Patternesque

It's taken me the best of THREE days to complete this pattern, initially drawn out on paper in a couple of hours but I've completed it.

Last term I made this...

It was a logo idea that I toyed with using but didn't. It was thrown together in a few hours. I later returned to it in the group project, drawing over each line to use the pattern over some of my designs. Because of the way the laser cutter follows line it was not possible to use the above design.

When sorting out ideas for this collection I've constantly thought of this to use in some of the designs just as an engrave, so I had to redraw it out but properly this time. It's been freshened up as a design for my work, not as a logo. I'll hopefully let you know when and where it is used.

I scanned the drawing into Illustrator ready to layer up.

The three large/ main flowers were drawn over first, using the repeat and rotate tools to make them ultra perfect. You can just make out that they have been outlined.

I then started work on the most time consuming bit of the design, the fan flares which in this picture look like fish scales so far but one has been filled in with tiny lines that flare out into dots.

Make a copy of the main fan and keep it safe.

Then repeat the fan to build it into the pattern, using the circles at each corner of the shape to keep them inline.
In this image I've started to trace the other sketched shapes into Illustrator, one of them I couldn't get to match so I redid it and used that. This change didn't matter to the design.
I'm using various colours to tell each part of the design apart.

 Now I've dropped the back design sketch, I have everything I want from it and is now just making this confusing. But I'm introducing shapes from the past to bulk out the design as was always the plan. Here I'm laying them out to get an idea.

Repeating the pattern over. You'll notice a couple of the fan flares are orange at the bottom, they are like that because they've been redone to jump under the lines crossing over them, contrasting the colours meant I could see them as I worked.

Putting the bulking images back in I put them on one layer and copying them onto another, I could view one layer as a template to place each object then unview it as I cut each image into place alongside the pattern.

The difference between the last image and this one is this one is much cleaner because the shapes have been put in the pattern neatly. Nearly done now!

Selecting all main layers concerned with the pattern I copied them, made a new layer and pasted the design into it adjusting the size so all lines were the same (0.025pt) and it was the same colour.
I then put this into a new file so I have just the design with no working out.
Et voila, best look good when lasered!

Notes on a blog

I run my visual blog over on Tumblr with posts arriving everyday. I take so much from it and put so much into it and I enjoy it.
A few months before I started the MA, what I posted on the blog changed from almost random things to images with flavour that worked together more. I really started to enjoy my blog more and occasionally wonder over to my blog to to have a look!
I thought I cannot keep this blog empty of it's effects so I'll post a handful of my favourite or important posts here with a blurb as well.
*I'll put the blog link up which includes all the original links, sources and dates posted*

http://feshfesh.tumblr.com/post/1278385531

This image is one that sums up quite a lot of what I post and what has become almost the norm on my blog. It is in black and white, fashion or make up based with illustration. Some images don't just keep make up to the face, often there is drawing down the arms or o the body. It has an aged feel to it, it could've been taken in the thirties or it has been made to look like this. Many of the black and white images I post contain androgynous looking people as well, they can be quite moody and are , like the above, often added or detailed on the computer afterwards. These type of images are what I am using as inspiration for the photographs of my collection.

I can take old images or mode contemporary fashion images from Vogue editorials or Fashion156 blog which is often a great source of keeping up with new designers and inspirational images.

http://feshfesh.tumblr.com/post/1173188667/via-ottomanempire-emmacooper-love-love-love

The whimsical, aged and floral is another theme. If I can mix all the themes then I'm generally happier! But this is one of my favourite images of the last month. Heavily influenced by a golden summer I adore the flowers all over and the mystical character and the bow headband is delighful. Again, flowers and that headband are influencial on my collection.

http://feshfesh.tumblr.com/post/999667779/lagedor-via-buddhabrot-i-dont-normally

The third selection is one that I found courtesy of Eric Saeters blog which was always divine to stroll across. Since he started his website up he's disappeared but he selected images that were different to any other blog I follow. They often had a dark thread to them or something that was utterly left field. He picked out jewellery and illustration that I could never have found myself so I always appreciated that. This image took me by surprise, I don't post pictures of nudes, nor do I post pictures of them in such positions but I loved this image and felt it would fit in with what I post, it is my third theme or light, shadows and reflections and of course it's in magical black and white. It is another way of embellishing the body over jewellery or make up. If I could get hold of a projector for my photoshoot I could try this, or just keep it for an idea for the future.

Of course all of these themes are intermingled with my own images of places I have been, my work (which is great to get feedback from), music and videos (Top Hat with Fred Astaire is a recent one- black and white!). Images of exhibitions, pictures of the Beatles and stills from television and film.I always try and select images though, if I can't find the right image or still no matter how much I love the subject, it doesn't go on the blog!

My lovely friend Nicola or MargueriteMoulin has been a terrible influence on me, I blame her for my relatively recent love of florals. I saw the other day, she uses tracked tags on tumblr, hers include buzz words such as - flowers, print, pattern or cats. I have set up a list of my own so I can search for these terms in tumblr for new images. Mine are- androgyny, ballet, black and white, embellishment, glitter, gold, make up, reflection,  shadow, statement jewellery and water. I realise these are the buzzwords I can easily put next to my blog and are reoccurring. 

Variations on a theme...

I'm now fully into the design stage of the work now so I have to be a bit sparse in what I show you! So after looking at my own jewellery I left my sketchbook open and just went to it over a couple of days with ideas, sketching them out roughly. I was left with two pages of ideas, narrowed down into a third page of the decent ideas.

Then the actual drawing out of it begins and I've spent two weeks with a crooked neck with a ruler and mechanical pencil painstakingly marking it all out. I pulled out the trusty compass and protractor, putting into use some high school maths (the type I always enjoyed, not algebra!) and making patterns and shapes! 

Some of the designs will have to be built on the computer due to the accuracy needed to make them, whilst others remain with pen and paper for a bit longer.

But the time has come to move on and it's all scanned in now and getting traced over in Illustrator. I've been at it two days and I'm still on the first design. I am panicking. 

I figure I may not get to the laser cutter for the samples as soon as I'd hoped but I may give it to the guys at the product laser cutter so I can get on with other things at the same time.

I see it as a couple more stages after the cardboard mock ups have been made- 

buy acrylic / send off to have cut in acrylic / put together / photograph.

But thing's aren't that simple are they.

I'm concerned I'll have half a collection by the time the final show comes round. But I'll keep going. If it happened like that, it would give me something to continue with after I finish which is better than - finish, now what?!

Meanwhile, yesterday, in a break from drawing lines for a nice pattern that was worth it, I checked twitter and saw that Burhouse Beads had tweeted. I called them up and asked if you had to be a fully fledged business with a VAT number, but they said if I had the receipts from uni for my course fees then I could have an account, yippee!    

I hoped to present my work in a3 folders with pages laid out, but this won't happen. I'll present my sketchbooks in the folders, I need them safe due to the tracing paper copies that are by the dozen. and I'll print out this blog and put it in another folder to see progress.

Anyway, I can't possibly go without showing you something! so here are a couple of the pencil drawings. I'm not showing you my super novel spec design or super duper swirly rectangle plate.

Realistic?

Ok, so maybe the research should go further a field but for now I took a look at my jewellery, notably my necklaces. I took note of each piece, why I liked it and how much I wore it.
Here we go!

Top left- black/ivory beads- Chain Length- 78cm inc beads

The beads cover 37cm of the chain and the chain is 3x4mm

A favourite to just throw on! I can wear the beads at an angle and add to other pieces of jewellery. There is no clasp which is something to think about and would make something slightly cheaper and quicker to make when it is a long necklace like this. It's set on a plain gunmetal chain and I like its plainess.

Top right- tammy bird- 75cm

The chain is 3x3.5mm

I went through a phase with this necklace, wearing it with everything and anything. It was small and so I felt it could get away with it. It has gone through a resurgence for the same reasons although I think the chain is too chunky if anything.

Bottom left- George charm- 78cm

It's a 4x3mm curb chain and the charm is 19.5cm long.

I'd wear this more is the beads weren't cracking! But I have worn it alot! Lovely colours that stand out a bit. It's not obtrusive.

Botton right- Rectangle plates- 90cm

The chain is 4x5mm and the charms cover 38cm of the chain. I've never worn this necklace because it clinks a bit too much, other necklaces of mine clink but it never bothers me so I need to wear it. But I've sat and adored it everytime I look at it. I love the colours and simplicity.  

Top left- Blue/red clothes show- 61-70cm.

I bought this quite cheaply with two other necklaces and all three have not been worn much although I love them. Whilst laying my necklaces out my aunty came in and admired those three in particular so it could just be me. I have worn them though but I prefer to include them in with the colours I'm wearing, this one goes with a coppery shirt dress although I prefer to put gold with it now.

Top right- Jaffajam chain- 126cm.

There's no clasp on this chain and it measures 2.5x4mm.

I bought this chain as a pack of two more necklaces of the same length, one was small fold beads, the other was small orange beads but this chain is the one I've always kept. Small and easy to put with other necklaces but the badges appeared after a final show and they belong to a friend making it personal when I wear it.

Bottom left- Cord western- 78cm

I had something very similar to this a few years ago and wore it non stop- although it had a black cord. I broke that one though and this was a close replacement but not worn as much, generally because each time I go to wear it I'm wearing a big fluffy scarf that get caught in it. 

Bottom right- Black and white- 61cm cord.

I have this in black and white and in a colourful version with a red cord. Both are often worn dependent upon mood and what I'm wearing.

Top left- Sunburst- 57- 64cm inc charm.

Lovely chain. I like this but then I saw someone wearing it and it fell out of favour. When I did wear it, I wore other necklaces too, it opened to gates to wear gold AND silver!

Top right- Envelope- 45- 53 inc charm.

Cute 2mm twist chain. I bought this, then didn't wear it but I've started! Easy to put on to make sure you're wearing some bit of jewellery and it has the cute factor and I'm aware of it!

Bottom left- Blue/orange heart- 47-52 cm.

4x2mm on the biggest link and it's a figaro chain if not something similar!

I bought this at the same time as a top and wore it only ever with that top. I then stopped wearing the top and so stopped wearing the necklace but I've recently worn the top so it's come back into favour! 

Bottom right- Welsh black and white- 42-50cm.

This has never been worn and I toyed with including it here. I bought it in Wales in the start of a migraine. I had to make a quick decision as to whether to buy it or not before I swayed somewhere!  It had something so I bought it. I think what will help this is taking the pendant off that horrible cord!

Top left- Paris- 41-46cm

The chain measures 1x1mm curb chain and it always chinks and I have to straighten it back out so take note! I do however love this, reaching into the whimsy in me and so it is often worn!

Top right- Elephant- 40 -45cm

1.5x1.5mm chain. The only reason this is rarely worn is because it's often at the bottom of the pile. I should wear it more often when I can. Just wear it to have some jewellery on!

Bottom left- Accessorize charms- 47-52cm 

The charms cover 12cm of the chain.

Only worn a handful of times, I feel like it's hard to wear because of the brown cord in the chain. It was also bought as a present so there is the question as to whether I would have bought it myself? But I've worn it and that's what I appreciate about presents, they can offer someone else's viewpoint and show a different slice of style.

Bottom right- Live your dreams- 47-52cm.

2x3mm steel chain. So easy to wear. It covers the same bases the elephant one should and the envelope necklace is doing. I spotted them on the rack and was drawn to a different one that was missing a charm or two leaving only the circles and no diamante heart, I liked this brute kind of simplicity with only the shape and words to carry it off. I'd fallen in love too much once I found the full rack diamantes and all!

Top left- Hand- 40-46cm

1.5x1.5 chain. It was worn a lot but the colour is fading and so it isn't worn so much. A down side of costume jewellery if anything.

Top right- Red/blue ditsy- 100cm

I hate the word ditsy but it's the only word I could find! This was worn a lot but has since slowed down which I think is because it doesn't fit with what I'm currently wearing on a day to day basis.

Botton left- Black fang- 80cm

The charm covers 21cm. I bought this from Primark and never wore it until I changed the chain from this horrid clunky one to a fine ball chain, it's now often worn. I think it came into favour more since black and silver entered onto my radar!

Bottom right- Locket- 82cm

5x4mm chain. Here's a good exmaple of a chunky horrid chain and the reason I no longer wear this!

Top left- Asos blue- 44-52cm

The charm covers 11cm. Because of it's strong blue it can be hard to wear but I manage it! I have worn it lately after a long break. I realise it is at a good length too for a small charm.

Top right- Gold rope- 71-78cm

1mm snake chain. Another Primark buy I'm ashamed to say and like others before it from other shops, it's lost some colour along the way but it still has the talent to fit against what I'm wearing and so I can just throw it on!

Bottom left- Coral/blue flowers- 42-50cm

The charms cover 16cm and are on a slight curve forming the necklace. Another one where the brown cord stops me wearing it! 

Bottom right- Splattered diamonds- 57cm

I've not worn this lately but I went through a phase where I wore it a lot. But I've been feeling it's not playful enough for me so not worn it.

Top left- Vintage orange- 96cm

Not vintage at all but has that look. I bought it from a well known jewellery shop in the sale after my sister bought it too. I wore it loads years ago and then I never wore it but I've always kept it and lately have been looking at it, hopefully waiting for the day to put it with what I wear!

Bottom left- Black tassle- 94cm

The tassle covers 14cm. This didn't get worn straight away but it's easy now. I find if it is based round black or silver it is easier to wear over gold and brown. There are exceptions of course.

Right- Chinese jimmy- 54cm

A lovely necklace but rarely worn. I fear it is too chunky for me and it does remind me of the jim'll fix it badge of yesteryear!