stormstorm-04-blog

[stormstorm-04-blog]

[stormstorm-04-blog]

For the windows on the side, I had noticed that you could see a lot of the hot glue gun that i had use to glue them into the relic, making the relic look very untidy. I came up with the solution of making small frames for the windows, I did so by measuring the indside of the each panel, taking my measurements and marking it on less then 1mm MDF wood. I had to do this process many times as i was originally measuring the outside of the panels instead of the inside, leading it to be much bigger then needed, but eventually I learned from my mistake and got the hang of it. Once I was happy with the fit, I used wood glue and masking tape to keep it in place with constant pressure.

When I could see the small frame was firmly stuck, I began to blend it with the rest of the relic, with the same method. I also painted the frame of the lid, burgundy with then some shading of black on the edges and corners, to also match. But making sure the glass was untouched by any paint, i masking taped the edges. Once dried I sloted the lid on top, for this I didn’t use any glue, because it had an exact fit to the rest of the box, leading to it being a tight fit.

[stormstorm-04-blog]

I then wanted to work more on the outside of the relic, as the colour i had painted was too solid making it look new then more aged. So I proceeded to sanding each side, taking of some layers of the acrylic showing the MDF underneath, then I took black ink and a piece of cloth lightly blending it into the wood.

[stormstorm-04-blog]

Before I could glue the fabric and clay piece inside, I wanted to make a small stand to slightly raise my clay mask, this is so that it was not so flat or too low when you looked at it from the small rectangular windows on the sides. To do so I used scrap pieces of unwanted MDF, two small rectangular pieces and one arched to fit the back of the clay snug. To fit these pieces together, I cut small squares on the corners of the two bottom pieces to allow the top piece to fit on top like a puzzle piece, then gluing it together and to the middle of the base with a hot glue gun.

Completing that, I then cut up my canvas fabric that I had previously dyed with inks, to cover the base and the stand, but making sure the the stand was still prominent, so that when the clay piece was to be stuck, that it wasnt just to the fabric but to the stand too, keep the piece secure.

[stormstorm-04-blog]

I noticed in multiple relics it had layer of fabric or cushion on the inside as a form of respect for the person or object inside, I couldn’t find the right sample of fabric to fit the relic so I cut small squres of canvas, dying it with multiple shades of inks. I came up with four colours I believed would go well. But I went with a dark green earthy tone to go inside, as it was a perfect contrast with the burgundy, but it also would look like leaves from far away, giving the relic a form of illusion and an extra speciality.

[stormstorm-04-blog]

When the hot glue had harden, I measured on scrap pieces of clear acrylic with the measurements of the two small windows of either sides, to fit to scale. I then cut them out using the bansaw, once again using the glue gun to fill in any gaps giving it a sealed window finish.

The colour of the relic, I experimented with multiple shades of earth colours and reds, I went with a dark burgundy shade, as it gave it a royalty accident vibe. Then went ahead and gave it two coats of acrylic paint, all over, but making sure for the lid of the relic, I masking taped the edges of the glass, to keep it neat and a clean edge.

[stormstorm-04-blog]

The relic boxs itself, I cut 1mm thick wood to fit the inside of the frame, with the height of 4inches(I also made a base to go with it to place the clay piece on top of) then hot glue gunning the corners together. For the windows on either sides, I found the middle of both lengths of the box which was 3mm, then mesasuring 2mm from 3mm on both sides, giving it the thickness of 5mm, I made the length 210mm.

[stormstorm-04-blog]

Happy with the final structure, I gave it to one of my tutors to have it put in the kiln to make it rock solid. It was then given back to me with a all white base, I was originally just going to glaze it, but I then changed my mind and decided to give it a preserved mummy skin colour, which the Inca Maiden inspired me to go for. I went with this, because it was in between the look of being alive but also aged and dead, which in my opinion is a great contrast. In order for me to achieve this i used acrylic, but watered down, so that the colour wasn’t so over powering but still visable.

[stormstorm-04-blog]

I started of by smoothing out the clay and filling in any gaps that were not captured by the press moulding process. Once I was finished doing so I outlined with a knife one side of the face of a human skull, to replicate the phobia of death. Before this I took pictures of my models teeth to help me recreate on the clay piece, I also did this to help me outline the natural skull that would fit perfectly in contrast of the models face. After i was happy with my outline, i began to carve out the jawline to create a clear difference between both sides, the nose, the eye socket, the brow bone, corner of the mouth and in between the lips. Then I extended the cheeck bone, smoothing it out with water and my fingers, with then me taking a ruff bristle brush to create texture of raw bone.

For the teeth I hand moulded them each, starting with the bottom row of teeth first, as I noticed while looking at multiple pictures of skulls, that the teeth should naturally over lay one another, with the top row on top, slightly covering the bottom row of teeth. Till I was pleased with the shape of the teeth, i then maped them out onto the main piece, with each section i made small crosshatch indentations, so that when I applied slury to the back of the teeth to stick it, it had a secure base to stick to, preventing any falling off in the future.

Moving onto the other side of the face, representing the fear of holes. With the techniques that I picked up from my model I began to use, a scewer, small detail brush(the handle) and a knife to cut off any excess to give it a small finish. With this side I didn’t really plan where i wanted the holes to be, i went with the structure of the face to help guide me, meaning I placed the holes that looked more natural instead of in random occurrences taking over the detail of the face.

[stormstorm-04-blog]

Once I was happy with the results of my model and knew what i needed to do, I then got hold of a male model who was willing to allow me to cast their face, using vaseline for any facial hair, eyebrows and eyelashes(this prevents pain for the model when taking off the cast and any removal of hair), plastic bags to cover the models clothes, headband to move the models hair out of his face, mud rock strips for the cast itself and water to wet the mudrock to smooth over the face with my fingers, capturing the fine details within the face. I was going to build and sculpt the face from scratch, but i wanted my clay piece to look more realistic rather than a cartoon character.

After I had removed the cast off the male models face, I allowed it to set for a day so that I could press mould it with wet pieces of clay, which when i had finished doing so, I then lightly used a hairdryer on it allowing it to slightly harden (but not fully), so that when I removed it from the cast I had a firm surface to work into that was still wet enough. To help support my clay piece abd prevent it from braking from any pressure I would be applying, I took a large piece of clay, moulding it to the fit of the back of my piece to lay it on top of, covering it with newspaper and masking tape so that it didn’t stick to one another.

[stormstorm-04-blog]

On another A1 sheet I developed some of my ideas that I saw potential in to be my final, into photoshop, to help me visualise what outcome i wanted, and to figure out what would be the best media to use. I came to the conclusion that clay would be perfect, as I could easily sculpt features, shapes and it would give me the perfect accident look when it has dried that I was after. So I went onto making my model as a form of practice for the real thing, this was a important step as I could crack down on what was the best techniques, for example what to use to help me build the holes, to either poke straight through the hole, then building a wall behind it to help give the illusion or to carve into the clay not going all the way through. I went with going straight through the clay as it gave me more circular holes and saved more time.

[stormstorm-04-blog]

After secondary research of the Pompeii Eruption and the Inca Maiden, i wanted to go for something figurative and proserved as if it was a discovered relic, from another ear of time. Which then led me into the subtitle of phobias, the two I decided to combine and experiment with was the fear of death(Thanatophobia) and the fear of holes(Trypophobia). I choose these two as i once had the fear of death but now have the fear of holes, leading to my final piece to be more personal and meaningful.

[stormstorm-04-blog]

After the two weeks was finished, I then collected multiple images of Relics (onto a A1 sheet) from the V&A, off Google or pictures my tutor took from an expedition she saw while abroad, as she knew I was quite inspired by them and wanted my work to be leading into this direction. The reason why I was inspired by relics, is because I always liked the idea of a frame that is usually used for flat surfaced artworks, to something that is three dimensional to me it was something fasinating. Once I had visual inspiration, i then brainstormed ideas of my own.

[stormstorm-04-blog]

[stormstorm-04-blog]

At the start of our FMP project we were taken to multiple expeditions, on the course of two weeks, this was done so to help us explore, to be inspired and to pick out of all of the themes on the brief (that were transcription, fears, borderlines and moon landing)which one we wanted to base our project on. The expeditions we were taken to was The National Gallery, Science Museum, V&A, Royal Academy, Whitechapel Gallery, TATE and was taken along the Southbank for Borderlines. The theme I decided to go with was fears, as I as an artist, like to try and capture and produce emotion within my work, my inspiration mainly came from the V&A with the statues, relics and the 3D miniature work they would place in a frame, as you could see and feel how they were feeling through the raw emotion the artist captured, weather it had to do with death or fear, which then guided me into the subtitle of phobias.

[stormstorm-04-blog]

Evaluation

What I learned from this project was to think outside of the box, and that it is fine to have your work not be so obvious, on what it is representing. My initial ideal was to have a series of illustrations and figures, of the trauma that led and caused my character to have CPTDS. But my teacher sat down and explained to me why that wouldn’t give a strong affect. At first i was determined that i would not change my idea, but after a few run throughs of different ways to present it, we then agreed on an idea. Another reason i was so determined on my original idea, is because i felt as though there was no other way to express the emotions that are involved in this particular subject, but in fact by having it so open and simple it stresses the emotion even more that I expected.

Another thing that I learned, was to ise different materials and methods, such as screen printing and foam boards. For the structure of the room, i was originally going to use MDF wood, but as I didn’t have enough time, foam boards were the best option. I found with using this material, it gave me somewhat a lot of freedom, for example the zigzag structure of the images, only required clothes pins from fashion, and to have the base cut in the same shape in order to be attached. No glue, nails, sanders or hammers needed, which lifted me from stress as i was dreading using the material, ad I haven’t had a great relationship woth it in the past.

One last thing that i learned was, to feel comfor table in destroying my work, that means buring it or cuting it and ripping it apart to make it something new wothing its self. I did this with the miniature table a chairs i made, by buring them and allowing the flame to take control over where it wanted to burn. And with many of my prints, i pulled them apart, sort of making a collage. The reason why I wasn’t comfortable with destroying my work is because i felt as though if i did, those on the outside looking in wouldn’t be able to tell what it is meamt to be, i came to tge conclusion with the final illustration of the heart and brain, with cut up pieces around it, that it doesn’t matter, as long as you the artist know what it is, art is meamt to be left for those to interpret it how ever they proceed it to be.

In conclusion i think my project and final piece, goes well under the title of black mirror, as it gives off the dark emotion to it that is what i wanted it to come across as in the beginning. I also like that i went with the idea of not having the images so figurative, as you would look at it and would not think nothing more of it, but just a story. But how i have done it, makes you think more, and question what happened, what does it all symbolise and who it connects with, which is what my aim was at the start. Also I really am proud of that i was able to give my model that room feeling that i was trying to achieve, but instead of a box room that I originally wanted, the structure came out more or a zigzag shape, which worked out better that i thought.

[stormstorm-04-blog]

I pinned all the foam borads together on one big piece, but in a zigzag formation, so that the images where they are reflecting one another, gives a more realistic illusion. It was only natural to have the rest of the images to follow this same pattern, as if it didn’t the focus would be taken off the images.