Going on from my last development of my exhibition I have made some big changes. I had been struggling with what experience I wanted to create that would also communicate my brand as a whole. I started by thinking about the topics I have been researching so far throughout my project such as our disconnection with nature but as I started developing that further, I was not too pleased with the outcome. Going on from this I also think that my project can be intense and has a lot going on at once, so I did not want to follow this into my space. Instead, I have been thinking of ways to make a relaxing area that can be an area for conversations or even a space for the people involved to look through my finished outcomes in some way. I am hoping this space will provoke conversation around my subjects and inspire people to start their own creations in a sustainable way. To begin my research around this idea I have been looking at a space created by Charles Renfro. I have been really enjoying watching interviews and writing by him and his team around their work and thoughts around architecture. Renfro and his team are on a mission to create workspace with the well being of the workers at best interest. The team have been creating peaceful spaces through research in psychology to understand the best environment for the future of workers. I found it really interesting hearing Renfro’s thoughts on furniture and how he placed soft materials to invite the workers to rest and have conversations while on breaks. Whereas in the office spaces he uses more firm chairs and other items to create a space where I worker can be more focused. Renfro always has his client’s mindset in mind when creating his spaces he said in an interview “it’s about bringing lots of strangers together and trying to understand ahead of time how they may or may not interact with one another”. I felt that this resonates with how I want to create my space and what atmosphere I want to create for everyone involved. My main thoughts right now is the environment my space will be in and the fact it will be busy and loud so creating a closed of area would be perfect when having conversation’s on a serious topic. To pursue with this research on Charles Renfro’s work as well as looking into further psychological research to ensure I’m creating a peaceful space as well as looking into colour and the emotions felt when seeing certain colours. To conclude, I am feeling much more inspired by these ideas and my research so far. I am hoping with continuous developments and experiments I will make an area I am happy to present.

 

 

choosing My final outcome images- 

I wanted to spend some time thinking of different ways I could present my images with the display I have chosen. I was not sure which images I wanted to use so decided to play around and see what looks best together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I started to do some research for my sketchbook into the problem that I am attempting to renew as a brand. The Main criteria for that inspired me to create a platform like Afterlife was my curiosity to what happens to all the clothing after we throw them away and more specifically what happens to the clothing that we send to our local charity shops. I begun my research by watching lots of Documentary on this topic and begun seeing the main issue that was being caused by our over consumption. I started to do research into where all our clothing goes watching documentaries such as The true cost by Andrew Morgan, Textiles Mountain: The hidden burden of our fast fashion waste, Trashion: The Stealth Export Of Waste Plastic Clothes To Kenya, Fast fashion is hot garbage by climate Town, and finally, un-stitched: How the fashion industry is destroying the planet by our collective impact. I found these all very useful to understanding where most of our clothes are going once we no longer have any use for them.  I then moved my research onto more specifically Charity shops and what areas are being affected by the clothes not being bought and instead thrown out. I find it very interesting learning where our waste goes and how the process of them being sent their begun in the first place. I know as a small platform I would not be able to make much difference in the ways people shop when it comes to fast fashion. However, I want to instead change the way people see charity shops and encourage people to use them more. I felt focusing more on charity shops would create more accessibility around my platform. Charity shops are usually much more local that fast fashion shops which would make it easy for my followers to access as well as them being priced cheaper than most mainstream shops.

 

After I did my research into why I have started this project I then started my discussion into what I will be creating and how I hope this will help the issues we are facing. My objective is to create a conversation and engagement around the issue. But also give my viewers ideas on how they can make changes to help the fashion industry themselves. people can find it frustrating being told they can make a difference when they don’t have as much power as others. Instead they expect our leaders to be making the changes to help the environment. My goal is to use art, photography, textiles and making to instead encourage change and inspire rather than dawn on the issues we are facing.

Hair and makeup-

today I started planning the hair and makeup I want to do on my model. I wanted to do a hair style that was slicked back with some detailing like in my sketchbooks inspiration pictures. I begun my hair style by doing a slicked back french bun like in this tutorial off YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_46Q7IADhnM) I then used clips to pin in curls, I used slicking gel to make the hair look smooth. For hair on the photo shoot  day I want to add some more curls on top of the bun with clips that match my models hair colour as well as making the hair look even more slicked using more gel. the hairstyle only took 30 minutes to finish thereby I know how long I can set aside for the shoot day. I wanted to do a hairstyle to make the photo shoot look more professional and elegant. I will be styling my model less casual for my main photo plans so having a hair style like this will add to the look of this photo shoot. for the makeup I was originally planning on doing a blue eye shadow look however, after doing the hair and styling I think it will be better to do a very simple bronzed makeup look. For the test shoot I will be just doing a simple makeup look and slicked back pony tail. That way I can focus the day on the lighting and styling.

video of me doing the models hair –

IMG_1100.mov

 

 

 

 

 

planning ideas for article – 

I wanted to do a research article for my website on one of the topics I had previously wrote about in my sketchbooks. this could be around social media, slow media, our relationships with these mediums, our disconnection with nature, trending clothes and obsession with beauty, and linking it back to sustainable fashion all these topics I have discussed throughout this project. Each time me and Matthew had discussions about the writing I would make notes and send them back to him like below. I found this helped us narrow down the topics we found the most interesting as well as what I thought my demographic would be drawn too reading.

final drafts – 

Today we finalized the topics we wanted our article to based around. We were knew we wanted the main topic to be around social medias role in our societies consumption habits but we were still unsure what topics we wanted to link to that. as we are focusing on fashion we thought it would be relevant to talk about self-identity as it is a big part of fashion. when we were chatting about ideas we often came back to the topic of mainstream outlets selling the same thing and not having a unique selling point. we discussed this topic a lot and found it was a relevant issue to the young generation.

outcome and reflection- 

our final title is: Uncovering the link between self identity and unsustainable fashion, but why is social media to blame? I am really happy with this final title. I think it reflects well on the research I have done myself in my sketchbook and is something my audience is going to enjoy reading. After our last conversation we were stuck talking about how most fast fashion shops are selling the exact same things. We begun reflecting on how this could be effecting consumers and their needs to over consume. I think this article is going to work well with my photography throughout my website. I am hoping the fact this is a intense piece of research that my photography is going to contrast and give the reader a ore calming feeling while reading. My aim in showcasing photography that is using unique styling, and natural settings is to inspire and encourage change. I do not want my platform to feel daunting or negative but educate and show how we can be different.

when coming up with ideas for my exhibition I also wanted to think of ways I could incorporate art rather than just photography. throughout this project I had been making art such as drawings but I wanted to also be experimenting with different mediums. Following the theme of my project of using what we already had a lot of the art I made was with things I already owned and knew was accessible to my audience.

I thought by using Excel I could do a similar grid technique and make personalized small patterns. In these designs, I was mostly experimenting, but I plan to develop throughout the project.I decided to look at whether Excel art is a common thing, and I found a few artists who have used this technique. Tatsuo Horiuchi is a 77-year-old artist from Japan, he uses this nontraditional technique to create detailed Japanese landscape designs. I loved Horiuchi’s use of colour and how he uses the traditional style and look of landscapes in such a contemporary practice.Another artist who uses this concept Oleksiy Sai uses the style to showcase his innovative imagination. Sai uses Excel to create patterns and designs with vibrant colours. Oleksiy said on his website; “it’s difficult to access the scale of today’s global culture. Trying to find an adequate visual language to describe contemporary processes I make a series of works in the program which counts the money – Microsoft Excel. Millions of administrators produce their work without coming into contact with reality – and the data I use as elements of visual language can be clearly understood by a person of the corporate culture- perhaps the youngest of the well-defined cultures of humanity.I loved looking at the different designs and ideas these artists have created with a platform that most people have access to. I enjoyed trying my designs and the idea behind this style of art especially as I am thinking of new ways to be adding to the idea of less consumption including my development of ideas into that philosophy.

 

 

Cherry Blossoms at Jogo Castle (2006)

 

“Sheeps&flowers”

 

I also thought it would be interesting to use Lego as a way to incorporate art into my exhibition.  I wanted to find a way I could have the viewers at the exhibition more involved. My initial idea was to have Lego set out as a printing station where The viewer could use tools like you would when printing but instead on Lego and use one of my post cards to print my logo on the back themselves. I thought doing an activity like this would allow the viewer to be creative themselves and bring there own identity into the project. making them more likely to keep the art as they have made it themselves.  I also though this would make my exhibition more memorable for them and this would hopefully make them more likely to follow my pages

 

Visiting Exhibitions-

 

For some further research I visited a exhibition by an artist that works in using Lego. The exhibition ‘The art of the brick’ displayed all kinds of art forms into Lego. I found this a great inspiration for my own exhibition and ideas

 

 

 

Rationale – 

My final project is a combination of four separate platforms encouraging and inspiring its followers on different elements of sustainable fashion. To create a project like this I did extensive research into each part to ensure I was outlining the importance of sustainable fashion. I chose to focus on the issues of over-consumption and bring in new ideas on how we can use charity shops to resolve these problems. However, through my research I could also see how un-ethical some charity shops are. A lot of the clothing not sold in charity shops also end up in landfills. Because of this I wanted to create content that encouraged shoppers to consider buying from their local charity shops.

The topic I chose to explore throughout this project was the disconnection our society has with nature. I chose this topic as during the first module I looked into heritage craft and my surrounding as inspiration which developed into the outcomes I have made today. I wanted to convey the subject through my photography using the landscape or bringing nature into my imagery. Like my research into Kate Fletcher’s work and how she conveys this subject through creative writing and photography.

In order to get more perspectives and research into my project I made parts of it collaborative. I did this because I felt it was important to expose my audiences to researchers that have better understandings of some subjects than I do. Furthermore, Giving my followers the best outcomes I can. Using social media allowed me to connect with audiences all around. I used my sketchbook to research and reflect on how I would engage with my audience. As well as how I would use my platform as a space for activism and education. I felt it was important for me to understand my audience and ensure I was communicating with them.

I also wanted to incorporate a side of making and textiles into my work. I again used materials and garments I found in charity shops to make new tops. I used research in trend forecasting to show my followers how you can still be involved in trends but you can make it sustainable.

When completing this project, I educated myself on many topics I did not understand beforehand. I learnt a lot about myself and started to discover a lot about my own style in photography. I gained an understanding in the importance of research and how to use it effectively and working in different environments when doing photoshoots. These were things that greatly influenced the development of my planning process, and are parts of the … process that I will definitely continue to more emphasis on in future projects

To conclude, I am happy with the progress I have made in this project. I felt that I have created an outcome that combines my interests and gives an audience a new idea on how they can be sustainable. Reflecting on my outcomes I think I have created some of my best work this year. I have pushed myself to work on my skills in editing and working individually with models. I have become more comfortable directing models and knowing how I want my images to look in the end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I have started the plans for my website. The website has been put off the longest while I have been waiting for the final article. However, during this time I have been making plans for possible layouts and ideas I want to try. I am planning on having a website that is easy to use and the layout is clean and professional. I want to experiment with the homepage but for the article page I would like it to be easy to read and have the photography well presented. I am planning on using my photoshoot one – disconnection with nature and my photoshoot two finals for the article page. I think the topics will work well next to the images. I wanted the images to reflect feelings of freedom and escapism as the article is serious therefore I thought it would be better for the images to show the affect of working to change.

Today, I finished my second photo shoot for my project. I have started editing my images for this shoot which I am really happy with. My first images I styles my model in purple skirt and a bright red jumper and jacket. This was a last minute decision when I was ;preparing in the morning. Like I said in my sketchbook I started to feel  a bit deflated and uninspired from scrolling through Instagram and Pinterest so much so instead I started looking through magazines. I found this image of a model in all red lifting her jumper. I really liked the images and I thought it could be an interesting pose for my model. I have always struggled with model directing so having inspiration ready has been really helpful. I thought this pose was different to what I have done previously so would stand out on my social media. I also thought it would show more elements to my styling.

Editing and testing 

for the editing I really wanted to make the reds stand out as much as possible. I started using light room more for these edits and experimenting more on there. I found a mask tool where you can pick certain areas of the image and edit them separate. This was really helpful by allowing my to mask the red areas and brighten them up even more. In some images the lighting was very bright and as my model is pale the lighting the model became over exposed. I was able to fix a lot of these issues in editing.

Today I have begun my research into my social media and how I want to present my projects educational aspects. When I first decided I wanted to add aspects of research and education to my platform I was unsure on how I wanted to present it through social media. I wanted to create something that would still be interactive and engaging towards my audience however I have been struggling to know how I wanted to start.

I do not want to create a video or fill a caption on my posts as I do not believe it would actually get any response or interaction. Social media can an amazing place for activism and movement, It brings people together creates community and educated people on stories or on political movements they would not have known about beforehand. apps such as tiktok have shown the variability of how powerful these apps can be. Take the black lives matter movement for example: the stories were able to be spread on a mass creating a movement of people who wanted to make a difference. Through these apps protests were created by people simply stating a date and time and people showed up to show support. However,  For a lot of people social media is where they come to have a break from reality. Having a video that is intensely showing what is wrong with the fashion industry or a caption throwing every big fact at my consumers might do the opposite of what I am hoping. My consumers can simply swipe away or become uninterested in my content if it becomes too serious. To work around this I instead want to create videos and photos that directly ask a question about a subject that may link to my article writing. I can then use the platforms comment section to discuss and get insight into my audiences thoughts and feelings around the subject. From there I can use the caption and comment section to link my website where I have a well researched article around the topic. I wanted to do something like this as activism can sometimes be taken the wrong way. For example the just stop oil movement has been labeled extremely negatively by the press; being named an inconvenience and distribution to working class people who do not have power to do anything. To summarize, I want to ensure I am creating content that is still engaging whilst keeping my audience questioning how they can make change. I have found research in my sketchbook of small movements that are taking place on social media to create community of small change. Such as the de-influencing movement which is a small change in peoples lives but has created a big difference in how people are shopping.

 

 

 

 

My Projects aim is to create media around sustainable fashion.  Using social media to help me engage with a wider audience, my work is a direct recognition of the future of fashion and how it we are moving to a digital world of fashion and not just physical. my aims as a creator is to make inspiration and education one creating a output of inspiring imagery, art, textiles and writing for my audience. I have combined all me favorite parts of fashion to interest like-minded creatives and inspire their own movements in sustainable fashion. In my sketchbook I have included the specific detailing of what I want to do with each platform to do and how I am going to use it. Here I wanted to reflect on how I think I might attract my audience and bring them to each platform. my main platforms where I expect to get the most interactions would be my Instagram and Tiktok. This is where I can use algorithm, the use of hashtags, tagging, and comment sections to my advantage. Where as my website does not have the ability or tools to bring in my demographic in that way. Instead I will use my Instagram page and tiktok as a way to showcase what my further platforms have to offer. So far I would like to be creating combinations of video and photo content to attract my demographic and use the caption and comment section to talk about what is currently on my website that could interest them. I want to make sure my website is easily accessible, having it in my bio as well as ‘pinned’ in the comment section on the posts that are directs for a certain article or piece of work I have added onto the site. I want to make sure each platform has my different sites and platforms in their bios to again make sure it is an easy process for my audience to find.

My Instagram is where I want my work to look very professional.  I want to put effort into how each post is presented using different apps such as feed preview. This is an app that allows you to upload your images and move them around to allow you to see the best layouts for your feed. This will help me see which images look best together as I have a lot of different colours and editing styles and i do not want them to clash. It will also allows you to add captions and change anything at any point. I will also be using SCRL which is also an app to assist me with my Instagram page. SCRL is a layout app which allows you to see how your photos will look when scrolling through. I want to not only be posting my best images but also be posting them with creative and eye catching layouts. This will make my platform stand out even more showing the details that go into each part of the work I post to my viewers.

My TikTok is where I will not be needing to be so lenient about the layout and more conscious about the editing. The way tiktok works is by jumping you straight into a stream of content. This means the layout of my videos next to each other is not as important as it is for the Instagram. This however does not mean I still do not want to be creating content that looks visually pleasing. Although the way I present my videos will be different they will still be engaging for my audience. This content will be for my makers and designers. This is where I want to show me making my garments , the process, inspiration and final product. I want to create videos that are like a sketchbook style, where I show the process like i would in when designing or thinking of a new project. This will be great for a demographic like mine as they will see my thoughts and ideas which will induce their own. As and artist and designer myself I find watching videos that just show the thoughts and process rather than a detailed tutorial are much more enjoyable to watch as you naturally think or ways you would do it rather than a tutorial that tells you how to do it. I am hoping to make PDFs of each garment or item I make to put on my website. This is something I have not done before so I am hoping to go to the textiles department and ask for advice. In my videos I will be using the caption to tell the viewer where they can find the PDF hopefully drawing them into my website.

The website is going to be a combination of all my platforms in terms on content and the visuals. I would love the website to be unlike the norms and be a creative output of design. I would like it to be colorful using my colour pallet and showcase imagery and art.

I also felt it would be relevant to have a Pinterest page as this is a platform that specifically reaches photographers, artists, designers, makers and all other creators. Again, Pinterest is not as important when it comes to presentation on the platform but rather the individual posts. I would have to make sure each post would be linked to my website to ensure they are finding where my other platforms are.