My Final Book for the Professional Project - Dig.it.all. Our Designs and Inspiration.

Open publication - Free publishing - More digital art

It's Here!!!

Yes, my book has arrived and WOW - it looks well posh! From what I've seen I'm really really happy with it. The layout and composition of the pages seem to work really well and the colours are as I'd hoped them to be. There don't appear to be any problems or mistakes but in all honesty, I'm almost too scared to have a really thorough look through it just in case......

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone elses. I'll post a pic of mine soon.

Any day now...

My book should be arriving any day now. I'm really really hoping I'm happy with it - just can't wait to see what it's like!!

Within the last few days I've gone back to my research book, it's difficult to get back to where I was in the reserach because for a while I've been focused on the actual final book. Anyway I've made a list of what needs to be done and am hoping I haven't left anything important out!!

The Book is Complete!!

Well, it's been a while since I've posted anything on here but my book has taken priority recently and yesterday I managed to send it to Blurb!! I'm so excited but nervous at the same time! I just really hope it arrives and turns out how I imagine it to! I'm really happy with the results and I feel I've managed my time well, I managed to complete eveything within the book I'd originally hoped to.

The overall apperance of the book isn't exactly how I'd initially imagined it to be however once I started bringing my work into the book it felt natural to keep the layout simple to ensure the images stood out.

I can't wait for the book to arrive and to get other people's opinions on it. I will post several more blogs this week to show what I've been up to and what's been included within the book.

Photo Shoot.

As I mentioned previously I'm really happy with the photo shoot I did the other day. Although the shoot was all pretty amateur (a DIY studio, an amateur photographer and myself as a model - amateur!) I think the photos look really good and effective. I was aware the DIY element of the photo shoot was a risk however I would never have contemplated it if I didn't have faith that I could pull it off. I really enjoyed the whole experience and being creative with the lighting, the props, the poses and the style/outfits. I was aware I was already going to manipulate the photos to super impose my prints onto the clothes which meant I would probably be able to alter/fix any lighting issues etc.

I've been manipulating the photos to superimpose my prints onto the garments and adjust the original photo to achieve the style/result I'm after. The proceedure is rather time consuming however I'm really pleased with the resutls. Below are a couple of examples.

Professional Project and only my Professional Project!!

I'm very happy as both the PPRD2 and Fashion as a Forum units are complete and handed in which means I am free to concentrate fully on my professional project with no distractions or interruptions!

I'm very happy with the photo shoot I did the other day and from what I can see so far I think the photo's work well - I will upload some soon!

Also I finally managed to get some letters and emails sent off to possible work experience places which is a very good job done!

Oh yes and we also managed to show our presentation for the group Modip project which I thought went really well considering we finished the project a while ago now.

So it's about a month until I need to send the book off to be printed so work work work!!

Basso and Brooke Website...

www.bassoandbrooke.com

Basso and Brooke have provided me with a great deal of inspiration for my professional project as their work is centered around digital art/prints. I believe when I started this project their website was under construction however now it's up and running and it's AMAZING! I spent a lot of time on the site at the weekend am particularly love how they not only show the collections for each season but the beautiful artwork used to produce the fabric prints. I was also amazed and interested to see all their collaborations including Sky HD, Converse and Swarovski.

Below I've included some of the beautiful artwork.

Latest Professional Project Tutorial...

I'm really pleased with my latest tutorial with Jamie and Sarah regarding my professional project. They seemed to really like my designs and the efforts I've made to find abstract, creative ways to display them. They approved of my research into different page layouts and agree I am ready to get stuck into producing the book! They also liked the ideas I have for my pending photo shoot! Phew and Yay! Now to put the book together...

Written Work...

I've spent most of the last few days working on both our PPRD2 and Fashion as a Forum units. These units both consist mainly of written work - usually the least inspiring and exciting part of all our work/units. I love to be able to complete them both allowing me between now and May to focus devotedly on my professional project.

I have more or less finished the PPRD unit and am happy with the stage I'm at with the essay. I've managed to pull together my research and compile my paragraphs, they just need editing - I think I actually have too many words which a few days ago I could never imagine being the case! I need to make sure everything I've written about is relevant the the brief and title.

Photo Shoot Ideas...

Since the experimenting I did using Photoshop the other day I've really been thinking about how I will go about my photo shoot. I'm considering having ago at the shoot on my own, possibly being my own model eek. Even thought I'd like the photos to look good naturally, as the photos are already going to be manipulated on Photoshop I should be able to alter any lighting issues/problems I may come across.

I have looked at several different poses and been thinking about locations and props etc. I'm really getting quite excited about the idea. Below is a photo I found which I think is a really good idea and feel fits into my theme perfectly.

I'd like my photo shoot to appear quite busy and vibrant and the black and white print newspaper provides a busy background which will also help the colours of the garments to stand out. The print fits in well to my theme which is all about digital art/print. It should also be an easy and cheap set to put together. I've had several other ideas which I will document in my research book.

Experimenting with Professional Project Photo Shoot.

A few weeks ago, with help from tutors, I came to the conclusion it would be a shame to simply try to find clothes from the high street which use digital art/prints and dismiss all the digital prints I have been creating myself. I'd love to be able to use my digital prints within a photo shoot without actually printing onto fabric which could prove time consuming and expensive - and this is where technology comes in!!

I have spent part of this morning's lesson with Jamie experimenting with different techniques I could use to help produce my photo shoot. Using plain white garments in the photo shoot I will be able to import the photo's into Adobe Photoshop and digitally manipulate the photo to incorporate my own digital prints. I'm really happy with the result and I feel I could create some really effective, dynamic photo's - and I'm so happy that it means I'll be able to make my prints into garments!! The photo below is the image I started with... The next two images are digitally produced images which I have used as a fabric prints. The two bottom images show the two images brought together! I think the photo's look really realistic and effective.

A Report on Britain's Next Top Model Live Event, London. October 2010.

This was the most fashion related exhibition I have visited recently. The event was a spin off of the reality television show ‘Britain’s Next Top Model’ which was aired last year during the summer. The exhibition claimed it was a chance to ‘immerse you into the world of the BNTM lifestyle.’

Although on a far smaller scale, similar to Clothes Show Live, the show included exhibitors, a shopping experience as well as several fashion and beauty tutorials and workshops. As well as this there were model and press agencies and a ‘BNTM Catwalk Show’ with the BNTM contestants and winner. In my opinion the fashion show was the highlight of the show. The choreography and general production was amazing bringing together singers, dancers and models to produce a very creative performance. Although visually stunning I felt this busy choreography at times took my focus away from the garments too much.

The selection of fashion exhibitors were rather different to what I was expecting and there were brands I had never come across before which I felt was unusual as the show seemed so similar to Clothes Show Live.

Overall the show was very enjoyable. There were several different stalls, for example, vintage stalls, jewellery stalls as well as food, beauty, health and fashion stalls. This kept the exhibition interesting a varied.

Below are a couple of photographs from the event and show.

A Report on the Tate Britain, London for PPRD 2.

The most recent gallery I have visited is the Tate Britain in London. I had never been to this gallery before, only the Tate Modern which shows ‘international modern and contemporary art’ compared to Tate Britain which is ‘the home of British art from 1500 to the present day’.

The Tate Britain building itself is very attractive, full of opulent features and character. In my opinion, the grandeur of the building and rooms enhanced the entire gallery experience and created a feeling of class and sophistication.

This gallery was rather different to the Salvador Dali gallery in Prague because there was such a vast variety of artists, styles and media within each room. To begin with I found this quite disconcerting and, compared to the Dali gallery, found the artwork slightly muddled. On the other hand, this method of displaying artwork ensured each separate piece stood alone and stood out as an individual piece of art.

There were several pieces I found particularly inspiring including ‘An Autobiography of an Embryo’ by Eileen Agar (the first image below). I thought the name and idea behind this piece was fascinating and I enjoyed letting my imagination run wild while studying the painting. The piece is very colourful and busy and it was great to search out the random, slightly concealed items and objects within the piece.

I also like the middle image, a painting by John Singer Sargent called ‘Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose.’ I really like the colours in the painting and the way the lanterns appear lit. The atmosphere is one of beauty, innocence and tranquility.

A Report on a Salvador Dali Exhibition in Prague for PPRD 2.

This exhibition was the first I had been to in some time which I feel worked in both the galleries and my own favour. I found the atmosphere of the gallery very relaxed and inviting. The simplicity of the presentation of the artwork was very effective and allowed one to focus and appreciate the artwork itself. I felt the display and organisation of the artwork was very successful and followed a very cohesive, logical direction. This allowed me to acknowledge the sheer volume of Dali’s work and appreciate that, although similar in style, Dali uses several different media and techniques. The different techniques included watercolour paintings, drypoint etchings and sketches with different coloured pens.

Throughout the gallery there were a number of portrait photographs and busts of Dali. I felt this was another effective, successful feature as the photograph’s and sculptures reminded me of the character behind the artwork and gave an insight into Dali’s life. They were a good contrast to Dali’s work and broke up the artwork.

Below I have included several photo’s from the exhibition and a couple of pieces I particularly liked. The bottom image is painting called 'Le Chevalier Chretien' which means 'The Christian Horse Rider'. I love the shapes, textures and colours in this piece, it stood out from the other paintings it was presented next to. The third piece down is called 'Homage to Fashion' which I thought was very appropriate to our course. It's a very interesting piece, I particularly like the bouquet in place of the models head! The model gives across such a feeling of confidence and passion.

Prague!

So our trip to Prague has been and gone and, although I now feel it’s time to seriously get back to work and get on top of my uni work, it was really nice to have time away - even though it was a uni trip, it was good to escape from uni work for a while!

I really enjoyed the trip, all it involved (bar the flying!) and spending time with everyone on our course. It was a good opportunity to spend time with the designers who we (promoters) are often separated from.

The city itself is beautiful - so clean and tidy! The architecture is stunning in places! I found the tour on Monday interesting and it gave us a great insight into the city and helped us find our bearings. Unfortunately I was disappointed in the market we visited which was nothing like I expected. Generally each and every stall was selling the same sort of stuff, none of which I found very inspiring - I had been hoping to see more cultural, traditional art and craft from Prague. Our trip to Prague Zoo was AMAZING! I had such fun on this trip and it’s a really lovely memory. Many people saw animals they had only ever hoped to see and this meant it was quite breath taking at times! On Wednesday we were taken to a fashion uni in Prague which allowed us to see and understand the other sorts of environments people study in. Their studio was so full of character but perhaps not so practical.

Myself and my room mates also took the chance to visit a Salvador Dali exhibition which I found to be one of the most enjoyable exhibitions I’ve ever been to. His work is fascinating and it was so interesting the see the sheer volume of his work and the various different styles. I will report on the exhibiton as part of the PPRD unit.

I’m so glad I took part in the trip from both an educational and sociable perspective. I have included a few pictures below showing the city and some nights out!

Ink Brush Designs...

Here is the collection I have produced using the ink brush download and the images I produced on the previous page. I'm really happy with these designs and I feel they fit into my 'Dig.it.all' brand perfectly. I have produced both flat garment drawings and garments presented on the mannequin. I feel the designs on the mannequins help to bring the garments to life and help a viewer to understand how the designs work as an outfit. I also feel the use of fabric swatches work well to show how the garments would feel and move. I may continue to develop this collection further however I am pleased I have produced a well formed, striking and unique collection which will fit into the 'Dig.it.all' brand. I now plan to experiment with how the designs can be presented in an abstract manner.

Ink Brush...

So...during a lesson with Jamie he showed me this cool download from psd.tutsplus.com which consists of 25 ink brushes. These brushes fit really well into this project as the shapes of the ink are similar to those I used to create my Brusho Images. The shapes are also similar to those found in the photographs by Mark Mawson, I photographer I looked at earlier in the project. I have spent time using these brushes to create abstract, striking and effective images/designs which can be seen below. These images are extremly eye catching and vibrant. Used in a garment design they will fit well into my brand, 'Dig.it.all'.

Experimenting with the presentation of my designs...A Possible Advertising Campaign.

As a result of my review I have spent time experimenting with the ways in which I present my designs. I'm wondering whether this abstract wayof presenting my designs could form some sort of advertising campaign so within the designs I have included the 'Dig.it.all' logo.

I have produced these symmetrical, circular design which are inspired by work I produced in a previous project titled ‘Transformation’. I believe these pieces work really well and I look forward to hearing other peoples opinions on the designs. I am confident the garment shapes are still visible however within these pieces the designs aren't so immediately obvious and have an intriguing quality to them. The design works particularly well as both the logo and the garment designs use the Brusho images bringing the two elements together.

I believe these symmetrical, circular designs with the logo positioned in the centre work really well and I can imagine them forming an advertising campaign for my ‘Dig.it.all’ brand. The pieces are very eye catching and if I created several different versions showing one or two collections I believe the consistency would prove very effective and powerful, the brand would become very recognisable.

I will continue to play around with the idea of presenting my designs in an abstract, slightly concealed manner.

Fashion as a Forum....

Also, today we had another lesson regarding our essay for our Fashion as a Forum unit. Considering how interested and how much enjoyment I'm getting from producing my new brand I've decided to base my specialist area within the essay on branding. I plan to look at how new media has affected branding in terms of promotion, exhibition and display. I just hope this subject provides me with enough to write about!!

Another Collection for Dig.it.all...

This is another small collection I have produced which could become part of the ‘Dig.it.all’ brand. I have used the same ‘Brusho Images’ I used for the previous two ‘Brusho Collections’ however this time lightened the images to appear more subtle. I wanted to create a more feminine, summer time collection which incorporated the beautiful digital images. Using the soft, draping dresses I have chosen, paired with the lighter digital prints, I have created a feminine and delicate collection. As a result of this the collection is not quite so striking and vibrant as the others however this is a consequence of lightening the brusho images. I feel this collection provides a good contrast tothe other more vibrant collections however I need tosure it fits in with the morals and personality of the brand.

Professional Project Research Book...

I think it is a really good idea to be able to show my research digitally as well as in my sketchbook. Being able to view my research book online will be very convenient and allow different people to view my research from many different locations. This is my second attempt at uploading the book, I think it has worked better this time and is easier to view. I plan to keep this book up to date with my latest research for this project.

Professional Project Review...

So today we had our first proper project review...eek!

During the last few weeks I have been confident in my ideas in terms of the theme and the final outcome of this project and have become increasingly excited and passionate about my ideas, particularly my new brand ‘Dig.it.all’. I believe by creating a book ‘by’ ‘Dig.it.all’ (my new brand) which showcases their own work and ideas, documents why digital art within fashion is so popular and explains how digital art is developing I will be able to achieve the goals I have set myself for this project.

However, during my review this confidence and idea was tested and questioned so I have since reiterated the goals I would like to achieve from and within this project. By doing this I have been reassured that the idea for my final piece will achieve these goals and have been able to justify my initial confidence. As a result of this and because I'm so excited by my idea I plan to stick to my guns and produce the book I have explained above! Phew!

The tutors also made comments about my illustrations appearing slightly obvious and 'flat' compared with the original hand drawn designs. We talked about presenting the designs in a more abstract, creative and artistic manner which are so instantly obvious. I really like this ideas and look forward to experimenting however I'm not quite certain how it will fit into my book and brand, perhaps it could form some sort of advertising campaign.........

Kuhlmann Inspired Designs...

These are my latest designs for my professional project. They were very much inspired by the digital abstract artwork by Karin Kuhlmann, an artist I studied during my A Levels. I originally produced these designs as part of our Manifesto project last year however the designs also tie into this theme so I have redrawn them using Adobe Illustrator. This has transformed the designs into far more vibrant and precise illustrations and helps to better convey a sense of energy. These designs fit well into my new brand, 'Dig.it.all'.

Lesson on 'What Makes A Successful Image' and Branding...

Today we had a lesson to share our findings on what makes a good image and then had a workshop on branding. This was especially relevant to me as I’ve recently decided to create a brand as part of my professional project.

Firstly we each read our findings on what different people (such as photographs, fine artists and graphic artists etc) feel makes a successful image. Many of the answers had similarities including a good image is one that evokes some sort of emotion or reaction, perhaps one that makes the viewer ask questions. There were very few comments made about making sure the image appeals to the intended audience which, in terms of fashion photography, is very important! As a result of the lesson I plan to ensure I take into consideration the technicalities of my photo shoot (lighting etc) and make sure I don't get too personally attached to the photo's and ensure they will appeal to the target audience.

The branding lesson was equally interesting. We were shown a couple of style guides for logos such as 'I Love N.Y'. I was so interested and surprised to learn how much detail and information is attached to one logo. I have created a logo for my brand, 'Dig.it.all' but honestly only thought about the aesthetics. Now I may go back and consider the logo in more detail!

I find branding and marketing really interesting and wonder whether this is another area of the industry I could investigate and perhaps pursue!?!

Branding Idea...Logo!

I've really got into this idea about creating a brand. I have explained my ideas in my research book, pretty much finished my initial research, so I am now ready to start creating all sorts for my brand.

Today I have worked on designing a logo for the brand. I wanted to ensure the logo was clear, eye catching and as self explanatory as possible, the more the logo can say about the brand the better! I experimented with several designs before deciding on the logo below. I feel this final design I have chosen best achieves the important elements to a logo I mentioned.

The word is about making everything digital (within reason obviously!). Dig.it.all resembles the word 'digital' as well as referring to the term, 'dig it' i.e. to like something. Unless neccessary changes need to be made down the line...this is my logo for my new brand 'Dig.it.all'!

Professional Project - Branding Ideas.

Last night, thinking about my professional project, I started to think more and more about the possibilities of creating a brand based on my 'digital art in fashion' theme and I got pretty excited about the idea! I had already had a thought to create a brand but now I believe it could be a bigger part of my book than I first thought!

By creating a brand I can design the logo, collections, advertisement, accessories and look into visual merchandising for the brand. This way I will be producing a great deal of my own work, not focusing so much on reporting on what's already out there. This is in response to my feedback for my trend book project that I need to develop my ideas more. I'm even thinking perhaps the book will be 'by' the new brand I create. They could be showcasing their work and documenting why digital art in fashion is so popular and current and explain how it is developing!

Watch this space!

A Five Year Plan...

Right, a five year plan......

I believe the next biggest, most relevant and beneficial experience for me is a 3 month work placement at the end of this year. I have already started researching and thinking about the kind of business I would like to work for, for example, the size of the business, the location and the area of the industry they relate to. From my work placement at John Lewis HQ last year, I am very keen to experience more of a buying floor but in a more fashion forward company. For this reason I am considering contacting companies such as Topshop, ASOS and River Island.

A significant consideration I need to bear in mind with regards to my future is location. I am not yet sure how for or against I am for building a career in London as I am currently very settled in the South West. I hope if I do my 3 month work placement in a London based company this will prove to me whether or not I would be happy living there on a more permanent basis.

I am keen to remain open minded as to my career path within the industry however I hope this work placement will help me to confirm an area I particularly enjoy and prove good at.

Once I have graduated I hope I will have either secured a job with the company I did my work placement with or will have identified the kind of job role I will apply for. If my work placement in London confirms I would rather not live in London I will set about looking for a smaller company based outside London. Hopefully they might be impressed by my work placement in a leading London based company!

From here I simply hope to build upon my career wherever it may be!

My Trend Book!

Open publication - Free publishing - More forecasting

Wow! A lesson with Jamie has taught me to upload my trend book onto my blog - the pages turn and everything! I feel this will come in really handy. I think it will be really valuable and beneficial to be able to show my research in a digitial format and on my blog. This way I don't always have to have my sketchbook with me and it can be accessed from anywhere!

Trend Book Mark...

So today I got my mark for our last project, to produce a trend book. There's no denying I am slightly disappointed with my mark, I set my goals high and like to do everything I can to get the best mark possible. This mark of course effects my professional project as I need to identify and improve on the areas that let my trend book mark down.

After my tutorial with Sarah I understand I need to develop my own ideas and designs. I believe I need to focus more on this aspect of the project rather than so much on the research.

I plan to keep in close contact with my tutors during these coming months and ensure I get regular advise and feedback on my work.

Professional Project Initial Designs...

As well as researching my theme and documenting the research in my sketchbook I have also been working on a few initial designs. As I have most likely mentioned before, my skills in Adobe Illustrator developed and improved significantly during our previous project to produce a trend book. As a result of this I have been keen to redraw some hand drawn designs from a first year project in Illustrator to turn them into more professional, refined illustrations. These designs relate well to my digital art theme and are drawings I may include in my final book depending on other designs I produce. I am really happy with my drawings from Illustrator. They are far clearer and refined.

So it's probably time for an update! There seems to have been lots of separate little things going on at the same time recently. I've been working on a sponsorship proposal letter for the fashion show as well as an email to send out to possible work placements. Then I've also been thinking about both the Fashion as a Forum and Modip group presentation! Busy busy!

The thing I'm most enjoying is definitely our professional project. I'm really happy with my theme and I'm fully into the research stage. I've recently looked into Digital Art on the catwalk and found it really inspiring. The digital art theme has definitely been used a lot over the last few years and continues to develop proving I have picked a current, on trend subject.

Below I have picked out a couple of examples by Peter Pilotto and Jonathan Saunders.

Fashion as a Forum.

Last week we we're given the brief for our new Fashion as a Forum unit. The essay (2500 words!!) will be about the role new media technologies play in the exhibiting, promotion and display of fashion. I'm pretty pleased with this brief as it fits in rather nicely with my own professional project theme, Digital Art in Fashion.

Our first homework for the unit is to explore examples of an arena of fashion, for example, the internet, television or apps. We will then present and share our findings.

What Makes a Successful Image? Number 3.

Finally, I was struggling to find anyone else to ask personally so thought it might be interesting to input the question into Google and see what answers I could find on the web.

“A successful photograph is one in which the viewer, the photographer… or another, feels something, anything, from viewing the image.” Glen Pennykid, Photographer.

“A successful photograph…can capture, convey and interpret…what I’m seeing and feeling at that certain point.” Emmanuel Buenviaje, Photographer.

I wanted to focus this answer on photographs as I may attempt a photo shoot for my professional project this term and it is very helpful to hear what professional photographers believe makes a successful image. I really like the second quote here, I believe it is very important to be able to convey the correct feeling and emotion with one still image.

What Makes a Successful Image? Number 2.

The second person I asked is a good friend of mine who I would describe as both and artist and designer. She is generally interested in all things creative.

This is her answer...

"In my opinion a successful image is one that people/an audience finds striking, interesting and engaging - that has an impression on what you think and feel.
How you MAKE a successful image really depends on what the artist is trying to convey in the first place and also the medium being used....

Elements of a good image:
Sharpness or 'good' colours.
Composition
Clarity
Depth Perception
Attention to detail

But then I guess it very much depends on the individual viewers opinions of good/bad art and what they enjoy."

I like that this answer is fairly broad and seen from several different angles compared to the model I asked first who's answer was very much from a model's perspective. I completely agree that a good image should engage with an audience and have impression on what they think and feel. I also agree that whether an image is good or bad, successful or not is very much down to personal opinion and preferences.

Research for my Professional Project...

Had a tutorial with Sarah James today (who is like a font of knowledge!) to talk with her about our theme ideas for our professional project! She was extremely helpful, reassured me my idea was a good one and helped me to think of my theme from different angles. For example, she thought about digital art as being an excellent 'combination of two strengths. Illustration - the power of mood, expression and imagination and Photography - visual reality and accuracy. I thought this was an interesting and good way to perceive Digital Art and an idea I may investigate further.

We also spoke about fashion photographer, Nick Knight. I find his work amazing and have really enjoyed studying some of his work. I definitely plan to explore his work further!

As far as my research into 'Digital Art In Fashion' as a theme - the subject is very broad and the information available is vast. It can seem over whelming at times, especially when your idea is in such early stages, however, going important I feel it is important to research into anything that interests me and not rule out anything. Any research is good research at this stage!!

This is the front cover for a digital arts magazine, Expose. I love this rich, exquisite image!

What makes a successful image?

Today, during our workshop with Sarah we looked through all sorts of publications and discussed the good and bad points of each. It was a very worthwhile task and helped to confirm what works well within a book/magazine and what doesn't. These are points which will help me when putting together my publication for the professional project.

Sarah then set us a task to ask 3 people of the following profession what makes a successful image.
Photographer.
Graphic Artist.
Fine Artist.
Model.
Stylist.

The first person I have asked is a model I know from secondary school. She was very helpful and gave a comprehensive, informed answer very much from a models perspective.

"I'd say the most important aspect to creating a good image is composition. Negative space around the object of focus is what balances the picture out. If a model was seated in baggy clothing on a stool for instance, the space around her needs to be just so. Similarly, if her arms were on her hips the negative space that creates ie: the triangle of background, looks even better.

Secondly lighting. Too harsh (unless intended that way like shoots from Nylon magazine) can make the image look cheap. Her face should be catching the light, as a model we're always told to "find your light!"

Lastly, the narrative. What the actual image about? Taking a random photo is useless unless it has a meaning. I'm not saying it has to be obvious but the lighting, pose, dress all has to be influenced by the story being told. A picture should tell a 1000 words."

I think this is a brilliant answer to the question. It will help me a great deal if I manage to carry out a photo shoot and I agree strongly with her three main points.

Revolutionary...

Our first lesson back after Christmas was a brainstorming session on our new project title, Revolutionary, with Anya and Jamie. The outcome of the project was explained to us in more detail. We talked about the possibility of producing a look book, a trend book, a magazine, a diary or a shop report. We also spoke about the research part of the project - we will need to produce a research folder, a portfolio and the actual piece itself (for example a trend book).

My idea's considerably developed in this lesson. It was very helpful to get advise from Anya and Jamie. My main idea is to revisit a theme based on digital art which I have covered a couple of times before but one I am very passionate about. I feel with my new found computer skills as well as other developing skills I could approach the subject from a new angle. I enjoyed producing a trend book for our last project and feel this is something I could do again however I may consider making a bit more decorative therefore it may turn into more of a magazine layout.