Photoshop

Ok second time for this post, darn my double clicking habits.

So I may have said this before but photoshop is actually starting to click in my head, its all coming together, Thanks Bruce.

Looking forward to seeing Mr Quinell-Hill tomorrow I missed him last week.

Doll x

Lovely Leather

So my lovely cerise lamb nappa skin has arrived. I took it out of it's most unexciting wraping, a brown envelope!!! of all things. And I admired it for a good while, its beautiful, a rather HOT pink though. I was initially thinking that I would just make one hat for my final collection in leather but considering how much I got perhaps one or two maybe in leather. Possibly even stretch to a hat in the future for a lovely lady who likes pink.........there must be a few of those in the world.
What ever shall I do with my lamb nappa, why turn it into a vintage inspired headpiece of course... I'm sure photos shall be added sooner or later. Hopefully I will squeeze some making time into tomorrow.
Doll x

The Beginning of the End.....

I have started making my final college. My Marylin inspired hair towel turban is all but finished, all it needs is lining. So far I am please with what I have created, it does look very vintage 1940s. So considering I was meant to be updating vintage 1950s, in a way I have made it look more vintage, if thats possible?!?! So far very excited about all the things I can't wait to create. Not sure how many will be suitable for the races?! A turban at the races? Go on. Plenty more hats in the sea ;)

Where have I been?!?

Well it's been awhile, hasn't it. So what has been happening with me. I created and finished my french hat museum competition hat. I haven't uploaded any photos yet, as I'm keeping it under wraps. But I am please with it, although I'm not sure whether it's artistic enough. It's practical yet beautiful, I'm sure that will come across to the judges........I'm not sure how long it will take for them to announce who has won what. I spent along time on the lining, I made two different ones, the first one was too busy. And it had been horrible to sew. Take two was much better, as you will see from the photos (when I upload them :) ).
I was back to college this week (02/03/11) we had a good lesson on photoshop. I have previously been taught photoshop, but I don't think I retained all the information though. Thankfully our photoshop tutor Bruce (doesn't look like a Bruce) took things at an easy to follow pace. So we took our first baby steps on the road to creating our postcards and business cards. I am itching to get to it, I'm not very patient. I want to start handing them out, saying this is me, this is my business.......

Photography Session

I really enjoyed our photography session and I think I managed to get some pretty good photos. We are planning as a group to book out the photography studio and spend an afternoon taking pictures of our work.

We went through the basics of the camera with the photography tutor, which you can see below testing things out with the swan head.

I adore this picture.

New Ideas

So on my way home from college on wednesday I was think of how I could update my idea, mixing the old and the new to create something modern. It struck me that often modern architecture is close to old buildings. I like the idea of the old and the new being meshed together to create something completely different.

For my final collection I want to take some of these ideas and try and apply them to my designs. Maybe through simple things like machine embriodery or use of modern materials on a vintage looking hat. My designs need to be up to date and not look like reproductions.

I do apologise for the poor quality of my photographs.........

Manchester Museum buildings. New and old squashed up right next to each other.

Two forms of modern architecture here, for some reason I prefer the 60s block to the modern tin can.

The industrial looking new part works really well to contrast the old.

This building sounds amazing I can't wait to see what it will look like finished. Although this doesn't match my idea, the concept sounds very exciting.

How do I make this modern?

So I need to make my idea more modern and not create hats that are exact replicas of 1950s ones. From my research I noticed that Louis Vuitton's collections have many fifties influences including the big skirts. These skirts are big full skirts, but instead of being cotton they are made from leather. I enjoy the contrast and twist which this gives a vintage looking item a breath of fresh air.
This is a good idea which was brought up in my group tutorial on Wednesday. Since then I have been thinking how I could take this further. I enjoy the contrast between new and old. Or even an abandoned block of 1970s flats that have been taken over by plants. Things being reclaimed by nature. But I think this is a whole new idea that I think could last me another year.

• So back to Marilyn
• Prints of modern buildings as the lining
• Machine embroidered geometric shapes on felt
• Unusual embelishments

Things to think about, I obviously want to keep the idea of feminity. I want these pieces to be delicate and beautiful. But still modern and new.

I best get snapping some buildings.

Doll x