#id just be trimming and refining for the final edit so.

[badscientist]

another 2 scenes revised, soon to be a third once i figure out how i wanna go about it.

[marsalexb]

Week 3

Final Evaluation – Alex Butler

Section 1: Purpose/ Theme/ Concept

My project is based off my chosen word ‘Transform’ tied in with my specialism of fine art. I was able to narrow it down and get to my chosen word as I thought in my mind that the word has such a vast meaning and really can be tied in with anything allowing whatever creative ideas I had to be able to tie in and be brought to life. In my opinion in is such a fun theme to explore.  My main purpose for my project is trying to showcase anything can be transformed and created with a new lease of excitement and life yet still showcasing the true beauty within. Anything should be expected to transform whether that be a country or someone as an individual.

The main problems I faced along the way were mainly to do with a small amount of sewing issues either being a little untidy is some areas but, in a way, it wasn’t too much of an issue due to the areas that were not as refined were later hidden with crystals so to the audience/ viewer the little mistakes would not be as visible but in my mind I still know that they are there.  In all honesty, my project took a easy journey as my mind had already known the type of concept I wanted to produce and skills I am familiar with so the outcome/ practical work was not an issue. The part that maybe didn’t go so swiftly was the blog/ written work because I needed to catch up due to unfortunate circumstance where the practical side of things took a little longer than I expected but I was still lucky to complete the written work as well in time. I personally feel like my decision making in regards to choosing the idea of transforming the traditional beefeater guard look that hasn’t really been explored or played with before helped me push my creative vision and drive into making something unique and original that I now feel that the decision has defiantly paid off and really represents my whole concept and idea of exploring the vast meaning of ‘Transformation’

 Section 2: Media, Techniques, Skills etc

During this project I have used a range of different materials such as 2 different style of velvet fabrics – one being sturdier and stronger for the base of the whole costume, the other was a lycra stretch in order to create the under-garment leotard. A Range of glass hot fix crystals were used varying in sizes between 3-5mm in diameter as well as different colours – Red, Gold and Crystal AB. The reason behind the different size crystals is to extenuate that they all have different purposes and the way they perform. The larger size has bigger surfaces so they do not dazzle/ reflect as much as the smaller sizes where in comparison to the bigger surface areas, they have more thin and small cuts of the shape allowing light to reflect on each side bouncing off from any angle. The crystals all over the outfit are supposed to represent the crown jewels in which the beefeater guards would protect. The choice in regards to using the type of style called ‘Cross grain’ for the trims over the costume have more of a higher quality to them, keeping in mind theses are figures who represent the royal family so I wanted materials that looked high quality. The other materials in regards to constructing the garment e.g., cotton thread, sewing machine, scissors, rotary fabric cutter where all basic materials needed and essential to create the outcome. I could have sewn it by hand but then I defiantly would have been over my time schedule. The other remaining materials were a blonde lace front wig that I styled using a curling iron and hair pins/ grips, wig head & stand for styling the wig, a series of make-up products for the transformation of the face, Photography backdrop and stand as well as Photoshop for the final image outcome.

 The techniques I have used through out the project are mostly self-explanatory with the materials I’ve used e.g., sewing/ stitching with the sewing machine for the garment and details on it. The way I apply all of the crystals is by using a hot fix wand which heats up over 80 degrees and that allows me to place the crystals where I desire them to be and apply heat onto it resulting in the glue on the back of each crystals to melt and fuse to the fabric or any other surface. With the transformation of the face with the use of make-up and products the biggest technique to get right is gluing down my ‘Boy’ brows with a purple glue stick that dries clear which you have to use to coat your brows in the glue and lay them flat to the face while drying them in place with a fan or hairdryer to keep everything down. Its then just a case of powdering them to keep the glue from melting and then covering over the top with a colour corrector to cancel out the dark undertones to the brows which then results in the brows looking more invisible ready to be covered with the makeup. For this project I logged my practical development journey on my blog in which I explained in detail how I achieved everything as well as analysing it and talking about specific parts. Personally, I feel my research could have maybe been pushed further to support my whole concept but I am still happy with the outcome of everything. One of the artists that I looked at during this project was the costume designer ‘William Ivy Long’ whose work I adore and am always looking to him as inspiration to push myself further and I think has helped me go out of my comfort zone for this project to try something new.

 Section Three: Evaluation Methodology

For the strengths of my project, I personally feel like I have shone in the costume side of making for my outcome and I am incredibly pleased with the result. Although I am not a digital artist or photoshop editor, for my first time editing a digital image as an outcome, I feel very proud of myself and what I have been able to achieve with basic skills. For the areas of weakness, I feel like its mainly focused on written work/ research but that’s something I am going to work on to get it up to the standard of my practical. I think a significant part where my project took to shape and was brought to life was definitely the full week I spent creating the garment as I could the concept come to life Infront of my eyes ready to be put together with all the other the elements.

I solved practical problems as soon as they came up whilst in the middle of making the garment which were simple, quick and easy fixes. In regards to theoretical problems, it was mainly a case of having to go back and read over my work if something did not make sense or wasn’t explaining my vision properly so it needed to be reworked. During this project, I have learnt that I can push myself out my tradition comfort zone in what id produce in regards to concept/ ideas but I feel it has been a good change and challenge to myself to allow me as an artist to explore different avenues I can include into my work somehow. Due to myself already having a pretty clear idea on what it was that I wanted to create, the planning was fairly simple by explaining my vision on what I wanted to create in order to achieve my desired goal.