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Author Genesis - reflection on the making process



With less than a week to make a full bodysuit, I found it very difficult to get it finished in time. I did meet the deadline, but it involved me staying later, coming in earlier, and taking one piece home. Despite the tight deadline, I did enjoy the process of making the bodysuit. My design changed a lot during the process, partly due to feedback from tutors, and partly due to the amount of time we had. I think that I am normally quite ambitious with what I want to do, and so I decided to make the whole thing myself rather than buy something to build on top of. I managed to make my whole bodysuit using only cardboard, paper, wooden sticks, bubble wrap, sticky notes, wool and an extractor fan tube (and glue, tape etc of course). These basic materials meant that I didn't have to spend too much money, plus they were readily available if I ran out. 

One problem I encountered whilst building my bodysuit was making it strong enough to last for at least the photoshoot and catwalk. I strengthened the cardboard where needed using wooden sticks, which stopped the cardboard from bending. I used a lot of tape and glue, and the structure became stronger once wrapped in paper. Another way I had to make my suit stronger was when sticking on the sticky notes. I knew that they would not be sticky enough to stay on for very long, and so I used yellow electrical tape to neatly stick them on. 

I was really happy with the cardboard structure, particularly for the top section of the bodysuit. I decided to make it in sections so that it would be easier to get in and out of it. The curve on the top section was quite difficult to work out at first, however after some thought, I worked out that if I drew around the inside of the first circle and used that as the size of the second circle, I could gradually decrease the size. And by attaching them towards one side, I could control and create the curve. I planned on having a tube wrap around the body of my being, however I had no way to attach it and the cardboard structure was not strong enough to hold it up. This meant that I had to change my idea/design. Instead of the tube around the body, I added a tube that can extend on the top of the being, acting as both a mouth and an eye. If I had more time, I would have liked to have added more sticky notes to the body, and I would have liked to make the body slightly longer. I was really happy with the effect of the sticky notes, as they created a bold pattern. They also created a nice texture/surface, and they moved slightly as I moved, which I was really happy with as they act like feelers to observe its surroundings. 

I think that my bodysuit reflects the needs I chose fairly effectively, however some are conveyed more than others. I think that I was able to convey organisation, observation and lemonade quite well. Technology required more thought, as I had to consider what was technology to my being, rather than the technology I use everyday. I think that the way my being can observe its environment reflects its use of technology. I think I could have conveyed family stronger in my bodysuit, perhaps by looking more into my previous idea of connection. 







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