done differently and why?

In my opinion, I depicted my objectives quite successfully through my final outcomes. My initial motivation lied within this idea of portraying rebellious teens from the 80's/90's skate/grunge scene, and how this would look in a range of photographs shot by myself. In most cases, I believe I effectively directed, styled and shot, in a way that highlighted this culture and era in time effectively. I took inspiration from films like 'kids 1995' by Larry Clark, which I feel is somewhat reminiscent within my work. My main goal was to come away from this project with a range of photos that were authentic, and original looking from that period in time, and in this case, I feel I was more than successful. Through the utilisation of an old 35mm point and shoot, and photoshop editing, I was able to achieve this sort of old polaroid effect which I wanted to be present. I feel that my suit cargo trouser creation really reflected these skater/grunge teens clothing choice at the time, being very oversized and wide in the legs. Furthermore, my choice of props like cigarettes, beer bottles and beanies was very reminiscent of this culture. If I was to adapt or change the outcomes of my work in some ways, I would say that I could have exaggerted the garments more, to give an even stronger look on the camera. I feel that the styling was very authentic, yet it lacked the drama and over the top nature that is required when photographing a look. In my opinion, next time, I would use much more exaggerated and oversized garments to reflect this street grunge look more, and enhance it. Furthermore, I feel that I could have experimented further with the poses and spots that I shot the photos within. However, due to a restricted time period of only 4 days, I had to work with what I had; and in that case, they were some great results. Lastly, to enhance the shoot further, I could have had multiple models and different looks within the shoot, to reflect this rebellious childhood group of mates, being mischievous as kids can be. However, once again, due to time and model restrictions, I could not achieve this which is a shame. 

Below, are some oil the most effective and engaging outcomes from the shoot, including some photos from the test shoot before hand:

A selection of some of my best extension project outcomes:

Few sketchbook pages:

After I had taken all of the photos for my extension project on fashion communication, I thought I would add one last stage of experimentation and development to take my responses to a higher level, and bring my work out of my sketchbook a bit more. Therefore, I printed out a load of the 35mm shots I took, and used large A2 boards to mount them onto. On one of the boards I simply mounted the images onto it in a clean and crisp way. However, with the other board, I thought it would be effective to physically manipulate and distress the images before mounting them on. I used as lighter to burn the edges of some of the images, tore them in half and stapled them back together realigned, I also used sand paper to wear away certain sections of some of the photos etc. The reason I decided to distress these photos by hand was because I wanted to create something that complimented the aesthetic of the culture I was trying to portray within my shoot. Therefore, to depict this grungey culture, I wanted to produce some grunge styled outcomes, that reflected this aesthetic. I feel as if this was a very productive step to finalise my extension project and bring it to a strong end, using skills from alternative pathways to enhance my fashion communication work. These outcomes are much more engaging to look at, and in my opinion, give the work more substance and character due to all being physically unique, having different distressing techniques applied to them. In addition, the contrast between the clean cut and professional looking design board, against the ruggedness and eroded nature of the other is strong, and it creates a good talking point and speculation.

Below are some closeups of the manually distressed outcomes:

Contextual review (draft 1) 

Throughout this diagnostic process, I have been pushed to stay open-minded, experiment with diverse techniques, and explore various processes, that weren’t common practice for me prior. Through the wide range of exercises endured, I’ve been able to evolve my creative mindset, and experience certain pathways that I’ve flourished within creatively. This intense course opening has allowed me to see where I thrive most successfully, and where’s not best suited to my skill set and purpose. I strongly feel that I’ve become a more adaptable and compliant student as a result of my insight into foundation, due to the fast pace nature and stress on quick idea generation throughout. Anyone can consider a great proposal when there is no time limit, but when placed under a 1-day period to curate an entire project, it really tests your imaginative and creative process, but in my case, brings the best out in my creativity. 

In advance of the foundation course, I knew that I was very much a design based individual. I work best when I can plan and visualise my concept in various formats, before I physically create something. I work with a step by step process, and love to experiment and develop my thoughts and ideas as I go along in the design process, to ensure my work is ever evolving. As a result, it didn’t come as too much of a surprise to me when I noticed that the majority of my most effective and intuitive work came from the more design focused workshops. 1 particular project stood out to me, as the one where I felt I had the greatest control and input throughout, this being the fashion communication session, labeled ‘do, undo, redo’. My reaction and response to this specific brief highlighted to me that I am a creative that thrives off working with/on the human body. I Found that I am most engaged and innovative when I am either designing looks for the body, or physically manipulating materials to fit the bodies form. I found myself very much engrossed in the process of layering and draping materials from the human structure, then standing back and making quick 5 minute sketches of what was before me. I had not been exposed to these techniques before, but due to me feeling excited the entirety of the session, I feel that fashion communication is one of the strongest contenders. One aspect I feel I may miss if I was in fashion communication would be the physical crafting side of design based practices. For example, the fashion design pathway consists of designing looks still, but physically constructing these designs from materials. I can be quite a hands on creative, where I like to be working on physical outcomes. This is the only part of fashion communication that may lack for me, however, I feel I could make this up by manipulating existing garments and doing my own adjustments to pieces. Through the various classes, I’ve also found that I can work efficiently within teams. I like to bounce ideas off others, and have peer feedback on my decisions. This is something that is very prevalent within communication, so is something I would not struggle with.

In term of my inspirations throughout this course, I noticed that much of my research on workflow referenced the designer Martin Margiela, along with many other creatives. However, I feel there is a big relevance and link between lots of my outcomes from throughout the project and Margiela’s influence on my creativity. Im forever engaged with his ability to create beautiful bespoke pieces from old unused materials and objects, within his artisanal collections. Although this isn’t directly relevant to fashion communication processes, the concepts and ideas I find can be used as inspiration for my own styling work, as it isn’t just about having expensive couture garments to create successful outcomes, its about working with what surrounds you and constructing designs from ordinary things. Another creative who constantly inspired my working processes is Christo. Although he is essentially a fine artist, his ability to transform and elevate his everyday surroundings into masterpieces using basic materials forever amazes me. I’ve been influenced by his works, not only visually, but conceptual inspiration too. I reference these two creatives specifically as I feel they were ahead of their time, and were pioneers for contemporary art and design as we know it. This is something I will always strive to achieve within any of my work as a creative. 

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