I have just got back from a long day meeting my Stagecoach group then spending time with my Fashion collab group to produce samples in the print room. I popped to the shops on my lunch break earlier to source and gather materials to to use in the print room this afternoon/evening. We agreed that I would take all the photographs on my DSLR camera to document our process and then I would share these with the rest of the group later on this evening.

We initially experimented with a mesh bought from Anglia Fashion Fabrics and fused it with an anti-slip material which melted together under the heat press to create a more skin like fabric. We experimented with melting and fusing in various ways, adding clear PVC, melting two fabrics together then going back in again and trapping them in PVC etc. We liked the idea of covering the hand, face, mouth and eyes for our concept so we thought we could try out best to make a hand covering or glove out of the fabrics we were creating. Unfortunately the fabric wasn't stretchy enough and we had trouble turning the glove inside out to the right way after sewing it together. Nina then started using the dye kitchen wondering if she could dye some of the latex gloves. She had an array of skin tones bubbling away and we all spontaneously dipped materials in, like the anti-slip material, tights, PVC, the mesh from Anglia and some textured wallpaper. We continued to combine process and managed to build up a good selection of material tests and samples which I photographed, layering and changing composition.

Initial melting of the two fabrics

Experiemtning with the idea of identity in the future, covering the mouth and encasing the mask in nude tights

A peachy coloured plastic poncho that we used to replicate our concept for the future

Sampling with the antislip fabric and PVC

Dyeing the anti-slip fabric

Dyeing the latex gloves

Dyeing vinyl fabric- too orange maybe?

Our work space! Taking over the table!!!

Dyed latex glove

A selection of my favourite samples

Layering similar samples

Layering and playing with composition

I had bought some white silicone in a tube from pound land earlier on so i played around with it, applying it on to PVC and onto fabrics. It dried fairly quickly and did exactly what we hoped!!! It created a skin type texture and quality so I planned to go home and add some gouache to add colour and then continue to apply this to materials.

Experimenting with the silicone

Applying silicone to tights, plastic and PVC. I made texture using the mesh and anti slip fabrics by pushing it through the holes with a spatula.

Now that I am home, I will continue to play around with PVA glue and UHU all purpose glue to create a transparent resin like material. I want to trap in colour and trap texture in to further replicate our concept of a second skin.

I have been unsure about my ability to write a business plan and explore problems about a business in  my research report. I am finding it hard to think about viable ideas and not too many that my report is jumbled and not coherent.
I will continue to add to my proposal and keep hunting for references by searching through books. I have been really enjoying reading, The Art of Shouting Quietly but Pete Mosley, who I met at the Castle Museum last year at a small creative business lecture.