Monthly Archives: October 2015

Art in Society: Learning Objectives

  1. Further my understanding of art culture through sociological and economic perspectives
  2. Expand my comprehension of what is considered “art” and “participation” and how these intersect and influence each other
  3. Grasp the concept of transmedia and how it can positively affect and enhance the arts
  4. Identify and analyze trends of the arts over time and how these can develop in the future
  5. Investigate how arts administrators insert themselves into the art world and how they can stimulate progress

Art in Society Field Guide Subject: 3D Printing + Fashion

3D Printing + Fashion

When I was first introduced to the idea and options of 3D printing, I was entering my first year of undergraduate architecture school 4 years ago. 3D printing seemed to be a daunting, time-consuming task for the more advanced students whose projects were so technologically complex they could only be physically represented through a 3D print. Currently 3D printers have become so common in that elementary and middle school students can access this technology at school and output any object that they desire. The most interesting aspect of advanced 3D print technology to me is how it has become integrated into the fashion world. For so long 3D printers have only been able to produce small to medium-sized objects that were only meant for viewing. Now, we can literally fuse humans and 3D printing through fashion.

I want to represent the stages of 3D printing in fashion, from the beginnings as accessories such as bracelets and bags, to full length gowns. Because while 3D printing has only been around in the fashion industry for a few years, the advances in possibilities technology-wise and fashion-wise have increased exponentially. The possibility of creating any type of shoe or bag desired at home is becoming a reality for consumers and designers alike.

The fashion industry is utilizing 3D printing mostly in the high-end, conceptual and couture world. Designers such as Iris van Herpen have been at the forefront of carving this path, but architects and product designers have begun dipping into this world to create their own wearable 3D printed pieces. I want to compare and contrast the types of individuals who are participating in this art form, and discuss the advantages, if any, of being an architectural designer in 3D fashion versus a traditional fashion designer. Although, anyone who is attempting 3D printed fashion at the moment is likely not “traditional” in any sense.

I also want to explore the advantages of these emerging alien products. Can 3D printed clothing be more affordable than fabric? After the design is modeled in 3D, all of the work is done by the machine itself. This can produce hundreds of identical wearable pieces, but would this actually provide any monetary advantages? Also, how is craft of fashion itself affected by the abilities of this technology? High-end fashion can take days to finish one piece depending on the complexity of the design, but then again so can a 3D print. Can 3D printing be viewed as an easy way to achieve a complicated design? Or is it considered to be as couture as a hand-sewn gown? I also want to discover how the relationship between a human and a 3D printed garment is different than that of a traditionally constructed piece. I find the duality of 3D printed fashion very interesting in that it can stand on it’s own as an art object but also serve a purpose as clothing.

The specific 3D printed pieces I want to focus on are:

Iris van Herpen: She is a highly conceptual Dutch designer that has been experimenting with 3D printing and fashion for 5 years. She has produced a wide array of designs, but I specifically want to focus on her SS 16 show at Paris Fashion Week in which she 3D printed a dress live on the runway.

Francis Bitoni Studio: This is an architecture firm that explores innovative processes with technology. Their most notable work is a black, 3D printed dress they created for Dita von Teese. He has now 3D printed an entire jewelry line.

Project Runway: The fashion design show just recently released an episode in which the designers had to use 3D printing in conjunction with fabric to create an avant-garde look. Before this episode aired, a designer from season 12 incorporated 3D printed accessories for his New York Fashion Week final collection. He has an architectural background and is also deaf, which heightens his other senses and inspires him to play with 3D printing and clothing.

Danit Peleg: A recent fashion school graduate from Shenkar in Israel. She 3D printed her entire graduate collection from home. Her contributions to the 3D printed fashion world are larger than one single piece like most designers. She also spent months finding the exact right plastic to execute the looks to allow for comfortable wear. She also incorporated the home printing idea, which would be an ultimate goal for fashion lovers and consumers. What if you could buy a file, download it, and print an outfit for your next outing? Awesome.

Adidas: They just released the “Futurecraft” sole, a customizable 3D printed sole. This pulls 3D printing and fashion into a more easily accessible market, different from the other examples. It also puts out the idea of producing a shoe on the spot that fits the customer’s needs. This is also the most utilitarian example. By being an athletic application, 3D printing can have very specific advantages or disadvantages as compared to a more artistic application.

Organizational Statement: The Beaux Arts Foundation

1. What is your organization or company? Give background history including who, when, and why it was founded.

The organization I am focusing on is the Beaux Arts Foundation in Lexington, Kentucky. It is an entirely student-run non-profit with rotating directors from the University of Kentucky. The foundation was inspired from the original Beaux Arts Balls that began during the classical Beaux-Arts era of architecture in the 19th century. The ball always incorporates a theme and offers opportunities for creativity from the ball-goers, usually in the form of an extravagant costume. It began in Lexington in 1969 by University of Kentucky architecture students who wished to transform the traditional event and turn a profit for local charities.

2. What do they do or make? Describe the products and services and what makes them unique.

The Beaux Arts Foundation hosts two annual fundraisers in which music, art, costumes, fashion, and community come together to raise money for charities that have been selected by the current directors. They are unique because while a Beaux Arts Ball exists at other architecture schools nationally and internationally, the University of Kentucky is famous for their over-the-top “party with purpose.” Every Halloween weekend, the foundation hosts a “Fall Ball” headlined by local musicians, and the proceeds from this event go towards the production of the major spring fundraiser: The Beaux Arts Ball. The Beaux Arts Ball brings in internationally known electronic artists, provides opportunities for design students to create installations and stage backdrops, pairs architecture and fine arts students with the Lexington Fashion Collaborative to produce and present a sustainable and innovative fashion show, and promotes local businesses by inviting food trucks to the event and acquiring sponsorships. They are unique because so many different types of art come together for this annual event and the majority of it is local. The arts are a highly collaborative field, and the Beaux Arts Foundation highlights the possibilities of success when so many artists are brought together for one beneficial outcome. In addition, a large portion of the Beaux Arts Ball depends upon the venue which is encouraged to change each year. The Ball has taken place in tobacco warehouses, parking garages, and conventional music halls.

3. Describe the culture of the organization or company. What is the work environment like, the atmosphere? What is the building like- interior/exterior, architecture, fittings and furniture? How do the employees work together? What are the jobs and roles of individuals? How are they treated by management?

The Beaux Arts Foundation is a fairly casual organization because it is student-run, but still maintains professionalism. The work environment is extremely collaborative, with each member frequently bringing new ideas to the table while also playing devil’s advocate. Over the years the amount of directors has grown, but currently about 10 students fill a director position. These roles include an Executive Director, a Public Relations Director, Music Director, Installation Director, Social Media Director, Historian, Fundraising Director, a Past Director, Venue Director, and a Fashion Liaison. These students are not technically “employees,” as they volunteer all of their time outside of class, work, and homework. Most everyone works very well together. Encouragement to become a part of the Beaux Arts Foundation is large, but the selection process for new directors is strenuous and thorough. Since all the directors are students and involvement is voluntary, not all arguments are calm and collected, but the energy is very passionate and that makes for a great product at the end of the year. The Beaux Arts Foundation aims to foster urgency, responsibility and autonomy, so traditional management is miniscule. They manage the events as a collection of people who are individually held responsible for completion of items. Tasks are delegated to an individual based on category, and decisions are made by majority. The Executive Director serves as “management” only in that they are the primary contact for the foundation and have served as a director for one year prior to filling the Executive Director position.

4. Who is the targeted audience? What are their demographics?

The target audience is young adults. Known for being a “party with purpose,” the ball-goers take the term party seriously. Therefore, most of the attendees are current college students or recent graduates. Both the Fall Ball and the Beaux Arts Ball actually have an age requirement of 18 to attend the event. The Beaux Arts Foundation advocates diversity and creativity, so this brings in a wide array of students from around the region. Majority of the audience is UK College of Design and Fine Arts students and their friends, but there are many people who have been attending the ball for 10 years.

5. What is the organization or company mission statement?

Mission: The Beaux Arts Foundation promotes diversity and originality across multiple art forms at a local and national level. We aim to attract supporters of all kinds who converge to form a heterogeneous crowd that mobilizes the collaborative arts, camaraderie, and optimism to connect with the arts through unique channels that give back to the community.

Marketing, Media + Communication I: Brand Awareness

National Maritime Museum:

nmm_logo

This logo captivated me the first time I saw it. Initially my eyes focused on the wave graphic, unaware of the interruptions to form letters. The “flow” of the logo itself is very smooth and clever. The eye follows the line up and down in a wave, but is able to discern the n, m, and m hidden in such a simple design. I think if the stroke of the path was any thicker or thinner the letters would get lost within the graphic. I also like this logo design because of the white on a blue background, rather than a blue graphic existing in whitespace. With it this way, the graphic emulates the crest of a wave and provides a deeper oceanic connection as compared to the inverted option of blue on a white background. I also commend the designer for forming the breaks between each letter in a diagonal manner. If the division was vertical, I think the graphic would have literally lost it’s flow and subtlety. The only criticism of mine is that the written words “National Maritime Museum” are in an awkward spot. I find the alignment with the above path to be odd. If it were justified to one side or the other or even aligned underneath with the tracking and/or kerning adjusted, I think that would provide even more emphasis on the beautiful, curved line above.

Modern Container:

moderncontainer_logo

This particular logo pleases me for many reasons. At first it presents itself as a three-dimensional object, but upon closer inspection one notices the letters “M” and “C.” It reads very well because one sees the “M,” followed by the “C,” but the “C” leads the eye inside the object, making it very dynamic. The font is a very contemporary sans serif, and the narrowness of the lowercase letters provide contrast from the imposing, block letters on the “container.” Therefore, the logo seems balanced in modernity while clearly representing the product. I find the secondary stroke to be unnecessary in the design. I think it distracts from the cleanliness of the lines represented. In some ways the extra boundary reinforces the logo as an object surrounding the text and allows the depth to be more apparent as compared to having the gradient dissipate into the white space, but one single green line closing that edge might have sufficed and provided the same effect.

21C Museum Hotel:

21c

21C Museum Hotel began in Louisville, Kentucky as playful, eccentric hotel with various themed rooms equipped with odd design surprises all over the building. There is a gallery space in the lobby of the hotel, but quirky art in all forms is located everywhere. Because of the kookiness of the museum/hotel itself, I think their logo could’ve been slightly more playful. The “mascot” for a lack of a better term is a minimal penguin, represented in different colors based on the urban location of that 21C branch, and I think this could be translated into the logo design in some aspect. Overall, the logo is extremely contemporary and clean, but I think that doesn’t represent the chain in its entirety. So far, all 3 branches of 21C have occupied a historical downtown building in Louisville, Lexington, and Cincinnati. The logo emulates a very high-class, highly modern design aesthetic that are less apparent in the actual decoration and art within these buildings. The concept of 21C is modern and forward-thinking, but also extremely playful and I find the branding does not quite match the mood of a 21C museum hotel. Design balance and alignment of the logo itself I think is overall pleasing. I appreciate that the “C” is mirrored in the “2” and that the Museum Hotels text is justified evenly at the bottom. It is also graphic while being slightly abstract in the re-design of the number “2.” Overall my critique of this logo only comes from the adequate representation of this phenomenal arts space.

Marketing Media + Communication I: Learning Objectives

1. Further my understanding of graphic design from a marketing perspective

2. Experiment with three-dimensional design techniques that can be applied to a potential logo

3. Become completely comfortable with running and updating a WordPress site so that I can apply these skills to an outside project

4. Learn how to create marketing materials for a webpage using pixel-sized canvases

5. Explore and experiment with the best possible graphical means to apply a brand identity to an arts organization