Abstract Form

Assignment

Project #3: Abstract Form

Formal	abstract, closed and hollow form, texture, pattern, proximity, color
Technical	Maquette/sketch creation interior structure creation additive method
Conceptual	Create a form that can be placed in any position (don’t think of the object having a top or bottom) and incorporates contrast in surface/concept

Description:

• You will create a hollow form that can be placed in any position using plaster, wire mesh, and plaster gauze to create a surface skin over the mesh structure  
• Create a maquette of this form using oil clay, sketches, digital representations, etc.
• 14-18″ in size for a final form
• can incorporate color, decoupage, screenprint, or other surface treatments in addition to texture

Process

The only inspiration I took into this piece was the idea of ribs. I originally wanted to paint the ribs on its general abstracted form. Which would include a pair of rips jutting out of place. As I started forming the object with chicken wire, I slowly forgot about my sketch and just started cutting, removing, adding and bending wire into whatever looked more interesting. I think this worked out well since the objective was not to make it look naturalist but something abstract.

When adding the plaster, I tried to smooth it out as much as possible when wet to save my self from extra work later. As I was sanding it, I tried not to focus on getting a perfectly smooth texture, but to just focus on removing big bumps. After all, this was based on the idea of ribs sitting out decaying. I didn’t think it needed to be “perfect”.

When it came to painting it, I simply didn’t feel the urge to paint individual ribs anymore. I wanted to paint it all one solid bone-white/cream color. However, there was no yellow paint available for me to mix into a cream. So I threw all plans out the window and just used whatever paint came out of the bottle too fast. I used dry-brushing in hopes of giving it an interesting texture/color as a last-ditch effort to make it look more dynamic.

Final Product

At the end, I actually really enjoyed the color of the piece. Someone had said the color almost looked metallic which I really liked. It was also compared to a cornucopia, Dorito, shark, and more. Hearing what everyone’s interpretation of it was, was the best part of the project for me. In my eyes it’s still ribs though, and I think the metallic color contrasts interestingly with that. What I pictured as decaying and broken down is now armored and strong.

The most dynamic aspect of the form is the shape. There are a lot of gestural lines that give the piece movement. Not only that, but it truly can be placed and rotated any way and still have things going that makes it dynamic from every perspective.