Lizard Back Pack

The Lizard Scale Backpack

 

The brief was to make something that linked with who you are. I decided to go with the concept of a 'life journey' and how mine is more where I'm going than where I come from. In order to determine who I am going to be in life, I need to know who I am now.

This is where the 'tough skin' concept of my Lizard Backpack comes in. I wanted to make something functional as well as aesthetically pleasing. A backpack came to mind when thinking of the tools one needs when departing on a life journey. A backpack is essential, as is a hardy and tough exterior. I was inspired by the hardiness and beauty of lizards and iguanas alike. Especially the bright and colourful species.

These are some of the most beautiful yet deadly species, some of which i was inspired by:

I love the blues and greens as well as the texture and shapes of the scales. I decided to design and make a backpack reflecting the texture and colourings of the lizards and iguanas in the photos above. I came up with the following designs using coral draw and scanning my drawings into the computer:

Scanned in image

Coral Draw vector

I tried a couple different methods of printing my designs onto the fabric in order to make the backpack.

I first tried a very old-school method where you mix baking flour with a little water to create a thick paste, you then pour this into a syringe type tool to paint the negative version of design onto the fabric with. Once the paste is dry you paint in the open spaces (positives) with coloured fabric paint and then you peel away the flour paste once its dry. This leaves behind the design done in fabric paint, acting like a stencil.

I didn't like the end result so I decided to paint the 'scales' with black fabric paint in a syringe in order to be able to get the finer details. This is what came out:

I first painted the fabric using bright blue, green and yellow fabric paint, then I hand painted the 'scales' on using the fabric pen.

I then wanted to make the 'scales' looks and feel more 3D, so I sewed a piece of fabric to the back of the larger scales and stuffed them with batting, a type of stuffing, in order to create a rounded texture.

3D effects

Then it was the making of the backpack pattern. I found this section quite difficult as i have never made my own pattern before. I used an old backpack as a guide in order to have some idea as to the shape i wanted. I measured the different segments and then used those measurements to create my own pattern.

Measurements

Patterns

Then i had to colour and paint all of the various pieces to match that of a lizards skin.

Straps

 I then started sewing all the pieces together, forming my end product. 

 The top flap, back and front:

The main body of the bag, back and front:

Front

Back

Another detail that i added was my label, 'EyeCandy', a name i came up with while doing a matric business last year. I made the label using the same fabric and paint as the bag, a light bull denim.

Once all the main pieces were sewn together, i threaded the corn through the eyelets, which i had put on for me, then i sewn the bottom of the bag closed to finish it off.

Once everything was completed i asked my sister to wear the bag for me so that i could take pictures. It only made sense to include her in my 'life journey', as she is an important part of my life.

End product

Final

I really enjoyed this project, i got really excited about it and I'm please with the final end product. The old bag that I used as a guideline to my pattern was a bag I had since my early childhood. I used to carry that bag with me everywhere i went as a little girl. Maybe this new tough lizard skin backpack can be my new life journey bag. We all know that you need a tough skin to survive in this world.

Symbolism

I think that this bag portrays a significant part of who I am. Over the years I've discovered that I'm pretty tough when it comes to guarding oneself. Kind of like a lizard that protects itself from the elements and the climate changes, I protect myself from becoming vulnerable or hurt. I have my own 'tough skin' that often doesn't allow myself to become vulnerable to be in the situation where I can potentially get hurt. Sometimes its a bad thing as it blocks off certain experiences or people and I sometimes don't allow myself to become too attatched, its something I plan to work on so that I can balance and obtain the perfect amount of protection and vulnerability.

This bag symbolizes how i hide my true feelings, one could say I put them away in the bag made from 'tough skin' and carry it around with me.. the fuller the bag gets the heavier my burden becomes.. Although the bag looks aesthetically appealing from the outside, on the inside its full of aspects of myself that i have been to scared to allow out and to become vulnerable against people and life circumstances.