Experimenting with making feathers.

                     
                      Making My Own Feathers

From a suggestion made to me by my tutor I have decided to make some of my own feathers for this project.


It is a very basic technique although the result is very effective.
To start I cut some ridgeuline into a small strip to represent the spine of the feather and to create stability.  I then cut some fabrics (use a reasonably lightweight fabric to get the best effect)then use a zig zag stitch on the sewing machine and sew on top of the ridgeuline. The final step is to cut into or wire brush the feather carefully to create the feather effect. 


I found that the heavier fabric loses the movement which makes it look like a feather.

A thin strip of ridgeline acts as the spine of the feather. 

The feathers when they are made are very delicate as the fabric's grain is at different angles, so I've found that sometimes the little strands of feather come apart, however I think it gives it a more life like quality. 

I experimented with other fabrics, they all react differently some are more delicate than others.

This is the first stage, cutting they fabric cutting the ridgeuline
Then sewing it on to the fabric. 

I then cut in to the fabric to create the effect of a feather. 

As you can see on the left that this fabric is particularly delicate as some of the feather strands have come away.



The next feather I made, I did an experiment where I sewed the ridgeuline on the wrong side of the fabric. The fabric has shaggy pieces of thread which come off it, I thought it would be a perfect feather for the parrot design.
After sewing the ridgeuline to the fabric I turned it over and stitched on a piece of feather braid, this gives it a textured effect.

Feather braid stitched to the back.

I will defiantly use this technique in my project, I am very pleased with the outcome of the experiments and think they look like real feathers. Although I still feel that using real feathers  as well as these home-made feathers would give a better more textured effect.  

Tutorials.

Tutorial with Adele Unit Leader.

31/3/11

• Design All Four Costumes but make only tow for hand in.

• For the beaks find some lightweight materials touse such as Vavaform or Plasterzote, (Talk to Julia in the workshop.
• Use Blog to document your project progress and learning etc.
• Blog Tutorials Thursday 1.40pm (Bring Learning Agreement) 

7/4/11

Tutorial.

•  Reflection! is the main reason for the blog, What AM I LEARNING??
• Update blog labels so they can be seen on the blog and not just the dashboard.
• reflective blog at the end of everyweek.
• What am i learning as a maker? and designer etc?
• reflect over techniques.
• make feathers, rigeline fabrics, wire brush over the top or cut into it. 
• For the owl perhaps a bolero jacket would be more suitable for the arms to represent the wings rather than padding the unitard?
• Only Cotton Lycra can be dyed, but synthetic lycra can be painted with inks.
• Zippy ties can be dyed and create a good spikey effect. (good for eagles mask?)
• Ask Alison about the Vavaform. 

Tutorial.

May 5th:

• Remember to Reflect! Write about how your experiences have changed what you would do in the future. 
• Change the labels on the blog to be only three, Planning, research & reflection.
• Latex may perish if kept and used longer than a couple of years. consider this is masked want to be kept and used year after year. 

• 
  

Designs - Dodo.

                            The DODO.




The Dodo is an interesting design because it is an extinct bird therefore I have some artistic license with the way it looks. There are images within the alice in wonderland books and other sources of the dodo, howeverI am going to experiment and use some other materials other than just feathers, to create a textured effect. 

Like the owl costume the dodos unitard will be sourced for me by the Ballet school. As the dodo is a round character i have decided to add a pad to the chest to create a rounded silhouette. 


Around the neck i thought looked like an Elizabethan ruff, which is ironic as the character of the dodo in alice in wonderland is spposed to be wise and regal which the ruff would represent, where as the original perceptions of the dodo is that they were stupid and clumsy creatures. It would be a great play of roles if the dodo character would be tall & regal, nevertheless due to his forgetfull nature would forget his regal persona and be clumsy and stupid. 

From underneath the ruff collar the pad which would be attacthed to the unitard would be covered with feathers and homemade feathers down the torso. It will have at the back a small plumage, to represent the tail.


Rather than the owl whose arms will be covered with feathers the Dodo traditionally could not fly, and has very small unesscessary wings, Therefore to represent this i have decided not to cover the arms with feathers but to create feathered gloves. This will give the illusion of little wings.   

feathered gloves.

Designs.

These are the designs I have come up with. I have designed four of the birds even though for the project I am only required to make 2, however I will of my own accord make the other two for the show. 

The dance school will be giving me the unitards to work on so I will be finding and experimenting to find ways to add and embellish the unitards. I will also be working with the workshop to make beaks for the birds out of a light weight material.

The first bird I designed was the owl.

The owl will have a white unitard,which I will decorate down the front and a bit down the back, It was also discussed with my tutor that I make a bolero style jacket to create the fullness in the arms, rather than padding and working into the unitard to much. 

The head dress will be made out of foam to create the rounded shape without the weight. The foam will also be easy to work into and add elements, such as the ears.

I have started experimenting with materials to create the beak for the owl as it is much smaller than any of the other birds, therefore I can use a heavier material which would not be an option with the other birds. 




I have firstly started experimenting with fimo, as it is reasonably easy to manipulate however it is quite stiff, so I wouldn't use it if I had to make something intricate. The beak shape I had in mind was quite simple. Fimo is more convenient than some other similar materials such as clay, because it can be cooked in the oven. Although I have learnt from using it that after it has started to cook it becomes very fragile and easily cracks. 



This is the first attempt, however i decided to make it much smaller and take off the side pieces to make it purch on the nose, it will be attached to a mask which will come down the nose from the top of the head. Although not shown in the design it will be probly be attached accross the cheeks aswell for extra stability.

 This is a picture of me with the updated beak shape. it will sit over the nose and will be attached from the top of the head and across the face.  

Planning

I was also given a couple of images from the original Alice in Wonderland book, the pictures were depicting the Caucus race, which is the scene where the animals are together. 

                                      

                                                                                    

Planning and Inspiration

Last week I had a meeting with the principal of the bellet school, Sandra Mcauliffe we discussed her ideas of the show. Her main inspiration is the English National Ballet's interpretation of Alice in Wonderland. 

I have been given the impression from the programme that the English National Ballet radiates quality, it has the perfect combination of classical ballet styles and modern artistic interpretation. The production has a timeless feeling, Sue Blane the costume & set designer reveals the secret in the programme that she kept the original book and drawings close when designing. 

"When faced with creating something as well known and celebrated as Alice in Wonderland, there's quite a lot to go on. My main focus was to turn Lewis Carrol's famous characters into characters that would work in a classical ballet." Designer Sue Blane, Alice in Wonderland English National Ballet Programme. Page 14 

The book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland By Lewis Carrol first published in 1866, Portrays a world of imagination which can be loved by generations, the book also conveys the mid 19th century as as time elegance and discovery, which is certainly relaid back in to the costumes and the set.

                                  

    

Lewis Carrol Aka, Charles Dodgeon                
 picture taken from
http://www.leninimports.com/lewis_carroll.html

SDP -

Self - Directed Project.

For my self directed project I have been asked by the Murilova Ballet school to make costumes for their production of Alice in Wonderland. It will be performed at the Layard Theatre on the 15^th & 16^th of July.

The Murilova ballet school, has been running for over 25 years, and has been a strong part of the local comunitity involving more than 80 children from the area.

The ballet school has puts on a production every 2 years, which all of the proceeds go the Poole branch of the Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline.

For the production of Alice in wonderland, I have been asked to make four costumes for the Caucus race, a scene traditionally involving 14 different animals, for this show have been asked to make four Bird costumes, A Dodo, Eagle, Owl and a Parrot.

 

I have discussed the design of the costumes with the head of the ballet school and we decided that the emphasis would be on the headdresses and the shape of the bird’s heads.

As it is a ballet movement is the priority, therefore the main costume would be a unitard embellished with feathers. Depending on the type of the bird, the arrangement of feathers and the colours etc would be different. However it is the headdress, which would be the main focus.

Therefore I must design and make headdresses which are light, stable and wearable for young children. This project will give me the freedom to experiment with different materials and work on something a bit different.

The project will last 6 weeks. Within the first two weeks I will, find out any more information, measure the dancers and experiment with different materials and shapes to design the four costumes. Then I have 4 weeks to construct and embellish the costumes, ready for SDP hand in on the 16^th of May.

After the hand-in I also intend to carry on working with the ballet school to help them source, make and alter the rest of the costumes. I believe this will be a challenging and interesting project, where I will get the chance to independently work on a real life production and to further develop my making and design skills.