Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
on learning to code...
When i was little, maybe about 5 years old i used to wonder if everyone saw colors differently as there would be no way to describe "pink" other than a mix of white and red. the whole concept of colors and their meanings could be different to everyone, as they might see humans with purple faces and the ocean as bright green. I'll never know.
but while i was wondering that, i wondered if someone could ever create an entire language, dicitonary and all, where words are defined by other words, but the language could never be understood, because all of the definitions of this language are written in that language. well wonder no more, that language is called ruby and its dictionary is that of programming terms.
Though i've actually been able to explain ruby to quite a few people and get many interested in it, i have been doing some of my code with help as tackling a programming language as strange as ruby and doing something as complex as i'm trying to is not easily executed in 8 weeks.
i now have a deep enough understanding of ruby that i know what it's doing, where my code is going, what is called where it saves etc etc etc. now i'm trying to make friends wiht my code. trying to speak its language in a way that it understands. but it feels like i'm trying to talk with my mouth taped shut (note: i actually have no idea what its literally like to talk with my mouth taped shut and hope that i never find out) i can make vague statements without really making sense, or any sort of real communication.
I could draw you a picture of exactly what i want the code to do. explain it in plain english and/or choppy german but the second i try to put it in ruby code i am all thumbs, or rather all wrong commands.
but while i was wondering that, i wondered if someone could ever create an entire language, dicitonary and all, where words are defined by other words, but the language could never be understood, because all of the definitions of this language are written in that language. well wonder no more, that language is called ruby and its dictionary is that of programming terms.
Though i've actually been able to explain ruby to quite a few people and get many interested in it, i have been doing some of my code with help as tackling a programming language as strange as ruby and doing something as complex as i'm trying to is not easily executed in 8 weeks.
i now have a deep enough understanding of ruby that i know what it's doing, where my code is going, what is called where it saves etc etc etc. now i'm trying to make friends wiht my code. trying to speak its language in a way that it understands. but it feels like i'm trying to talk with my mouth taped shut (note: i actually have no idea what its literally like to talk with my mouth taped shut and hope that i never find out) i can make vague statements without really making sense, or any sort of real communication.
I could draw you a picture of exactly what i want the code to do. explain it in plain english and/or choppy german but the second i try to put it in ruby code i am all thumbs, or rather all wrong commands.
Friday, May 18, 2007
It's like a good breakup with a bad boyfriend
i feel like i finally have space again. the screenprinting stuff is finally out of my room. I got frustrated and threw it all away. just kidding! It's actually in darkroom behind my house. I'm renting it. It feels like a new turning-point in my life. like "new leaf" so to speak or a new whole tree rather. and one with SPACIOUS spacious cabinets and light blocking doors and wonderful wonderful blacklight-ly reminiscent uv exposure unit.. oh wait that's mine. When i got the key for it, i felt happier than the day i found out i got into ucla. which is strange, because it's only a room, with a sink.
I've messed up on every screen so far. well except one, but even that one counts as a mess-up, as i'm using a 300-count mesh, for what could definitley be done with 110 or less (which doesent exist) (i think.) i put emulsion on them and then sprayed water droplets all over the drying screens. i forgot to get the chemical to spray on transparencies to make them legible once screenprinted. i'm off to a gas station to use their pressure washer to somehow try to salvage this mess i'm in, with a deadline.
I've messed up on every screen so far. well except one, but even that one counts as a mess-up, as i'm using a 300-count mesh, for what could definitley be done with 110 or less (which doesent exist) (i think.) i put emulsion on them and then sprayed water droplets all over the drying screens. i forgot to get the chemical to spray on transparencies to make them legible once screenprinted. i'm off to a gas station to use their pressure washer to somehow try to salvage this mess i'm in, with a deadline.
200 tshirts in the corner of my room
I've been recieving designs since last night, there are 200 tshirts piled up in boxes in the corner and I'm waiting to sign the lease on a darkroom next to my garage (strange coincidence i moved somewhere with a darkroom in my backyard, isn't it). I have yet to recruit photographers to help me document my launching on monday, but as i work at the daily bruin photo department it shouldn't be hard. i'm putting the finishing touches on my mission statement, and blurbs about the tshirts and how to get one. Once I do that i'm only a facebook invite and 200 shirts away from launching a new online community. I'm a little terrified. Will people post? of course they will. Everyone I've told about the project wants a shirt and wants to get involved. Hopefully it will be a phenemenon like Post Secret or Myspace (or both combined!!) that gives people something to do with their time and lets them express themselves. Regardless I'm excited to make a tiny impact on the UCLA community.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
a photo essay about learning to screen print:
so many choices
fool-proofing my room
putting screws on screens to later be taken out for exposure and put back in for printing
the new love of my life
screens coated
good thing i have a lot of books..
my room is glowing and i'm hiding outside, to keep away from the uv light
rinsing...
success!
fool-proofing my room
putting screws on screens to later be taken out for exposure and put back in for printing
the new love of my life
screens coated
good thing i have a lot of books..
my room is glowing and i'm hiding outside, to keep away from the uv light
rinsing...
success!
Friday, May 11, 2007
emulsion stuck to my feet
the screens are drying in my room, ready to print.
I've bought a machine to expose the screens because I don't have time to build one
I was just elected Photo Editor at the newspaper for next year, and just won second place in the book collecting contest.
i'm choosing to be behind on my homework to just focus on screen printing. nothing is really due and everyone understands.
the screens are drying in my room and i thought this part is easy, just print some text (with statements i've already made) and screen some shirts. easy, right? I never realized that it might be harder to design the shirts, than to screen print them.
i have so much to say but I dont know how to word it. I know what colors i'm going to make the phrases and that i'm going to hand them out for free to launch the project. I used a chunk of my scholarship money to buy 200 shirts, to launch the project either this wednesday or next monday, depending on how long it actually takes to print these shirts.
i have a fully functional blog at whatisknowingyourself.com, and I just have to do the finishing touches on the code, like exporting to rss feeds and adding a link to post to deli.cio.us etc etc, but even that can be done after the blog is launched, and people are posting about their experience of wearing these shirts.
People are excited to participate. People offer help right and left, and often, i accept it, greatfully. I really hope this is a successful project.
I've bought a machine to expose the screens because I don't have time to build one
I was just elected Photo Editor at the newspaper for next year, and just won second place in the book collecting contest.
i'm choosing to be behind on my homework to just focus on screen printing. nothing is really due and everyone understands.
the screens are drying in my room and i thought this part is easy, just print some text (with statements i've already made) and screen some shirts. easy, right? I never realized that it might be harder to design the shirts, than to screen print them.
i have so much to say but I dont know how to word it. I know what colors i'm going to make the phrases and that i'm going to hand them out for free to launch the project. I used a chunk of my scholarship money to buy 200 shirts, to launch the project either this wednesday or next monday, depending on how long it actually takes to print these shirts.
i have a fully functional blog at whatisknowingyourself.com, and I just have to do the finishing touches on the code, like exporting to rss feeds and adding a link to post to deli.cio.us etc etc, but even that can be done after the blog is launched, and people are posting about their experience of wearing these shirts.
People are excited to participate. People offer help right and left, and often, i accept it, greatfully. I really hope this is a successful project.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
a trip to mclogan's....
Flying down streets, trying to get to downtown, to the edge of the fashion district to a reccomended store. McLogan's the screenprinting supplier to many companies in the area. They sell the equipment the same price to anyone, and with all the stuff I bought, they were asking me if I was opening a store. They were really helpful and have heard about my project before.
after taking about a hundred photos of the colored inks (they are all very bright and some even floursecent) I decided to start with some emotional basics, for mixing of course; black, white and red. I'll be getting more tommorrow morning when I pick up a light to expose the screens, as exposing them in the sun this past weekend, though seemingly a good idea, was reccomended against by enough screen printing afficionados, that I decided to not even try it and wait for when I can build an exposure unit myself.
after taking about a hundred photos of the colored inks (they are all very bright and some even floursecent) I decided to start with some emotional basics, for mixing of course; black, white and red. I'll be getting more tommorrow morning when I pick up a light to expose the screens, as exposing them in the sun this past weekend, though seemingly a good idea, was reccomended against by enough screen printing afficionados, that I decided to not even try it and wait for when I can build an exposure unit myself.
thank you letter for the scholarship
Dear Victoria,
When I was writing this, I assumed you were an integral part in getting me this scholarship, and I wanted you to be able to read my thank you letter. It was sent to Mrs. Wurzel at the end of April, but I wanted you to get a chance to read it too, as I mean every single word of it for both you and her. It is as follows:
Who I am and what I want: I would like to live in a world where a smile can change things, where a helpful hand can spark to life a generation of voluntarily disenfranchised students and dropouts. I want to live in a world where fashion is comfortable and comfort is fashion and individuality doesn’t just mean a useless word for wearing the same color socks everyday with the same face everybody else has on, while wearing a different color shirt.
To me fashion is meaningful. I’m the fashion columnist at UCLA’s newspaper, the Daily Bruin. The name is misleading though; I don’t really write about fashion. I write about interpersonal interactions, and body image and ideologies. Sometimes, fashion sneaks in on the side, but mostly it’s about how fashion affects these things.
I am about to embark on a project that tests the boundaries of communication, through fashion. It tests social margins, and how comfortable we are within ourselves, and thus with each other. It asks whether we are willing to initiate communication, or would we rather wait out shyness in the company of the loneliness that escorts it.
I’ve been reading a lot of books in all my spare time, and as I’ve been getting older, I’m feeling less of the urge to go out and party and ‘socialize’ which really means we talk about nothing with strangers. I’m feeling the need to really get to the heart of the problems in our culture.
I want to create a world wherein there exists no need for insecurity. I would like to be able to bring that world to people and even if I could only reach a few I could consider it successful.
My name is Dharmishta Rood and I’m a senior this year at UCLA. I have received your scholarship and am very thankful for it. You have no idea how much this means to me. When my project feels overwhelming and feels like how can I ever accomplish anything; I remember you, though I don’t know you, and know that somebody thought my project and my ideas were worthwhile enough to give me this scholarship, and that, for this instance is enough. It, among many other things, keeps me going. If you close your eyes and listen, silently, you can feel the world catch you, and hold you in its bare hands of existence.
Sincerely,
Dharmishta Rood
When I was writing this, I assumed you were an integral part in getting me this scholarship, and I wanted you to be able to read my thank you letter. It was sent to Mrs. Wurzel at the end of April, but I wanted you to get a chance to read it too, as I mean every single word of it for both you and her. It is as follows:
Who I am and what I want: I would like to live in a world where a smile can change things, where a helpful hand can spark to life a generation of voluntarily disenfranchised students and dropouts. I want to live in a world where fashion is comfortable and comfort is fashion and individuality doesn’t just mean a useless word for wearing the same color socks everyday with the same face everybody else has on, while wearing a different color shirt.
To me fashion is meaningful. I’m the fashion columnist at UCLA’s newspaper, the Daily Bruin. The name is misleading though; I don’t really write about fashion. I write about interpersonal interactions, and body image and ideologies. Sometimes, fashion sneaks in on the side, but mostly it’s about how fashion affects these things.
I am about to embark on a project that tests the boundaries of communication, through fashion. It tests social margins, and how comfortable we are within ourselves, and thus with each other. It asks whether we are willing to initiate communication, or would we rather wait out shyness in the company of the loneliness that escorts it.
I’ve been reading a lot of books in all my spare time, and as I’ve been getting older, I’m feeling less of the urge to go out and party and ‘socialize’ which really means we talk about nothing with strangers. I’m feeling the need to really get to the heart of the problems in our culture.
I want to create a world wherein there exists no need for insecurity. I would like to be able to bring that world to people and even if I could only reach a few I could consider it successful.
My name is Dharmishta Rood and I’m a senior this year at UCLA. I have received your scholarship and am very thankful for it. You have no idea how much this means to me. When my project feels overwhelming and feels like how can I ever accomplish anything; I remember you, though I don’t know you, and know that somebody thought my project and my ideas were worthwhile enough to give me this scholarship, and that, for this instance is enough. It, among many other things, keeps me going. If you close your eyes and listen, silently, you can feel the world catch you, and hold you in its bare hands of existence.
Sincerely,
Dharmishta Rood
books part 2, library books
Here is a complete list of every single book I have out of the library.
The descriptions on the first 10 were a part of the annotated bibliography for my book collecting contest application. I don’t own them but I’d like to one day.
1. Hollander, Anne. Sex and Suits. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1994.
A history of the suit and how it has sustained its fashionability for over two hundred years almost untouched.
2. Barthes, Roland. The Fashion System. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1990.
An account of the meanings both hidden and precise of the language of written fashion. Barthes uses semiology to describe the ways in which clothing’s functions and meanings are communicated.
3. Barnard, Malcom. Fashion as Communication. London: Routledge, 2002.
A book that deals with the social and psychological aspects of dress; getting it out of the library inspired the entire project, using fashion as a means for emotional communication.
5. Flügel, J. C. The Psychology of Clothes. London: Hogarth Press and the Institute of Psycho-analysis, 1966.
This book presents the theories of fashion changes and constants. He breaks fashion down into decoration, modesty and protection. I want to read it because it is listed under Anne Hollander’s books cited, in both ‘Sex and Suits’ and ‘Seeing Through Clothes.
6. Lurie, Alison. The Language of Fashion. New York: Owl books, 2000.
A synopsis of how fashion can be a language, Be it well spoken or awkwardly stated, is always communicating something. I read excerpts of this book in a course reader at UC Santa Cruz. I absolutely fell in love with the idea of fashion as a language. I, though I was already doing this, decided to consciously learn to speak my own voice through my fashion from that point on.
7. Scott, Linda M. Fresh Lipstick: Redressing Fashion and Feminism. New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2005.
An argument for fashion and makeup being totally viable and feminine tools. I’m not sure if I’m even going to agree with this book, I have yet to read it and am waiting to until I can read ‘The Beauty Myth’ its counter-argument against makeup and fashion, at the same time. I think it will be good facts to learn whether I disagree or agree with the arguments in either book.
8. Riordan, Teresa. Inventing Beauty. New York: Broadway Books, 2004.
A history, divided up into sections: eyes, lips, breasts, hair, skin waist, hands, hips, derriere written by the New York Times patents columnist. She says that she thought she was going to be against all this beauty stuff, but actually in researching it, she found that these inventions were created for women, by women. I got this out of the library this summer and promptly sat down and read two thirds of it—I cite facts from it in my somewhat counter-culture fashion column frequently enough that I’d like to own it when my 99 renewals are up.
9. Stipelman, Steven. Illustrating Fashion: Concept to Creation. New York: Fairchild Publications Inc., 2005.
The most comprehensive (461 page long) book I have seen on fashion illustration. Reading just the intro changed my drawing style for the better. It is beautifully designed and well written. I have it out from SRLF, so I only have to renew it once a quarter.
10. Beaton, Cecil. The Glass of Fashion. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1954.
A personal take on the changes of fashion, seen through the eyes of Cecil Beaton. This book was recommended to me by Cristina Favretto, Rare Books Librarian here at UCLA. It, like almost every other book on this list, I have out from the library and have been reading it in all the time that I’m not planning projects to help the world through fashion, technology and better human communication.
11. Material matters : the art and culture of contemporary textiles / edited by Ingrid Bachmann and Ruth Scheuing
12. Trocmé, Suzanne. Fabric
13. Barthes, Roland. Fashion system
14. Wojcik, Daniel. Punk and neo-tribal body art
15. Dress and gender : making and meaning in cultural contexts
16. Cox, Caroline. Hair & fashion
17. On fashion / edited by Shari Benstock and Suzanne Ferriss.
18. Tanous, Helen Nicol, 1917- Designing your own dress patterns.
19. Dressed to impress : looking the part / edited by William J.F. Keenan ; foreword by David Martin.
20. Hurlock, Elizabeth Bergner, 1898- Psychology of dress : an analysis of fashion and its motive
21. Craik, Jennifer. Face of fashion : cultural studies in fashion
22. Picken, Mary Brooks. Language of fashion; a dictionary and digest of fabric, sewing and dress,
23. Corey, Marian. McCall’s complete book of dressmaking.
24. Butterick Publishing Company. Dressmaker; a complete book on all matters connected with sewing and dressmaking from the simplest stitches to the cutting, making altering, mending and caring for the clothes.
25. Pepin, Harriet, 1897- Fundamentals of apparel design.
26. Rethinking media change : the aesthetics of transition / edited by David Thorburn and Henry Jenkins ; associate editor, Brad Seawell.
27. Scott, William T. Possibility of communication
28. Chase, Stuart. Power of words, by Stuart Chase in collaboration with Marian Tyler Chase.
29. Leeds-Hurwitz, Wendy. Communication in everyday life : a social interpretation.
30. Finkelstein, Joanne. Fashioned self.
31. Hawes, Elizabeth, 1903-1971. It’s still spinach.
32. Bolton, Andrew, Associate curator. Bravehearts : men in skirts
33. Stipelman, Steven. Illustrating fashion : concept to creation
34. Peacock, John. Complete fashion sourcebook
The descriptions on the first 10 were a part of the annotated bibliography for my book collecting contest application. I don’t own them but I’d like to one day.
1. Hollander, Anne. Sex and Suits. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1994.
A history of the suit and how it has sustained its fashionability for over two hundred years almost untouched.
2. Barthes, Roland. The Fashion System. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1990.
An account of the meanings both hidden and precise of the language of written fashion. Barthes uses semiology to describe the ways in which clothing’s functions and meanings are communicated.
3. Barnard, Malcom. Fashion as Communication. London: Routledge, 2002.
A book that deals with the social and psychological aspects of dress; getting it out of the library inspired the entire project, using fashion as a means for emotional communication.
5. Flügel, J. C. The Psychology of Clothes. London: Hogarth Press and the Institute of Psycho-analysis, 1966.
This book presents the theories of fashion changes and constants. He breaks fashion down into decoration, modesty and protection. I want to read it because it is listed under Anne Hollander’s books cited, in both ‘Sex and Suits’ and ‘Seeing Through Clothes.
6. Lurie, Alison. The Language of Fashion. New York: Owl books, 2000.
A synopsis of how fashion can be a language, Be it well spoken or awkwardly stated, is always communicating something. I read excerpts of this book in a course reader at UC Santa Cruz. I absolutely fell in love with the idea of fashion as a language. I, though I was already doing this, decided to consciously learn to speak my own voice through my fashion from that point on.
7. Scott, Linda M. Fresh Lipstick: Redressing Fashion and Feminism. New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2005.
An argument for fashion and makeup being totally viable and feminine tools. I’m not sure if I’m even going to agree with this book, I have yet to read it and am waiting to until I can read ‘The Beauty Myth’ its counter-argument against makeup and fashion, at the same time. I think it will be good facts to learn whether I disagree or agree with the arguments in either book.
8. Riordan, Teresa. Inventing Beauty. New York: Broadway Books, 2004.
A history, divided up into sections: eyes, lips, breasts, hair, skin waist, hands, hips, derriere written by the New York Times patents columnist. She says that she thought she was going to be against all this beauty stuff, but actually in researching it, she found that these inventions were created for women, by women. I got this out of the library this summer and promptly sat down and read two thirds of it—I cite facts from it in my somewhat counter-culture fashion column frequently enough that I’d like to own it when my 99 renewals are up.
9. Stipelman, Steven. Illustrating Fashion: Concept to Creation. New York: Fairchild Publications Inc., 2005.
The most comprehensive (461 page long) book I have seen on fashion illustration. Reading just the intro changed my drawing style for the better. It is beautifully designed and well written. I have it out from SRLF, so I only have to renew it once a quarter.
10. Beaton, Cecil. The Glass of Fashion. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1954.
A personal take on the changes of fashion, seen through the eyes of Cecil Beaton. This book was recommended to me by Cristina Favretto, Rare Books Librarian here at UCLA. It, like almost every other book on this list, I have out from the library and have been reading it in all the time that I’m not planning projects to help the world through fashion, technology and better human communication.
11. Material matters : the art and culture of contemporary textiles / edited by Ingrid Bachmann and Ruth Scheuing
12. Trocmé, Suzanne. Fabric
13. Barthes, Roland. Fashion system
14. Wojcik, Daniel. Punk and neo-tribal body art
15. Dress and gender : making and meaning in cultural contexts
16. Cox, Caroline. Hair & fashion
17. On fashion / edited by Shari Benstock and Suzanne Ferriss.
18. Tanous, Helen Nicol, 1917- Designing your own dress patterns.
19. Dressed to impress : looking the part / edited by William J.F. Keenan ; foreword by David Martin.
20. Hurlock, Elizabeth Bergner, 1898- Psychology of dress : an analysis of fashion and its motive
21. Craik, Jennifer. Face of fashion : cultural studies in fashion
22. Picken, Mary Brooks. Language of fashion; a dictionary and digest of fabric, sewing and dress,
23. Corey, Marian. McCall’s complete book of dressmaking.
24. Butterick Publishing Company. Dressmaker; a complete book on all matters connected with sewing and dressmaking from the simplest stitches to the cutting, making altering, mending and caring for the clothes.
25. Pepin, Harriet, 1897- Fundamentals of apparel design.
26. Rethinking media change : the aesthetics of transition / edited by David Thorburn and Henry Jenkins ; associate editor, Brad Seawell.
27. Scott, William T. Possibility of communication
28. Chase, Stuart. Power of words, by Stuart Chase in collaboration with Marian Tyler Chase.
29. Leeds-Hurwitz, Wendy. Communication in everyday life : a social interpretation.
30. Finkelstein, Joanne. Fashioned self.
31. Hawes, Elizabeth, 1903-1971. It’s still spinach.
32. Bolton, Andrew, Associate curator. Bravehearts : men in skirts
33. Stipelman, Steven. Illustrating fashion : concept to creation
34. Peacock, John. Complete fashion sourcebook
books part 1
I will be writing a research paper, and have been doing some research.
Here is a bibliography of all of the books I may be using in my research paper:
The descriptions are from a book collecting contest I entered at Young Research Library.
1. Hollander, Anne. Seeing Through Clothes. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1993.
This book is about the history of clothing from around 300 B.C. to modern times. This is a book I have had out of the UCSC and UCLA library. It is what I read when I need inspiration writing my fashion column. It was recommended to me by a design professor who has worked with both set and costume design extensively. Reading it strengthened my interest in fashion history, and gave me the idea to write a theoretical/analytical/playful fashion column for the Bruin.
2. Miyake, Issey. Making Things. Scala: New York, 1999.
This book is a documentation of a 1998-99 gallery showcasing the work of Issey Miyake. He has been a big inspiration to me, breaking the mode in which we create clothes and think about fashion. This book is valuable to me, not only because it is a collector’s item, but also because it is a comprehensive (full color and beautifully designed) look at Issey Miyake’s life’s work.
3. Wilcox, Claire. Vivienne Westwood. London: Victoria and Albert, 2007.
Providing an overview of the work of Vivienne Westwood, this book is very important to me as someone who has been trying to change the face of fashion. I would love to follow in Vivienne Westwood’s footsteps and revolutionize fashion, but rather than turn it into punk, as she did, I would love to turn it into comfort without sacrificing any of the fun and creativity in fashion.
4. Barthes, Roland. The Language of Fashion. Oxford: Berg, 2006.
A group of essays by Roland Barthes about fashion compiled into a book. Barthes was a literary critic, social theorist, philosopher and whose work in semiotics extended to fashion. As someone who researches and theorizes about clothes, Barthes is a must.
5. Carter, Michael. Fashion Classics, From Carlyle to Barthes. New York: Berg, 2003.
This book summarizes and interprets writings by fashion theorists and historians. It is nice because it summarizes works I would eventually like to read, but have not yet had the time to dive into in depth as a busy college student.
6. Kalman, Tibor and Maira. (un)Fashion. New York: Harry N. Abrams Inc., 2002.
A book about unconventional and often unintentional fashions across cultures. It shows what varying cultures use for warmth, protection, warfare and decoration to name a few. Very inspiring. It shows what different cultures think of as fashion, and what is incidentally fashionable, though often intended as objects used for a myriad of functionalities.
7. Smith, Courtenay and Sean Topham. Extreme Fashion. Munich: Prestel Publishing, 2005.
An exploration of the fashions of functionality. In a world where function doesn’t necessarily have to sacrifice style—it can aid its invention.
8. Rood, Dharmishta. How to Make a Clothing Line in Less Than 10 Days. (self-published, 2006).
A fun, loosely autobiographical book about D.I.Y.I (Do-It-Yourself) fashion. After participating in last spring’s fashion show, put on by the ‘Fashion and Student Trends’ club here at UCLA, I created a book, documenting my process and designs in a fun playful manner.
9. Borrelli, Laird. Fashion Illustration Next. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2004.
An inspiring book using digital art for fashion illustration. I mostly create with a computer or just hands on with a sewing machine so it is not only inspiring but reassuring that people can create dynamic interesting fashion illustrations (often more interesting than pencil and paper—but not always) on a computer, which is where my design training lies.
10. Hammond, Lee. Draw Fashion Models. Cincinnati: North Light Books, 1999.
A book of instructional illustrations on fashion drawing. It is nice because it shows the proportions of the body, and then breaks down fashion into types of fabric and parts of the body. It is very easy to sketch from.
11. Jones, Terry and Susie Rushton, ed. Fashion Now. Cologne: Taschen, 2006.
This book is a short reference of 92 modern designers. The designers are presented along with their ideologies and styles. Along with the expected pictures of their designs, it is nice to be able to see the designer’s face rather than just their clothes—each designer has a portrait below the write-up on their work.
12. Dover Publications, Inc. Ereté’s Fashion Designs. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1981.
A collection of fashion illustrations from 1918-1932. The drawings are simple yet stylistic and offer a perspective into an earlier time of fashion, when women’s fashions were more elaborate yet the drawings of them were more simplistic.
13. Leopold, Allison Kyle and Anne Marie Cloutier. Short Chic. New York: Bantam Books, 1981.
A book about dressing “tall” as a short woman. Topics include “creating the illusion of height,” “coming to terms with proportion” and “can a short woman wear a fur jacket.” As a woman who is 5’3” I find this both very comical and very interesting. What have disproportionate fashion sketches done to our body image?
14. The Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto. Shoes in Indian Culture. San Francisco: Pomegranate, 2002.
A book of Postcards with pictures of shoes from India. As a designer I take a lot of inspiration from eastern spirituality and Indian culture and also have a special interest in shoes and what they mean about a culture.
17. Fresener, Scott and Pat Fresener. How to Print T-Shirts for Fun and Profit. New Jersey: Union Ink Co., 2005.
An instructional book on screen-printing. A very useful reference for the art project/social experiment I am about to embark on, as it involves screen-printing.
18. Katzenberg, Gloria. Art and Stitchery, New Directions. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1974.
A book about sewing and embroidery and the various ways to use thread, yarn and fabric. These innovative designs are not only inspiring for fashion, but when used as inspiration for computer based graphics, give new breath to my design work.
19. Color Photography. New York: Ziff David Publishing Company, 1969.
A combination of stunning photography and historic fashions from the 60s/70’s era. I look at it both for design inspiration and photography, and of course fashion.
23. Bassler, Jim. WAC 133 Textiles of the World: The Americas. Los Angeles, UCLA Academic Publishing, 2007.
A course reader on various textiles from North Central and South America.
Here is a bibliography of all of the books I may be using in my research paper:
The descriptions are from a book collecting contest I entered at Young Research Library.
1. Hollander, Anne. Seeing Through Clothes. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1993.
This book is about the history of clothing from around 300 B.C. to modern times. This is a book I have had out of the UCSC and UCLA library. It is what I read when I need inspiration writing my fashion column. It was recommended to me by a design professor who has worked with both set and costume design extensively. Reading it strengthened my interest in fashion history, and gave me the idea to write a theoretical/analytical/playful fashion column for the Bruin.
2. Miyake, Issey. Making Things. Scala: New York, 1999.
This book is a documentation of a 1998-99 gallery showcasing the work of Issey Miyake. He has been a big inspiration to me, breaking the mode in which we create clothes and think about fashion. This book is valuable to me, not only because it is a collector’s item, but also because it is a comprehensive (full color and beautifully designed) look at Issey Miyake’s life’s work.
3. Wilcox, Claire. Vivienne Westwood. London: Victoria and Albert, 2007.
Providing an overview of the work of Vivienne Westwood, this book is very important to me as someone who has been trying to change the face of fashion. I would love to follow in Vivienne Westwood’s footsteps and revolutionize fashion, but rather than turn it into punk, as she did, I would love to turn it into comfort without sacrificing any of the fun and creativity in fashion.
4. Barthes, Roland. The Language of Fashion. Oxford: Berg, 2006.
A group of essays by Roland Barthes about fashion compiled into a book. Barthes was a literary critic, social theorist, philosopher and whose work in semiotics extended to fashion. As someone who researches and theorizes about clothes, Barthes is a must.
5. Carter, Michael. Fashion Classics, From Carlyle to Barthes. New York: Berg, 2003.
This book summarizes and interprets writings by fashion theorists and historians. It is nice because it summarizes works I would eventually like to read, but have not yet had the time to dive into in depth as a busy college student.
6. Kalman, Tibor and Maira. (un)Fashion. New York: Harry N. Abrams Inc., 2002.
A book about unconventional and often unintentional fashions across cultures. It shows what varying cultures use for warmth, protection, warfare and decoration to name a few. Very inspiring. It shows what different cultures think of as fashion, and what is incidentally fashionable, though often intended as objects used for a myriad of functionalities.
7. Smith, Courtenay and Sean Topham. Extreme Fashion. Munich: Prestel Publishing, 2005.
An exploration of the fashions of functionality. In a world where function doesn’t necessarily have to sacrifice style—it can aid its invention.
8. Rood, Dharmishta. How to Make a Clothing Line in Less Than 10 Days. (self-published, 2006).
A fun, loosely autobiographical book about D.I.Y.I (Do-It-Yourself) fashion. After participating in last spring’s fashion show, put on by the ‘Fashion and Student Trends’ club here at UCLA, I created a book, documenting my process and designs in a fun playful manner.
9. Borrelli, Laird. Fashion Illustration Next. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2004.
An inspiring book using digital art for fashion illustration. I mostly create with a computer or just hands on with a sewing machine so it is not only inspiring but reassuring that people can create dynamic interesting fashion illustrations (often more interesting than pencil and paper—but not always) on a computer, which is where my design training lies.
10. Hammond, Lee. Draw Fashion Models. Cincinnati: North Light Books, 1999.
A book of instructional illustrations on fashion drawing. It is nice because it shows the proportions of the body, and then breaks down fashion into types of fabric and parts of the body. It is very easy to sketch from.
11. Jones, Terry and Susie Rushton, ed. Fashion Now. Cologne: Taschen, 2006.
This book is a short reference of 92 modern designers. The designers are presented along with their ideologies and styles. Along with the expected pictures of their designs, it is nice to be able to see the designer’s face rather than just their clothes—each designer has a portrait below the write-up on their work.
12. Dover Publications, Inc. Ereté’s Fashion Designs. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1981.
A collection of fashion illustrations from 1918-1932. The drawings are simple yet stylistic and offer a perspective into an earlier time of fashion, when women’s fashions were more elaborate yet the drawings of them were more simplistic.
13. Leopold, Allison Kyle and Anne Marie Cloutier. Short Chic. New York: Bantam Books, 1981.
A book about dressing “tall” as a short woman. Topics include “creating the illusion of height,” “coming to terms with proportion” and “can a short woman wear a fur jacket.” As a woman who is 5’3” I find this both very comical and very interesting. What have disproportionate fashion sketches done to our body image?
14. The Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto. Shoes in Indian Culture. San Francisco: Pomegranate, 2002.
A book of Postcards with pictures of shoes from India. As a designer I take a lot of inspiration from eastern spirituality and Indian culture and also have a special interest in shoes and what they mean about a culture.
17. Fresener, Scott and Pat Fresener. How to Print T-Shirts for Fun and Profit. New Jersey: Union Ink Co., 2005.
An instructional book on screen-printing. A very useful reference for the art project/social experiment I am about to embark on, as it involves screen-printing.
18. Katzenberg, Gloria. Art and Stitchery, New Directions. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1974.
A book about sewing and embroidery and the various ways to use thread, yarn and fabric. These innovative designs are not only inspiring for fashion, but when used as inspiration for computer based graphics, give new breath to my design work.
19. Color Photography. New York: Ziff David Publishing Company, 1969.
A combination of stunning photography and historic fashions from the 60s/70’s era. I look at it both for design inspiration and photography, and of course fashion.
23. Bassler, Jim. WAC 133 Textiles of the World: The Americas. Los Angeles, UCLA Academic Publishing, 2007.
A course reader on various textiles from North Central and South America.
a blog about a blog? but why...
So I’ve decided to create a blog about the creation of my blog. It is about my struggles, my triumphs and most of all my progress towards something that will really affect people in all of its small world-scale counter-culture glory. I’m looking to make something big and even if it grows into something, not on a worldwide scale, but changes a few people’s days, for the better, I will be content with this.
It's a blog about a blog, because a lot goes into the creation of my blog. It has turned into the very substance of my existence; it constitutes most of the way I interact with life. I read books in all of my free time. I follow around anthropologists and email creative designers, trying to get interviews. I read communication philosophies and do things like sell my Coachella day two and three tickets just so I can have time to come home and read and launch my blog and further my project. I'm also creating it all from scratch(with help of course, from people who know the program better), which people have called me crazy for. I know it's crazy, but it's also going to help in the long run. I'm doing the blog myself to learn the infastructure for creating these types of things, so that I can evantually create something new, something that a template doesen’t exist for.
It's a blog about a blog, because a lot goes into the creation of my blog. It has turned into the very substance of my existence; it constitutes most of the way I interact with life. I read books in all of my free time. I follow around anthropologists and email creative designers, trying to get interviews. I read communication philosophies and do things like sell my Coachella day two and three tickets just so I can have time to come home and read and launch my blog and further my project. I'm also creating it all from scratch(with help of course, from people who know the program better), which people have called me crazy for. I know it's crazy, but it's also going to help in the long run. I'm doing the blog myself to learn the infastructure for creating these types of things, so that I can evantually create something new, something that a template doesen’t exist for.
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