Fragile Structure

So I'm getting there with this costume - yay!
The bottom feathers are really floaty and fragile (which I love), and as you go up the dress to the bodice the feathers become more structured (but still have movement in them), to when its finished and you have the head/neck piece which is going to be completely structured.
I'm looking forward to filming the piece, and to see how it all moves together.
(apologies for the not great quality of photos)

Today I have been playing with fabric and making these delicate feathers - I'm really please with how they are turning out ... even if they do take a while to make :P ! They are really delicate and fine which is what I am wanting to achieve!

Fragility

my studio space - which I am looking froward to getting back to on Wednesday!





Lips - the lines and faded colour are fragile to me
Bleach - not only looks fragile and delicate, it is also 'breaking down' the paper and ink.






My project is still on swans but I am looking more at the feathers and ‘fragility’ side of them. I hope to breakdown fabric and see where it takes me. With only 2 weeks left and the past month spent doing work experience I admit I haven’t been on top of my drawings/ research but I have still been drawing lots of feathers when I can, and hope to take this into print and then ‘break down’ the fabric I create. Wish me luck ….

Hello Panda

making some props





breaking down costumes





breakdown with "blood"






a few alterations here and there ...




fittings




So the last month has been my busiest month ever! I have been on work experience and it has been one of the best experiences in my life! I was working in the wardrobe department of the Traverse Theatre on the play 'Pandas'. I was lucky enough to work under Sarah Holland the wonderful wardrobe supervisor and got to be part of the pre-production week, production week and the opening shows.

Pre-production week involved meetings with the rest of the crew, sourcing costumes, buying costumes and fittings. Since this is a contemporary play most of the costumes were bought in shops and online – although this proved a bit of a challenge when there were specific items to find and they had gone out of season, or just don’t exist.

Production week involved run-throughs, tech week and alterations. I learnt a lot about altering the clothes and got to make some props for the stage too. Tech week is all about syncing everything together – the sound, lights and actors – to the millisecond!

Before the opening shows there were preview shows, in which there was still time to make changes to the play. There was also press night which was a fantastic opportunity to meet others in the theatre business and ask loads of questions.

I literally have had the most fantastic time on this work experience, and have learnt loads too. I learnt how to break-down costumes, make alterations, use an industrial sewing machine, and see how a professional play is put together. I hope to use the skill I have learnt into my work.

Fragile...

After my tutorial with Les, I realised I don't use this blog as a reflective journal as I had hoped to, so I have decided that's what I am going to start doing!
The tutorial also gave me a chance to really work out what I am wanting with this project. I really enjoy drawing swans and am interested in the movement, shape and texture of the Swan. One of the words that kept coming up was fragile, and so I am hoping to explore 'fragility' and see where it takes me.
Last night we had a goth party and naturally the black lipstick came out - this lip print reminds me of feathers - the lines and faint/fragile quality.

Flapping Wings

I am really enjoying drawing swans and looking at how they move.
There are 6 different kinds of swan 'Mute' (above), 'Trumpeter', 'Whooper', 'Black', 'Black-necked' (also above), and 'Tundra'.
The other 2 images are my drawings of how a swan flapping its wings.

So new project has started and I am looking at Swans. I would like to develop it to produce a costume piece - a ballet piece like Swan Lake maybe, but right now I am concentrating on the Swan itself, I am exploring how they move, their feathers, growth etc and will see where it takes me.
We had a drawing workshop to get us started last week and we had to make rules - our groups rules were 'draw without looking at the paper, no black, change scale, draw by taking away, and draw only texture.'
The first image is my drawing without looking at the paper, taking away, and no black.

I have been looking a the feathers and learning about their different functions etc - here are some drawings made by a feather + quink + bleach; and another by using a craft knife.