3D Final Concept - Glass Work

After completing a set of Design sheets, my next step was to look back at these ideas and develop the ones I liked the most and what i thought would work the best into a final piece. At this stage I know i wanted to work in either clay or glass so I started to tailor my designs with one of those directions in mind.

In the end, I ended up with 5 designs I felt would work and while drawing these out I came to the conclusion i wanted to work with colour in my piece so inturn turned my mind to a more solid glass piece. So stopping with my final piece for the moment I went and did a quick test with a few glass layered glass pieces to see what sort of effect the end piece would look like.

I did this, as first i wanted to see what the coloured glass would look like when layered in between to clear pieces. The main reason for this was out of my final designed I really like my bottom left piece. Which didn't just include crushed glass and clear, but also wire to help with the forming of a coloured pattern. After solidifying my idea, I went back to the Glass room and started on collecting the scrap glass I needed to work on this piece.

I decided instead of adding a mould to curve my piece, I'd just leave the piece flat. This was mainly down to the fact I didn't want the crush glass to have a chance to move even if just a little bit, for the fact the design could be lost if that happened.
As well as that, i decided on using bits of cut glass leaving space between each for the top layered, instead of one solid piece which i used in my test. I wanted to try this out as I feel it would give a more ridged effect to my piece making it more interesting to look at. This come into my mind when I was thinking whether or not I could set the piece on a mould.

Not the best photo, but this is my final piece after spending its time being in the kiln and I am very happy with the way it came out. The glass on the top most layer moved a little bit from being perfectly straight with the back piece but I much prefer this effect as It gives the piece more characteristics which I didn't even think to give it. I really like the way the shattered glass isn't the same in each space too. I think this will be down to not being anal about putting in the exactly same amount into each space. Overall I am very happy with this piece and have learnt a lot while working with glass. I know it will be hard to try and recreate this effect as well there are a lot of variables working in glass but that adds to its charm I think. I'll definitely come back to glass work again later down the line and try out some more experiments and tests.

3D - Design Sheets

Carrying on from my Research Sheets, my next brief was to work on some design sheets. I tried to develop shapes from my previous research and then developed them in such a way that I'd end up with a wide range of ideas and different examples of designs I could later make into a concept or piece.

With each of these sheets, I kept in mind about how I'd then make them. So the main materials I had in mind were glass, wood and clay having just had my induction into those workshops in college. I feel like making a piece out of wood would be the easiest and most straight forward. However I feel that having the layered effect of glass or clay would work really nicely with some of these designs that had overlapping aspects.

3D - Research Sheets - 21st Century Architecture

Following my work with styrofoam and having had an introduction to the different workshops. The next brief I received was entitled 'Research'. For this I was tasked with researching 21st Century Architecture and creating 2 work sheets which I then worked into them.
For my research I went over to Pinterest mainly as its easier to store the photos I find if i need them for a later date. After collecting a lot more then what I needed I went to work in creating my 2 A2 pages. First off I gave the sheets a quick watercolour wash to help break up the strong white background to help prevent making my drawings becoming very flat and 2D.

For this first sheet I wanted to go with a very square focused research sheet. After letter my black and brown wash dry I went to sorting my images I found and picked out some of my favorite modern buildings and torn them out to give the images a more organic look. Once stuck down I went to recreating some of the building with my own pen drawing. I wanted this sheet to be very neatly drawn as I felt the contrast with the rough background and sharply ripped images really helps the ink work pop off the page.

Now unlike my first sheet I went with a more curved image base and because of this I wanted my drawing to be very quick and less perfected to see what sort of design would come of this. Since its the opposite of the first I think the two sheets together look really nice but I still prefer the first mainly because of overall finish it ha.

3D workshop introduction/Health & Safety - Styrofoam Block

Moving off my old timetable of Fashion & Graphics for the past 4 weeks, I am now working on 3D work for 2 weeks then switching to Fine art for the final 2. Following this, in my first 3D class it was very much an introduction to everything in our 3D areas.
This included the use of the work shop but before being shown any of the machinery the first thing I was shown was all the fire exits just incase of a fire and where the emergency stop buttons around the room were and on each machine. Aswell as this I was shown where the first aid kit was kept by each sink and the Health & Safety board. Next was an induction to each machine and how they work, how to stand when using them and where goggles and gloves are kept. The key thing to remember in the work shop room, is the check and double check the machine is set up how you want it before using. On top of that none of the machines will work unless the extractor fan is turned on before using each machines. After being shown these things, I was shown how to turn on each machine and use them safely.
As well as the workshop we were shown around the clay and glass workshops and how to work safely in both. Having never worked with glass or clay I feel I'll be experimenting with these at some point just to get a handle on them and see what sort of effects i can get out of them.
However to quickly not down some of the key safety rules from each room, start off with Ceramics:
Like with any of the rooms, No eating or drink is in place as well as having phones turns off to avoid distractions. The ceramics room is very compact so having bags or portfolios would be a major tripping hazard so I was told to keep them out. The typical tidy as you work attitude and always returning stuff to where it could be. Clay dust is also a hazard if not cleaned up properly and remembering to wash hands after using any clay or glazes. When using sharp blades or scalpels to be extra careful to avoid harm. When shown into the Kiln room I was informed only the tutors are allowed to use the equipment in there, as well as the heavy plaster moulds which were kept in and around the room to ask for help when moving them. On the note of C.O.S.H.H [Control of Substances Hazardous to Health] data and the instructions on containers to be well informed and make sure I real all of them. For the data sheets themselves when I moved over to the workshop room, I was also shown where these were kept and the folders for each section but in the instance of ever needing them, It would be quicker to ask a tutor to find needed information.
Moving over to the glass workshop the same no eating or drinking rules apply throughout all work shops and to have phones turned off. As well as having no bags or portfolios on the floor to avoid tripping. Unlike ceramics, in glass goggles must we worn when working with the glass. That includes cutting and crushing, this is to avoid having small shards being transferred over to the eye. In the case of this happening each sink in every workshop has a first aid box for cuts, burns etc as well an eye wash hose. Hands and work stations to be brushed and wiped down after use, this is extra important after using stains or pigments [Which come with C.O.S.H.H data also]. With Glass you end up with alot of scrap bits and as such special bins are provided, this also means people don't end up putting scrap into general waste bins which could later cause harm to cleaners or other people. When stretching lead strip or wire, be sure to always maintain a well balanced stand. All machines in any room can only be used with staff supervision. Lastly in the glass room, it is key when using the sandblaster to wait until the dust has settled before opening.

Following in the morning of introductions, in the afternoon I was given a piece of styrofoam with my first 3D brief.
In quick one day brief was to produce a concept model for either a piece of jewellery/furniture/interior/exterior with a thought on how to join material together in a none traditional way such as glue. So after a quick sketching session to give myself a few ideas on shapes I could use.

What I liked about this brief was the amount of freedom we had, as we could make a chair but we weren't restricted by the style of it as long as it could function in some way as a chair. So from my quick sketches I worked from the letter 'h' a simple chair form into something abit more extreme and out there.
Once I moved over into the work shop, I did most of my work with a hotwire to cut out the shape i needed from the foam block and then did all the finer rounding work by hand with pieces of sandpaper.

Now thinking about how to join the pieces of the back and circles to the side was a very simple task. All I did was take some very short pieces of wire about half a cm and just pushed it into each piece. But overall I really like the way this concept piece came out, it stayed very true to much original idea of adapting the simplistic letter 'h' and just rounding out all the edges.

3D Object Light Photography

Having created a 3D letter at home, in graphics we experimented with lighting effects and how they're cast on objects. My 3D piece as seen below and in my previous piece is of a letter 'H' as I wanted to relate it back to my previous work around the phrase 'Honesty is the Best Policy'. Because of that I made my letter in such a way that it was rough and loose to give the impression of a hidden meaning such as the same with my phrase. As not all things are true and lies are everywhere.

With this I used two different set ups both with 1 lamp each on full brightness. One with a white background the other with a black. The goal was to take up to 20 shots or more of different angles, shadows and focal points.

First here are two shots both with something wrong about them, the first is overexposed and the second a miss focus on my point. All shots were taken under manual focus and settings. The main problem I had was the yellow tint on the bulb and going back I would sort out my white balance after every other shot.

One of the main problems shooting in manual is without a doubt reading the situation wrong and getting an over or under exposed photo or rushing the shot and miss placing the focal point.

All 3 of these shots have zero editing on them for now and i will later do an edit to clean up the backdrop and such but first lets me explain why out of all 20+ shots these are the 3 I feel have the best composition for what i was aiming for.
First up with this angle i made the main focus on the back part of the letter to allow the depth of field to blur out the front portion and allow the shadow to really take form. I really enjoy this photo as its really captures the shape of the shadow and the object.

Next up in this almost central shot, This is a great shot in my eyes as as of the placement of the letter on the backdrop [very near the back] you can see the way the shadow bends its way around and up the white sheet and I really like the way its almost creeping out form behind the letter. The only problem with this shot is the white balance is a little off but i feel even despite that it really works well.

My 3rd favourite shot is this poorly framed but elegantly focused shot. A little off with the framing but can easily crop out the white wall in photoshop. What really shines in this photo is the focus of the letter and how faintly the shadows lay on the letter and escape from underneath it because of the black backdrop. 

I really enjoy photography and consider myself a keen hobbyist and love experimenting with new ideas and concepts such as lamp lights in these shot and playing around with shadows. I really look forward to advancing this shadow play with a live model sometime soon. 

3D Letter Make - Needle & Thread

Carrying on with the currently theme of typography in graphics, I was tasked with making a 3D letter that I would then at a later date photograph with a single light to look at how shadows work. First however i needed to make a letter and since my cliche/phrase I'd been using for the past few objectives was 'Honesty is the Best Policy' I went with the letter 'H'.
I didn't just want to make any old clean cut letter 'H' though as my phrase has a lot of hidden meaning. So i decided to go to Hobbycraft who sell single letters made out of brown tape and pick up a letter 'U'. Which i then tripped apart to have 2 long sections and a curved section which i cut out to be straight. Then i got out the needle and thread.

First I punctured some holes in the front and back of all the pieces so I had some sort of guidance to where I should be sewing

After a lot of back and forth I created a quick basic stitch starting in the front then the back. At this point I noticed the piece would look best nothing being a perfect piece so I didn't focus to much on making perfect tight stitches or having the same number on either side. As well as that i decided to wrap some of the thread around the piece as i had drawn a little to much.

Above is the final piece, After repeating the same method on the first second i did the same for the second. Sticking with the red thread. Once i had it all connected to the point I felt it wouldn't fall apart when stood up, i added some green thread just to help break up the mass of brown paper texture. I think for a quick object made for a photo shoot to play around with lighting this turned out rather nice and not being 100% perfect should give the shadow a few nice rough edges.