Mama and I discussed what to use as the fabric of the top. Light or dark tones or colours. We went to a fabric shop in town to discuss it with the staff there as well. It was suggested that since we would have lighter vibrant colours on top of the fabric that we should use a dark colour or black as the base. If the base was lighter it could wash the design out under the stage lights.
We ended up scoring a set of black sheets at an op shop and grabed some black dye to rejuvenate the black.
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Another grand idea for transfering the image onto fabric is machine embroidery. Dad suggested that we go to Robêrt Embroideries to see what they would be able to do.
I worked with Nicky Robert and her Designer, to translate our design image to the fabric. I sent both the top image by itself and the origninal reference image to give an idea of where we were coming from. We’re still aiming for the coral itself, but there is a slight hint of paua shell theme coming in as well.
The Designer took a look at the design and had a discussion with me about the style of stitching and the theads I wanted to use. She also showed me a Sample of what she had been thinking of.
Later I recived a phone call from Nicky saying that the price for the amount of working going into the translation of the design would be far higher than originally expected. If I could get an artist to redraw our design they might be able to get it done, otherwise they cannot help us. Machine Embroidery will not be the way for us to finish the top.
Without the proper measurements at the time, Mama and I gathered an estimated amount of wool in the closest colours.
Later proceeding to take off all of the previous tests from the loom, hoping it would also help us in understanding all of the measurements needed and how to warp the loom.
Mama was the one to remove the tests from the loom and calculate the required amounts for the garment top using this process.
~~~Measurement images~~~
The measurements showed us that we had underestimated the amounts of wool we needed to start and complete this process. With the added stress of the time restrictions and sourcing all the required materials, this method will not be a viable option for the creation of this part of the garment.
I tried the red food colouring I’d found first just to see how it would look and absorb over the blue watercolour.For the lower half of the garment, we are going to use 3D printing to create the spiked coral effect while still having a sturdy flowing “fabric”.
The decision on whether or not to colour the print is still up in the air but it will need to be treated to stop it picking up the oils from skin handling it.
Tiger and I have been informed that the SLS printing is very susceptible to oils and food colouring for dying it. So I wanted to give it a go on two pieces I’d gotten from old AUTLive events that haven’t been handled very much.
The first test I did was with a strongly pigmented watercolour I recently got. I diluted it into some water to get the shade I wanted the dunked the first piece into the solution.
After dunking it I got it out and set it to dry hanging about the water.
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While waiting for the colours to dissolve into the water I got a bit impatient and decided to paint with straight pigment onto the first piece’s “A” on one side. It was also done with a colour that hadn’t been very clearly showing up in the water. The print took the colour almost immediately and after a little bit of drying seemed to have set.
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While waiting for the first piece to dry or drip off most of the water I decided to tey the painting with large amounts of pigment onto the second piece after the success of the “A” on the first piece. This would not be the desired final method for colouring the garment prints but each method much be tested for effectiveness.
Though the test garnered reasonable though patchy results, it was undertaken on an absorbent surface. Meaning it wasn’t as effective as it could have been.
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The first piece when reasonably dry.
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Frustrated after the second piece’s test difficulties, I decided that I would grab out some proper food colouring to test its effectiveness. Even on both already partially coloured pieces.
The first piece:
fter drying for a while on an absorbent material the colour has been sapped a bit, so I did another layer of food colouring.
The second piece:
I tried the red food colouring I’d found first just to see how it would look and absorb over the blue watercolour.
Then just added blue, in theme with our garment.
I then put loads on to try and saturate the entire thing for the best coverage.
After letting them dry overnight this is the result.
The colour has become a bit murky but it’s still overall good for our final design. Some difficulties that could arise using the food colouring would be controlling the dark and light patches of dried colour. Otherwise a feasible option for colouring the SLS print of the garment skirt.
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In conclusion, I have found that SLS print does not absorb enough colour through diluted watercolours. That painting the print with strong watercolour pigment applied straight to the surface and allowed enough time to dry could work to get a strong colour, however, would take to long on the final garment. Also, that food colouring does absorb well into the print, but it will be hard to control where the pigment will show lighter or darker spaces. Further testing is required on different shapes.
I spent some time getting all the extreme/furthest measurements from the inital structure, using a makeshift middle point from twine tied like a parcel in the neck hole. I had realised that to get any kind of accurate measurements from it they all had to have some kind of centre or anchor that hadn’t ever been thought about in the design process of it.
These will allow me to make sure I don’t go over a certain distance when creating the interesting asymmetrical shape of the final collar.
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Though this prototype has to have a start point for the new style. The plan I’m still running with is that the LEDs will be glued along the outer loops of the structure pressing outwards into the fabric. So to achieve this, I believe all of the outer structure has to have two anchor points to the neck. Hence the two centre loops and supporting material I’ve already made. Then the intricate asymmetrical shape would be made from several loops of varying lengths with supporting material in between holding them out. To get the beginings of my desired effect I created this protoype with all of the loops the same length for a proof of concept and to test wrap the fabric around.
At this stage, I decided to start putting even more stabilising structure into it, because I felt the loops weren’t staying where I wanted them to be.
Once all of the supports were in I tried it on again and asked both my Mother and Father to as well. Because the garment is to be worn by a male model and all of the measurements have been based on male measurements, I decided to add a strip of elastic to the back where the piece had been clipped shut originally after my Father had a little discomfort trying to get it over the end of his nose.
The little bit of excess space given by the elastic was enough for my Father to put it on and take it off easily. It will make sure that the possible differences in head sizes are accounted for in the final Garment.
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After the rushed and fragile structure for the Showcase, I’ve set about making sure to create a strong and sturdy real prototype for the Collar Structure.
Because the structure for the Showcase wasn’t made with the fabric we have in mind, or the final LED pattern. It made it difficult for the fabric to sit over, and the LEDs had to be looped through the random spaces. It left some pieces of fabric not fully covering it and others precariously tucked up in hope of it staying put for the night. The way the fabric was also attached to the top underneath didn’t help.
This structure has everything in mind even a new draping effect and attachment type, both being tested as the prototype moves forward. Some dimension measurements have been taken from the initial structure to keep in mind where the limits are. I also used our previous research for better neck measurements.
Our neck measurements from our fellow BCT classmates during last semester.
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The intial wire loops for around the neck. Testing sizing after realising that it has to pass over the wearer’s head not secure around the neck.
Support structure between the two neck rings. Just closed up for now before more testing.
The Crown for our Garment is an add-on so that we can find a more reliable and steady pulse point to control our lighting sequence. It is something we are looking at focusing on over the Semester, but I wanted to get a design and at least one prototype under my belt beforehand. It’ll hopfully give us something strong to work off of.
I have drawn a very rough sketch based on my recollection of “King Trident’s Crown” from the Little Mermaid.
The only electronics the Crown should have will be the pulse sensor. The final version is hoping to be made from fabric with an internal metal support structure, supporting and hopefully anchoring the spikes’ carved expanding foam to the fabric base. The final fastenings have yet to be decided.
I forgot to get images of the actual process, but I have the final prototype on my head, then just by itself.
To remake the top for the final Garment I’ve had the wonderful chance to borrow a loom from a good friend. So I’ve begun the process of learning to weave, heavily aided by my Mother who has been bouncing ideas, counting amounts and discussing sewing options with me the entire time.
One of the ideas she had brought us to this weaving endeavour. It was to look at trying to use strings of reflective beads woven together to create a fabric that would catch the stage lights. This is her low fidelity prototype to show her idea:
It didn’t work exactly as expected, but it was still interesting. It could be a good fallback in the long run.
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We got a hold of a friend's loom with some practice already strung on it. These are my practice runs to see if we could do the top in time as novices.
Weaving is okay once you get the hang of it, but I still have no idea how to “warp” the loom to start off or make sure that it will all stay together once I finish and take it off the loom. More research is required.
