Week 1 – Introduction to Sustainability

Sustainable fashion refers to the fashion concept of adopting sustainability principles in the creation and use of fashion clothing to reduce the negative impact on the environment and society.

Sustainable fashion can be defined as being used for as long as possible in the design, procurement, manufacturing and sales of raw materials, taking into account their most valuable forms; entering the recycling system of social resources in a responsible manner and efficiently; and safely entering the natural ecology after being used by humans.

First, I do some research about how to achieve sustainable fashion and which topic I can use link the sustainability.

I used some waste materials (mineral water bottles, express cartons, food wrapping paper, etc.) to make my mark making. Apply acrylic pigment to waste materials and print the texture evenly on the paper.The natural and unpredictable texture of waste materials is of great interest to me.

Week 2 – Emerging Technologies in Fashion

Due to emerging advancement of technology, the fashion industry is also increasingly embracing the use of these technologies. For example virtual clothing, virtual fitting, digital printing, 3D model and so on. More and more digital design tools (photoshop, procreate, blender, etc.) are being developed to help designers design more quickly and accurately. Build prototypes, tweak design details, preview materials and colors, and more, reducing the need and time for traditional hand-drawing and physical prototyping.

I love use warp, change color and mirror the image to develop my own print work.

This print is inspire from my photo. First I collage my photos, and the use procreate warp the photos shape. After that I use photoshop change the color of the image. Finally add some line to make more layers.

This print is also inspired by my photos. I start by drawing on paper and scanning it electronically. Then I use copied, mirrored and rearranged to develop my work.

Week3 – Nature

For this topic, I went to Hyde Park to feel the various color and shape of nature. I started with simple element leafs for my project. And as a response to the primary research, I do some different skills with mark making and do some 3D hand making to develop new shape.

I use rubbings to make some print. First, print out the picture and cover PVC paper on it. Next, draw the pattern you want on paper with watercolor paint. After draw dry, brush some clean water on the paper, cover the PVC paper and press it hard with a spoon.

I use leafs and glue gun to make some 3D sample, I also wave and knot leafs to try more possible. After that, I do some mark making about this shape. But I found that leafs can’t be the material for fabric because these small samples will become very fragile with the loss of plant moisture.

Week4 – cultural sustainability

I remember that when I was in kindergarten, teachers would teach children paper cutting. Paper cutting is one of China’s intangible cultural heritages and is closely related to people’s daily lives, festival customs, and folk beliefs. Every time during the Lunar New Year or weddings, people would put red paper cuttings on their windows. Different shapes and patterns of paper cuttings also have different meanings. Culture blends with people’s memories, and through each generation’s learning and innovation, our traditional culture can be inherited.

There are some research about Chinese traditional paper-cut.

There are some research about the works created using traditional paper-cutting technology. It shows that artist use traditional culture skills and develop their works, they make culture being sustainable.

This is my response based on research, first I folded the paper into a triangle, drew a pattern on the paper and cut it out. After unfolding the paper, the pattern of flowers appeared, and I chose to color them with ink. I think the colored paper-cut and the pattern printed at the bottom of the paper-cut are both interesting.

Week5 – Empathy

The lecture for this week is empathy. I believe empathy refers to the ability to understand and feel the emotions of others, to think from their perspective, and to comprehend their emotions. When designers create their work, they also need to consider the feelings of the audience, which is related to empathy. Works that resonate with the audience can also evoke their empathy. At the same time, empathy is closely linked to memory and emotions.

This topic reminds me of recent news in China that caused a huge uproar. A pet dog bit a two-year-old child, leading to a large number of stray cats and dogs being brutally killed by the government, some even poisoned in dog food purchased by others for their own pets. I am someone who loves animals very much, and while the dog that harmed the child and its owner made serious mistakes and the injured child is truly pitiable. But I am still deeply saddened by the death of many innocent pet dogs and stray cats and dogs. They are also innocent lives and should not be indiscriminately killed. I believe that empathy should not only be for humans but also for animals, especially since dogs are known as humans’ most loyal friends.

This is a exhibition about oppose animal cruelty, they used plush toys to make the audience look directly at the tragic scene of the bodies of animals being slaughtered

Self Reflection

I believe that the lecture on spreading knowledge is very meaningful to me. What interests me the most is the sustainability topic in the first week. I am particularly interested in sustainability myself. This lecture is an important aspect that the current fashion industry pays a lot of attention to and is a global environmental trend. The lecture has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of various details. Upon re-examining my weekly blog, I have identified the following issues:

1. Most of my blog only provides basic responses without further development.
2. There is a lack of basic research in my blog, which is crucial for the feedback I provide in the future.
3. Research is also essential for artists.
4. I need to record my production process during creation to facilitate my future documentation and feedback.
5. I should integrate my works more with print. I often forget that I am a print designer and I feel that I need to constantly remember that my final product is a print.

In addition, this is my first task in my university life. During the process of making it, I had many moments of confusion. Also, this is the first time I have simultaneously worked on two projects. Properly allocating time and energy to both projects has been a daunting challenge.

Overall, there is still a lot for me to improve on. I hope in the future I can try more color combinations that I haven’t tried before, do more research, and manage my time and life better.