Christel Sands

Fashion Season @ Orchard 2010 Party Wear

2010-04-14T02:26:00.000-07:00

Dressing up for parties need not always be an expensive affair that necessitates spending on elaborate pieces which are worn only once and then relegated to an obscure corner of the closet after the party is over.Especially in Singapore, where the weather is hot and humid most of the time, partying in comfortable clothes that can be recycled as everyday wear makes much sense. The trick is to mix

Fashion Season @ Orchard 2010

2010-04-11T05:16:00.000-07:00

Fashion Season @ Orchard (FSO) is a six-week fashion extravaganza (2 April 2010 - 9 May 2010), organized by the Orchard Road Business Association, that promises to put the zing into shopping at Orchard Road in between the Great Singapore Sale and Christmas/New Year festive seasons.One of the events of FSO is Fashion Party Night @313, which featured work, holiday and party wear from the retailers

Male & Female Proportions

2010-01-12T05:36:00.000-08:00

Just as the Vitruvian Man can be used as a blueprint on which to draw the male fashion croquis, an existing eight-head female croquis can serve the same purpose, and vice versa because they share the same Vitruvian grid.To convert a female fashion croquis to its male counterpart, make general adjustments to achieve the following:1 A more angular face with a pronounced chin and jaw line.2 A

Vitruvian Male Fashion Croquis

2010-01-11T01:09:00.000-08:00

The male fashion croquis, as with the female version, can be drawn based on the eight-head standard set by the Vitruvian Man, whose proportions are closer to real life than the stylized nine-head adaptations.This figure also reflects the ideal standard human proportions that have served as a blueprint for well-designed, beautifully scaled architectural structures through the ages. As such, we

Blocking Handmade Crochet And Knitted Items

2009-12-24T00:47:00.000-08:00

You've got some lovely skeins of wool yarn and crocheted or knitted them into unique masterpieces of handmade personal gifts or treasures. But darn, they don't look as professional as envisioned with all those curled edges and uneven bumps.Fret not because all that is probably needed is some ironing. Be careful though, that applying heat directly onto your precious work with an iron may actually

Singapore Getai Fashion

2009-09-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

The Getai, which literally means 'song stage' in Chinese, is a cultural heritage of the Chinese in Singapore. It is a public event organized during festive occasions. At the Getai, audiences are not only treated to rare traditional entertainment but also lavished with a feast for the eyes with a wide array of glittery stage costumes ranging from quietly elegant and classic to dramatically

Bead & Wire Jewelry - Adding A Feature Piece To A Necklace

2008-09-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

When ideas run dry, one of the ways to keep the creative stream flowing is to experiment with the basic bead dangle module. Try out different configurations and add a feature piece to make the necklace a truly unique one.Need matching earrings for your gorgeous necklace? Make duplicates of your feature piece and attach each to a french wire. Voila, a necklace with complementary dangle earrings!

Necklace Displayed As A Phoenix

2008-05-24T23:36:00.000-07:00

Display your masterpiece by creating another work of art with it, like shaping the necklace into a crystal and pearl phoenix as shown in the video.The source of inspiration for this display came from what I saw a few years ago in Ci Qi Kou, China - a phoenix drawn with liquid candy.

Jewelry Display

2008-05-24T23:26:00.000-07:00

One of the joys of making jewelry is being able to admire your work while displaying it. Besides commercially available displays, ordinary items in the home such as a flower vase and a lampshade can be turned into creative displays that are as unique as your piece of handmade jewelry.Try it and have fun while you are at it.

Fashion Silhouettes

2008-04-27T23:06:00.000-07:00

Every silhouette makes a statement, whether it is casual, formal, elegant or sexy. That statement can be changed or emphasized by varying other elements of design such as lines, details, colors and textures. The video demonstrates the different looks that can be achieved for the same silhouettes from combinations of some of these other elements.

From Croquis To Mannequin

2008-04-17T05:42:00.000-07:00

A croquis can be transformed into a three-dimensional digital mannequin by blending colors and hues on a gradient mesh of the croquis. Begin with a simple mesh and refine it along the way by adding more mesh points where needed to avoid creating an unruly mess at the start. It is also advisable to break the croquis into smaller manageable parts such as the head, torso, arms and legs. Otherwise,

Bead Dangle Earrings

2008-03-27T10:31:00.000-07:00

To make a pair of bead and wire earrings from bead dangles, simply attach one or more bead dangles to an earwire such as a French hook wire directly or with a jump ring. Alternatives that are similar to the French hook are the Shephard hook and Kidney earwire. Use the same bead dangle modules to make a matching necklace to complete the look.Related:How To Make A Bead Dangle With A Wrapped LoopHow

Earth Hour

2008-03-25T00:49:00.000-07:00

Save our planet. We can start by turning out our lights for one hour at 8pm on 29 March 2008. More information at Earth Hour.

Drawing A Blouse With Lace Trims

2008-03-20T09:30:00.000-07:00

Drawings of garment flats do not have to be thrown away once they have served their primary purpose. They can be archived and reused when generating ideas for new designs. The live trace feature in graphics/ image editing software enables designers to make use of images of fabric and trims samples, without having to draw from scratch, to achieve more authentic visuals.Tracings can be stored as

Illustrating A Skirt With A Fabric Swatch

2008-03-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

One of the ways to enhance a line drawing of a garment is to fill it with color and add texture to it using the existing menus available in a graphics/ image editing software. However, to create a more accurate representation of the desired look and feel of a garment, it is necessary to use images of fabric swatches for rendering. Actual samples of fabrics chosen by the designer can be scanned or

Design An Evening Dress From A Fashion Flat

2008-03-05T16:40:00.000-08:00

Designing an evening dress can be done quickly using graphics software and trim libraries containing basic collars, sleeves, bodice flats and lace patches. We can start by retrieving a basic tank top flat from the style library. Then add a basic collar and adjust it to a desired size. Next, attach the sleeves and lower the hemline to create a casual dress. Add lace trimmings to the collar,

Fashion Style Libraries

2008-03-04T12:57:00.000-08:00

Digital fashion libraries containing a variety of garment styles and components such as collars and sleeves are valuable resources. They act as catalogues of ideas and past designs that can be reused to generate new designs. Style libraries eliminate the need to redraw frequently used components and allow designers to create a wide range of style combinations for comparison on demand.Designers

Sleeve Designs For Garments

2008-03-03T11:18:00.000-08:00

Sleeves generally fall into three categories - set-in, raglan and kimono. Variations within each generic type may be achieved in terms of ease (i.e. straight, flared or fitted) and length (i.e. cap, short, three-quarter or long). There are also options of finishing the sleeve with a cuff and adding fullness with gathers at the head, cuff or other desired locations.

Collar Designs For Garments

2008-03-03T07:47:00.000-08:00

Collars come in numerous forms, shapes and sizes but they are easy to analyze when seen as variations of a few generic categories - flat, stand, roll, one-piece and two-piece with reveres. Variations may be in terms of shape, size or fullness (as in frilled and cowl collars).The shape of the neckline also makes a difference to the classification of a particular collar design. For instance, what

Flat Pattern Design

2008-02-22T08:29:00.000-08:00

In flat pattern design, a basic fitted pattern is developed from a basic block with the help of fit models, dress forms or mannequins. For a fitted bodice pattern, two darts are incorporated into the basic bodice block - an underarm horizontal bust dart and a vertical waist dart. Similarly, a fitted skirt pattern can be created from a basic skirt block by inserting two vertical darts at the waist

Abstract Imagery

2008-02-20T19:53:00.000-08:00

Abstract imagery stimulates the imagination differently from the adaptation of visual cues. The reflection of colorful light bulbs on water coupled with swirling ripples evoke images of fluidity and softness, much like silk charmeuse that is draped on a svelte silhouette moving gracefully in the open field, with a breeze gently blowing past. Changing, flowing shapes and a smooth, satin feel.

Design Ideas From A Christmas Tree

2008-02-20T09:06:00.000-08:00

Look at this Christmas tree. What do you see, besides a run-of-the-mill plastic tree?Sometimes, the most mundane of things can be a surprising source of inspiration. All it takes is a change in perspective and some imagination.Go closer and scrutinize the details and you will see floral motifs that can be applied to all kinds of accessories, from hairpins to beaded necklaces. Even pretty borders

Special Occasions

2008-02-20T02:45:00.000-08:00

Musical Fireworks On National Day In SingaporeA Valentine From The HeartNew Year Fireworks

Travel

2008-02-20T02:44:00.000-08:00

Parkview Square SingaporeChangi International Airport SingaporeSeoul RomanticSilk Reeling In ChinaOlympic Bridge In Seoul, South KoreaNamdaemun & Myeongdong Shoppers In Seoul, South KoreaChengdu In Sichuan, ChinaNational Day Parade In SingaporeSingapore Botanic Gardens

Design Inspiration

2008-02-20T02:43:00.000-08:00

Besides historical costumes, exhibitions, books and magazines, there are other sources of inspiration which are readily available to the observant designer, such as these:Sarong Kebaya Motifs On A Post BoxPaper LanternsFlowersDesign Ideas From A Christmas TreeAbstract Imagery