COSTUME PROJECT

Alright so I really enjoyed planning this project and was excited up until the past few days for the presentation day. But the last few days have been rough for me and it took all my enthusiasm away.

And then today when getting dressed for the presentation, my shirt with the hanging jewels was ALL TANGLED and I had to cut the strings and tape the jewels on. It looked so ghetto and I spent so much time making sure it was perfect. OF COURSE it got tangled and ruined. OF COURSE. I spent a few hours making sure each strand was even and the jewels were applied perfectly. I'm so mad they got tangled.

I don't really think anyone noticed or cared tho so it's whatever.

I think my mask worked well. It was inspired by Margiela masks (below)....originally I planned to apply jewels and make it more directly like what you see in the pics. However, I didn't have enough time and I'm making masks in my free time that will be used for my brand's photoshoots. I just need to figure out the pattern/shape of the fabric and overall just the technique I should be using.

Specifically for this project I was inspired and influenced by Kanye West's "Yeezus Tour" costumes. I hate that I keep referencing him for all my projects but it's just the way it's worked out I guess. Anyway....his costumes are incredible. From the masks down to the shoes....beautiful. He made the Margiela diamond masks famous amongst regular people like me. I had never seen anything even similar to the masks until he wore them. 

Below is a picture of me wearing my mask.

I was influenced by the mask worn by West on the top right, below...

Again I admittedly could've done way better with the mask but I think it accomplished what I needed it to. I used a piece of shiny fabric that I could see thru, as opposed to using mesh and jewels....that would've cost alot more money and used up alot of time. 

For the rest of my outfit I was also influenced by West's costume/outfit in the above picture on the right. My goal was create a holy-esque but creepy character. I wanted to appear unapproachable. I wanted to look confident and demand attention. Intimidating. Like I said in class, I don't have any supreme self confidence(that others seem to think I have, I've learned recently). I think my ideas are good....but can ----I--- make my ideas reality? I doubt myself. I get down on myself. But my costume made me appear like....F*** everyone I'm shining and I have chains on and it looks totally un-earthly.......I don't have an "F***" anyone personality at all.....but this was supposed to show an alter ego in many ways. 

Many people approached this as a typical COSTUME. Like a Halloween costume. Or a costume for a play....and that's totally awesome. I really loved alot of people's costumes. There were very very very very few people's projects that I didn't completely love. But anyway...I approached this project as a fashion project, in costume form. It obviously wasn't something I or anyone would wear out in public....but it WAS an exaggeration of what someone might wear. I may wear a couple chains, but not 10 like I had on. I would wear a nice long coat, but not that long and I wouldn't wear it in the exact way that I did.....and obviously people may call the cops if I show up at McDonald's wearing a mask.

Colors I chose (navy, black, silver) simply looked good together...and the navy played to my skin tone better than all black would've. 

I just wish I could've had more time with this project. I have ideas NOW that I wish I could've executed. Like I said, I will be making more masks and I'll be sure to show you. 

Below is an image of my sketch(in my sketchbook) of my costume. I think I matched it pretty well.

Mint Museum Trip

A week ago today me and Julia went over to the Mint and checked out everything we were told to. I enjoyed going with her a lot, she's a ton of fun to be around. She was into the victorian style dresses and outfits more than anything. Personally I really liked the poncho type things...I'm not sure if those were one of the things we were told to look at but they were really cool. That style is actually kind of in now, so I could see a modern version of those being worn by females today.

Below are a few comments on each section we looked at in the Mint:

Arts of Africa

I find African Art to be incredible in some aspects. Mostly because I think it's awesome how much detail and quality they put into each piece, considering the circumstances.

Masks of Mexico

I like masks in general so these were cool to see. Again, just in general I think the craftsmanship is amazing due to the circumstances the artists were in. They didn't have endless paints and other resources like we have today. Also, the masks create characters that are completely original....today it's hard to create things that are as original as they were hundreds of years ago. Our whole culture is influenced by things we have seen or experienced. The makers of these Mexican masks didn't have wi-fi and an iPad to pull up the latest thing to use as inspiration like I can.

Fashion Silhouettes

I enjoy fashion in general so I really liked seeing actual clothing from different time periods. It's crazy how much fashion has changed...mostly due to culture. There are noticeably big differences in victorian dresses and St. Laurent dresses, and it makes me think about what the future will look like as far as clothing goes.

Elegance and Ease

Dior, Balmain and St. Laurent....3 of the biggest names in fashion. I don't think the displays at the Mint really helped viewers understand the quality and beauty in each piece of clothing. I wasn't completely intrigued by the pieces we saw but they were most certainly awesome.

I was talking to Julia at the Mint about this......is clothing considered art? I can see a costume being considered artwork but is something like a jacket considered an artwork? The phrase "work of art" may be used when describing a gorgeous dress....I would agree with that too.....but technically speaking does fashion=art? Or are they 2 separate things? I guess it depends.

Contemporary Mayan Textiles

Honestly I don't remember these vividly. Maybe this is where the ponchos I spoke of fit in? If not, sorry...but I'll talk about the ponchos more here since I don't know what else to say!

There was one poncho in particular that I liked alot. It had beautiful roses stitched into the fabric....makes it even crazier knowing that they didn't have machines to embroider it for them. That particular poncho and pattern on the piece made me think of sweaters and shirts I see at Forever 21 or other women's clothing stores....going back to what I said about fashion evolving....you can see the connections.

OVERALL the trip to the Mint was good! Wish we could've stayed a bit longer...Julia had a 12:30 class and I couldn't cause her to be late so we rushed!

Below are some pics she took while we were there....

COSTUME(?)

BEAUTIFUL!

Jungle

I chose to do a Ecology photo series based on Uptown Charlotte for a few reasons...first of all, I'm not one to really go out in the woods or anything very often. I don't have any problem with it, but I was naturally drawn to tall buildings for this project rather than tall trees. Also, I thought most people would likely do a project based on the outdoors and I like doing what I expect others not to do. Someone giggled when I said that in class but it's true...I don't see any problem with having that attitude towards these projects. I really want mine to stand out and be memorable. 

As I said in my presentation, I chose the colors that I did because I wanted the series to stand out and make the buildings allude to being a forest. 

I was inspired by thermal imagery, Virgil Abloh and Joe Perez for this project.

Below, view a few unedited raw pics that I took for this project.

HAD TO SHARE

I get emails from people all the time telling me how much they like my work. I've even had others do college art/research projects about me.

Really bizarre...but extremely awesome. The internet is magical, I swear.

HOWEVER...this is a bit different from the typical email.

Someone is evidently extremely enamored by me. I have no idea who this person is but they idolize me! ME. I'm not even THAT good! I just create some random stuff and people seem to really attach to my style...especially this person!

Read what they had to say in the blog post they made about me....

http://mariodesigns.zohosites.com

This is nothing but awesome....I love that I can impact someone's life with my work. In my mind I'm so far away from being what I want, so it's MIND BLOWING that people LOVE what I create.

I'm not one to pump myself up or brag at all...but if I have this kind of support now, imagine what I can do when I'm actually a good artist rather than a kid with ideas!!!

...a terribly written blog post but....I'm too freaked out/happy about this to even care about my awful grammar!

:)

No Title.

This week just wasn't very good. I'm really struggling to stay as positive as I have been....my classes aren't bad or anything but I'm not excited at all about ANYTHING. I feel so blurred out and black and white all the time. I know that I can't just complain and except things to change, but it's hard when you really don't know what to do. I try doing little things different...like even getting out of bed differently or walking new routes on campus or etc etc etc....but outside of that it's all a lost cause. I feel like it really doesn't matter whether I go to class or not because no one will notice or care that I'm absent. It sucks that nothing I can do will ever attract or captivate anyone...and it sucks that I have to try so hard to even be noticed at all. I'm referring to myself as a person when I speak of this but it can also refer to my artwork.

I know I could join some clubs and stuff but I feel so uncomfortable around people I don't know...like, I'm legit scared to take steps towards anything. I know that I have to take steps or I'll always be stationary literally and figuratively...but I just feel like I can't do it.

I know I'm not the best artist or the best looking or the best at anything and that's what bothers me so much. I have nothing to offer anyone. Half of the time I think about how many people are so much better than me........and then I also think about how I'm doing what I can/what I love most of the time and I don't want to be any different. I'm stuck. I don't wanna change but I'm not sure what to do to become relevant.

I have really big dreams and good ideas and stuff but I have NO hope for myself to achieve at really anything. It's all fun to think about but I don't see my dreams becoming reality for the most part.

Mostly I feel like a disappointment. My family is proud of me and stuff for whatever I do but I feel like I should and could be so much better.

Today on the field trip I remembered how much fun field trips used to be when I was little. Those were the best days. All my friends were there and I could just be myself. Today I couldn't be myself. No one wants to know me and I want to know them. Yes I want to know them. I'll get to know anyone. See, I'm okay around people in classes because at least they (might) know my name....I belong in the class.....with joining a club or approaching a stranger, I don't belong and I'll be rejected because of my looks and whatnot. I get really excited when someone even texts me because it makes me feel needed for at least a minute. I get really excited when someone talks to me. I live off the little high's and excitement I get when someone gives me something to think about.

I'm just rambling with no direction.....I don't have much to say about the actual Concepts class.....sorry. I know that's what the blog is for but I think my thoughts that I'm expressing are more important.

I guess I'll do a photo series for this Ecology project. American Apparel-esque. You'll see...it'll be cool I guess.