UNIT 1: Diagnostic Investigation Into Creative Practice

INDIVIDUAL MAPPING PROJECT

For this individual project we were given the title of 'Mapping'. The topic I chose to study is 90's culture and identify how it has influenced today's fashion. I decided to write my final outcome as a magazine article and present it in the form of a blog post. Alongside it I have also done my own photoshoot in which I have put together two 90's inspired looks which would be worn today.

90's research

Photoshoot plan

I will be doing two 90's inspired photoshoots, one of which will reflect 90's street/celebrity style and the other taking aspects of 90's runway fashion.

Final photo outcomes:

For the runway inspired look I decided to pair a simple black body con skirt with a vintage black corset top; I accessorised the outfit by adding a gold chain belt much like the ones seen on the Chanel 90's runway. My second look takes inspiration from Princess Diana's street style, here I put together a casual ensemble which included black cycle shorts, an oversized 'New York' sweater and white trainers.

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FINAL OUTCOME

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PATHWAY 1: Graphics

Design for Music

Graphic Design Creative Pathway

Project Brief- Design an album cover for a 12" Vinyl and a promotional poster for a music artist of your choice.

The artist I have chosen to design an album cover for is American singer/songwriter Jhené Aiko, her music is predominantly R&B/soul and she often writes about her own personal experiences.

R&B Soul Definition: "The term 'rhythm and blues' has undergone a number of shifts in meaning. ... Starting in the mid-1950s, after this style of music contributed to the development of rock and roll, the term "R&B" became used to refer to music styles that developed from and incorporated electric blues, as well as gospel and soul music."

I will be taking inspiration from several of Jhené's album covers when creating my own. My favourite album of hers is one named 'Trip' which was released in 2017, the music is particularly calming and incorporates lots of different sounds from nature. I also love the colours and optical illusion featured on the cover.

Artist Research

After researching op artists it reminded me of Ebru Marbling, this design technique looks quite similar to optical illusion art which is why I wanted to experiment with it and try to incorporate it into my final outcome.

This ancient method consists of essentially dropping ink onto water which you can then manipulate using a stick of some sort to mix the colours and create patterns; this can then be transferred onto paper by placing it face down on the pattern which leaves a marbled affect.

Example of Ebru Marbling by

Linda Rutledge

EXPERIMENTATION

When trying this technique out myself I didn't have marbling inks at hand so instead used nail polish which turned out really well. I am very happy with the outcome because I think the colours compliment each other nicely however next time I would like to try and create more intricate patterns using a tool of some sort.

For the final design I decided to make a 3D lotus flower out of marbled card to go onto the front of my album.

Promotional poster

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PATHWAY 2 : Fashion and Textiles

For this pathway we were asked to turn a regular white shirt into something representing a protest we found interesting. The protest I chose to study is the French Revolution, I find the late 18th century an intriguing time in terms of society and was interested to find out about the way the people of France overthrew the monarchy.

I chose to focus heavily on Marie Antoinette who is well known for her lavish spending habits whilst the rest of France suffered in poverty. Despite being a controversial figure in history it is undeniable that she has had a great impact on fashion and creative industry. Her flamboyant dress sense drove a new era of style and fashion, but this inconsiderate spending ultimately led to her execution.

When redesigning the shirt I took lots of inspiration from trends of the late 1700's, I chose to create a Marie Antoinette inspired blouse with a square neckline, great puffy sleeves and boning in the front. I decided to keep my garment the original white colour, as on the front I wanted to place a propaganda poster from the French Revolution using sublimation print.

Photoshoot showcasing my final outcome: