NEXUM

NEXUM

When I started working on this project I knew I had one main goal - to show people how modern technologies can work seamlessly in combination with traditional craftsmanship. Knowing that I started experimenting with different techniques and materials. I decided that I wanted to incorporate machine-cut heat-transfer vinyl into my design.

The name Nexum means connection in Latin. And that is exactly what I aim to do. To connect and combine the traditional with the modern, the simple with the intricate, and casual with the extravagant.

I pulled out my iPad and started sketching. I settled on a neutral palette for the colour to compliment the whole but not take away from it. I wanted to make two looks, one more casual and one more extravagant. For the vinyl, I designed shapes that would be applied to the sheer fabric to make an interesting overlay effect. I needed to make them big enough to be nicely visible but small enough to fit into my cutting machine.

After I was done with the initial designs I started working in Clo3D. I made the garments in 3D and then played around with applying the vinyl appliqués. I designed a whole digital collection to go with the physical designs. I finalized the placement and started working on getting the pattern from Clo3D on paper. I exported it, sliced the PDF, figured out printer margins and printed it. Then I cut all the margins off and glued the patterns together. They turned out to be really big but I managed to cut all the excess paper off and was left with just the patterns, which had the vinyl placement already visible on them.

I then spent about 2 months simultaneously working on the garments themselves and cutting the vinyl and then I put it all together and I am extremely happy with how it came out!

After all that was done, I planned a photoshoot with a photographer (Anna Kodrlová) and models (Natálie Štimplová, Aneta Kadlčíková). Thank you so much guys!

When the photos were done I worked on the additional graphics.

Sketches

Clo designs

Real-life photos

Liberation

This project was part of a project called Touch The History Through Art, which focused on remembering the help of the US Air Force in the Liberation of the White Carpathians and its people in The Czech Republic in WW2.

When I first started working on this project I tried to find a good source of information and inspiration. I got in contact with an expert on that time and topic and asked a lot about it. He introduced me to many stories from that time, especially the stories of the pilots and the soldiers. I learned their names and got to know their lives and their fates. He also showed me pictures taken back then that helped me visualize and reference the right equipment they used. the goal was to focus on the paratroopers.

After I learned a lot about the people and the time, I took out my iPad and got to sketching. While sketching different ideas, there was one thing that stuck with me and that was the idea to use drawstrings in the skirt to imitate the shape of a parachute. I started combining that with big straps and harness-looking shapes inspired by the paratroopers' equipment.

When I had a better idea of what I wanted to do, I started working in Clo3D. I experimented with different shapes of the skirt and how it would gather up into a shorter version and also the placement of the straps. When I finalized the design I moved to work in the physical world.

I spent around a month working on the physical garment and I took my time and paid attention to details as it was to be seen by the public at a gallery showcase held in Prague. I worked with a combination of a slippery fabric and thick straps.

When I was done, we planned a photoshoot. We took the photos at a local small airport that has a collection of historical aircraft. With their help they allowed us to use them as background and props and the photos turned out great! Thank you so much to Adéla Ševčíková (the model) and Viktorie Habartová (the photographer).

Sketches

Clo designs

Real-life photos

Texturing and render process

After I was fully done with the physical garment I went back to digital. I se out to make a simple 3D environment that would put the attention on the dress. I retextured the dress in Substance Painter exported the textures to be ready to use in Redshift. I built the set in Cinema 4D and textured in Redshift. I played around with different accent colours and lights. I added the dress, put the textures into Redshift and made sure that everything looked good and complimented each other.

Fantasy outfit

This is a fantasy outfit I made in a slightly different style to the other work shown here. This one is purely digital and inspired by settings from fantasy books. Made in Clo3D and textured in Substance Painter.