Browsing by Author "Barreto, Antonio Marcos"
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Amalgamated Pattern Making as a Creative ResourcePublication . Barreto, Antonio Marcos; Lucas, José Mendes; Lowear, Simon SilesThe objective of this dissertation is to investigate and study the connection between the technological development found in the history of fashion clothing and design. A further objective is to consider the importance of anthropometry, ergonomics, volumetrics, geometry and body shape, and to demonstrate, through case study, avenues for adapting and incorporating flat patterning in the creative process of Fashion Design Teaching: “Amalgamated (Hybrid) modelling as a creative resource”. Every fashion designer needs to think about his personal creative process and how best to stimulate his own creativity. There are some methods that can promote creativity and these need to be made part of the designer’s daily routine in order to develop distinctive and innovative work. When building a collection, the fashion designer must adopt a methodological approach. Flat patterning reaches the heart of mathematics. It demands logical reasoning and an ability to integrate a number of disciplines. Consequently, it can give the impression of being a rigorous, complex practice, full of often incomprehensible rules, because it can be difficult to grasp its precise theory and practice. But this is an area of knowledge of great significance to students of fashion design while undergoing their academic training because the good professional must have at least a basic understanding of how their design will be put together as a result of flat patterning. In teaching, flat patterning is often set apart from the creative process and is combined with the later stage of execution. According to Mariano, “it is the process of flat patterning that defines the transformation of flat materials into three-dimensional shapes capable of adaptation to the human body. [...] It also determines whether the clothing can be reproduced”. Mariano (2011, no page) It is clear that developing a flat pattern is a very important step in the creation of a garment. Its function is not only to configure the garment but also to ensure it can be standardized and reproduced. However, when dealt with as a predominantly technical subject, its application can become divorced from the concept of creation because it appears to have no artistic content. By approaching flat patterning technique in a composite way, taking advantage of its two-pronged nature to incorporate it in the creative elements of the Fashion Design course, it can become a means of sparking the creative process which has made great names in high fashion in the past. Coelho (2008) argues that patterning should be understood as being more than a technique. He says that it loses the dynamic sense intrinsic to the concept of a method that is part of a larger process - all the research carried out by the designer – when flat patterning is either not fully understood or taught simply as a technique. Logical reasoning is vital when making flat patterns. But mastery of technique is also essential. Novaes (2008), extends Coelho’s reasoning by saying: “Other possible routes in processing a garment result from cross-referencing between standardization methods and production systems. [...] Configuring geometric patterns with three-dimensional modelling when developing a prototype is a further possible method of shaping a garment.”. (Novaes, 2011, p.93). A great example of composite patterning as a creative resource in the teaching of Fashion Design is the stylist Tomoko Nakamichi, who teaches at the famous “Bunka” Fashion School in Japan. She departs from the traditional patterning approach and, in effect, offers a hybrid technique which combines and enlarges the ranges of standard flat and three-dimensional modelling. It follows that educators should bear in mind that a study and understanding of the principles of human anatomy will instil a knowledge of how to evaluate the human profile, so contours can be followed or altered. Concepts of proportion, symmetry and volume (or volumetrics), as well as height and width measurements, are fundamental to producing a technical design and modelling pattern. This information needs to be included in the planning of a garment during graphic design. In conclusion, teaching flat patterning in a creative way, combining its different elements, can be a force to promote creativity, giving the student the opportunity to see a garment, or fashion product, in three dimensions. This modelling technique allows the fashion professional greater creative freedom thanks to immediate three-dimensional visual contact with the product. It also benefits the student who gains greater control over the creation of a garment in a liberating way that also facilitates improvements to the final results.