3D Research and testing 23nd September

Research and testing 23nd September

The first day of 3D started with a debriefing and a look at what 3D covers. The tutor asked us to name things that could be made in 3D. With the group naming so many things it was obvious that the board wouldn't be big enough.

3D covers much more than just sculpture. It includes things like architecture, origami, packaging and car design. 3D basically covers anything that's made in the three dimensional world. Something I never really thought about was packaging. Someone has to design it, and it should be more than just a practical 'container'. It has to also be a design that interests and encourages people to buy the product. Architects have to make models of their designs for clients so they can easily visualise the building. The design also has to be structurally sound because it's no use designing a building that doesn't stand up.

I was given a long list of artists' names. Each artist worked in 3D in their own specialist area. I started going through the list one by one, hoping for one that would catch my eye. There were some very interesting artists on the list, but out of them all, the two that interested me most were Jane Adam and Wendy Ramshaw.

Both Jane Adam and Wendy Ramshaw are jewellery designers with very different styles. I was drawn to Jan Adam's work because of its simplicity and the beautiful colours of her interesting abstract take on nature. Each piece had a smooth flow which I found enjoyable to look at. Wendy Ramshaw's work on the other hand, has a busy mechanical side with thin wire making sentimental shapes, that have an almost Steampunk feel to them. Each pattern was eye catching.

Having looked at the works of both designers, I tried out some ideas. First thing that came to mind was 'nature meets machine'. I talked to the tutor about any glass I could use to achieve this. At the back of the workshop where the blowtorches are kept, the tutor took out some long thin glass strips and showed me how to melt them. I'd never tried anything like this and was sure I'd be leaving with something missing at the end of the day, or at the very least, some part of me burnt. I came to grips with the glass and begun to understand how to shape and mould it. Speed is the key; the glass heats quickly and cools even faster. I only had a short time to manipulate it.

I also tried using the spot welder. I enjoyed this, not only because it fused two pieces of metal so easily, but because of the beautiful sparks it gave off. It was like watching tiny stars falling to earth.

I could of spent all day (and most of the colleges supplies) experimenting, but I had to call it a day and go home to do some more research. I had many ideas in my head and needed to sort them out.