Saturday, May 17, 2014

Final Project Concept Photo

Nyx (2014)
Eva Gan
A two pieces squid-like dress with self-painted pattern, made in self-dye linen;
A pearl decorated pale-ultramarine-blue veil;
A bracelet chained by pearls.


In the seminar class, I wrote a research paper to answer the question that why and how people raise the aesthetics of flora and fauna, further to explain why and how fashion designers like to take inspiration from nature. If we knew designers’ intention, we could better understand the influence of nature in the fashion industry. Overall, I discussed three aspects: visual diversity, symbolism, and environmentalism.

My final garment for the studio class was also developed from those three aspects. Exotic visual element of some rear/endangered flora or fauna was my starting point. The silhouette of garment is come from the shape of Chiroteuthis Veranyi, which is commonly known as the long-armed squid. The color and pattern is based on Portuguese man o' war (Physalia physalis), a marine cnidarian of the family Physaliidae. Because all the visual elements are about undersea creatures, I can imagine the wearer is an undersea character. Therefore, I use bluish colors and pearls, which both symbolize the ocean. Also, I chose to take the concept photo on the beach, to create an image of Nyx (water sprite) coming from sea.











Final Project Look

Before went to take photographs, I thought about the setting and styling at home. The setting would definitely be beach, so I searched beaches in NYC and decided Brighton Beach, because it is relatively closer and quieter. The makeup would be white eyelash and white eyebrow, because it would make model more like water sprite in my mind. To create more effects about water spite, I wetted the hair of model and styling with no shoes, pearl-droped veil and pearl-chained bracelet.













Final Project Process

According to the sketchers, I think it is better to make two pieces instead of one. After deciding the general orientation, I started working. First of all, I made pattern of top by following the steps of sketches, paper pattern and muslin, and I also did the paper pattern for the dress. I faced two problem, which is how to cut the collar and where to put the darts. For the collar, I searched online and tried different cuts many times on dressing form and real body to make it looks flat, but actually a little curvy to fit the neck well. Searching the tech of folding darts didn't work this time, because my design of top is unusual. I need discovered a new way based on the principle that don't influence the painted pattern to much. Finally, I created two little darts besides the chest, and two darts one the zipper line, which are totally invisible but works well at tightening the wait and fitting the back line.

Next is painting the top pattern. I did hand drawing sketches, reflecting image and filling the general color by Photoshop. But the colors on Photoshop were not good, because they are fluorescent. So I painted the watercolor version. When I applied onto real fabric, I have think of silk paints. Actually, I found a good type of paints, but I finally decide use watercolor, because I own more colors and I am more familiar with watercolor. I used very pale blue color to paint the outline, and then painted by wanted color. Unfortunately, the pattern that came out looked like Chinese spring festival painting rather than undersea creature. I tried to fix it by adding a bluish background, but it still didn't look good.

So I needed start over again. This time, I looked really detail into the images of Physalia physalis, also considered the color of ocean that I would apply on dress. After designing, I tried different method to paint first: 1. dry painting; 2. wet painting; 3. painted on water; 4.add water on painting; 5. painted after another color dry. Even though I did carefully for this time, I still haven't solve a problem, which is there would a layer of white on the pattern after it became dry. It is one weakness of watercolor used on fabric.


For the dress, I dyed it by ink. Three colors -- blue, red and black -- can render on each other, so the fabric could seems in one color, but some parts are purplish and some parts are bluish. Same problem that the color would become pale after dry. So I dyed it, dried it, dyed again, dried again, dyed third times, and dried third times... 

My deign of pattern on dress are continuing similar patter as top on the bottom side, but creating dotted pattern for the front and back of the dress. The dotted pattern is inspired from jellyfish. It looks pretty nice by itself, but not that good when combining with the top. Therefore, I changed to a new way that is using pearl instead.

The arrangement of pearls is another problem, I organized them experimentally on Photoshop to find a best way. Then I used the pins to locate them and sewed the real one by hands.

When I dyed the veil, neither watercolor or ink worked, since they could not keep on gauze. So I went to buy the dye. The gauze originally is pink, so I took the bright blue to make ultramarine blue. The first dyeing was not successful, the color could be washed off. Then I searched the method online  and successed for the second times.

I think for this project, the most difficult parts are colors and darts. From this project, I experimented a lot and learned a lot.

Friday, May 2, 2014

Final Project Thesis and Plan

I started from searching exotic creatures, whatever in reality or in illustration form, to find the amazing creature that bright my eyes. When I collected the photos together and organized, I found most of them are undersea animals, so I decide the create a fairy character who are living undersea.

Schedule/Timeline:
Apr. 25 -- Search photos; Find inspiration; Do brain-storm sketches
Apr. 26 -- Search the fabric paints info and instruction
May 2 -- Make mood board; Make paper pattern
May 6 -- Design the pattern by watercolors on paper
May 7 -- Buy fabric paints according to watercolor painting
May 8 to May11 -- Cut the fabric; Dye; Sew; Construct the hat; Make the hat
May 13/15 (depends on weather) -- Take photos; Edit


 Mood board

Sketches


Sunday, April 20, 2014

Silhouette Study Garment



My research topic is flora and fauna, and I always think each animal or plants represent a character or several. This dress is inspired by swan. Swan is noble and graceful, which make me associate with Queen. They has the similar characters, which both are elegance and holding a cold attitude standing at high status. To show those characters, I design the silhouette that is close-fitting to body to show the nature shape of female body, with high collar and shower curtain as material to show cold personality. 

The self-made texture was discovered by accident. Firstly, I want to iron the shower curtain to make it flat, but I heard somethings melting, then I saw this texture comes out. Two layers of curtain was melting and sticking together. I was amazed by it, and I think it can make the model more sexy, mystery and icy, which is also the feeling the Queen gives us. I may discover and apply some self-made texture on unconventional material in my final project.

Another very useful tech I learned is creating new pattern on basic pattern, and I will also use in my final project. It will be very helpful, because I can imagine the shape of my final garment will be bizarre according to my topic.



Thursday, April 10, 2014

Silhouette Study Garment Sketches


 I searched the Disney movies and elves in both Chinese Legend and Western Story. I found animals have different characters. For example, snake-woman usually is evil and sexy, rabbit-woman is often kind-hearted. That reminds me a reading from seminar class. One section in "Light and Color in the Middle Ages" writes about symbolism of color -- every color itself means different property, such as white representing pure and red representing fire. Yellow is usually used to paint halo of the god. Same things happens on animals/plants. Many examples in Anthropomophism is based on symbolism of animals/plants. Artists and writes creates the character half with a specific animal/plant because the nature of that specific animal/plant. It sends to people indirect information. For instance, sloth gives people information of moving slow, so designers would not make the sloth moving so fast in animation.
                                                     
                                                                                                                     
      
(Peacock--Colorful, Passion)

Therefore, considering the character of different animals and the Silhouette of those animals, I designed following clothes. I chose basic dress pattern, because elves/fairies hardly wear pants. And I will use shower curtain as material, since this  material can make the clothes looks like more alien style and it is easy to handle. 

                                 (Snake--Smooth, Sexy)                       (Swan--Noble, Graceful)

                          (Anteater--Ponderous, Quiet)                      (Ring-necked Pheasant)