Monday 29 September 2008

Fashion Love

I kept to my word and managed to go out on a hunt for a job and it all looks quite promising. So, I suppose this shows that being organised and logical can work sometimes and that maybe I should plan my time more often, in class and at home.
I also had my first critical studies lesson and I actually found it all really interesting I love learning new ways of learning and about new concepts. We’ve already been sent a piece of writing to do - 500 words on two fashion images - due in on Friday! Not very long to do it in but I like to be pushed to my limits and challenged, which is part of the reason why I chose this course. I felt it would push me to those limits and make me work harder than before. I know that working, and even learning in the design industry is hard, but I really want to succeed. I found my Pre-Degree Foundation course quite stressful and it taught me a lot about time control and not to leave things to the last minute, so that is one trap I am definitely not going to fall into. I want to get the most out of this course and that means me taking responsibility for my own action and the way in which I learn.
Oh and I finally managed to find an image of a dress that I would like to make for the Fashion Realisation project, I’m really excited about starting pattern making, as I feel I have so much to learn.
I’m looking forward to finding out about our brief on Creative Approaches to Fashion Design and to find out what my tutor thought about my summer project. I want as much feedback from my tutor and my class mates as possible as I believe it’s really good to listen to different opinions on projects and to see how people use varied techniques and have different understandings of the same project. I suppose that’s what makes creative subjects so interesting because there’s no right answer and everyone always has a unique view point and way of thinking. This is why Fashion Design will never bore me!

Sunday 28 September 2008

Lazy Sunday Afternoon!

So, I find myself bored on a Sunday afternoon not knowing what to do. Outside the sun is shining the birds are singing but I really don’t feel like dragging myself out in the fresh air, I’d much rather be bored to tears in my room….after all it is a lazy Sunday afternoon. When suddenly I realise I still don’t have a job, so being my logical self – (ha), I decide to get cracking on that C.V of mine. It seemed to take me a lot longer than I anticipated, as I hadn’t up dated it in ages but at least I know now that everything is up to date and correct.
I would like to say that I’d done more productive things once I’d completed my C.V but that would be a lie. I thought it would be a brilliant idea to watch a DVD and just relax on this day of rest as tomorrow is going to be full packed with productiveness – if that’s even a word! I’ve already planned my Monday, once I’ve been to Critical Studies and finished everything that needs to be done at LCAD I’m going to venture into the town centre in search of a job!
Armed with my C.V and my charm how could anyone resist!

Friday 26 September 2008

Thinking of the future

Today out of curiosity I decided to browse the internet at various jobs in the Fashion industry and was quite surprised at the amount of different jobs that even existed, and if I’m honest I don’t even know what some of them even are! I have thought for a while now that I don't really want to become a designer but I want to go into journalism or styling. I’ve always loved to dress people up and I think I’d really love a career like that. I’m not definitely sure yet but once I’ve looked into it more and by the end of my course I’ll know.
I also learnt how to use an industrial machine today and it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it might be, it just goes a lot faster than a domestic one and so is harder to control, and when I say harder to control I mean before I knew it I had a drunken line right the way across my page in about a sec. Practice makes perfect though!
We also talked through our new brief today I found it all quite a lot to take in but I’m sure it will become clearer once we start it properly and I’ve read through it a few more times!!! I’m very excited about this brief as we’ve been asked to find an image of a garment we would like to make and apparently we’ll be making it! Seems a little impossible right now, as I haven’t done that much pattern work before but I really want to understand it so I’m at ease with it.
I’ve started to make more of my own notes in class as well to help get my head around things and found that it really does help. So I think in the future it will just become second nature to me.
I’m quite nervous about starting a proper project as I feel I don’t have enough skills and I know everyone’s from different courses and we’ll all pick them up but it’s still a little nerve racking!
I just need to stay focused and put my all into this course because I really want to do well and succeed! I know I can do it and I want prove the people that think I can’t wrong and show them you can be successful in the fashion design industry! You can do anything if you put your mind to it and believe in yourself!

Tuesday 23 September 2008

Learning the right way

Right, so after looking over what I'd previously written I realised I'd missed out my first proper lesson at LCAD - "Knowing me, knowing you" and as I learnt a lot from this I thought it was only right to include it!
In this session we learnt about ourselves, about how we work best and our learning styles. This fascinated me as I love to learn more about myself and how I work best. I know that might sound a little odd because people always say that, “no one knows you better than you know yourself”, but sometimes I feel that I lie to myself and I think everyone does occasionally. In this session we had to record what sort of learner we thought we were, so there’s me thinking that I’m solely a visual learner and quite a physical, logical and verbal learner….how wrong was I?! After completing a questionnaire to test this theory of mine, I realised I was completely off the mark. I wasn’t a logical learner at all, in fact that was what I scored lowest in and as for being a visual learner…well I’ve just been lying to myself all along! I’m actually more of a verbal learner which was my highest score, it makes sense really because I can never seem to shut up!
So, after this session I found out that the way I thought I learnt best isn’t actually how I learnt at all, and maybe I was just writing down what sort of learner I wanted to be rather than what I actually am. I feel that sometimes it’s difficult to write down what you’re real thoughts and feelings are, so you just guess or put down how you would like to be perceived. I’ve decided to work on my weak points and try and be more logical and work in a more visual way in order to get the most out of my BA Fashion course.
Another valuable lesson I learnt today is to be very careful with my finances and I’ve started to make a note of my incomings and outgoings so I don’t end up struggling too much. Actually I’d say that was pretty logical of me, but we shall see if I can keep up with it all!

Monday 22 September 2008

My "New Life"



The Zandra Rhodes Dress -

designed by Matthew Williamson.

So, I set off to discover my "New Life" in Leeds and so far so good! I've been here now for 11 days and I can't say I'm missing home half as much as I thought I would be. There's so much to do here that I just haven't got time to even think about getting home sick! My first day at LCAD wasn't as scary as I thought it might have been, but it did help having two flat mates that just so happened to be studying the same course as me. I have to admit the fresher week was quite a bore but it had to be done, I can't moan too much because we did get to go on a little trip to Manchester. As part of a project we had to record anything that we felt defined Manchester, and before I knew it I was on my hands and knees taking rubbings from trees and pavements! My digital camera was permanently flashing away at building and anything I found obscure that might be of use to me. We also managed to visit the Urbis and went to a few exhibitions, “The best of Manchester” and “Matthew Williamson: ten years in fashion”. I found “The best of Manchester” exhibition really interesting and was constantly scribbling down notes on some of the artists and fashion designers that had been voted “best of Manchester”. I felt that Jai Redman’s work was brilliant, and loved the slogan “Trees breathe – adverts suck” and the idea behind it all. I sometimes forget that we live in a world full of advertising, I start to feel a little immune to it all because we’re constantly exposed to it, and by covering up the adverts around Manchester it just showed people just how much we are surrounded by adverts and how money really does make the world go round!
I enjoyed the Matthew Williamson exhibition too, even though I’m not too fond of his work he does have the odd piece that I love like the Zandra Rhodes dress. I was instantly drawn to it and loved the story behind it. I think it makes such a huge difference when a garment has a story to go with it and I feel it gives that garment a special and unique touch! I also liked looking at his sketchbooks and fashion illustrations and I managed to get a few sneaky snaps as a memento, which have now taken their rightful place on my pin board!
After visiting these exhibitions I had a taste for it and decided it was time to head to Leeds Museum, which just so happened to be quite close to my halls of residence! The building itself was amazing and I found the exhibition helped me with my summer project as there was a lot there that could be related to my chosen phrase of “layering and tears”, which I had previously been struggling with! I later found that once I'd looked over my research and photos I'd collected there was no stopping me and I was able to get on with my project quite happily!

Well...I think that's all that's been happening so far in my "New Life" but there will be plenty more to report I'm sure, as tomorrow is another day!