Monday, June 21, 2010

DIY: The Painter's Jacket

I was browsing though the clothes I left in Manila and I found this jacket:

Gap khaki jacket

Unworn and plain, it was begging for me to infuse some of my trademark The Dandy Project "globetrotting deranged artist" flavor. I needed a statement jacket for the summer, as most of my more special jackets were fall/winter. This jacket was the perfect warm-weather weight.

My eyes went straight to the pockets, I wanted to highlight them somehow. I decided to frame them like windows, roughly painting around them with a brush and white acrylic.

I used a straight edge to keep the insides of my "windows" somewhat straight and neat.

Then on to the bottom half of the jacket, close to the side pockets. Partly inspired by Yves Saint Laurent, I wanted a hodgepodge of smudges on that area, looking as if the messy painter carelessly wipes his soiled hands on his jacket while he's at work.

YSL Spring 2008

What better way to do that then, but to soil my hands with paint and wipe them on the jacket?

I added a couple of paint splatters to make it look as if he had a few paintbrush fights with his artist-lover.

I enlisted the help of my new dog Frankie to lend her organic imprint on to the canvas.

To jack up the dandy, I wanted a touch of glitter, perhaps suggestive of the artist's glam nightlife. So I employed another of my amateurish painting techniques, glitter-bombs: globs of paint covered in glitter, that I would dry halfway, then pop with my finger to result in thick, textural smudges of paint edged in glitter.

I layered the smears and smudges with a little more color by literally wiping paint-covered hands on the jacket while worn.

When it is complete, the artist signs his piece. (My first signed piece!)
TDP stands not only for "The Dandy Project", but for my last and middle names as well.

a sneaky peek at the finished jacket

the DIY painter's jacket

Here it is worn:

DIY painter's jacket, American Apparel tank, H&M jeans, Victoria shoes

double-watched with one fresh from my brother's drawer (Casio watch, Cartier watch, leather bracelet from Barcelona)

Globetrotting deranged artists in-demand need to keep up with multiple time zones.

runway photo via GQ.com

21 comments:

Adiel | Rose Gold Lining said...

I really like the way this turned out; great DIY! Thanks for sharing!

Isabel said...

I love all yr DIYs, especially the ones involving paint splatters!

Lucinda said...

Nice idea and it works well with your white outfit. I love your watches - I think I have a thing for men's accessories.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic! xxx

Matthew Spade said...

he's done it again! you are the king of the DIY.


i was planing on doing some paint splattered chinos very soon. think you should def do something in the style of one of my paintings too!

Anonymous said...

i LOVE!!!!!! it.
fabulous! genius! totally and utterly!

(now...how will you clean it?)

Family Lawyers Melbourne said...

Wow you are really brilliant...such a nice DIY work

Amy T said...

very cool DIY. i love how you styled it too. great!

Anonymous said...

i think the effect that washing it will have will add to its charm, as long as it doesn't remove the paint too quickly.
you got such great results.

ps some of my dsr items are sketched in my 449 post. thanks for visiting.

Anonymous said...

out of curiosity, how tall are you?

Izzy said...

Anonymous: 5 ft 11. Why do you ask?

Farinelli's said...

Great stuff! Will be reblogging this today!

Anonymous said...

Another great DIY project. What kind of paint do you use and how do you wash?

Taj said...

In love w/ the DIY and that Casio!!

Taj said...

In love w/ the DIY and that Casio!!

Anonymous said...

@Izzy: thats pretty tall =P

was just wondering...I'm extremely obsessed with height atm...

Izzy said...

anonymous: I use acrylic paint. I try not to wash as much as possible, but when I do, I just throw it in the washing machine. I don't mind the paint cracking and peeling, I think it's somewhat Margielic!

Anonymous said...

where did you get your gold casio???? lovveeee!

Martin said...

Fabulous jacket! I want to do this myself!

Anonymous said...

am loving this blogsite!

Family Lawyers Melbourne said...

Incredible!

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