Post 3
https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/9ae54b6e-fb0f-404e-9e59-fd7891cf6741
For the Better Lives unit I participated in the Fashion Activism group project where we were instructed to produce a moving image for the brand Nubian Skin. As a group we decided to create something that utilized all of our specialized skills in some way, and what we came up with was to create a series of GIFs for Instagram. The GIFs were built around three different images of a darker ‘nude’ bra and underwear set hanging up – unfortunately without a model (excluding one image in which the photographer incorporated her own arms) as we had to adapt to global changes due to coronavirus. Then the illustration students in the group added simple line drawings of hands or size inclusive women drawn in various nudes throughout the images. These drawing were then animated to create movement within the image resulting in a GIF. Additionally, some captions that I had written for the Instagram layout were included in a video which presented all three GIFs together.
The main Better Lives theme that we focused on with this project was diversity; and as a group we were able to incorporate this by using diverse body sizes in the illustrations as well as diverse skin colours in both the illustrations and the styling of the base images. These ideas are a great representation of Nubian Skin’s brand identity as these are both of their main values. Again, my role was to write Instagram captions for the GIF’s. In my own work, I was sure to
Incorporate these values, though maybe in a bit more obvious way since I was using text rather than visuals. Some examples of captions that I came up with were ‘there is so much beauty in being black”, and “let’s be confident and comfortable together”, “Nubian Skin: for confidence and comfort”. These captions acknowledge the diversity in skin colour that our GIFs present, and when combined with the GIFs demonstrate diversity in size as well.
What I found to be a challenge in creating this moving image was adapting to the unprecedented times in which we are living through. Generally, my group was good at working together, but we were in fact spread out across the globe, all on varying time zones, and struggling to get in contact all together at the same time. We overcame this challenge by having group calls with as many people as we could get together multiple times a week to discuss ideas and allocate tasks, as well as maintaining a WhatsApp group where we were able to communicate effectively and share our experiments for the GIFs and other ideas until finally coming to a finalized series of moving images.
Overall, I think that the moving image my group and I produced was greatly influenced by the Better Lives themes, specifically diversity, due to its relevance to the brand. This can be seen, quite clearly, in the choices we made in colouring the illustrations, choosing what undergarments to photograph, and designing the drawings of women that were included.