Category: Uncategorised

In this session, we went on an external trip to the Southbank and explored the surroundings with the intention to create interesting photographs.

Near the Southbank was the Royal Festival Hall where there was a lot of interesting settings and decorative objects. We walked around the hall and took images near a yellow staircase that allowed me to explore with the angles and structure. Due to us being outside, the natural lighting was very strong and it made the images looks a lot more alive and bright; this worked well against the strong colours of the surroundings. It was quite difficult to capture nice shots as it was in a very open space; therefore I struggled with picking the location to take pictures. We also tried different gestures for the model to create dynamic and perhaps a story to the images.

The settings of Southbank was mainly concrete and very industrial atmosphere, which was able to set a tone to the images. Whilst editing, I tried to experiment with the background instead of the model this time and created overlays and contrasting filters. I also manipulated the size of the images and played with the proportion etc.

In this session, we went on an external trip to Lime Grove and explored the local surroundings.

The aim of this activity is to be able to experiment and work around the setting and to discover interesting backgrounds for a fashion shoot. I mainly walked through the Shepherd’s Bush Market and I was actually able to find lots of interesting locations and props that can be incorporated into the photos. I played around with different angles and proportions of the camera etc. to create fun pictures; it was nice that the settings of the market consisted of lots of objects such as trolleys, plants, posters, food, jewellery etc. Most of these were very colourful as well so it acted out as a nice contrasting background against the model.

In terms of editing, I experimented with different filters, tools, software and effects. I specifically increased the saturation for all of my photos as I wanted to emphasise the background and mix of colours. I also played with layering by repeating a part of the image and it overall created a very dreamy, funky atmosphere and added more dynamics to the images. Additionally, this time I tried to manipulate the coordination of the images; for example arranging them in a collage, repeating or overlaying them on top of each other. The end results were very interesting and could work well as an editorial photo.

In this session, we explored the use of props and how it elevates a photoshoot.

There were a selection of weird props provided for this session which allows us to experiment with the potential of objects. I have chosen a chandelier, rhinestone sticker and aluminum foil. Whilst choosing the location for the shoot, I noticed a space which had very bright direct light with yellow and orange hues; it reminded me of the sunlight and thought it would reflect very will with the crystals of the chandelier. Through utilising the light and props, we were able to capture some interesting shots that had unique reflections and shadows. We also played with the position of props and how it can be incorporated into the body and image; the overall shoot focused on hands and the jewelleries I was wearing (many rings) which combines the idea of fashion and setting together.

The second-half of the session involves selecting and editing the images. I noticed the usefulness of cropping images and discovered a complete new look when the focus changes. I tried to be as experimental as I can with the editing and tried out many editing software since they offer different filters and effects. As my images contained primarily white and silver colours, I tried to make the photos have a deep contrast to create dynamic. The lighting resulted in lots of shadows etc. so I also used filters and effects that would reinforce it and make it more obvious.

This session was interesting and I enjoyed it because I was able to utilise different props and explore their potential; for example the use of a prop in a fashion shoot does not limit to the model holding it but instead it can be used in many unconventional ways such as becoming a filter, creating shadows, distortion and reflection etc.

In this session, we explored the application of makeup in fashion and created unique looks.

As preparation work, we used face images as a model to brainstorm our makeup looks. Using a variety of mediums such as make-up products, acrylic paint, pens, pencils, markers etc. I created three looks that showcase my creativity and aesthetics. I tried to break the beauty boundaries and played with different shapes and textures on the face. This task was interesting as it allowed us to explore the power of makeup and how different looks can convey a different meaning/atmosphere. This also gave me the opportunity to use the face as a canvas to express artistically in a fashionable way. The outcomes I’ve created were quite conceptual as I incorporated many media and played with the structure of the face.

In the second half of the session, we started to recreate the illustrated looks on our own faces and take pictures. The makeup look I created in this session mainly focused on the upper section of the face, specifically the eyes. I utilised brown and gold eyeshadows and dragged them down to create a ‘melting’ and ‘dripping’ look. I also used liquid shimmer as I imagined the glitter will reflect nicely in the photos using the flash or natural sunlight.

In this session, we focused on styling and creating editorial pages using different clothing pieces that would form an interesting outfit.

Using a mannequin, we put together outfits from combining the clothing pieces that each of us brought. This was interesting as everyone has very different and individual style, it was a bit difficult to put together outfits but that is what made them unconventional. Before wearing the outfits, we had to arrange them on a clothing rack etc. so it creates a setting that would be used in the trends page. It was also important that focused pictures were also taken as it shows the details and colours more clearly.

The outfits I created overall conveyed a sort of Victorian vintage style, so we decided to take the picture in the backyard of the college as the surroundings were mostly bricks, concrete etc. Additionally, there was really good natural lighting so we utilised the sunshine and played with the position of the light. When it comes to editing the pictures, I tried to mimick the ‘old-fashion’ photography style. I experimented with different editing software and layered yellow and brown filters, as well as increasing the grain of the picture to create texture. I also overlayed some scratches etc. to reinforce the atmosphere of vintage photos.

Through this session, I was able to recognise my strength in styling and photography. I find myself considering the overall colour coordination and style before just putting clothes on a mannequin. In terms of photography, I was able to explore different angles and lighting and as a result some interesting images were created. However, I think I would definitely improve on my editing skills as I found it difficult to format a clean layout for these editorial photos.

In this session, we studied and analysed magazines and the relevant content.

During the Christmas holiday, we selected two different magazines that are quite contrasting to each other; one being more commercial and the other focusing on artistic photographs. I chose to analyse Vogue and i-D and created some mood boards dedicated to the potential customers. It was interesting to see and consider the reasoning behind the choices of the magazine design including the front cover, layout, font etc. as the different styles of the elements can communicate a different atmosphere. the i-D magazine is very simplistic and conceptual in comparison to Vogue that focuses a lot on commercials and promotion. The major theme of i-D is black&white and minimalistic in my opinion; Vogue on the other hand is a lot more straightforward and clean layout as it does not focus as much on the artistic expressions.

In class, we used post-it notes to section the different contents of the magazine such as editorials, advertorials, advertisements, beauty page etc. so it is easier to understand the design behind each page; organising it also helps with the analysis. I was able to learn a lot of new keywords and terms that are useful in the fashion media industry that would potentially help with my future career. Using the knowledge we acquired in this session, we formed a page that would simply label and describe the different features of the contents in a magazine.

In this session, we tested different materials and colours for our clothing pieces as well as finalised the overall design.

The aim of this session is to create a line-up of four figures that are illustrated by hand. To begin with our exploration, we practised with colour proportions ( dominant and accent) colours choosing the correct tones. Using the colours from our artist research, we used the Pantone studio app to identify the specific hex codes. This will make it easier to find the matching colours in terms of art materials and fabric. The colour stories that were made from this task will further help with designing our final outcome. Working with the colour chart, we researched and applied the chosen colours onto various garments, keeping the proportions in mind. This task was interesting and fun as I was able to explore the atmosphere and what the colours communicated.

Through this session, I noticed I was able to construct quick illustrations and play with different structures and create interesting outcomes that are both artistic and conceptual. However, I need to be more careful in choosing the garments that matched specific colours as I tend to forget the small details.

Overall, I think this session was extremely helpful in terms of visualising the final outcome and considering the potential garment and colour that can be incorporated into the design.

In this session, we analysed and experimented with the photocopies of our shoe illustrations and created collages.

We used model images and headshots as the base and played with shapes and colours around the figure. Interesting collages were created and I was able to explore various shapes from the illustrations and how those can form into a potential clothing piece. It was difficult at first as I was trying too hard to keep everything look neat and pretty. However, as I see other people being very experimental it inspired me to cut out many different shapes and just experiment with the structure and curves. Using tracing paper, we outlined the collage we created and this will be the canvas for the fashion illustration. I tried to incorporate as much medium as possible; I used acrylic, colour pencil, markers, felt tips, oil pastels etc. to add dynamic to the work.

This was a very fun activity as it allowed me to play with a range of colours, media and shapes to create a unique looking fashion illustration. The result was very artistic and conceptual which I enjoyed and it was easier to visualise the potential fashion outcome for this project. I liked how I was able to try different drawing techniques in the Visual Studies sessions and discover unusual textures of certain medium such as oil pastel on tracing paper creates a very rough surface that could reflect the texture of some fabrics.

In this session, we explored buying and range planning and its importance in fashion merchandising.

It is important to understand what Fashion Buying and Merchandising is before analysing a product and its brand. A retail buyer focuses on products and they have to conduct lots of research on fashion trends before selecting the products that would appear online and in-store.

We worked in groups and selected a retailer brand we’re interested in working with in the future and created a visual range plan. This organises the core products, fashion products and leading-edge products into sections where we can analyse their features. We also utilised the merchandise mind map to plan the different varieties of products. These tools can be extremely helpful in the future when it comes to studying the market and how product development works; they can also be applied to your own products of predicting various events in the market.

During this session, I discovered my strength of being able to analyse things quickly and consider the reasoning behind specific choices. For example, I was able to understand the task easily and create the planning tools we learned and use them efficiently in the research tasks. However, I need to be more careful when it comes to selecting the products as I find myself choosing similar styles in the visual range plan activity. This might make it difficult for the brand to stand out and attract customers due to the same products being produced.

In this session, we learnt about fashion forecasting and analyzing a brand through the marketing mix strategy.

Fashion forecasting involves predicting possible future trends through creating a mood board consisting of a specific colour palette, relevant images etc. Using the website – WGSN, I selected one of the popular hashtags and practised compiling a mood board, it was interesting as I was able to experiment with Pantone and other websites for pictures.

We also conducted lots of research that allowed us to adopt the role of a buyer or product developer and considered the factors that will communicate certain fashion trends. Additionally, we learned about the Market Structure that sections the products individually, making it easier to organise and analyse.

The marketing mix is used to describe the various elements that form the product strategy: product, price, promotion and place. This is important to the business as it helps to understand and identify what the product and service can offer to your customers and helps to plan successfully, which lowers the risk of any potential failure to the business.

Through this session, I received a much more in-depth look into the fashion industry and the relevant analysing tools. I was able to identify a list of sources and use it to gain aspirational inspiration. As well as applying the research and knowledge I’ve learnt into the brands that I’ve selected which I would like to work with.