The lecture today was a continuation of the previous lecture based on 1950's America. We took an in depth look into the art of the revolution in the 1960s, and what lead up to such a shift in culture. To see the contrast between the happy, utopian art of the 50s, and the anger fuelled art of the 60s was fascinating. The attitude that the artists of the time possessed was powerful, and that evidently translates into their work. The colour, the shape, the lack of conformity of the work collectively emanates rebellion. The lecture also made me ponder on the current political climate - I believe a similar anger is building currently. I think a reflective shift in culture and art has slowly begun, so it will be interesting to observe how prevalent that shift will be.

https://learnodo-newtonic.com/andy-warhol-famous-paintings
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/dec/06/martin-sharp
​news.artnet.com/market/market-snapshot-martin-sharp-101924
​https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/06/arts/design/martin-sharp-71-pop-artist-who-tested-boundaries-dies.html
http://sharpvincent.blogspot.com/

The Art Nouveau movement in Glasgow originated largely within the Glasgow School of Art, hosting the massively influential group, The Glasgow Four. The featured artists of this group were Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Margaret Macdonald, Frances Macdonald, and Herbert McNair. They made contributions towards the movement's architecture, interior design, and paintings. Mackintosh was arguably the most acclaimed of the four, as he included rose and leaf motifs in his work, alongside the group's geometric approach to the Art Nouveau style. This is the imagery that Glasgow is known for today within art history, as seen most evidently throughout the city's buildings. Notable examples are The Willow Tea Rooms, displaying the geometric, graphic shapes in the interior (designed by Mackintosh), and House for an Art Lover (designed by Mackintosh, and Margaret Macdonald).

Vienna is home to some of the most important buildings within the Art Nouveau movement. Otto Wagner to this day is known as the most renowned architect of Austria, as his work can be seen stretching across the city skyline. Much like in Glasgow, a geometric approach to the style was adopted, alongside Wagner's use of symmetry, and decorative ornaments of glass, marble and metal.
     Gustav Klimt was also a pioneer of the movement, and became known for his delicate, feminine style. He became part of a group of avant-garde artists named the Secession - the Viennese interpretation of Art Nouveau. The actual building for the Secession itself became an Art Nouveau art piece, designed by Joseph Maria Olbrich, and held many exhibitions of the movement. The group became known for their innovative, forward-thinking artwork.

Antoni Gaudi was the father of Art Nouveau within Spain. After studying the book, 'Entretients sur l'architecture' by Viollet-Le-Duc, along with the influence of international artists, he was enthralled and inspired, and ultimately developed the styling that we see in his most famous work today. The shapes and form he used in his architecture were unseen previously, following natural, curving forms. The work was often also laced with religious imagery within the vibrant, lively exteriors. Despite this, Gaudi never lost touch with the Art Nouveau root in his art.

As the originating town of Art Nouveau, the impact that was created here in art history, especially architecture, was immeasurable. It began after the formation of the École de Nancy, as artists were trained in high class decorative art and architecture. Traces of this education can be found clearly throughout the small town, and now around the world. The founder and leader of the school was Émile Gallé, who was arguably one of the best glass artists of the time. She ultimately lead and paved the way for Art Nouveau.

Born in Denver in 1927, Bob Peak was a commercial illustrator most notably known for his movie posters. He first displayed an interest in the arts at 7, but did not commit himself completely to his talents until he had graduated from Wichita State University, and served in the Navy. After this, he went on to study at the Art Centre College of Design in Los Angeles. His career, however, did not completely begin until he was hired to create an 'Old Hickory Whiskey' campaign. From that point onward, his career skyrocketed. Peak was hired for national magazines and advertising, and even received the largest commission of an individual artist from the U.S Postal Service to create a series of stamps for both the 1984 summer and winter Olympics.
      Peak was hired by United Artist in 1961 in order to create promotional material for the movie 'West Side Story'. It was at this point that his innovative, unique style was recognised and adopted by numerous film companies to create their posters. He created over 100 editorial posters, for movies such as 'Camelot'; 'My Fair Lady'; 'Startrek', and 'Superman'. Collectively, this was the work that earned him the name 'The Father of the Modern Hollywood Movie Poster'. During the peak of his career, he also created 45 covers for Time Magazine, the most recognisable being of Mother Teresa.
       In 1961, Peak was awarded Artist of the Year from the Artists Guild of New York, then 16 years later, he was elected into the Hall of Fame by the Society of Illustrators. Also, for his contributions to the film industry he was presented the Key Art Lifetime Achievement Award by the Hollywood Reporter in 1992. Later that year, Bob Peake died at age 64, in the Scottsdale Memorial North Hospital. 

After being given a brief to create an illustrative poster of a play of our choice, I was immediately drawn to 'Hamlet'. I know the story of 'Hamlet' extremely well after studying it during college, so I knew that it would be the best choice in order to create an interesting, meaningful design.

The focus of this brief was placed heavily on idea generating, and effectively visualising, therefore that was my first step in creating my poster designs. I wanted to use my knowledge of the play to really push myself with ideas, and try to gain a concept out of any key parts of the plot. However, I did need to be mindful in my designs doing this, as I needed to avoid spoiling any of the plot by being too clear or explicit in what I was presenting. I had a lot of fun during this process, as there was no specifics in the design within the brief, so I could explore and create whatever I wanted, without thinking too much. I feel that it was a task I learned a lot from, as I usually struggle with complete creative freedom, but I really think it allowed me to generate some interesting, visually appealing ideas.

After idea generating, I moved onto developing my favourite ideas, to ultimately decide on my final three designs. While idea generating, there was some designs that immediately stood out, such as the concept of Ophelia drowning, and the black and red reflective design, so I knew I wanted to develop them further. On the other hand, there was some designs that I liked, but they needed pushing more, which then caused me to mix ideas together in order to create something better. This then lead onto the selection, and creation of my final three thumbnail designs.

Overall, I was extremely happy with the outcome of this brief. I love 'Hamlet', so I felt very connected and in sync with the project; it all seemed to progress smoothly and organically. The final concepts, I feel, reflect the mood and tone of the play very effectively, while still being interesting to look at. My favourite was definitely the poster conveying Ophelia drowning, and had been ever since the initial designs. The design really displays depth through the lighting and use of colour, which allowed me to illustrate a key plot point without giving too much away. I really pushed myself within this project, and worked hard, and I truly feel that the effort payed off.

The works of the Constructivist movement, particularly those seen during the Russian Revolution, commonly are in a similar style. As seen in the two pieces above, line, tone and colour are extremely prominent. Red is evidently the most dominant colour, which has been used deliberately to catch the eye, and also push the 'agitprop' movement. The colour works for this purpose as it is a colour associated with danger, and anger, which is the exact reaction the artists wanted from audiences to aid the political climate of Russia. The colours and materials were also cheap at the time, which was ideal as the pieces could be easily spread and mass produced. Bold, uniform lines can also be seen clearly in both pieces, whether it be the pattern of the clothing or the defined lines of the typography. The idea of tight, consistent linework may have been used to convey the serious, and strict nature of the propaganda. Alternatively, it may also signify the unity of the people during the revolution, and the urgency to stand as one. Typography, as seen in both pieces, also plays a large role in the impact that each work makes. Not only that the text is displayed in a unifying, bold manner, but also that they have both been made entirely using capital letters. The aesthetic of the capitals, similarly, conveys urgency, and that the poster is of importance. 
        Despite being of the same agitprop purposes, the pieces do also differ. Klutsis used a large amount of photography and collage in his work, which is evidently not seen in the uniform designs by Stepnova. This is both due to the contrast in form, as one is a poster, and one is clothing design,  and also the intention of the pieces. Klutsis had a message he wanted to portray to the public, therefore using a collage of hands all in the same pose is immensely powerful - it brings people together. However, Stepnova's clothing design, while being unifying in its intention, as it is a design to be universally worn, its purpose is not to convey a direct message, it is simply aiding the purpose of the messages being told by other leading artists of the revolution. The composition of each piece also differs purely based on the purpose of each piece. Klutsis needed interesting and dynamic composition, which he has done very successfully, as he needed the public's attention. This is why the colour and collage works so effectively, as it really draws in and captures the attention of the audience. However, Stepnova's composition is less important, as it is more displaying ideas clearly, than attempting to be diverse, and commanding in it's design. 
          To conclude, both pieces are extremely similar, only contrasting due to purpose, rather than quality or symbolism. They both capture attention, and serve their individual needs well, making them effective as part of the Russian Revolution, unifying and informing the public of a 'better' future.

Within the lecture with Zoe today, we explored the history of Vogue, and the prevalence of fashion editorials in art. It was interesting to see how Vogue began, with fashion illustration, and then with the introduction of photography began to break walls and societal norms. I believe they made extremely important movements in the fashion industry, and played an extensive role in the world of fashion we see today.

Vogue Italia - May 2013
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​As this was a summer issue of Vogue Italia, this fashion story emanates a fun, and freeing feeling. The models in the photographs appear candid, like they were simply captured while enjoying their break at the beach. The way they're presented interacting with one another further reinforces this. The vibrance of the clothing worn by the models is also reflective of the bright, summery theme, and works extremely well in the intense lighting of the sun. It really allows the models to stand out throughout the images, making them the focal point. The overarching tone and mood of the story makes the reader want to be like the models, and live the carefree lifestyle that they are presenting. The text is consistently kept to the side, and out of the way of the photographs. This is done to keep the focus on the models, and not overwhelm the images. The pictures are already full of life, so to additionally present an eye-catching piece of typography would clutter the page, turning off the reader. Overall, I believe that this fashion story is extremely effective in capturing the audience, and presenting a summery, vibrant theme to match the season.

Vogue Italia - March 2015

This edition of Vogue Italia captures something entirely different to the youthful issue of 2015. The story of this magazine is a reflection on the fashion of the past, carrying a feeling of the 1940's aristocrat. This idea is displayed through the styling of the model - from her hair and makeup, to her shoes. The model's stance also conveys the time period, as she is holding herself with strength, and dignity, like she is a woman of class and respect. I believe that all of this captures the essence of the female movie stars of old Hollywood. However, to contrast with this vintage theme, the concept has been modernised through the use of highly saturated block colour. This is carried out in both the lighting of the backgrounds , and the clothing of the model. The use of colour draws the reader in, and catches their attention immediately. It also draws focus to certain areas of the images so the audience's eye can be guided throughout the story. Overall, I believe the story being told in this photo set is the tale of a glamorous wealthy woman of the 40s, allowing the reader a glance into her daily life. 

In today's lecture with Nick, we continued the timeline of the modernism movement. The focus was based upon the later years of modernism, following World War 2, as the movement became displaced from Europe to the USA. It was very interesting to see how the ideals of the modernist movement became distorted over time, particularly in the contrast between abstract expressionism, and then later pop art. Abstract expressionism was an example of the high culture, individualised art, whereas pop art was considered low culture. The art work of people such as Andy Warhol, and Roy Lichtenstein, who are known as two of the greats now, was seen as cheap, and commercial. However, despite these differences, it can be seen that the key features of the movement remained the same regardless of the time period. The art was created with the intent of originality and  individuality. 

The blog task today was look at the piece 'Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing?' by Richard Hamilton, and create our own modern day version. Immediately when given the task, I thought of a blank, isolated room, filled with screens. To do this i used Photoshop, and simply began filling the empty space with TV screens, however, this idea soon developed into a room full of smart objects. In the modern day, we are all plugged in constantly, whether it be on a phone, a laptop, or a television. This is why in the collage I used the idea of a 'wire hole', insinuating that there are so many objects connected by wire throughout the house, that it is absolutely necessary to have a room dedicated to holding wires and plugs. I really enjoy the subtle details that I used within the piece. Initially, I wanted the room to be entirely closed off, however, I then decided to create a window that looks out into the outside world - the infamous 'Bliss' windows desktop background. I also used the twitter logo to create birds to circulate around the one plant in the room.
 Overall, this was definitely my favourite blog task to date. I found the process, specifically generating and building ideas, extremely fun. I really enjoy that the collage style allows modern commentary to be carried out in a fun, almost satirical manner, allowing the subject matter to be brightened.

This lecture with Rhiannon was a follow on lecture from our last, based around the Bauhaus. I found this lecture extremely enjoyable - I loved learning about the Bauhaus, so to be taught about another school that influenced design endlessly was very interesting. The links that can be found between the two schools are also fascinating. To see that the same people that were apart of the Bauhaus' legacy, such as Max Bill, to appear to play roles in the HfG and its development was amazing. The influence of the Bauhaus is immense, and, from the lecture, it was clear that the influence, in its termination, was carried by the artists involved throughout the world.

Born in 1908 in Winterthur, Switzerland, Max Bill was a graphic designer, painter, architect, industrial designer, and sculptor, who to this day is most notably known for his chronoscopes (wrist watches), manufactured by Junghans Company. He was also a pioneer of the 'Concrete Art Movement'.
      In his early years, Bill studied at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Zurich. It was around this time that his ambition was to become a silversmith, however, after seeing the work of the architect, Le Corbusier, he was inspired to study the subject at the Bauhaus - the most renowned art school of the time. Alongside architecture, he also studied metalwork, stage design and painting.
       Following his education at the Bauhaus, in 1930 Bill set up his own studio in Zurich, concentrating on architecture, painting, and sculpture, while earning a living through advertisement design. Then in 1937 he formed a group of Swiss abstract artists, known as the Allianz group. Soon after, in 1944, Max Bill became more involved in industrial design, hosting the first international exhibition for concrete art in Basle.  Bill believed that the aim of concrete art was to project abstract thoughts in a tangible form. His work from around this time period was highly reflective of his Bauhaus training. 
       In the 1950s, the Bauhaus was revived in the HfG, of which Max Bill became the head. He also designed the school's buildings and curriculum, alongside leading the architecture and product design courses within the school. Bill resigned from this position in 1957, after failing to recognise the link between design and industrialisation. He then became a professor at the State Institute of Fine Arts in Hamburg, teaching environmental design.
       In Max Bill's later life, he received the Frank J. Malina Leonardo Award for lifetime achievement, presented by The International Society for the Arts. This was before he died in 1994, in Berlin, at age 85.

Leighton's illustration was my final task in this brief. Initially, I believed that this would be the easiest of the replications, however, I was mistaken. As this copy was made using scraper board, and etching tools, both materials I had not touched previously, it was much harder, and took much longer than I had anticipated. I would definitely say that I had the most trouble with this forge, in comparison to the pencil and dip pen drawings.
     To create this piece, I began by inking some large areas of my sketch book and cartridge paper. This was intended to be used to practice with the scraping tools before attempting any work on the scraper board. However, I found rather quickly, when testing against a small section of the scraper board, that this was not a very effective method. The inked paper and the scraper board worked completely differently with the tools - the inked paper was rough, and easily tore, whereas the scraper board allowed the tools to glide in any direction, removing the black layer with ease. Therefore, I decided that my time would be more effectively used practising lines and techniques on the scraper board. To do this, in a similar manner to the dip pen and ink replica, I selected specific areas of the original piece and repeated the lines until I was confident in the appearance and movement, and felt that it effectively mimicked Leighton's work. I then used carbon paper to print the outlines and and any guidance for the shadows onto the scraper board, and then began the final forgery. To start, I carved the smaller, thinner lines, and then afterwards, I created the larger blocks of white to finish.
     Overall, I feel that this piece was my least successful of all of the tasks in the brief. I had quite a lot of trouble using the tools, and making them work effectively. I believe that this struggle is also evident in the final product. If I were to be given the opportunity to replicate 'Country Matters' again, I would spend much more time studying the artwork, and practising the linework before actually attempting my final copy.

Clare Leighton was born in  1898, as the daughter of the two authors Robert and Marie Connor Leighton. She was encouraged by both her parents and her illustrator uncle, Jack Leighton, to pursue painting, so began formal studies at the Brighton College of Art in 1915. She then later went on to study at the Slade School of Fine Art, and the Central School of Arts and Crafts. This was when she was first introduced to wood engravings under her lecturer, Noel Rooke.
​       Between the 1920s and 1930s, Leighton visited the US numerous times before emigrating in 1945, becoming a naturalised citizen. Over her career, she illustrated and wrote many books, largely focused on the countryside, and people who worked the land. However, as the world around her became more industrialised, she began working more on artwork based on rural men and women. Then, in the 1950s she was also commissioned to create designs for Steuben Glass, and stained glass windows for churches in New England and Massachusetts.    
​    Her most notable work includes: ‘The Farmer’s Year’, a calendar of English Husbandry’ (1993); ‘Tempestuous Petticoat: The Story of an Invincible Edwardian’ (1948), a novel based on her childhood, and ‘Southern Harvest’ (1942).

This dip pen drawing was my big challenge for the week. I knew it was going to be difficult simply from looking at the image, but I could not have anticipated how difficult to actually was when tackling it head on. Dip pen is a rather foreign medium to me, I had never touched it before attending university, and since then it has only been for some small, simple fish drawings. The scale, and detail of the piece, along with the tool needed, caused the replication experience to be very laborious. Although, I also feel that the work and effort was very much worth while, as it caused me to learn a lot. Not only did I develop my skills using the dip pen, by studying Peake's work, I also learned a great deal about form, and how line can be used to create shape, and emulate different materials, depending on how it is used. 
    To begin the piece, I spent a fair amount of time simply creating lines, and testing the limits of the dip pen. I knew I would need somewhat of an understanding of the tool in order to use it effectively. Part of this process was also testing the pen and ink on various types of stock to see how the ink would react, to then decide which paper would be best to carry out the final piece on. Throughout my experimentation, I concluded that cartridge paper was best for the job as it allowed me to create clean, precise lines with no bleeding, which was absolutely necessary. Once selecting my stock, I then copied small sections of the original piece and drew them out to practice Peake's techniques. This stage was very important as it allowed me additional trial runs before beginning the final copy. After this, I then went on to use the light box to trace the key lines of the original lightly onto cartridge paper, ensuring to also mark out certain large areas of shading for extra guidance and accuracy. The next step was to then begin the final forgery of Peakes' work, starting with the shirt, and then working through the background, and darker shading, before lastly approaching the face and hair. This process took a very long time in order to ensure that the copy was both high quality, and exact.
     Despite the initial intimidation I felt towards this task, and the trouble faced while creating the piece, I actually found this process rather enjoyable. Much like the pencil copy, once getting into the drawing, and gaining a better feel for how to complete it, it became almost relaxing and mindless. The most challenging section of the drawing to imitate was the lines and details in the shirt. Although the shirt was not the main feature of the piece, it was still clear in it's use of line and form, so I needed to be as accurate as possible with the direction and line depth and length. However, despite the difficulties faced, I am very glad that this was a necessary task in the brief. I truly feel that it was a very important learning experience.

Mervyn Peake, born in Kuling in 1911, spent a large amount of his early years settled in Tianjin, before permanently settling in England in 1923. He studied at Eltham College, Croydon School of Art (1929) and the Royal Academy Schools (1929-32), all of which allowed his to excel and develop as an artist, before joining the artists' colony of the Channel Island of Sark. With the colony, he exhibited work in 1934, in London at the Cooling Galleries,
     Upon his return to England in 1935, he taught at the Westminster School of Art, where he met Maeve Gilmore, a student of the school. They were married by the following December, and proceeded to have three children together: Sebastian, Fabian and Clare.
      In 1939, Peake's first book 'Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor' was published, revealing as incredibly talented illustrator, carrying both grotesque and romantic themes. From 1940, while serving in the war, Peake began working on 'Titus Groan', the first novel in the Gormenghast trilogy. Although, he was not able to complete this until he was discharged in 1943. Following this, he became known as one of the greatest illustrators of his time, illustrating pieces for 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner', 'Witchcraft in England' by Christina Hole, and 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'.
     Peake then returned to Sark with his family in 1946. Until 1959, he used this time to complete his Gormenghast trilogy, and teach drawing at the Central School of Arts and Crafts. However, from the middle of the decade, he suffered with Parkinson's Disease, which made his work increasingly more difficult to complete. Despite this, with his wife's encouragement and help, he was able to complete his work for 'Balzac’s Droll Stories' and his own piece, 'The Rhyme of the Flying Bomb', before his death in 1968.

The first of the art pieces that I attempted to replicate was 'Mary', by Eric Robertson. When first starting this brief, this was the image I was most looking forward to working on as it was plainly a face, something that I am rather comfortable drawing. Upon reflection, I actually found the forgery experience to be rather relaxing. Pencil is a very forgiving material, that can be easily edited, which was comforting throughout the task. Despite not using pencil often, I didn't find it too difficult to adapt to, it's fairly simple to use, so once I had got down the outlines of her features, replicating the piece was rather straight forward. 
    To begin, I scaled the drawing to the correct size, and then used the light box to faintly draw in the key features of the face. I then practised basic techniques and tested different pencil grades in my sketchbook, until I felt comfortable enough to begin the actual drawing. I also tested out different rubbers that I own against blocked in pencil, as I knew that Robertson had used the rubber as a tool in the drawing to create highlights and shape in the darker tones of pencil. After the testing stage, I began the forgery of the piece, beginning at an H pencil to shade and start to gain shape in the face very lightly. Once I was happy with the base level of the sketch, I then went on to add layers of shading where needed to create more depth, using various grades of pencil. I continued to do this until I was happy with the overall appearance, and felt that it looked as close as I could possibly get it to the original. Then finally to finish, I filled in the background using a cross-hatching technique, and erased to make the highlights and hair strands.
     Overall, I am very happy with how my replica has turned out. I feel that I managed to closely copy the shape of her face and features, and that the blend of shades that I created with the pencils is rather successful. I am proud considering pencil is definitely not a medium I ever reach for beyond planning or sketching stages, and think that the task has developed my skills and understanding of the tool.

Wassily Kandinsky was born in Moscow, in 1866 to a well-off family, before moving to Odessa. It was Odessa at which he attended grammar school, and took up drawing with a coach. Kandinsky's family wanted him to become a lawyer, so he went to the Law Faculty of Moscow University, graduating with honours 6 years later. In 1896, Kandinsky became the Professor to the Department of Law, before giving up on law, and dedicating himself to painting.
     The artist moved to Munich in 1896, where he attended Anton Azbe's private painting school. He then moved to the Munich Academy of Arts under Franz Stuck, where he was restricted to black and white, as his work was perceived as too colourful.
   After divorce, Kandinsky remarried, and travelled Europe with his new wife, Gabriela Munter, to display his work. They then settled in Murnau, where through his art, he explored abstract reality in landscapes.
    In 1901, Kandinsky founded 'Phalanx', an art group, and opened his own art school in Munich. At the time, he also created the group 'Blue Rider' with his friend Frantsem Mark. His first book, 'Concerning the Spiritual in Art', was then published in 1912. This was the first theoretical foundation of abstractionism. 
    As the war began, Kandinsky left Germany, and separated from his wife. He then remarried to Nina Andreevskaya. At this time, his work became a mix of abstract, impressionist, and romantic fantasies.
    Kandinsky was also involved in the post-revolution political and cultural development. He designed a curriculum based on the analysis of colour and form, as at the time, he was a teacher of Moscow Svomas, and Vkhutemas.
    The artist then later returned to Germany, once again,  upon invitation to teach workshops at the Bauhaus. In 1925, after the Bauhaus moved to Dessau, Kandinsky, and other artists held free painting classes. His work, then became more romantic. The Bauhaus was later closed in 1932, due to the opposing socialist campaigns. Kandinsky then moved France. Many of his paintings were lost at the time, as the Nazi's claimed his and many other artists' work to be 'degenerate'. The artist became lonely and isolated in France, which was evident in his artwork, as he moved from bold, bright colours, to muted pastels. Wassily Kandinsky died in 1944 in France.
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During this lecture Tony taught us the history of design ranging from the late 18th century to the late 19th century. Beginning with 'The World Fair' in 1851, up to the end of the Aesthetic Movement in the 1880's. Exploring the influence of Japanese art upon the western world was particularly interesting as the shift in design was extremely evident. Art became more interesting, and dynamic, making it much more appealing to the eye. He stated that Japan had the largest influence on western art to date, and after further research, I would agree. Renowned artists were seen to replicate elements of the ukiyo-e artwork of the era. An example of this would be Vincent Van Gogh who was seen to make almost direct replicas of the art he admired, and then implementing the skills and techniques observed into his own art. Monet was also seen to be heavily inspired by Japanese artwork, shown through pieces such as 'Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge' and 'The Water Lily Pond'. It is interesting to now be able to see the continuous influence Japan has made on the world of art, and to think about what western art could have potentially looked like if not for the Japonism break-through.

      Both of these pieces of art greatly juxtapose the work of those with no influence from Japan. An example of this is 'The Farmer's Daughter', by John Everett Millais. As this painting was created before

     The impacts of the Japonism movement remain today as some of the most important shifts in art. It allowed western artists to stray away from traditional and classical styles, showing them that realism, or a central object of focus was not necessarily integral to creating a successful piece. Taking such liberties can create much more lively, engaging work - liberties, that due to the influence of Japan, are still adopted and evident in almost all design work to date.

This was our introductory lecture in which we began to explore the overarching theme of 'The Modernist Timeline'. Within this session we discussed clothing, and its impacts as a cultural text; learning that clothing is 'a cultural sign system'.
     Upon reflection, I believe this lecture was important in understanding the significance and thought that is put into clothing design, and how the value placed upon clothing has changed over time.  Culture has shifted in a way in which the concept, and form of clothing is of much more importance than the actual functionality. The discussion raises questions on what caused such deviation from the origins of fashion, which makes me excited to explore 'The Modernist Timeline' further, in hopes to answer such questions.

Dating back to medieval times, turtlenecks have always been a prominent wardrobe staple. Notably worn by figures such as Steve Jobs, the turtleneck reflects both casual wear, and sophistication in its simplistic, yet iconic design. 
    The turtleneck seen in the images above still maintains these characteristics, despite being of  cheaper production. It is made using synthetic fibres including: polyester, nylon and acrylic. This allows the garment to be made in high quantities, at an extremely low cost, as the fibres are so inexpensive. Despite this, the fibres still retain the classic jumper feeling, insulating heat, while also being durable and easy to maintain and care for. Therefore, the properties of this particular turtleneck do not impact the functionality or aesthetic.
    The cream and grey colouring utilised reflects normalcy and a sense of ordinariness, as neither colour stands out, or catches the eye. It allows the wearer to feel comfortable, without fear of judgement. The colour choices, along with the linear pattern, also give the item of clothing a sleek feeling, making it appropriate for any occasion. The actual turtleneck aspect further enhances the potential formality of the garment as it maintains a level of modesty by covering the neck. Additionally, the turtleneck also provides more comfort and warmth, making it perfect for colder weather and climates, and therefore more accessible and universally appealing.
      Evident by the history of the turtleneck, and its prominence throughout time, it can be seen that the piece is a must-have - its timeless due to both its functionality and form, unfaltered by production value or material.

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