Shes got Style, she's got Grace, she's got the Royal factor

Put your hands up if you were all drowned in this beautiful fairytale wedding of Wills & Kate on 29th April 2011... My eyes were glued to the tv screen from start to finish, particulary capturing the costume styles of the members of the Royal family. Especially her royal highness - the Queen in canary yellow, a great choice! I was defo blown away by the fact that Kate's wedding dress was traditional yet beautiful and sublime, a good choice to represent her personality. Although I must admit her pretty sister, Pippa opted for the slim, figure-hugging white dress and she did not fail to disappoint. She may have only been a bridesmaid but she proved she was the star - will the next marriage be Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton?!
During the process of the whole public marriage ceremony - royal guards were smartly dressed rightly so, sounds of the fanfares, singing the national anthem, it does bring a tear to your eye and for those British citizens out there, it does make you feel proud to be British.
Thinking of dresses and hats (not to mention that awful pretzel hat worn by them Fergusons...) I have come to think about what I was reading the other day in my fashion magazine. There it was a section of Marchesa dresses, that reminded me how much I loved the designs and the designer itself. Extremely delicate and almost like paper cut-outs keeping in mind they are defo for fairytales! Take a look for yourself, you will know what I am talking about :)

Until next blog - take care Honeybees

Warriors and Heroes

Why, hello there my honeybees. I decided it was defo time for another blog since I haven't written for donkeys.. You see madames and sirs I have been awfully busy with my work *sigh* and getting chubby on those easter eggs, but I trust you will enjoy this blog post for its all about my new project XD entitled - Warriors and Heroes. An exciting challenge to make real armour, made out of uhuh a special plastic (forgot the name its tougher than polystyrene!) We get to choose 3 warriors/heroes of the past that are of interest to us, henceforth I have chosen Beowulf, Joan of Arc and Boudicca. You know why I chose Boudicca she is a personal fav of mine simply because she is the icon of my Colchester town (was Camulodunum).
The preliminary pin-up consists of 30 total experimental drawings 10 for each character in many ways as possible. I am interested to see what I can achieve, particulary attempting to do collage. Then 3 final drawings with technical sheets for the warriors. Then we progress onto making the fake armour of any body part we like. So far, I have only done sketches and research of all characters so I had better make a move on now as next week is the pin-up :/
I would also like to write that I visited an amazing exhibition in Cardiff from the Society of British Theatre designers to which I have included some secret snaps! shhh. The work is soo good that I have to show you. Some of my uni lecturers work were in the exhibition quite nice to see their style for once.

Oh yessss, have u noticed I have made my blog wall look more mature and uhem simple :) Hope you like it! Will defo be posting more often now that the summer is soon here = more relaxation = more time to blog!

Take care honeybees

                                  Victory of Samothrace 190 B.C Musee du Lovre, Paris

                                                Beowulf Illustration By Charles Keeping 

                                                    Design idea reseach for Joan of Arc?  

                            Evening Gown and wrap in pleated ivory and beige silk chiffon
                                                  1974. The Metropolitan Museum of Art 

                                                                   See the resemblance?
             BA Hons Costume Design and Making students on our Grecian Goddesses night out

                                                            Brilliant costume making :)
                                                     Photos from the Cardiff Exhibition

                                                   & Proud to present Curry's work! ^





Bibliography:

•KODA, H. 2003 Goddess: the classical mode, Yale University Press

•LACOMBE, M. 1902 Arms and Armour, London: Gibbings & Company Ltd.

 •KEEPING, C. 1982 Beowulf, Oxford: Oxford University Press

~The Golden Age~

I cannot stress how much I adore Art Deco especially the fabulous gowns and the boom lifestyle they had back in the 1920s. I took the liberty of looking through a fantasic book called Fashion: A History from the 18th to the 20th Century, by Taschen. A really useful book and a good source of research for those stuck to find a good option. I have included images designed by many well-known designers around the 20s, to name a few - Madeleine Vionnet and Gabrielle Chanel. I think I know what to do for my 21st birthday, have a 1920s theme!
In my previous blog, I noted that I am doing some costume/set designers from the 1920s called Leon Bakst and Erte to include for my personal research for Critical Practices. I now am focusing on electicism and the bricolage which means how small 'bits' come together to create one big thing and I will compare it to another decade i.e. the 1960s and the 1980s, when the revival of Art Deco came around again.
Another project I am doing for Visual Communication (term 3) is to draw in detail selected costumes of the eras - Greco-Roman, Elizabethan Male, Elizabethan Female, 18th Century, and the early 20th Century. The 20th Century period is again a favourite area for me and took the perfect opportunity to go to The Herbert Art Museum and Gallery in Coventry where they hosted 'All Dressed Up' - a collection that had 20th Century costumes in! That was a very lucky chance for me to explore. Anyway, I have added my sketches for you to look at.
Because I haven't written on here for a while, I am too excited to show you my new vans trainers from Office! PleaseClickOnMe
I have been waiting for them for weeks and was a happy bunny when they arrived :) Just thought you would like to know ;)
until the next post and keep your eyes peeled,

Take Care Honeybees

                                              Postcard I purchased from the museum.
                                                           Orange Velvet Dress, 1925         

                                                 Madeleine Vionnet Evening Dress, 1927 

                                                  Paul Poiret Evening Dress Paris, c.1920
                     

                                              Liberty & Co. Evening dress London, 1921    
                                                      

                                               Woman in Vionnet's Dress Vogue, 1924

                                                  Dress by Madeleiene Vionnet 1937

A Dolls House

Here is an update on my 'A Dolls House' By Henrik Ibsen Project. I have read the book, read the book again and again, highlighting important themes, colours and textures to capture the tiniest detail for each character. These aren't the final designs, they are only just initial ideas until i am fully comfortable with using the right media and paper.

I have to say that Doctor. Rank is my favourite man at present. I portray him to be a flamboyant but annoying character, hence the bold colours. Don't you think? :)

                            Krogstad... black and purple is a threatening look to
                        complicate with his blackmailing character towards Nora.

                                   The ever so harmonious Mrs. Linde who is the
                                                old but wise owl friend for Nora. 

                                                The star of the show... Nora - soft baby
                                   colours to represent her personality being a 'doll'

The Sir of the Helmer Household. Torvald is one not to be disobeyed 

R.e.s.p.e.c.t Goes To Erte & Bakst

Well as my Personal Project for Critical Practices is near; it's time to think of what I am interested/influenced in. I have always been amazed of the beautiful and the sublime illustrations from the wonderful individuals of Leon Bakst and Erte. They are legends, heroes, and in fact should be worshipped. It was them, who, have influenced the way we see theatre today.  In case you are wondering 'who the hell are they?' Once you see for yourself, you will understand what I'm talking about...

(ERTE) Oriental Costume for the Folies-Bergere - 1920.
A good idea for me to add stylish borders around the design to enhance the
painting, but to also understand the cultural needs.

(ERTE) Water; for a show at the Bal Tabarin - 1937.

 

(ERTE) Snob; for the Ballet Le Bal de L'Opera at the Bal Tabarin - 1939.
This image reflects on the Cosume designs of Pantomime today.

(ERTE) Italian Singer; for the Opera Capriccio at the Opera-Comique in Paris - 1957.

(BAKST) Set design for the Ballet Scheherazade - 1910.
This blew me away when I saw this, never known to have seen any other set designer
to have done this.

(BAKST) Costume design; Beotienne for the ballet Narcisse - 1911

(BAKST) Costume design; Le Faune for the ballet of Claude Debussy - 1912.
One of the most common works that you will see produced by Bakst

                         


(BAKST) Costume design; Le Tsarevitch Ivan for the ballet d'Igor Stravinski, L 'Oiseau de Feu - 1913.
Heavily detailed design which suggests to me that Bakst spent hours and hours
creating this piece. There is much to look at and could stare at it until time goes.



Proud to present Sir Leon Bakst.

.

(ERTE) Pierrot; for the Ballet Le Bal de l'Opera at the Bal Tabarin in Paris - 1937.



(ERTE) Parrot; for the Ballet Paradise at the Bal Tabarin - 1938.