You are in control of your own destiny

Back in January when I had my interview for my Art and Design Foundation Course, my confidence about my ability as an Artist and Designer was very low. My portfolio was sort of weak and the way one of the tutors looked at my portfolio showed me that I really wasn't showing them my best work. Partly because I didn't push myself hard enough with my Art projects to achieve the best possible. Yes I spent hours after school and during the holidays. But still there was something missing- my personality. And this reflected in my portfolio.

So with my my current self titled Art project 'Abstract Prints in Fashion and Textiles', allowed me to show off my personality and passion for fashion and textiles. YAY! This project allowed me to discover new ways of generating designs that have unique prints, something I really LOVE in a garment and also expanding on my previous styles of creating fabric prints. This project is really something I enjoyed. And I THANK the examiners who wrote this fantastic Art and Design exam paper. Final thanks to my awesome Art teachers who have always supported me and fuelled my inspiration.

After this final Art exam that will be the end of my Art Journey at Lordswood and then it's off into a bigger pond, filled with talented artists, designers, photographers, illustrators ect. And I will have to work harder, keep an open mind, fall down and pick myself back up in order to succeed. Although it's only a 1 year course, it does partly paint the path to my fashion/textile designer career.

My thoughts about my art exam:

I have a clear idea of what I'm going to do in the exam, but I still don't know how it will go. This exam has my final grade riding on it so I have to do well. To make my final design in 15 hours sounds okay, but I hope I don't have any nasty surprises while I'm sewing.

spring affair

Want your bad romance

Inspired by Lady Gaga's lace look.

LOOKBOOK.nu: "embracing sun and flowers" by Yanii M

LOOKBOOK.nu: "embracing sun and flowers" by Yanii M: "Boyfriend Cardigan, Tiger Vest Top, High-waist Shorts, Floral Tights from H&M"

Forever21 competition entry

being braver with my fashion: look 1

Enjoying the spring weather with my little sister and my mother

There's more to the girl behind the picture

I joined lookbook on March 5, 2010, this was the highlight of the month for me. As I have wanted to join lookbook for so long, and when I finally got the opportunity to join I was over the moon!

I was immediately overwhelmed with fashion and everyone's style, it really inspired me to be more bold with my style. But I also felt lost, everyone seemed to have a certain style they stuck to. Whereas I was more like a chameleon, I would just blend in and absorb the style around me. This didn't make me feel good, I want to be unique and different. So here I am on this journey of finding my individual style .

Everyone who is and wants to be in the fashion industry, has a story. And I am always intrigued to learn about the people I meet. Recently I read a blog about a girl who used to be on lookbook. Her looks on lookbook were so inspiring, she definitely looked like top model. Then when I read her blog my eyes were open to a different side to the 'top model' I saw on lookbook.

I am an advocate of the statement 'there's more to the girl behind the picture' however this saying was thrown out the window when I joined lookbook and was overwhelmed by everyone's style. Every look I saw I would say to myself, 'wow she must be so happy' or'what a pretty girl, lucky thing'. And I would never stop to think, what's the story behind the girl in the picture.

Personally, posting looks on lookbook is me acting out my alter ego, and expressing myself in other way- the easier way for me to express myself. As I am usually misunderstood by everyone around me. I feel I can never show people my true personality, so I am usually misjudged until people get to know me a bit more. And I guess this goes for every stylish, unique and beautiful person we see.

Reality hits the shopaholic

We all love shopping right? Even if we only go shopping every month, three months, a YEAR!

Either way shopping is always fun and can really brighten up your day.

Today in particular needed brightening up as I was going to the doctor to get some tests done. So of course shopping afterwards was needed. After waiting at the doctor for what seemed like hours, I was finally on my way to the city centre with my mum and little sister. Before shopping we went to the museum and I finally got to see the exhibition that I've been waiting weeks to see but something always seemed to get in the way. (usually laziness)

The exhibition was AMAZING! I really enjoyed looking at all the beautiful pieces of art work. This also inspired me to have one of my work shown in a museum. While at the museum I also saw a video on weaving threads and yarns on a loom. It was so inspiring I would Love to use a loom one day. So many things I want to do.

Okay so we finally made it to the shops. The clothes were beautiful and I saw some nice garments made from lace. However the prices were not as beautiful for a student who still hasn't got a job. (In my defence I have been looking for jobs but there are hardly any these days) So that's when I made a couple decisions!

• I will start to reconstruct my own clothes as I really can't afford shop prices now. And this will be better because it will be different and I can improve my sewing.
• I will start to make bolder choices with my fashion and not wonder what people will think
• Find vintage and second hand shops to buy clothes to reconstruct.

So my advice to fashion lovers out there. Loving fashion doesn't have to be burn your pockets and your parents. Remember every piece of clothing that has ever been made was influenced by fashion. Think of what you need, what you want and what you can work with when out shopping.

Never underestimate yourself!

Life is not always easy. Sometimes you try to do something but the ideas aren't flowing or things are not turning out the way you plan. One thing I've experienced is things never really turn out the way I plan but in the end all is well. For example when I feel the urge to sew, paint or sketch a design. But when I start I just can't get things right, and that's when I start to question my own abilities. Can I really be a fashion designer? Can I handle the stress of design school? ect...

Going into this phase of underestimating myself is seriously damaging and time consuming. I totally reject doing thing I love, which makes me miserable!

Solution?

To overcome this feeling I usually leave the task I'm attempting and do something else like:

-watch an inspiring film

-talk to my friends

-listen to music

-take a nap

And if all fail I usually watch cartoons with my little sister.

These days with all the pressure from school, parents, peers and the media to be successful we can all go into this phase of underestimating our own abilities. Remember everyone is different and we are all talented in our own way. Just because you're not top of the class at school doesn't mean you will fail in life. Just because you failed at something you love, keep trying and you will succeed. Last year I entered a fashion competition and everyone was telling me 'you will get through to the finals' and I tried to act modest but I really wanted to get through. Unfortunately I didn't make the finals. I was torn but got offered to work backstage at the show. I accepted because it was still an experience I didn't want to miss out on. While working at the show I was inspired to keep designing and improve my skills because one day I might get through to the competition and achieve even more in the future. So next year I will enter it again and fingers crossed I will make it.

Like the saying: if you fall down pick yourself back up!

Kandinsky inspires me

For my Art exam project one of my influences are Wassily Kandinsky. His work is so inspiring, I love the way he compares music to art, this is something I usually do. Whenever I watch an interesting music video an idea for a drawing or design usually sparks in my head.
Colour is the keyboard, the eyes are the hammers, the soul is the piano with its many chords. The artist is the hand that, by touching this or that key, sets the soul vibrating automatically. (Wassily Kandinsky)

Kandinsky was also fascinated and stimulated by colour, which is widely seen in most of of his musical paintings such as Composition VII.

Designs that were inspired by Kandinsky