FMP Week 4 || Practice Shoe

Proposed schedule:

What I actually did: Sourced materials & made practice shoe

Behind? A little bit.

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Leather shopping in Shepherd's Bush

Successes

- I found a range of leathers, faux and real. It took a lot of searching but I found three types of leather, two faux and one real. The real leather is second hand and a little dirty, but is a beautiful colour and of lovely quality. The faux leathers are quite different colours. The were very cheap and I bought a large quantity of them, so that I have something to practice with, and if the real one goes wrong I will have backup.

- The colours range from being exactly like the shoes Napoleon is wearing in the painting, to one of Pantone's colours of the season; limpet shell. I love all of the colours, but I think the darker one is not quite as nice so I will use it to make a practice shoe.

- I got gold cord to use for the lacing that I'm sure will work very well, and gold piping to fill any gaps between the upper and sole. I also got gold faux leather to line the shoe with.

Even better if...

-It would have been nice to find some cheaper faux leather in the same colour as the real leather. The real leather is lovely, but there is a very small amount and it was very expensive. I also would not have bought it if it had not been second hand as I do not like purchasing real leather.

- The real leather is very dirty, and although the man who sold it to me ensured me it would be easily cleaned, nothing could get the dirt off. I tried everything, including leather cleaner but it only seemed to make the dirty marks even darker and worse.

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Practice shoe

Successes

- Overall, my practice shoe was very successful. The methods worked really well, and the result had beautifully smooth edges. It was much quicker than I expected and actually looked like a real shoe! Doing a practice run really helped me figure out which parts of the method and materials I need to alter and improve.

Even better if...

-There are a few things I will change for the real shoe. Firstly my methods of fixing the leather to the sole need to be improved. The glue did not work at all well and the staples wouldn't go through the materials as when they hit the metal base of the last they simply rebounded off it.

- The biggest failure of this test was that when I tried to remove the shoe from the last, it would not come off and I had to force it. This totally destroyed the shoe as I literally had to rip it off. This was a shame but I feel confident that I can change the design, and that is what the practice was for

- I will change the design so that the hole for the foot is much wider so that the shoe can be easily put on and taken off. I will find stronger glue to use, and use a sewing machine for the seams to make it neater and stronger.

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Waterloo patterns

Successes

- I am really pleased with my Memphis adaptations of the pattern on the shoe in the Napoleon painting. I think they are really effective and I am enjoying experimenting with colours. I really feel like the overall design is developing nicely and I will soon have a solid complete design that encompasses all of the elements I want it to.

- I asked peers, tutors, and friends which pattern they liked best and thought was most Memphis, and as I did, they decided the first and last were most effective. I think the last is the most Memphis, however I am inclined to use the first one as I think it is simply more aesthetically pleasing.

- I love that I have been able to directly reference the painting that inspired this whole idea in my design.

Even better if... - I need to now expand on this small part of the pattern creating a pattern that will cover the whole shoe, as what I have done so far will only cover the front of the shoe at most. I may repeat the pattern, or develop an extension of it. I also need to experiment more with colour as I am not particularly struck by any of the combinations I have tried out thus far.

Feedback My peers let me know which pattern they liked the best and I have used this feedback to choose my final pattern.