{ kass } an artistic journey

lots of photos

lots of photos of what I have been making...

Tartan cushion

Made from tartan, black painted canvas, a zipper, button-up lace and I added a kilt pin after I took the photo.

Brat Bag

I saw a painted illustration recently of black on black and I loved the effect so I reproduced it on this bag, and I am so happy with the results. It has black painted canvas, black denim sides/gusset and black "liquid" vinyl strap. Here's a detail shot:

Mini Bag
Again using the liquid vinyl and tartan material (can you tell I like those?!), this bag is 6x4 inches.

Then I added a wooden skull thing which I painted and covered with dimensional adhesive and beads. I can't remember where I got the wooden thing, I think at a scrapbooking thing maybe? I attached it with Liquid Nails!

new bag

Design: Urban Brats (c)
Materials: Denim, Muslin, lace, DMC thread, acrylic paint, rhinestones

***

Sorry for the lack of checking in this week, I have been super busy (I worked an extra day) and I have been fighting a cold. I was meant to go to Yarrawonga today for my niece's christening but I didn't react well to my dinner last night and wasn't able to do the drive.

Not much else to report at this stage - of course there is HEAPS happening but it's all under wraps right now!

finished skirt

I think the blocked in black makes a huge difference - don't you?

the puck funk skirt continues

I added some more red netting underneath - and I think it needs more black and silver? any thoughts?

dont I look my most glamourous?? And those socks - I tell you, it's Paris here I come!! HAHAHAHA

My sewing machine has actually been playing up recently and I thought today I would have to buy a new one. But alas I took it to Spotlight (where they must think I have nothing else to do but shop there) and the lady there, Pina, helped me so much and she fixed the problem and taught me what to do in case it happens again. Thankyou Pina!!

Today was a fun day actually as I got a private tour of Marianna Hardwick, one of Australia's leading bridal designers (the who's who of Melbourne wear her when they get married). I work right next door to them and I went in the other day to ask if they had any old dressmaking dummies that they might be looking to sell? They didn't but the store manager, Susie, offered to show me around upstairs, where they make each dress to order. The dresses start at $3000 and that's for the very basic. It was absolutely STUNNING and such a privilege to be allowed to see what these masters do to make such incredible bridal couture. Thankyou Susie!!

puck funk

I have been working on this skirt for a few days...I haven't decided if it's finished yet but here it is for now...

see if you can figure out the references of puck funk ;)

out of my mind excited

remember this?

well I handed it in last week for mid-semester assessment. I also handed in the first bag, some designs I had done and my visual diary.

Got to class today and the lecturer, Ross, says it's not ready to be picked up. I was slightly frantic about that because I have felt someone stilted without my diary to work in this past week, so he says to come back at 3pm and he'll get it marked for me.

So I went back at 3pm and he says "sit down", which I thought can't mean much good!!

Then he tells me that he didn't really like the first bag. OK, I thought - although I worked for 3 days on it, I kinda thought it was a bit ugly myself the more I looked at it. No shocks there, Ross has never really been a fan of my art anyway so I can cope with that.

But then he pulls out the rabbit....

The little bag? He absolutely LOVED it. He wants to see more of them. He loves the rough work on it - the fact that it is bad but so good. It's edgy yet delicate. He loves the development work I have put in. He loves the designs I have painted with gouache. He wants to see more. Then he says "where have you been hiding this inner designer?" which I stumbled over - I was in shock by this stage. You have to understand - I like Ross and I get on well with him, but I came to accept quite early on that he hates my art work. So to have him not only praise it, but almost GUSH over what I have done so far, was a little more than I could take.

Then the pinnacle... he is giving me a HD (high distinction) for my mid semester assessment. This lecturer doesn't give HD's to anyone - I've heard of one in the 3 years I've been doing this course and that particular artist deserved it. I almost DIED on the spot! Then he says "you know, I thought perhaps your best in this course would come from art history because of your ability to write, but I underestimated you - you're a designer and a good one no less".

If I said I am over the moon I would be grossly understating things - this is a BIG achievement for me personally and from someone who is so hard to impress - it has blown my mind. I am on cloud 1099!!

Now it's back to work!!

another bag

OK I made another bag - I have to hand in my working folio on Tuesday so I thought a second bag might be easier and give a contrast point. I didn't use a pattern on this, I just made it up as I went. Yep - I learned some things the hard way but it will be useful for the future to be aware of construction issues!!

SIDE 1

SIDE 2

INSIDE

Even though these are only for Uni and not for sale, it's really important to me that I construct bags that look as professionally made as I can, so I am paying attention to detail as much as I possibly can with my little sewing machine. Obviously they are not as perfect as I want but I always expect way more of myself than I can reasonably expect and I think that given my sewing skills are basic, I think they look pretty good. I got some gorgeous red duck canvas yesterday which I think I am going to use for the skirt I am going to make.

Last week I finally got my Adobe Creative Suite 3 - it has Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Flash, Acrobat Professional and Adobe Bridge (which is a photo storage program). Today I went and bought a book which teaches me how to use these programs. We use them at Uni but the classes are 3 hours, one day a week, and the 3 units we've done have been spread over 3 years - so my ability to absorb and remember how to do things is limited! The book I got is from the SAMS range and I am finding it really easy to read and understand - well worth the $50 I had to pay for it!

Plans for PEI are full steam ahead. I am all booked and paid, I will be gone 27 May - 4 July. I can hardly wait to go but I also know I have a lot to do between now and then! My PEI family are very exciting as well - instead of one of my flying visits, I get to be one of the kids for real for 5 weeks which I can't wait for. I'm saving up as much money as I can - work has said they'll throw some extra shifts my way when they can which is great. I'm also getting some other financial support too which has relieved alot of the pressure.

Have a great week!

blood, sweat and tears!

and I didn't really think I would get there because my machine was playing up something terrible, but it's done. It took 3 days...but it's done.

Next stop - more bags and a skirt!

beginning the project

well, really I have done so much preparation work that it can be hardly called the beginning of the project. But now I am past drawing mode, collecting mode, and experimental mode. As my lecturer said last week, it's time to start DOING.

I'm making bag D first (on the left in the second row)...but I plan on making several. I also bought these patterns:

So far so good, waiting for paint to dry is like....well watching paint dry!! But I am happy with how things are going so far! Photos to follow...

d'oh!

you see kids, this is why we experiment and test stuff before going headlong into our projects.

they are completely f-u-c-k'ed. LOL. I am slightly bummed coz I kinda liked those samples, but this is how one lives and learns, and that's OK. I swear I added the fabric medium as directed but maybe they didn't have the volume in mind that I was....I dunno.

So now I have to decide: do I (a) continue as normal and simply exhibit them as artworks and not wearables (just samples if you like) or do I (b) perservere with finding a way to make them washable while still looking like I want them to look.

A lesson from your Aunty Kass.........