Unit X - Week commencing 24th March

This week we put all our images/ motifs onto screen but started the week off by working with the hand painting onto screen process. We worked well to create different elements of our research to put a first sample piece together. I already knew what kind of effect it would have but it was good to see what Elysha and Chloe thought of this process. We printed onto two different weights of cotton, and we like how some of the designs came out but some of the detail in the figures and text bled which meant it wasn't as defined as we would have liked it to be. This means we are going to try out more printing techniques and see which one we think works the best for what we want to achieve.  

Images for screen

We found with our hand painting that once the fabric had been steamed etc.. that the colours weren't as strong as what we had hoped for. For the next time we do this process we now know to use less water when mixing the dye. 

All of the team also went to London on Friday on a fabric sourcing trip. It was nice to have the time to get to know Chloe and Elysha better and to see what sort of fabrics they like/ want to work with. We got mainly samples from different fabric shops as at the time none of us could really afford to buy meters of fabric. We also decided we need to spend time to think of what garment/garments we want to produce before buying fabrics. However it was great to see places where we can source all different fabrics at different price ranges for future projects. 

Unit X - Research

For Unit X I'm in engineering print for fashion. This is something I'm very interested in so glad I've got the opportunity to do this option choice. We've been put into teams and I'm with two fashion students Chloe and Elysha. We've put all initial ideas and interests forward and feel that we've made a good start and progress for what we want and hope to achieve within Unit X.    

We all liked the idea of the circus at Belle Vue and have decided to look more into circus' and funfairs and what inspirational links and ideas we find interesting such as trapeze artists, fortune telling, circus freaks and carousels. We've also been considering what print techniques and processes we would like to do in the print room. As I did print in the last unit/project I feel like I can advise on what I think would suit different fabrics. 

We all have a love for colour and feel this is going to work well when producing prints for the project. I feel because our outlook of the theme is turning into being quite childish. (in a good way). We think we can have fun with colour and experimenting with different contrasting fabrics and processes. I think the foiling technique in the print room will work well and add that element of 'fun' to our work. 

On Friday we looked into creating a muse to base our design work around. We liked the idea of making the name of our muse real. From the Belle Vue archives we all said there was one name that really stood out for us and that was Madam Lola. We were also interested in making the muse weird and unusual. As we are research circus freaks we came up with the idea of 'Madam Lola' being a bearded lady. We then created quick drawings of different garments based on elements of our mood board.    

For my personal progress I have started to write a plan for the upcoming week. I've found in the past that this has really helped with my organisation skills and time management. 

Unit X Research Week - Pintrest

As part of Unit X its vital that I collect as much research as possible and have been advised to create a Pintrest. This has also been a great starting point to gather secondary research. Ive started into looking into fairgrounds which is the main theme but then after looking into what Blackpool and Belle Vue. I've found a number of designers that have used fairgrounds in their catwalk shows. The one that stood out for me the most was Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2012 catwalk show. 

I've then started to look into the typography you see when you go to a fairground/circus. The boldness of it really caught my eye and how they light it us with huge bulbs. The colours as well can be very bright and this adds that to the spectacular impact I feel it gives to the overall affect of being at the fairground. circus etc...

When in Blackpool I saw what looked like a pupper in a glass cabinet. When you put 20p in it, the puppet laughed. Was quite creepy but I've never been a fan of puppets and clowns as child, but it reminded me of fortune tellers being in the booths and reading tarot cards. This is something I'm going to look further into as I think it will be interesting to research into. 

  

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Unit X Research Week - Belle Vue

This week we were given a talk on the famous Belle Vue, yet I had never heard of it. Opened in 1836 and closed in 1980. It was great to hear about something that no longer exists but played a big impact on hundreds and probably millions of lives. People traveled miles to experience what Belle Vue had to offer from the gardens to the circus acts.   

As Belle Vue had so much to offer this has given me another starting point and another set of inspiration. Belle Vue's entertainment was spectacular at the time and was on arches and aches of land. But the place is none existent now. Belle Vue held concerts, sports, a circus, ballrooms, firework displays and most importantly I have found is the Belle Vue zoo. 

I'm intrigued by the idea that more than 3/4 of the people my age and people older have never heard of Belle Vue. Manchester Histories though are and have been creating archives around Belle Vue and on the 21st March will be publishing a digital map of the Belle Vue collections and archives that are being showcased around Manchester. It will aslo give me a chance to research into individuals that will have fascinating stories about life at Belle Vue. 

Unit X Research Week - Blackpool Pleasure Beach

During the first part of the archive visits, I went to Blackpool Pleasure Beach. As the theme for Unit X is fairgrounds this was a great opportunity to have a look at things beyond what the general public see on a day to day basis. It was a great starting point and was very inspiring. First we were given a presentation on the history of the Pleasure Beach and how the business has staying within the same family for generations starting with William Bean in 1986. The Pleasure Beach began very small with only a few rides transported from America. The park has established loads and now has features such as theatres, bars, restaurants and much more. 

I got the chance to compare the old and the new within the park. I was taken to the mini archive where I was shown old parts of rides and logos from over the years. So much has changed since it was first established and has become much more of an attraction for families. 

 Later in the day I went in the costume vault where I were shown old costumes from the ice shows and also current costumes they were working on. There were thousands!!! The roles of fabrics caught my eye as well at the head wear as they were mainly large feathered structures. These worked well for great primary research.