Textile Design: Upcycling Clothes with Experimental Techniques
A course by Giselle Manzano RamírezDesigner and Artist
A course by Giselle Manzano Ramírez, Designer and Artist
Combine innovative reverse dye techniques with unconventional objects to create unique, sustainable garments in your own personal style
“I believe in art and fashion as healing practices. They help people express their feelings, develop insights, and make sense of difficult life experiences.”
Designer and artist Giselle Manzano Ramírez aims to empower people through fashion, using clothing as a canvas to convey meaning and emotion. She has worked with organizations like the NYC Department of Sanitation and hosted workshops at Pratt Institute, among others.
In this online course, she teaches you how to explore a garment as a medium for expression through experimental techniques. Learn the skills needed to give your garments a second life and transform a jacket into a work of art. Visual communication, design, art, and fashion are the keys to changing the world. Are you ready to explore their power?
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 25 downloads
Materials and Tools
3 minutes, 47 seconds
Fabrics and Outcomes
7 minutes, 19 seconds
Shibori Reverse Dyeing Technique 1
7 minutes, 43 seconds
Shibori Reverse Dyeing Technique 2
14 minutes, 22 seconds
Shibori on a Garment
12 minutes, 36 seconds
Surface Embellishments
9 minutes, 34 seconds
What's included in this course?
Begin the course by getting to know multidisciplinary artist and designer Giselle Manzano Ramírez. She talks through the creative career that has seen her work with clients like Condé Nast, along with the influences that inspire the work she creates.
Dive into the tools and materials needed for the course, from bleach to brushes. Discover the importance of color psychology in your designs and see how renowned fashion designers use color for different purposes. Come up with a theme for your project and create a concept board for your design before sketching and planning it on paper or digitally.
Learn how bleach works on different fabrics, along with the outcome you can expect to achieve with your chosen item. Then discover the Shibori reverse bleaching technique and how to use it to bring your design to life. Learn to print on a garment with bleach using everyday objects, as well as how to enhance your clothing with embellishments, from patchwork to appliqué.
See how to put an outfit together based on your jacket. Then explore the relevance of color theory in fashion and discover new ways to utilize the skills you’ve learned beyond clothing. To finish the course, Giselle shares her advice on photographing and selling your work.
What is this course's project?
Transform a vintage jacket into a piece of art using different bleaching techniques in combination with unconventional objects.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone who wants to experiment with unconventional materials to transform clothing into wearable art.
Requirements and materials
No previous experience is required.
In terms of materials, you will need household bleach, hydrogen peroxide, elastic bands, a bucket, spray and squeeze bottles, and other materials specified by the teacher in the course.
Reviews
- 1 year ago
Super el curso! Gracias.
- 1 year ago
Excellent course! Techniques are easy to learn, but the instructor really shines in her creative applications, examples of her work & other designers, and foundational instruction. Inspirational, fun, and a great jumping off point.
- urbanwoodswalkerPLUS2 years ago
This is a very creatively exciting an inpiring easy to follow coarse. I really enjoyed it!
- 2 years ago
Very god!! I'm impressed.
- 2 years ago
Very inspiring course!
Since then, Giselle has combined her love for both graphic design and fashion to design window displays, visual merchandising, lookbooks, branding, and advertising for vintage fashion boutiques. Through working with ReFashion Week 2020, she collaborated with the NYC Department of Sanitation and DonateNYC, and has given conferences and workshops at Pratt Institute, among others. As a graphic designer, her clients include Condé Nast, Candy Pratts Price (Vogue), and the Colombian Embassy in NYC. She also collaborates with emerging artists as part of her mission to empower people through fashion.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Materials, Tools, and Research
- Materials and Tools
- Psychology of Color
- Building a Visual Narrative: Defining the Theme and Message
- U3
Bleaching, Printing, and Embellishing the Garment
- Fabrics and Outcomes
- Shibori Reverse Dyeing Technique 1
- Shibori Reverse Dyeing Technique 2
- Shibori on a Garment
- Printmaking with Everyday Objects
- Surface Embellishments
- U4
Creating Outfits and Other Applications
- Planning a Whole Outfit
- Other Techniques and Applications
- Resources to Sell Your Pieces
- FP
Final project
- Textile Design: Upcycling Clothes with Experimental Techniques
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for beginners and does not require prior experience in fashion or design. All foundational concepts and techniques are explained step by step.
You’ll need basic textiles, bleach, rubber bands, household objects for printmaking, safety gloves, hydrogen peroxide for neutralizing bleach, and some vintage clothing. A list of recommended supplies is provided at the start of the course.
You’ll learn how to rework vintage clothing, upcycle textiles, and incorporate sustainable branding, along with practical skills in reducing fashion waste through creative design and embellishment.
The course teaches printmaking with unconventional and household objects, along with methods for adding texture and interest to garments using a variety of embellishment techniques.
Reverse dyeing involves removing color from fabric, usually with bleach, to create unique patterns. The course covers several reverse dyeing methods, including Shibori techniques and safe bleach application.
Yes, the course includes detailed safety guidelines for handling bleach, such as wearing gloves, working in ventilated areas, and properly neutralizing bleach to protect both you and your fabrics.
Absolutely. You’ll gain skills in upcycling, garment embellishment, and product photography, plus strategies for branding and selling your unique fashion items online or locally.