Research

I have now started to get into the swing of my costume brief depicting characters from the story of ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Though I am familiar with the story, I am aiming to depict the characters in quite unusual and alternative ways. Therefore to lead and focus my work in the project, it will be important to have a large breadth of research for each character.

Regarding the ‘Queen of Hearts’ character, I have started my research through photography. I want to depict her character by looking at the anatomical heart in a strange and uncomfortable way. Therefore, over Christmas I decided to photograph a lamb’s heart as this was readily available at the butchers. This photography provided very interesting results, which has started to provide a good basis for sketchbook work. After Christmas I then decided to try and capture a similar strangeness through food photography, which has again be successful. This work will now start to lead to sampling which will provide very important research that will help inform my resolved final outcomes.

Alongside photography research for the Queen I have also started to collect internet research into the Queen’s character, and the anatomy of the human heart. This will help inform the techniques and material choices I use within my work.

For the ‘Alice’ Character of my costume brief I have started researching into the differing sizes of Alice throughout the film. This will be done through collecting images, quotes and opinions. I have also started researching lichen growth to inform patterns within my work. However, I feel like this is making me go off on a tangent, and leading my work in a direction I don’t want it to go. Therefore, I will stop looking at this and continue to look at particularly the growth of Alice, and consider how I can capture that in my samples through photography.

I also have started considering what my research focus for the self-initiated brief could be. I am going away on a trip to Florence soon, so I want to incorporate this into my project as it would provide opportunity for first hand research. I also am interested in the structure of plant cells, so I will start research on how I can explore this within my project too. However, for now my research will be done through quick observational sketchbook work from when I will be in Florence.

Alongside all my research for each project and focus I am researching a variety of artists and practitioners to inform and inspire ways of working and thinking. This has so far ranged to instillation artists, textile artists, costume designers and illustrators.