Intermedia

Mikayla Humiston

Urban Mask Fitters

May 2020

Materials: swimsuit top padding, Urban Outfitters reusable shopping bag, thread

This face covering is a dual purpose fashion piece that is supposed to be both protective for the wearer and a statement piece on consumerism and capitalism, which have proven to remain prevalent in the midst of a global pandemic. With COVID-19 stopping society dead in its tracks and overturning the lives of millions of people, daily life looks drastically different than it did just months ago. Facial coverings, like masks, are becoming a requirement in many communities. The problem I set out to solve with this piece is to help prevent the spread of the virus while commenting on our priorities as a society. 

The virus affects places based on the people and the cultures present, and we are all still getting used to the new normal. Though in densely populated areas, such as large cities there is a stark contrast where streets are typically full of people eating, shopping, traveling, and sightseeing. These places are largely reliant on people spending money and there is an inherently American quality in consumerism and capitalism. People are beginning to get impatient, and many people are turning to online shopping as an alternative to their usual shopping habits. Americans feel the need to consume constantly, and that does not change in a global pandemic. 

There is also irony in this piece because people are protesting towns and cities being shut down. People are wearing masks to gather and protest, masks to go out shopping for necessary items, and as states slowly begin to reopen, items that are not necessarily essential. With this piece, wearers might quite literally be shopping in a shopping bag. Although subtle, the Urban Outfitters logo repeating is meant to be a reminder that consumerism is a haunting aspect of our society, and that people still care about shopping in some cases more than they do saving lives. It also adds an element of fashion.

I used a bathing suit top pad for thickness to filter the air that the wearer would be breathing in, and to block the air they’re breathing out. The reusable bag itself is soft, and I followed the blueprint of a typical surgical face mask. The ties make it easily adjustable to any head, and the mask, although more effective as an upside down triangle, can be worn either way. The triangle itself indicates a caution symbol, as well as the yellow thread which is often associated with danger – in this case, the disease. I chose the beige colored bag to be subtle, and the yellow thread matches well. The material itself is washable and can be reused until it falls apart. Overall, it is a simple design with a bold statement associated that I think everyone should consider in order to re-evaluate our societal priorities and that which is truly important. 

May 2020

Materials: Wool and Elastic

My final project mimics modern designer brand trends in a time of distress. Masks are purposed for functionality and not necessarily looks. My goal was to create a mask for a designer brand that could be functional, yet remind the consumer that they can still live their daily lives in style.  

My big idea was to be able to protect yourself while being able to mimic a trend that reminds us of high fashion. I set out to create something fashionable, yet minimalistic and comfortable.

I started with a sweater and cut it into a shape that covered the face. Afterward, I experimented with different patterns and came across Burberry’s check pattern and decided to implement a similar style in which these bigger brands could use.

I ultimately stuck with the Burberry idea, however, I was inspired by other check patterns and fashion brands.

Atalaya Murphy, 05-05-2020, Materials: Fabric (Old T-shirt), Cotton headband, thread and needle. Optional : Parchment paper, Iron, and Paper.

This face mask is created to be accessible to all, and to make a statement. The materials were all found lying around the house, and hand made, only requiring a needle and thread. An old t-shirt was cut, folded to create a filter, and sewn. It was a very simple stitch that followed pulled together the folded layers, and some stitches to attach and adjust the headband.Another problem tackled with this design is the discomfort many have experienced with straps near the ears. An old head band was cut and sized to my head, so I could rest the mask on the bridge of my nose and the strap fell under my ears. This depleted any possibility of discomfort around the ear. Also, this allows for you to wear the mask around your neck while you are not wearing it. The letters and words written on the mask was a repeated trial and error. For my mask I chose a black color, which limited what I could use to write the words on the mask. There is one method that involved printing the letters out from a word document, and using parchment paper to iron the letters (printed from a word doc) on to the front of the mask. However, if these items are not available, a different color fabric would allow you to just use a sharpie, or other fabric pen.

While it may not be the most stylish mask one could wear, it serves a great purpose. As the virus has continued to spread, there has been a number of incidents that have spread misinformation and havoc. Most of these messages coming from the President of the United States as well, the most recent, a suggestion of ingesting disinfectant into the body. The only information that should be spread around, is the information from the CDC, most qualified to handle these situations. The design of this mask inspires activism. The information that is being spread to the United States should be accurate and helpful to all. It is important to display sources that would only give correct information. No one should be left behind, unable to have adequate resources to create the mask- hence the DIY aspect. Although our mouths might be covered, it does not mean we must remain silent.

Materials

• mask pattern
• multiple shades of fabric
• needles
• thread

My idea was initially inspired by my mom who is a preschool teacher. She’s been interacting with her class via Zoom and says the kids are having a hard time grasping what’s going on (why they can’t see friends, why they have class online). It’s a confusing situation on all fronts. That likely includes wearing PPE in public.

While it’s likely hard to make a fussy or fidgety child wear a face mask, it’s also quite important that this happens since children can be asymptomatic carriers of the coronavirus. I haven’t seen much about masks created especially for children, but this concept could be beneficial to our collective health.

For this, I also pulled vague inspiration from elementary school when we would preform Eric Carle’s From Head to Toe wearing paper plate masks of each of the different animals. I figured making cloth masks animal-themed could make them more enticing and fun. From here my goals became child-friendly aesthetics and comfort of design.

When researching cloth mask designs, the two predominant types were the classic pleated style and the slightly more involved, cup-like shape. While the pleated design was simpler to craft, it also seemed like it would detract from the aesthetic additions. I settled on the more complex but convient-for-design’s-sake second option. I added a back-tie instead of the typical ear-loops to enhance the comfort and lessen the chance of children trying to take it off.

After stitching a few models, I found the design was slightly more forgiving than I had thought, although time consuming since I didn’t have a sewing machine. Instead of making multiple stitched prototypes, I began to test different animal options with paper. I collaged different colors together to create my options. Once I had the fundamentals, I transferred it all to illustrator to polish up. The final design involves following the preset base pattern, and then cutting additional shapes to create noses/snouts/beaks/tongues/etc.

This design may seem a little banal at first, but it could be a market worth cornering in this climate. By making PPE more accessible in this way, children can be more comfortable during a confusing time and, in turn, we all benefit.

• Chloe Hight

Briggs Heffernan – May 2020

• Modeling clay
• Canvas
• Masking tape
• Golf ball (for support purposes only)

One sees masks more than the faces underneath these days. Half of these offer little protection, being cloth or paper only, but the gesture matters. A mask symbolizes personal protection but it also wards others away. To that end, this gargoyle masks offers mostly symbolic protection while presenting a less than welcoming look. Gargoyles in architecture, most famously Gothic cathedrals, were built to scare off evil spirits, be they devils or ghosts. Today, their fearsome aspect can promote social distance and perhaps keep some bad energy off us.

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Kristen Brown

5.5.2020

Materials: Fabric, plastic, glue, zipper

My final project, features an eco-friendly and minimalist glove design. The concept of an affordable, washable, and durable glove was inspired by looking at my mom’s hands. Her hands have been rubbed raw from an excessive amount of handwashing in an effort to prevent infection from the novel coronavirus. In the photo, she holds a dinner fork in one hand and a remote control in the other. These two stationary objects paired with her over washed hands illustrate the new way of life we have adapted to: sheltering in place, catching up on the latest Netflix shows, and taking extra precautions to prevent sickness. I wanted to create an efficient and aesthetically pleasing design that would lessen the number of times my mom would have to wash her hands. 

There is a dearth of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the health care industry. Doctors and nurses require nitrile gloves when working with ill patients, and as the coronavirus continues to spread, their supply continues to diminish. To preserve the nitrile gloves for those in the medical industry, I wanted to offer the average, everyday person an alternative glove option. The outer layer of the glove is composed of fabric as opposed to latex so that the glove feels less cold and sterile and more familiar. A zipper repurposed from a dress is sewn on the edge of the glove. This design element provides an additional layer of functionality, as the zipper allows for a tailored fit around the hand’s contour. The inner lining of the glove is a recycled Hefty bag and protects the user’s hand from contamination. Efficient and hygienic, this glove comes in blue, red, off white, and my personal favorite, black. Hopefully, my design concept will help alleviate not only the anxiety surrounding the pandemic but also the number of times we have to scrub our hands raw. 

Remy Farrell

Comfort Mask

T-shirt bottom, bathing suit pad, paperclip, scissors, needle and thread (or sewing machine)

May 2020

My goal for this mask was to use materials around the house to make a simple mask that is comfortable and provides the necessary elements of a functional face mask. I focused on three issues that myself and others run into with face masks; comfort around the ears, spacious, structure and coverage around the mouth, and color that can be worn with confidence; essentially I wanted to make a mask that people would feel comfortable in and not be inclined to touch and adjust. I find that when I wear face masks I feel crowded and claustrophobic around my mouth and irritated by the finicky ties. I do not enjoy wearing the medical masks because they are too bland and stigmatized, I wanted comfortable coverage that I could slip on over my face like a turtleneck or ski mask. I gathered some closed material that I had cut off the bottom of a cotton t-shirt and sewed down the center, this provided me with a band of clothing that I could pull over my head. This brought me to problem solve, how could I make trusty ear holes and structure around the mouth? I instantly thought of bathing suit padding that has the nearly perfect structure and thick material. I sewed a dart (a fold that comes to a point and sewn to create shape) in the pad to create the structure necessary for it to rest nicely on my nose and then sewed it into the fabric. Where my ears attach to my head, I cut vertical holes into the fabric and embroidered/enforced the edges to the slits did not continue to propagate and to provide structure so that it does not fall. This threading also provides a pop of color. The last predicament I ran into was the flimsy space under my eyes and around my nose, for this, I unfolded a paper clip and refolded it to fit to my nose, this provides adjustable structure for a more trusty face mask. It can be worn and washed by all genders with all different hairstyles. This face mask is comfortable, easy to make, customizable, and requires common household materials, in only a few steps.

Cari Morshead

May 2020

Horror films often serve as metaphors for greater social issues and anxieties. For the zombie subgenre, these anxieties can include society’s fears and paranoia surrounding the spread of life-threatening diseases, which take the form of the cannibalistic undead, and the subsequent struggle for survival.

Living through the current pandemic has felt awfully similar to living through a zombie film. Of course, there are no real zombies in a pandemic, but the ultimate threat that zombies or other monsters pose to our health and safety, along with the ensuing panic, still remains. The virus is widespread, anyone can become infected, and people are dying. This series, inspired by a love of horror films, intends to blend these imagined and real life horrors, as well as highlight the importance of wearing masks to protect the community.

Jonathan Greenberg

Materials: Cardboard, Twin, tissues, paints, model glue

Shining Armor

April 27th, 2020

What I was trying to show in this piece, was the huge amount of strength and resolve it takes for the nurses and doctors of this country to risk their lives for the lives of others in these trying times. So when I thought of protectors I thought of the stories adults would tell their kids about knights in shining armor, these brave people who would risk their lives for others. I decided to make a mask reminiscent of a knights visor, to connect these two ideas. I wanted it to both protect the mouth and nose but still allow for a fit that was not uncomfortable and too clumsy. It was difficult to make the piece with the materials I had at hand but overall I think I was able to get it to work. If I could get more items I would have tried to make the string go fully around the head like a pair of goggles, two filters in the mask where the black circles are located, and a rubber seal around the edges that could keep the air in.