Body extensions

For this assignment we must create something that attaches to the human form in some way, strengthening one of the senses while masking another. Immediately my mind began to wander towards different inventions such as armor for protection and video games that can create an alternate universe for the imagination to explore. 

I have a fascination with mythology and the beauty of the surreal, so I began thinking of a winged being. Upon further research I found a combination of diagrams and images of working flying devices, such as hang gliders and wing suits, as well as sculptures that reference angels and creatures of myth. 

I want to combine both of these things to create something that, in theory, would work similar to those other examples. For the presentation I would wear the costume and only have it interacting with the wind. Fabric from the "wings" would be flowing down and attached to the sleeves of a shirt so that if a gust of wind came, it would cause my limbs to move with the wings and if I wanted to I could potentially use my strength to control the wings. 

Sketches to be uploaded

Found Objects

This project was tough. I had so many different ways to go with it. I started out by looking at my images from the Go Project to find inspiration. There was one particular photo with the chairs in the street right after the snow that got me thinking. 

I decided to go in that direction with found objects. The idea was to create several tiny, makeshift chairs in the woods that represented someone trying to claim an unclaimable space. 

The structures are fairly minimal, containing mostly natural elements, although there are different themes to each of them. One is made of sticks and twine, while another is a rusted skeleton of some long forgotten building material, with a web containing the core of an apple. 

In the next few weeks, the structures will change and decay. More pictures will be uploaded.

Webspace

One of the tougher assignments in the class: Making a webpage.

In the past two weeks I have become very familiar with html code and Dreamweaver. I am still working out the kinks, but overall it is coming out alright. My biggest problems are finding ways to display photos and information without opening new windows or clogging up the space. It really is all about design and organization. 

Right now all that's included in the site is the structure for assignment one, the images of the Go project, and most recently, the found object sculptures, which has also been tough.

Here's the link: http://userpages.umbc.edu/~tt57732/ 

GO

Assignment Two "Go" 

For this project, we were required to take a walk around the community and find certain elements we had not noticed before.  I walked close to the UMBC campus in an area of Catonsville. It was a walk I had taken many times, but I never noticed how the highway divided the community between a friendly, family oriented neighborhood and cold, unemotional apartment buildings.  I documented with my camera how in front of the rows of houses there were gardens, lawn ornaments, and chairs.  On the other side of the bridge, there was nothing. A few bus stop benches and a sign stating "Private Property". The atmosphere had changed. 

The formal aspects of the project: a webpage, photographs, and found objects. 

I've had some trouble learning certain aspects of dreamweaver and html, but my site is coming together. For a while I was unsure of what to use as the homepage because I didn't want anything too flashy or too dull. I ended up using a drawing I made that was based off of a

 combination of photographs from the journey. 

Another thing I've had trouble with was limiting my photographs down to ten. I to

ok so many and there were so many different elements that I discovered in the walk.

Many of the "found objects" I had to photograph because we were not able to take them with us.

Assignment One.

It took me a while to decide what to do for this project. I began by thinking about more realistic replications, but after a few dozen sketches, I came across a simple idea involving the swirling of a wave. I wasn't sure how to use it in my work, so I decided to just dig in with different materials for maquettes and see where that led me. Turns out, my best supplies were actually some wire coat hangers. My idea continued to transform as I worked with the materials and, eventually, I had to go back to the drawing board. These sketches were for the new idea; it was now less of a wave, and more of an abstraction of an atomic structure of sorts, with the wires joining together in the center to make a large knot.

Now, the hard part. Getting started with the final was the most difficult because I didn't want to use any adhesives, only the strength of the wire. As I proceeded there were problems with the wires breaking and moving about, making it extremely hard to get it to stand. I wanted the final product to be fairly dense without completely obstructing the view of the inner knot, but after a certain point it became almost impossible to add more wires to the structure. I have thought about creating several more to interact with this piece, but right now I do not have the supplies.

I really enjoy the way the light hits the piece, creating very interesting shadows. For presentation, I plan on using natural light and allowing the piece to be handled by other students, allowing each person to interact with it differently.