- - Sparkle Notes -

Monday, February 21, 2011

Today I completed the second half of the front of the cardigan. I'm a little worried about the neckline because there is a lot of stockinette stitch near it and I'm afraid that the collar is going to keep curling. But I have already blocked the first half of the front and right now the edges are laying pretty flat. I think once I put the sweater together and add the collar and the front band for the buttons I will just have to block it really well and cross my fingers!


Now comes the part I have been dreading, designing the sleeves. Sleeve caps are kind of tricky so its going to take me longer to figure them out than the rest of the sweater did. Hopefully I will have the design down pact tonight so I can continue knitting and finish this sweater by the end of the week.

I also got some pictures back from one of my photo shoots!



The photographer was Brian Shumway and I think he did an amazing job! I was soooo cold though, lol.
Modeling is a lot more difficult than people realize. I think people think that the photographer poses you like a mannequin and you just have to sit there while they snap pictures. It's not like that at all. Some photographers give you very little direction, they'll just say something like "be sexy" and that's it. It is up to you to bring life to the image. One of the things that is challenging about it is that you have to picture the image in your mind and create it with your body. It's kind of similar to dancers. They know what the moves are supposed to look like but they can't see their own bodies while they are performing so they have to feel the moves. You always have to make your movements more pronounced than you think or it will end up looking half-hearted. Modeling is very similar, you can't see what the camera is seeing so you have to feel it. You have to be in touch with what every muscle is doing, head to toe.

I think another thing that makes modeling difficult is that it is tough to separate yourself from your product. As a fashion designer my product was the garment or the presentations that I produced. As a model my product is my appearance and performance. It is much easier to separate yourself emotionally when somebody is looking at an object and giving a criticism then when they are looking at you. And when you let your emotions and insecurities get to you as a model the camera will be able to pick it up. It is much easier to hide your emotions as a designer, no matter how terrible I was feeling I was always able to produce a well-made garment and you would never know.

I liked criticism as a designer, it really helped me to learn and improve. I don't think that you can grow in a vacuum. While you shouldn't take everything that people say to heart, you really need to hear other opinions. Because in the end you need to be able to sell your product and you are not your only customer. The same goes for modeling, so I need to keep reminding myself to separate myself from my product so that I'll be able to grow. I know I'm not a super model yet but I know I can get there someday :)

3 comments:

  1. The best post ever!
    I never thought how it was to be a model, from a model's perspective.

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  2. When you block an article, like the sweater; do you wash and lay it out? Pin it into the shape you want? Or do you use steam [iron]?

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  3. Thanks :) I pin the piece in shape and then use a steamer, that's my favorite method.

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