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I've spent the past few days working on scaling up my 'stringy' pieces, however in the meantime I've been exploring a few other uses for the pieces. Although I'm getting excited about the stringy pieces potential I don't want to completely lose the beading element of my work. I feel this above pieces relates best to the stringy pieces, so is something I want to explore combining the two types of outcomes. I'm excited to get the pieces cut and hopefully they'll work how I intended! I think I'm finally growing in confidence in what I'm doing, and excited to see where it ends up.

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Today I gave my self my very own tutorial. I laid out all my work and looked at what is going well, what isn't, what relates to what, and what I'm missing - whilst using my "fantasy portfolio" as a guideline. It was clear to see what had informed what, but also made me realised how I had overlooked other potential outcomes. This exercise really helped me realise what I needed to do and the gaps in my work. My plan of action now includes getting these sample pieces onto the body which I hope will encourage larger pieces, new combinations and context ideas. This process really seemed to push my development in previous projects so I'm hoping it will do the same for this one.

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Today I decided to focus on just one thing at a time, which meant today was spent on the ruffled piece. It was fun focusing on the one outcome, and seeing how it evolved from my original idea and into a more compact, full design as a pose to the looser, flatter one I was planning. It also changed a lot in terms of placement becoming more focused on the neck and less so about the torso but I quite like how that happened in the making process. I really enjoy working on the mannequin and engaging with how a piece will sit or react when it is actually worn. I also used the laser cutter today to create my leather like pieces, which I'm going to join together. I'm excited to get this going as well as using the offcuts to inform another idea. I do seem to worry though about how much my pieces are linking to my original point of architecture. Architecture informed my contrast in textures as well as my first mannequin outcomes, which lead to drawing and then back to different and developed mannequin outcomes, so maybe that's enough of a link - I'm not sure, to me I couldn't have got to this point without the previous exercises although they admittedly share little resemblance to my starting point.

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Today has been a funny one. I resorted back to doubting my self, and all the work I've done, but in a way have devised a plan to regain the impact my drawings had. I feel my work is so busy, but my drawings are sleek and clean. So I want to continue to use sublimation and embroidery but in a more stripped back approach that relates more to my drawings - and hopefully pull my 'collection back into a realm I'm happy with. Besides this minor breakdown, I was working into a print from a few days ago, I felt it was to white and defiantly to flat for my liking. So as well as adding in some shapes I also worked back in with free hand machine embroidery - and it adds the depth I think it needed. This was quite a time consuming process so maybe in future a coloured background will eliminate some of the spacing, but then would the colours be as striking? Another thing I think went well was the use of tension, I played around until I got the desired effect, most of the time I enjoyed a raised effect whilst other times I liked the slight pop of colour against a contrasting colour as it came through. This piece in particular really benefited from this extra attention!

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So i seemed to get the bug for embroidery again, I love the quality the CAD creates, and wanted a simple, quite blocky design to go on some of my prints that i felt looked in complete. I particularly like these juxtapose the back drop so well, and stand proudly on top of it - whilst complementing the processes i had already used.

I didn't want to stop there, so went on to do some free hand embroidery. I forgot how much i enjoyed doing it, and how i can directly get my drawings onto the fabric in quiet a spontaneous way. I think both sets of samples are  charming, but ill always love the hand drawn character of free hand and its something i would love to do much more in the future.  

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Appearance - It’s their face, the way they dress or just their smile etc, which basically attracts you.

Personality - Where their personality is just adorable. From how they talk to you, the way they treat people and how they act towards you.

Two types of ‘cute’:

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Images of the collection’s colorstory 1, “Jamilla Anyango” and 2 “Nairobi” of my garments themselves.

Jamilla Anyango Okubo S/S 2014 for SUNO NY

The theme behind my collection, “Jamilla Anyango”, is transforming the style and drape of the Kanga Fabric re-interpreted into modern American, high end-street style fashion inspired by the brand SUNO NY. My collection is inspired by my cultural heritage, both my Kenyan side and American side. My father is from Nairobi, Kenya, and my mother is from Washington, D.C. It is a mix of today’s clean cut style of high end fashion, and the traditional wear of the Kanga.

The inspiration behind my first color story “Jamilla Anyango” is the meaning of my first and middle name. Jamilla means “beautiful” and Anyango (my middle name) means “mid day” or “child born of mid day”. “Jamilla Anyango”, is full of bright, feminine, and playful colors that represent my perception of beauty inspired by the bright colors and motifs of the Kanga fabric.

The inspiration behind my second color story, “Nairobi”, which means “place of cool waters”, is the beautiful landscape and earthy tones of Kenya’s wildlife and villages.  As for my second color story, “Nairobi”, is full of bright warm colors with a mix of natural cool colors.

This was my final for my digital Kaledo course.

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Pantone 691 color match. My husband’s Simvastatin tablets, to lower his cholesterol level. He was sad that he has to take this plus he’s back on blood pressure meds. I guess life is full of ups and downs, but you have to take both and roll with it. Even that means you have to take some blush pink tablets :-) He’s running the Houston Half-marathon this Sunday, and hopefully the full one in a year or so!

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Pantone Fashion Colors - Spring 2015

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Elodie Antoine Elodie Antoine is a Belgium artist, who uses everyday objects (much like Sarah Sze) to provoke ideas and thoughts about topics in a none threatening, light hearted approach. Her work often includes thread, carpet, wallpapers, and felt to allow her to work flexibly within her pieces. Elodies work is bold, bright and clear yet makes the viewer consider and question there understanding of her often sexually oriented pieces. For example the Lipstick piece, a symbolic sign of feminism, that she has cleverly distorted into what resembles a drill. Her work causes an imbalance of stereotypical genders and makes me wonder just which one is more dominant. Again seen in her industrial landscape pieces, made of thread appearing delicate and fragile, contrasting massively with the scene she is portraying. What i like most about Elodies work is the innocence of it - it appears almost childlike with clear lines, bold colours, and use of everyday objects, such as zips, giving another contrast and another dimension to her work.

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John Lisle

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Eliska Podzimkova

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Jared Muralt