Concepts : Fragmented Resonance

These concept pages summarize my exploration to this point, and my focus going forward. They form the muse to elevate the project into Fashion Innovation Design.

Fragmented Resonance: Visually portraying the projection, effects, perception & processes of sound.

 

 

 

 

Transformation & Reconstruction Cutting

I came across a pattern cutting technique that could help interpret sound forms within a garment; Transformation & Reconstruction cutting. By working onto flat pattern pieces the technique manipulates the fabric to incorporate more of a 3D effect within the detailing. Visit http://www.trpattern.com for more of an insight into what can be achieved. (The English isn't great on the site but everything is documented via video demonstrations in great detail)

The 2 videos below, to me, sum up the theory of TR cutting, plus offer more relevance to my research. ....The 'Vortex' construction in particular!





I feel this technique would involve a fair deal of time, if I was to put to use, although an insight into how to create such profiles is of great use at this stage. Will definitely be incorporating in my design!!

Literal Thoughts

Whilst looking into more obvious visual sound possibilities I compiled several random doodles, which are catalogued below. Even from documenting such rough work, elements can be lifted, plus it shows what has caught my eye!

 

Architectural Sound

I specifically homed in on 2 designers who's structural creations are continuously inspired by sound; Anish Kapoor (UK) & Maya Lin (USA). Their manipulation of materials and space could be very influential when drawing up concepts.

'Melancholia' MAC Grand Hornu, Belgium 2004, Anish Kapoor 

 

The reason I have singled out the piece above is because it was constructed in fabric. The paneling and overall lines of the structure help take into consideration how such forms can be assembled. Visit Kapoor's site to see more innovative works: http://www.anishkapoor.com/works/gallery/index.htm 

 

Maya Lin: 'Above and Below' 2007 (left), 'Topologies' 1997 (right)

 

Maya Lin: 'What Is Missing?' Exhibit,

 

http://www.mayalin.com/ 

Again the use of Art & Architecture successfully portrays elements of sound; considering projection, manipulation, frequencies & aerodynamics. Endless interpretations of contour and silhouette lend themselves to fashion design. ...Combined with fragmentation should assist me in developing a unique conceptual output.

Visual Sound

Due to time restrictions, and concerns of possibly losing the concept through a more abstract route, I decided to also take a more literal perspective of fragmenting sound. Looking into frequencies, projection and form. Thus giving me ideas to support my abstract work and expand my thought process when considering garment shape, construction & fabric at the design stage.

 

Even waves & diagrams like the above immediately suggest forms to consider!

Ebisu Art Museum Exhibit (2007), Styrofoam beads reacting to sound
With more time it would be great to develop this idea within fashion.


The following 2 videos also prompt texture & fabric inspiration....
(ignore the strange religious chat!?)



'What Sound Looks LIke' (A vibrated layer of cornstarch in water)


'Sound Vibration Creates Form', David Icke

Pen-to-Sound : 3

Track: Intergalactic, The Beastie Boys:



Images lifted from the 3rd experiment are more geometric/ blunt, reflecting the more punchy, erratic, & electronic sound. Once again I have briefly used different treatments in photoshop to possibly reinforce the emotions captured. Attempting to break up the doodles to show specific areas of the music. (These are very rough studies that I plan to evolve with more substance!)

 

 

 

Pen-to-Sound : 2

Example 2 uses a more emotional, slower tempo track 'Mathematics/The Same God' by Cherry Ghost. Results below do encourage differences:



Images drawn from experiment:

 

 

 

 

Unsure whether certain elements are too abstract to utilize within my design, yet reinforced by some research on sound technology and possible fabrics, there is definitely something here worth expanding on!

Pen-to-Sound : Experiment

From what I've seen so far, I thought it would be worth simply experimenting with music and drawing. The idea was to provoke different emotions that are spontaneously displayed on paper. From there I can catalogue the results, overlaying and dissecting to form a series of interesting profiles.

I quickly selected 3 tracks from various genres, looking for contrasting results.

Pen-to-Sound No.1, Radar Detector, Darwin Deez



Basic image results:

Chromo-Graphic Experiment

An East London based street artist/ illusionist Shawn Davey documented the results of one of his piece's in a very subtle, successful way. Recording the reaction of ink on paper being transferred through 500 sheets, when immersed in water, creates a visual art sequence in itself. Scanning each sheet individually gave him 500 single frames to generate his title film.

Shawn Davey, Serpentine Gallery Experiment Marathon DVD Title Sequence:

 

I am keen to fragment and document the research and experiment processes in such a way as shown above. 

Formed : pixel sketch

The visual sketch I compiled below is taken from another module but works on the same principles as what I seem to be focusing on. By arranging a series of stills it simply portrays the pixel disintegration of an image in reverse. ...I may even take this practice further, pausing and overlaying sound sketches from an animated sequence to create different shapes.

Sound Manipulation : David Lynch

A master of his craft, David Lynch has manipulated sound through film for decades. The scene below is a perfect example of how simple audio can be creatively broken down and reformed.

Twin Peaks, Cooper's Dream:



This inspires me to distort, reverse & regurgitate my visuals to deliver different possible outcomes.

Syncopation : The Optical Score

Many art forms are inspired or directly created from sound. Investigating visual sound was very interesting, fueling many ideas to take forward.

The Grim Museum, Berlin exhibits a variety of performing arts. Currently showing D12/ Syncopation, where work is brought together to explore the intersection between art and music, inspired by the artists interpretation of sound & music in a visual/ narrative context.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/47487356@N08/sets/72157625230747406/show/

Clips from exhibition:

 

Peoples presentation of segmented sound draws up many abstract shapes that can be manipulated going forward. Capturing movement in reaction to sound may offer even more scope when developing designs!?

When visiting London Fashion Week this year I picked up a postcard from a Newgen designer Mary Katrantzou. Although her inspiration for the piece below was 'hyper-real rendering & an icon of luxury', I immediately related the image to sound. The strong graphical contrasts and colours, to me, symbolize a compilation of sounds & emotions; An optical score of music.

http://www.marykatrantzou.com/

I plan to carry out an experiment of spontaneous sketches/ reactions to a selection of varying music tracks.

Literal AR : Michael Kampe

Love the work of Michael Kampe!; An up & coming designer from The Antwerp Royal Academy, Berlin. His incorporation of innovative fabric and print techniques express his interpretation of '3D' in a bold manner. Kampe's 'Exploded View' Collection physically dissects and expands the initial silhouettes. Again visually breaking down, or in this case extending, the design process. In essence it offers a literal interpretation to Augmented Reality.

Images from Michael Kampe's Exploded View Collection:

 

 

 

 I would like to look into ways of depicting sound & movement in such a fragmented approach.

Jo Cope : Awareness of Movement

Throughout this process I am also keen to explore conceptual design within Fashion. Alongside studying various techniques, media and the arts, I should collate a more rounded base to take me into the design stage.

Jo Cope:
I was aware of Jo Cope's work from recently being shown a short film 'Adam's Rib', portraying her study of performance & moving image. The theories behind Cope's approach to design intrigue me. A common focal point on performer-garment-movement takes the creations into a more conceptual field. Focusing on function & theory links to my ideas of considering & depicting the breakdown of a concept, plus the processes involved.

 

 The image above, and the 2 to follow, show clips of Jo Cope's work from the Adam's Rib project. There's a great sense of awareness of surrounding space & movement, that is not only captured in the performances but in the garments too.

 

 

 View Adam's Rib and more studies at http://www.jocope.com

 

Jo Cope for Nike78 project 2010 - Fashion is a competitive sport

Sub-Cut Workshop

Working to a 1/4 scale ratio of a size 12 mannequin, for speed and ease, we took part in a Subtraction Cutting workshop. The photo's & notes below document our work:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Experimenting with this technique was a great example of other ways to approach pattern cutting. Less restrictions can result in more trial and error, recording your workings, to create the garment you have envisioned, but on the other hand it can devise an unplanned silhouette through a more organic approach.

Subtraction Cutting

As part of this module we will be given an insight into many unique & contemporary design methods, expanding our awareness beyond traditional pattern cutting & construction. Last week it was an introduction to subtraction cutting, the pioneering technique of the UK designer Julian Roberts. He doesn't just design specific styles or collections, Mr Roberts presents the complete process of a concept.

Subtraction Cutting generates such complex silhouettes with such little effort, it's stunning! Allowing the fabric to dramatically twist, pull, gather and drape through a set of simple steps.

The image above is a still from a visit Julian Roberts made to Liverpool University in 2009, which depicts the process very well in one image. Below is a well composed stream of Julian at work:

Julian Roberts - Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

Art of Substance and Absence

Eager to draw on as many different art sources outside fashion as possible I remembered the work of an artist by the name of Alwar Balasubramanaiam, a trained printer, painter & sculptor of Indian descent. Although I am not personally too keen on many of his exhibits I am intrigued by the general inspiration behind his work. What is reality? Is there something beyond what we actually sense? Through physical pieces he challenges & disorientates the mind of the viewer.

 

Alwar Balasubramaniam's sculpture plays with time, shape, shadow, and perspective: four tricky sensations that can reveal, or conceal, what's really out there!?

 

Emerging Angels; Exhibited at the Church of Saints Peter & Paul, Singapore 2006. The sculptures were encased in a material mimicking marble that evaporated once exposed to air, so the forms were gradually revealed as the exhibition progressed. Thus creating the illusion that the angel sculptures have naturally evolved and taken on a form echoing their surroundings.

I would like to take on these ideals within design, considering illusion/ reality, surrounding & negative space and portraying the evolution of concept.

Naive Doodles

On the journey back from the Barbican I doodled a series of (very) spontaneous concepts. Before I could be influenced by any forthcoming workshops or research, the idea was to see what came to mind using little cutting & sewing to manipulate a style. Only a couple have been posted here but worth recording.

 

Augmented again!

http://blog.augmentedexperience.com/?tag=mobileaugmentedreality

This link above clarifies my thoughts that AR technology is probably more of a vehicle to promote or visually narrate the idea behind a concept rather than lending itself to the actual construction of a concept/ design. May be able to incorporate somehow, we'll see.

Starting Point : Japan

The 30 years of Japanese Fashion, Future Beauty Installation at the Barbican, London, was the perfect place for us to kick-start our research and inspiration. The Japanese Fashion scene has been a leader in innovation for decades, with their enthusiasm to embrace culture, technology, architecture and media clear to see.

(exhibition photography supplied by the Barbican website, freehand sketches taken from my notes)
http://www.barbican.org.uk/artgallery/event-detail.asp?ID=10771

The architectural methodology and functionality of the work displayed is amazing. Not only is the ingenuity of the pattern & cutting work worth drawing ideas from but the fabrics used too; from stiff wool felts, sports performance textiles and even paper!

The stand out designers for me were Hiroaki Ohya, Rei Kowakuba with his strong futuristic silhouettes, and Akira Naka. Naka's use of gradation knit, from wool to polyester knit, was genius.... love it. (check out the link)
http://www.bfc-review.jp/news/2009/07/akira_naka_exhibition.html

Augmented Reality (POP)

When given the brief the 1st thing that came to mind was an article I read not so long ago in POP magazine (issue 22, s/s); on Augmented Reality. With the rapid growth of digital technology, most noticeably in 3D development, the way we perceive everything is being challenged. As the editor's letter suggests such advances are being embraced and the Fashion Industry is no exception.

If you've got a video cam you've got to try this out!! (checkout the link below, and get your hands on a hard copy of the edition).http://thepop.com/ar/

The video's below help explain the concept and it's initial possibilities.



http://www.viceland.com/fashion/2010/02/london-fashion-week-augmented-reality/#more-6873





.... My problem here is that although it blows me away I need to consider and investigate how AR can be used within my conceptual fashion design work?!..... Hummm...?