MODULE 2
3-dIMENSIONAL
CONTRASTS
A tile. A mask. A structure.
PART ONE
TILES
Geometric to Organic
Rough to Smooth
Economy to Intricacy
Dominant to Subordinate
Symmetry to Asymmetry
Expected to Unexpected
CONTRASTS & DESIGN PROCESS
The act of thinking about how contrast can be made on a blank slate--six plain white tiles--there are endless possibilities here, yet it is challenge:
While less is more, less requires intentional thought. Each element must be meaningful.
Some of these tiles came by chance, by playing with unintentional pieces of clay and finding the beauty and qualities in it. While others required more thought.
All of these, however, are designed with a creative eye by finding appreciation of the relationship from one element and another.
Below are my sketches and thought process with each one.
& MORE
When I play with the clay in my hands, I am drawn to create spheres, roll the clay into worm-like shapes and twist it into unique pieces.
It was fun to consider how textures could be used in these designs, creating rough or smooth textures, and using any object around me to create it. Using the noodle maker was a great help to flatten the clay and to make imperfect noodle-like pieces like linguine or angel hair! Once these noodle pieces were made, I liked to crumple them up, discover textures, and construct them into abstract forms, like I did with the knot in the unexpected to expected tile, and in the geometric to organic tile as well.
It was tricky making these tiles knowing two more 3-D forms will be built off of and influenced by them. Both the mask and pavilion following will use the tiles as influence in creating their structure.
Despite the challenge, this project was exciting and encouraged me to apply the design elements and principles I've learned so far. I appreciate each experience I get to create and learn, and I look forward to seeing how these tiles will progress throughout the module.
PART TWO
MASK
First, I brainstormed.
I took inspiration from the most intriguing tiles and considered how they could be transformed into a mask.
The goal of this one was to be very dramatic. I took inspiration from my convex-concave project by using a similar form as the concave one. Then, using the tiny geometric shapes from the tiles to make the economy to intricacy contrast.
This mask was based on the rough to smooth tile. I liked the idea of making some of the openings in the rough texture be for the eye. Also, I wanted this one to look like bark or wood on a tree--something very natural and organic.
With this mask, I based it off of the expected to unexpected tile, but I wanted to make the knot become very large and sit on top of the head.
THE CLAY PROCESS
Mask one
Expected to Unexpected
Mask two
Geometric to Organic
& MORE
Once I started the first mask, I decided there was no need for the tiny shapes because the mask is wonderful enough as is! It took a little bit of consideration for me because I really liked my original idea, but when I placed the mask on the face, there was no denying how stunning the simpler mask looked on its own.
I've discovered there is one major thing that makes these masks strong; it is the drama. For without the dominant features of the masks--the knot and the concave eye--the masks would lack the sense of attraction and curiosity that intrigue the viewer--what makes the viewer want to keep looking at them.
I am very happy with how the masks came to be and ended up. I love how I continue to love each project more than the last!
PART THREE
PAVILION
In the final part of this module, I made a pavilion inspired by my tiles and masks.
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Resembling my design process throughout the module, I first sketched to brainstorm some ideas for a pavilion. I created three possible designs for the pavilion considering human scale, materials to built it, and of course texture, space and angles as well.
The lines in the front of the structure coming out of the knot formed paths that I imagined humans to walk through if the design were actually created. I love the shadows that the lines and the spaces in between them make--it is a space I would love to walk through and experience.
The pavilion design sort of came alive on its own once I started placing the clay in certain positions. Strongly wanting to use the knot again in my design, I made thin, long lines out of clay and placed them over a small cardboard box so that they would be able to dry in a standing position like in my first two sketches.
As I repeated this placement of the thin lines over the box, I got to a point where I had several ends dangling off to the side. Because these lines were too long, I considered cutting them off before the clay dried, but instead formed them into a knot as an experiment at the end of class. And it turns out...the messy knot ended up being the central piece in my design!
After working with this knot throughout the progress of the module, the pavilion truly made the knot feel alive. It is an unexpected quality, yet a moving, changing, and dominant piece in my tile, mask, and pavilion. It is an abstract, architectural design.