Quilted Blankets and Knitted Throws

Visit to Anthropologie

- mixtures of materials and quilts
- hanging lightbulbs by pink string

Twinnings

Teacups

Kirsty Mitchell Photography

I have been following Kirsty Mitchell for a while now and every photo just seems to get more creative and imaginative as she develops her wonderland series.
Kirsty Mitchell is a photographer/stylist/art director/creative artist that uses influences from her childhood to develop really beautiful and creative imagery.
With her team of creative designers she creates photographs which have been entirely hand made, from the clothing to the set.

Shona Heath

I think during this project I really want to consider set design. I did my dissertation on storytelling and the narrative behind a photo-shoot and I think this has made me much more aware of how important it is to have an idea behind a shoot and the elements that go towards putting it together.
In previous shoots, I think the ideas have been there but the lack of direction on the actual shoot or the translation have slightly dwindled.
I've therefore, started to look at artists and photographers that have inspired me when it comes to story based photo-shoots.
One set designer that stands out the most is Shona Heath who works very closely alongside my all time favourite photographer, Tim Walker.
Her set designs really play on the whole idea of taking something and developing it within fashion photography.
I think the idea of taking the norm and changing it to the unusual really makes the images stand out from the others. I love the idea of scale and playing around with different sizes like the images below. I think its also about challenging ideas and stepping out of her comfort zone which helps Heath address new ideas and possibilities when it comes to creating an image.
I think the clever use of models and props really influences the way the photograph looks and it is this which draws the viewer in.
Something such as this over sized toy really makes you look at the image in more detail and observe all of its beauty. If the toy was removed it could look like any other fashion image, however it is this odd placement of the unusual which makes the images so appealing.

Anthropologie November 2010 Issue

After my MPP project it was recommended by my tutor to look at Anthropologies November 2010 look book.
I think the giant cut outs relate to exactly what I had in mind for developing my previous cutout experiments. I like how it is a simple way of illustrating an idea without the need for over the top locations and sets.
It clearly shows the look whilst the whiteness of the room stops it from overpowering the image. Like Paul Harnett said last term: less is always more.

Cutout Experiments

In my previous MPP project I had just started to experiment with cutting out the images and layering them up to give a 3D type effect so that it played around with the background and foreground imagery.

I really liked the idea of changing the images from standard flat imagery and felt that it gave it more to work with.
I managed to get the images to stand up by using layers of cardboard cuttings which I just adjusted the thickness of depending on how far forward I wanted each subject.
Once I have done this I cut them out but also left a slight border to give the image more of a definition. I really like the hands-on approach the final images give, they completely change the whole feel of the overall image and makes it more reltable to an art piece.

My Philosophy

For my Extended Major Project I also want to take my design philosophy which I put together during the beginning of my Major Project Preparation. This really helped in enabling me to understand myself and my own design techniques better. By doing this I was able to focus on the direction I wanted to go more clearly and use my own philosophy to influence my work.
So I have decided to look at it again to acknowledge where I want to move forward.

I'm very organised, so much so that every sock I own still has its matching partner and my clothes seem to be colour aligned.
However, to this organisation I also have a spontaneous personality and do not like to keep to a routine. I am a very girly, with a playful and energetic personality. My styling often relates this, bringing together my moods, my loves and my fears.

My styling is about joining together a look subtly rather than forceful. I quite often look at one horrific garment and will like to challenge myself to make it better.

I don't particularly like labels; because fashion says its fashionable why should this be the reason you should buy it? Doesn't fashion become fashionable only by the way you wear it? I think you can buy fashion but by buying it you aren't necessary fashionable. (You can read more about my views of the Branding in my previous blog post from last year after a visit to Milan.)

The photographers and artists that mainly influence me are:
Tim Walker and his imaginative photography skills.
Shona Heath and her wacky, creative designs that when combined with Walker re-creates the dreamlike, fantasy world.

Annie Leibovitz and her ability to bring childhood dreams alive.
And finally Gemma Booth who reminds us that we can all be pretty young girls on a summer day.
My love for collecting a mix match of treasures often finds itself in my work or at least influencing it.
I can quite often find myself coming home with an Indian headpiece (something you may have seen in previous work) or an oversized patchwork quilt. Not because I have a need for it but because it needed me to have it.

I am defiantly influenced by everything at the moment. I can currently hear an ice cream van's music playing which then leads me thinking about ice cream sundaes and from this an 1950's diner. Thus you can clearly see how my mind will quickly work out new inspiration ideas. I am forever buzzing with new ideas.

My personality often contradicts itself. I can go from this well thought out, organised individual...to a ditsy, blonde, scatterbrain in a matter of minutes.
However, I think that its this personality trait that pushes my work forward rather than hindering it.

I quite often find myself having a revelation and this will suddenly push everything into focus, or develop it much futher than I had originally anticipated.
I have defiantly found my love not only in styling, but also working as part of a team. Working with a complete range of really tallented people. I am very friendly and enjoy the interaction a shoot can bring.

This summer I have worked hard to start building contacts as well as work for my portfolio. This has defiantly benefitted me in developing my work further and opening up new windows.

I don't think you can plan the future but you can defiantly direct it.
I am hoping that by continuing to buld up my portfolio and by working with more people it will eventually lead to bigger and better things.
I think if you keep at it you will eventually reach your target and I aim to keep trying to reach that goal.