Blog 3 – Projects Reflection
Throughout this Better Lives unit, I struggled to find the connection between the themes of the unit and my better lives project: Makeup. Even though to this day I am still uncertain I have found a way to connect sustainability to the work we are doing in my project class. During these difficult times, we have had to start online classes instead of physically going into university and therefore we have had to adapt to the resources we have access to in our homes. During my first online class, we were given two hours to create two makeup looks; one linked to a fashion mistake and one linked to imperfections. At first, I was rather startled as I had no makeup in my family home but when I started thinking more outside the box I found myself looking for reusable materials around the house. For example for my imperfection look, I used 2 feathers, that I had bought years ago for a party, some tape and a black marker. With these three simple materials, I was able to complete the task by creating an incredibly powerful makeup look. After my class I found myself thinking of how much I had learned. Instead of using materials that I would then throw away, I tried to adjust myself to my surroundings and go from there. I learned that there are many ways that you can create something beautiful by still being sustainable and conscious. When we had to share our final outcomes I was blown away by my peer’s looks and how they, like me, used completely sustainable materials and adjusted themselves to the circumstance. Another very strong theme that was present in this project lesson was diversity. All of our looks told a different story. None of us created a similar look. We all came up with diverse and intriguing ideas which made the whole concept even more beautiful. One-piece that specifically left me speechless was this girl that created a look by attaching balloons of different sizes and colors as well as party confetti wrapped around her neck and lips. I found it a very playful way of creating a makeup look without using any makeup at all. Again by being sustainable and using things that she found around the house. I think that Diversity and sustainability are the two themes that are the most present in my Better Lives project. Putting these themes in action has opened my eyes and made me realize how vast and diverse the community within LCF is.
1st May 2020 @ 4:54 pm
Blog 4 Review a Peers Work
I have chosen to review the third blog post from Vittoria Del Balzo titled, ‘Blog 3 Projects Reflection’. Vittoria, like myself was on the Make Up Breakdown project and I was curious to find out another student’s reflections on the project.
From the start of the blog post I was reassured that Vittoria also found it difficult at first to find the link of our project to the Better Lives themes.
As Vittoria explains during the process of the classes, we were switched to learning online, ‘during these difficult times’. This made the process of learning slightly more difficult and we were forced to choose resources available to us at home. Everyone, she tells us adapted to the change very well and produced some outstanding work. This, she describes, led her to thinking of the sustainable theme. Students were able to produce very powerful work. This was completed by being resourceful with what was available to them in their home environments and they responded extremely well to the challenge specified.
Our writer explains to us, the reader, how she developed her look by using feathers, black marker and tape. This took me back to a programme I used to watch on television when I was younger called, ‘Blue Peter’! By just using three simple materials she was able to create a very effective look and she learnt so much from this process. This, she felt, was being sustainable.
Vittoria also feels that a strong theme that became clear in our classes was diversity. The students work was intriguing and beautiful and the writer goes on to describe one student’s work who captured her look by using balloons and gift wrap ribbon attached to her body and face.
My only criticism of Vittoria’s reflection is that she hasn’t quite realised the link between our topic and the Better Lives theme of being socially responsible. I myself, found this difficult to link. I think the only way I could link being socially responsible to the topic is to go back to our first lesson in make-up breakdown and think about what we were told about using ethical products, for example, the ‘Weleda’ and ‘Dr Paw paw’ brands. This was only a small point made in one of our lessons. I am also slightly disappointed that she didn’t add some photographs of her work as I know from seeing her project outcome that it was a delicate but powerful piece of work.
In conclusion, I feel that Vittoria’s reflections on our class is a true descriptive report of what occurred during our topic. Vittoria has drawn the reader in with her depiction and I found myself agreeing strongly with what was being explained. I am also in agreement with her that having a chance to put the Better Lives themes into action has increased our awareness and made us realise the diversity amongst the London College of Fashion community.
The link to Vittoria’s Blog is:
https://1920betterlivessmc.myblog.arts.ac.uk/2020/04/30/blog-3-projects-reflection/