The First Session

Today was the first session at the school, and it was a smashing success. I must admit to being a bit daunted before going in but the teacher I'm working with was brilliant and got the kids settled down, and after introducing me to them let me take the lead. I started by introducing the inspiration behind the designs, and the designs themselves. I was very pleased (and relieved) by the childrens reactions, as they really liked them.

My big worry was getting the 7 children for the giant slug. When the teacher asked for volunteers, exactly 7 children put their hands up, so it all worked out.
I started out by explaining to the class what the 23 would be doing. I had managed to get the paint sorted and mixed before the session so for the 23 with the individual costumes they went straight into it. Their teacher then supervised them while I got the 7 in the giant slug sorted out. After giving them their black domino masks I measured round all their heads and got them to blow up their balloons to the size of their heads, and started them off on their papier mache. A few of them asked me to stay with them and help them since they had never done papier mache before.

The 23 worked really very fast before lunch, getting far more done then I had thought they would, and so myself and the teacher decided that they should cut the strips of paper for the frills this session rather then the next one. Our teacher thought this would be a good exercise in mesuring for the kids and worked really well. I'm really glad we managed to get some propper learning in - I wanted the kids to get something more out of it then just a fun session.

 

During lunch myself and the teacher decided that I should stay with the 7 doing papier mache and supervise them while she and her TA supervised the last of the painting.

We thought they might end up finishing early considering how fast they got through the work in the first hour. After lunch however they slowed right down, in the end they still hadn't quite finished their masks, and the 7 doing the giant slug still needed to add to their papier mache. The 7 with me, a few of them asked if they could come back in their breaks during the week and add more to it, and after asking the teacher about it she has agreed to let them.

After the session the teacher and myself sat down to make an action plan for the next session, when I will be bringing in the capes and the giant slug for the first time.

Below is all the completed work from todays session.

Today the session was everything I could have hoped for. The kids were brilliant, they liked the designs and had fun while still getting on with their tasks. The teachers were all so encouraging and helpful, it was a true joy.

On reflection, next week I wont underestimate how much the kids can get done in one session and will make sure I have enough for them to do if they happen to finish early.

Interesting facts

With tomorrow's session in Wyke Regis School looming, I have been researching the Nudibranch's (SEA SLUGS) for interesting facts for the kids and have found these pieces of weird and interesting information:

1. The reason sea slugs are such bright and varied colours is because they take on the colours of their food. They use this, among other things, for camouflage. Gives a whole new meaning to you are what you eat.
2. Sea Slugs, like garden slugs, have a 'foot' and do in fact leave a slimy trail!
3. There are over 300 different types of sea slug.

I will leave my interesting facts at that for now. I plan to have at least 1 new interesting fact a week, something to help the kids learn more about the creatures their costumes are based on.

First Lesson Eve

Prototypes finished, and multiples completed!

Over the last 3 days, my task was to create 23 of the white masks out of plastazote. This needed to be done in 3 stages.

1 - Vac forming the faces

2 - Using a heat gun to heat form the horns over the moulds I created.

3 - Cutting out the mask and eye holes

I have also completed the 7 black domino masks, also to be taken in tomorrow. After the introduction of the designs for the 7 in the giant slug, the plan is to get the papier mache finished for drying tomorrow. For the other 23,  we are starting straight in on the mask painting, with the hope to get the mask painting completed for tomorrow.

I have also managed to get all 300 cable ties dyed, so they are all set to go!

THURSDAY!

On thursday, we presented our prototypes to Sarah Caldwell, from the Moving Tides steering group. Thankfully she liked our designs and we are all set to go ahead! I have also finally discovered a way to make the cable tie tentacles stand out - by attaching them into a base of plastazote, to then be glued onto the cape, and velcro onto the T-shirt.

Here is an unfortunately very bad photograph of the prototype costume, being modeled by myself.

The pink is not strong on this one, no where near as strong and bright as I hope to get it, it was a sample piece the right size.

Reflection and evaluation on the project so far:

On the whole I think I have worked quite well to the brief. I have created a costume to stand out from the crowd and from the other carnival cotumes, and something which I hope is recognisable as a sea slug. I think I would have liked to have designed something with more height, but I have kept to the sea slugs and made something I hope the kids will enjoy.

For the prototype, I was very focussed on getting the masks finished in time for the first workshop session, and on reflection would have liked a lot more time to get my prototype up to a better standard, but on the whole I think I didn't do too badly.

Mask multiples and Prototyping

Today's task has been starting the mask multiples. There was some worry that I may not have had access to a heat gun today and so would be behind with the risk of not having my masks finished in time. Because of this I wanted to see if I could create the same effect using a hairdrier and it did work, but it was very time consuming and didn't form the same clean lines that using the heat guns create. Thankfully I was able to have access to a heat gun for the full afternoon.

I have now vac formed all 23 face sections, and used my afternoon in the workshop heat moulding the horns by hand with the aid of a heat gun. To make sure the horns ended up in the same place on each masks - a difficult task when having to do each individually by hand - I used the spare plastazote face I had formed and formed the horns onto that where I wanted, then cut it out and used it as a template, drawing around it over the multiples before forming them to get them perfectly placed.

Vac formed heads

Template mask with heat formed horns

Heat moulded horn from template mask

With our full prototypes due in tomorrow, my task this evening was to finish my cape prototype. While I am not yet satisfied with the shade of pink the silk has dyed I decided to use the meter I had died for a sample for my prototype. I do plan to do more sample testing early next week (end of this week if I get my masks finished early enough) to make sure the silk is dyed to a good depth and vibrancy.

I began by making a template for a half cape with pattern paper (which was slightly too short so as you can see in my photograph above (left side) I have freehand drawn on the end of the bottom curve. I then cut out the cape, opened it out and overlocked around the outside in black.

I tried out different ways to get the cable ties to stick out the way I wanted them to, including regretably tying them through button holes in lines across the top which did not work - they ended up lying flat and looking very untidy and out of place - and have left me with some very untidy button holes at the neck - but in the end I found that if I fastened the cable ties through two pieces of plastazote, then passed them through a button hole in the center back they stuck out beautifully and move very well when the wearer walks. The plastazote can be glued to the silk with non toxic fabric glue that I found in a local shop, which will then have Velcro attached to it to attach it to the center back of the T-shirts and prevent the ties from flipping over - also for the childrens capes I will need to attach the ties to a wider section of plastazote then I have used for my prototype to give them a more stable base and avoid them flipping over.

This led me on to dying the centre back black. This was one of the parts I was most worried about in terms of it working out the way I hoped. Thankfully it worked very well.

In order to get the black in the middle I sprayed the black dye - as I planned after my previous dye evperimentation. I then left it lying flat for half an hour before washing out the excess dye. This ended up too pale and purple-ish, so I hung up the silk upsidedown and sprayed it again, this time leaving it for another half an hour. After washing it again this left me with a dark grey-purple that I feel looks very effective.

After completing my prototype I have found I want a larger dark patch for the kids capes but with the small amount of space afforded to me in my kitchen where I was forced to dye my prototype I could only do a smaller patch in this instance.

After this I cut out the spots out of a donated high viz jacket and, after laying them over to create an effect that fit with the design I stuck them down to the silk with the fabric glue.

Finished cape prototype

On reflection I would have liked to be able to spend more time prototyping the cape and getting it finished more neatly in time for tomorrow but with my first session next monday, getting the multiples finished to a high standard has had to take priority.

Mask prototype finished and lesson prep!

Having returned to my origional lesson plans, I have 5 days, and only 3 with access to a heat gun so I need to start on the multiples of the masks first thing tomorrow. I have my prototype mask finished and am all set.

Finished mask prototype

*note, one side looks smaller as this is an initial prototype and I accidentally placed the head when i vac formed the face too close to one side, and therefore ran out of room on one side - an error that I have since corrected.

Today's task - prepping the plastazote for the mask making, and dying the cable ties. I ended up dying all 300 cable ties in one saucepan of dye, and from adding a teaspoon of Crimson red to the mix after dying the first 100 and altering the dipping times I managed to get a range of tones that work really well together and will add texture to the costumes.
Of the cable ties, 12 will go on each individual cape, with 24 left for the giant slug.

A minor miracle!

After ordering the plastazote only yesterday, it has just arrived! The full order, meaning my new lesson plans are void and I am back to the orrigional plan.
On reflection of revising my lesson plans I have have realised that it is always good to have a contingency plan - especially for something this large scale and time sensitive - just in case something does go wrong!

Despite the fact the plastazote has now arrived, I will spend the rest of the morning starting the vac forming process for the masks and then this afternoon I hope to do the giant slug! I want to start doing the giant slug as soon as possible as this is the costume that has the most posibility of something going wrong - the more time I have with it the more time I have to fix it in case the worst does occur and something does go wrong.

As ever there has been a last minute change of plans...

As standard, with exactly 1 week to go until my first session, yesterday I encountered a problem. The plastazote that I had been using for all my prototyping that I had thought fine for the masks was declared too thin and flimsy to hold up for the procession.
This meant I then had to source and order 12 sheets of plastazote yesterday, and also means that even if by a miracle it arrives before the first session I would have no time to vac form the masks before the first session to keep in with my origional lesson plans.

SO - REVISED LESSON PLANS!!!  I am currently waiting to hear back for approval on them but if I get it that means I have a week to do all the dying of the silk.

Problem solving and time management at its best!

Masks

While my initial plan had been to make templates of the masks to take into the schools and have the kids cut out there own masks. However, after experimenting with templating and the limited options this woud leave in terms of shaping the masks in the schools and the looks that would create, I was left with a mask that was generally flat and did not match the design.

After my most recent tutorials I have had a rethink and after some experimentation I have discovered that I can vac form and mould the plasterzote into shape in a way that is much more in keeping with the designs and the look needed. The kids will still be able to decorate them, and make the frills for the horns and attach the elastic on, but I feel they will apreciate the formed effect more.

Note - the reason one horn is more blunted then the other is that when I put the face in the vac former I put it too far to one side, a problem easily fixable now that I am aware of it.

Concepts in Context work!

So on an unrelated note - the last project for we second year designers at the AUCB was to design for the Breathe integrated dance company for the upcoming production of 'Battle for the Winds', part of the Cultural Olympiad! I finally managed to get my work back today - here are my Breather designs.

Looking back, I think this was the part of the project that I engaged with the most in CIC. It helped me discover that I do some of my best work when designing on the stand, it leads me to options that I may have otherwise left unexplored. I plan to get my own tailors dummy as soon as I have the chance. 

Initial lesson plans

Tomorrow these may change but these are my initial lesson plans. Its been a little tricky to work out how long things are going to take since I wont be able to prototype the giant slug but worked out a preliminary plan.

Date: 30-04-2012	Procession section: (e.g. Punch and Judy, jellyfish) Deep Sea Slugs	Lesson no: 1
	School: Wyke Regis
Resources/ Materials:	Plasterzote, Paint, Paintbrushes, scissors, Papier Mache (newspaper and PVA glue) Elastic, Balloons (Need to bring photocopies LARGE of the designs and close-ups of the masks to put round the room so the kids can check them)
Objective:	Mask and headdress making COLLECTING THE T-SHIRTS TO BE DYED FOR NEXT SESSION!!!
Introduction:	Finding out what the kids have done for the carnival so far Finding out what the kids know about Deep Sea Slugs and deep sea creatures and telling them a few cool facts about them. Introducing the designs
Main:	23 students – Before Lunch – Measuring round the back of each other’s heads for the elastic in pairs Painting the masks After lunch – Finishing painting Cutting out strips of paper for the frills and painting with glue and fluorescent yellow paint mix(6 strips each) painting the spots on the mask if time (Names written in pen on the inside of the masks) 7 students in the giant slug – Measuring each other’s heads for elastic and attaching elastic to masks Blowing up balloons to the right circumference in pairs. Papier Mache around the top of the balloon to make a hat piece making sure it’s really thick.
Plenary:	Trying on masks – if  dry
Outcome:	Masks cut out and painted but not finished Black masks cut out and finished. head caps drying ready to be painted in following session. T-shirts collected for dying ready for next session.
Additional notes, inc suggestions for next lesson and follow up:	COLECTING THE T-SHIRTS TO BE DYED FOR THE NEXT SESSION Taking the masks back to glue the horns into place!

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Date: 7-04-2013	Procession section: (e.g. Punch and Judy, jellyfish) Deep Sea Slug	Lesson no: 2
	School: Wyke Regis
Resources/ Materials:	High viz fabric, masks, capes & T-Shirts, Velcro, elastic, paint scissors and glue
Objective:	Finishing masks Finishing hat pieces – painting and attaching elastic Getting the high Viz spots cut out
Introduction:	Introducing the days activities – reveal of the capes and giant slug for the first time in person.
Main:	For the 23 – Stick T-shirts to capes with Velcro and stick on the ties – Measuring heads and attaching the elastic to masks if not completed in previous session Folding the paper painted in the last session to concertina’s for the frills on the masks horns* ?gluing the frills into place? For the 7 – painting their hat pieces, to be hung up to dry (before lunch) Starting to draw out the spots to be cut out! For Everyone - Cutting out the spots for the giant slug from section of fabric and templates provided.
Plenary:	Finish with everyone trying on their costumes being careful of any not yet dried bits
Outcome:	Masks completed Spots cut out for next session
Additional notes, inc suggestions for next lesson and follow up:

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Date: 14-05-2012	Procession section: (e.g. Punch and Judy, jellyfish) Deep Sea Slugs	Lesson no: 3
	School: Wyke Regis
Resources/ Materials:	Giant Slug, Slug Capes, high viz spots from last session (Fabric glue) elastic, scissors, hand sewing materials and cable ties
Objective:	Cutting out and sticking on high viz spots, finishing hat pieces.
Introduction:
Main:	23 - Cutting out the high viz spots kids to design spots patterns on capes – then check with teacher or me before attaching to the capes Attaching cable ties Other 7  - finish their hat pieces by: -         removing from balloon -         trimming the edges -         Attaching elastic. Followed by helping the others cut out and stick on the spots and attach cable ties. EVERYONE: if gluing with the leftover time cut out the spots for giant slug, lay out the Giant slug and begin placing spots for that sticking down with masking tape at end of session to hold in place for next session.
Plenary:
Outcome:	spots attached (to be finished outside of session by me?) hat pieces finished for 7 giant slug people. Starting to hand sew on cable ties
Additional notes, inc suggestions for next lesson and follow up:

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Date: 21-05-2012	Procession section: (e.g. Punch and Judy, jellyfish) Deep Sea Slug	Lesson no: 4
	School: Wyke Regis
Resources/ Materials:	Slug capes and giant slug, Cable ties, hand sewing materials
Objective:	Finishing the costumes – Sewing on the remaining spots Sewing on the cable ties.
Introduction:	Take in blown up sea slug pictures of sea slugs (the spotty ones) and the blown up design of giant slug
Main:	ALL: Laying spots over giant slug – all stand back and make any changes the kids and design warrant Attaching the spots to the giant slug Attaching the cable ties to the top of the slug capes and to the giant slug.
Plenary:	Trying on of all the costumes together, having a walk about in costume
Outcome:	Finishing the costumes
Additional notes, inc suggestions for next lesson and follow up: