Expect the pace of this blog to pick up again, now that I'm back in school. The sheer pace of it, after a month of lazing around, is feeling a little overwhelming, but it's also ensuring I'm not slacking off at all. I only hope my restfulness over break was a needed respite and not an indicator of my post-graduation work ethic. Or perhaps the winter's just making me depressed. In any case.
Yay, there's the finished shirt and vest. Tried it on my mate Allie who I really hope can wear it in the end, it looks really good on her. The only issue is it's a little snug, so I know I'm going to have to make the undergarments really thin, so there's little bulk. Also I'll have to make an underskirt, the skirt I'm working with would be inappropriately short.
Currently working on the neck-piece for the shirt. This, along with the arm-bands, will probably be what goes to Korea in the summer, our piece for that had to be smaller than 12x12x12" and, well, it's a little hard to get a garment into those dimensions.
With a scarf running through it. I'm trying to decide now what to embroider on the little disc in the center, I'd like to do some really fine work, it's a small space, so I can take my time.
And a little sketch I did a while ago. Can't seem to draw those feather-leggings though, haha.
Finally rounding the bend on Lirienne's shirt. I left it sleeveless at the end of the summer, and never had time to pick it up during the semester. Now it's all but done, just needs buttons, which I'd really like to make of brass or carved wood. I'll get a picture on a mannequin as soon as I can, it looks a bit odd skewed out like that. The sleeves will have a band around them, so make them more poofy than bell-shaped. Collar and button placket. I had to insert fabric on either side, as the piece shrunk a bit when I sewed in the gussets. There will eventually be a tie or cravat sort thing. I like doing buttonholes by hand, it feels nice to make something so solid. Got the feather fair-isle off the needles. I think rather than using it as a neck piece, I'm going to felt it and turn it into two arm warmers (probably for Lirienne as well)
So I've mentioned that I've started a tumblr here and since I've been a bit lazy/don't have a ton of photos of what I'm working on, I've been on it a lot, just posting pictures of things I'm interested in. Which seems to be mostly sci-fi book covers, costumes, and detail shots of historical garments. And tonight I was going through posting Star Wars costumes--I love the original trilogy with all my heart, and as much as I'm not a fan of the recent three, they have fantastically weird costumes. And something struck me. Because Star Wars nerds are incredibly, well, nerdy, it gave me an opportunity I haven't had with other clothing or costumes. I could see the garment in nearly every context: moving on film, frozen in screen shots, taken out of it's environment in staged character shots, then onto a mannequin in exhibitions shots, and finally, in design sketches. These are all things I've been considering as a 'final' piece to the work I'm doing, so it's interesting to see something laid out like that. I'm going to illustrate it with an Episode 1 outfit, it's not my favorite, but there's a mass of information and pictures.
1) The initial drawing, the concept with no concrete object:
2) A segment of film in which the garment is worn. The garment in motion, in character, moving within the environment it was designed for.
3)Screenshots of said film, the garment is no longer in motion, but still exists within the still photo in an enviroment, and as a character.
4) Backstage photos of garment, the character, and illusory immersion into environment is broken, but garment remains connected to the idea of film and character.
5) Reference photos of actress in garment, environment does not exist, and purpose of garment is unclear, though the viewer may still infer from details of costume/person inhabiting it. Costume becomes costume more clearly.
6) Photo of exhibition of garment. Like backstage picture, the garment is removed from the environment, but connected to the idea of film and the character by prior knowledge. Garment is no longer living on a person, removing the person in it from the idea of the character. Costume becomes display/anthropological.
7) Costume presented as fashion. Removal of the wearer as character, replaced as model. Context of fashion runway removes garment from idea of film, make the wearer more a blank slate than active participant in the presentation of garment.
8) Garment as it's details. Garment's narrative becomes more vague, person or character is not present, garments purpose is unknown.
I'm not pretended I've got it all figured out, but it's inspired new thought on the tricky subject of "Okay, I've made these garments, now what the hell do I do with them, and how do I show them to people"
So I have a camera, sort of. It's not great, but it'll work for now, and it was free. So what have been up to?
Well, I meticulously deconstructed four thrift store tweed jacket into the giant pile of tweed you see here. Then cut them into strips like you see here. They will eventually be turned into a cape, something like what you see here. At least, I want to get a woven effect with them. Been looking at a lot of fair isle again (look at my tumblr!) lately, so I'm starting a small piece to play around with. Here's the chart. And so far!
I've also been trying to draw more, in general, and to get some design ideas better laid out. Working out Mariah's undergarments. In progress.
