Part Two: Serial Plains

After making some rather simple designs out of paper the third an final design was to be made of foam board and the requirements were a little more demanding of my creativity. I really enjoyed thinking up inspiration for my design which was gears. The requirements for this assignment were the plains stood vertically instead of horizontally and that while growing larger the original shape transformed into another shape, like metamorphosis! My first shape isn't really a gear shape at all, but merely a simple hollow quarter circle. Gradually I expanded it and added pegs to create more and more complicated gears.

 Here are all my pieces cut out! it was a tad difficult but worth it! 


I love how it looks spaced apart and standing horizontally. I think it almost looks like tree branches or a pine cone.

This project is great inspiration for creating more complicated and abstract sculptures. Before I was very intimidated, but now working with simple materials and within specific guidelines I can turn my inspiration into a physical work of art! 

Sneak Preview!

Here's a sneak preview of what the final project for class will be, I spotted it just walking down the street! 

Second Project: Part One

This is where we get into serial plains (like at the mall)! And organic shapes (which are more fun to draw than other shapes)! You could also refer to them as biomorphic shapes, referring to shapes occurring in nature. Our assignment was to create two small (6in X 6in) models using paper and foam board bits for spacers, layered to create serial plains and imitate volume with flat surfaces. Both had different requirements. The first was a free standing organic shape, using only curves, we drew out ourselves. The shape had to rise up from the base going from large to small. 

We used three of each shape to create height. 

The second also was an organic shape but  it also had to incorperate two straight edges to create a right angle. While it did rise up from the base (vertically) and went from large to small we were challenged to make the shape slowly morph into another similar shape (or not so similar). 

My shape kind of looks like a whale I think.

This all leads up to the second part of the project, which is full size (1ft by 1ft) and made completely out of foam board! It was quite a bit more complicated...

My First Project and First Challenges

With my first assignment I was ripped, roaring, and ready (I’m not sure I got that right). My creative juices were ready to flow! Our teacher gave us a great presentation on modern relief sculpture, with loads of pictures! Here were some of my favorites:

by Jeff Nishinaka  
More of his work on Today Tomorrow: http://www.todaytomorrow.net/2010/10/12/jeff-nishinaka/

Counter Cosmo by Jen Stark  
 Check out her website for more amazing sculptures: Jenstark.com

Our assignment was to create a modular relief sculpture mimicking fabric or a wall covering made out of basic white index cards. We could cut them, fold them, crumple them up...anything to make an interesting shape with elements of 3D sculpture, while still being intended to lay flat. The shape also needed to be repeated over and over, with the possibility of changing slightly. I did extensive research finding shapes I liked: 

Yes that's the Star Trek logo...

And made quite a few experimental shapes:

These are the good ones

And finally perfected one could work with:

My brainstorming process its really messy. To prove it here’s my sketches: 

I don't always sketch in red...

I was thinking radial and expanding but upon construction and connection I found the shape made didn’t fit in the way I had expected to. It make the shapes pile up instead of lie flat, the problem was that my links were all about the same size but the sides I was connected were not the same length. I changed my design to be more logical and less complicated. It ended up looking like a repeating pattern of stars or snowflakes.

Cutting and folding lots of index cards

Punching holes for the links 

Connecting and slowly adding

Making links out of gold paper clips (they were on sale at Staples, use whatever you can get!) It was real torture on my fingers...

The end result! Just under two yards by two yards. It casted great shadows when hung on the wall! 

My First Post: Inspiration

A note: As this blog gets started up there is going to be a lot of posts, posted all at once, that are not exactly current, but it’s just that I’m trying to catch up to our current project because I didn’t start this blog at the very beginning of this semester. Also the bulk of the photos are from my phone. (I’m not a photography major). 

My first post is just an introduction to this blog and some of the inspiration I found, even before I came to class. Please take the time to read the brief About page, it explains the blog pretty well. I’m in the second semester of my first year of college. For all freshmen at Moore the first year is foundation year, we all basically take the same classes. The first semester I took 2D design and this semester I’m taking 3D design. A basic overview of the class: Learning the basics of design as they pertain to 3-dimentional form and applying it with various techniques. My teacher’s motto: Stay hip, stay young, stay current. So we’re always looking for inspiration, no matter where we are. Its not too difficult to find in Philadelphia though! Over winter break I went to The King of Prussia Mall, at the time I just thought the ceiling looked cool. 

Little did I know this was an excellent example of serial plains! 

A skylight with geometric shapes:

Poof! With 3D terminology now they’re interconnected polygons. 

I’m beginning to think that with this class along with Art History I’m being brainwashed...