[3D] String and Plastic Sculpture

DOTS, LINES and PLANES

Using a plane (a sheet of plastic) and some string, create a sculpture that looks interesting from all angles.

Using dots, we can form lines by connecting them. (With string)

These line will in turn, create planes. (Implied)

Process: 

I played around with drawing dots and lines on a paper first, and sewing from there. After a while, I realised that it looked really ugly, so I changed my method of approaching this project. I tried settling the shape of the plane first before adding the dots and lines. Instead of cutting randomly, I wanted to use letters of my name. I also wanted a structure where there is a balance between the plastic plane and the strings. The one that worked the best in my opinion, was the letter W. To make the form more interesting in all angles, I twisted the letter and tried to imagine how it’d look like if added some strings here and there. This is my study model.

I did not complete it as I thought I had a good enough gauge of how I want my actual model to look like. I liked how there are interesting positive shapes as well as negative shapes with this structure. I decided to move on to my final model from this point.

I planned to have 3 different sections for the strings. One forming vertical parallel lines with a slight twist from top to bottom, One intersecting in an asymmetrical shape, and the last one with an X shape.

Final Model:

I added a 50 cent coin at the bottom to serve as a weight to keep the strings taut, and also as a bribe for good grades. *wink*

Close-ups:

Reflections:

I would like to say I enjoyed this project, but I had more sorrows than joys while doing this. My sculpture was shaped in a way where I cannot work on it while putting it on the table. I had to hang it while sewing, which was extra difficult and I wished I had 4 hands. It kept spinning while I sew and since the strings are meant to be long, I had to pull out a lot of thread and it kept getting tangled while I was pulling them. It’s a very delicate sculpture and I also had to be extra careful while poking the needle through the holes as the tug of the strings will be affected if I shift the model around too much. Pushing the needle through the holes were also physically painful on my fingers. I wanted to throw myself out the window. The only joy I had with this project was when I finally finished it and I can see the actual product of my blood, sweat and tears.

If I were to do things differently, I would have tried out an N shape instead, which might have a stronger base, thus helping me make the strings more taut. I would also have tried hanging the model to sew, right from the beginning, so I wouldn’t have to struggle so much with it at first. However, I am really proud of the work I have done and I quite like it, especially how the shape flows and how the strings look when viewed from an angle where everything intersects.

Will I do this again? I hope not. But am I glad to have done it? Yes!!!

 

Leave a Reply

Skip to toolbar