7-10/1/19 Me and my partner for this project discussed the ideas we have already had for this project title. We quickly realised coming up with ideas for 'dependent' was a lot easier than finding things in symbiosis. So we mind-mapped our thoughts and ideas to help identify a viable pathway:
Looking at the interdependence of systems in the human body
On my Pinterest board I looked at the some various ideas including the interdependence of planets and their movement.
TeamLab - pLANETS |
The interactive elements of this installation really appeal to me and bring the observer into the work so their actions become part of the attraction: in this case the lights change.
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Me and Lily have agreed that a pop-up installation at a university would give us more flexibility with the design. She has been looking more at the muscle and bones while I have been looking at the circulatory system.
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As Lily is from a more 'Fine Art' background she brings a great conceptual element to the project.
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Book I have looked at:
- 'The Visual Dictionary of Human Anatomy' Eyewitness Visual Dictionaries
- https://www.myvmc.com/anatomy/cardiovascular-system-heart/ - a bit of general research (also the book bellow)
- https://www.bhf.org.uk/ - charity 1
- https://heartresearch.org.uk/ - charity 2
- https://www.anthonynolan.org/ - charity 3
- https://www.nhs70.nhs.uk/ - charity 4
- https://www.healthline.com/health/stem-cell-research
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323343.php - "Peripheral stem cells: A person receives several injections that cause their bone marrow to release stem cells into the blood. Next, blood is removed from the body, a machine separates out the stem cells, and doctors return the blood to the body."
- https://blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/fifty-years-of-human-heart-transplants/
- https://www.ippinka.com/blog/3d-heart-implants-artificial-heart-printed-order/ - interesting read
- https://sciencing.com/make-model-pumping-human-heart-6590255.html - technical inspiration on creating a heart that beats: in the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, they had installed panels on the floor that lit up with pressure, I noticed how people of all ages enjoyed this simple cause and effect and would like to create something that had the same kind of interactive aspect. For example, the ability to walk past the model of a heart and effect its beating would be interesting.
- heart prosthetic that beats - made for television - https://www.instagram.com/p/Bj8U69OHaBR/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
- https://www.news.gatech.edu/2017/12/13/piezoelectric-tiles-light-way-kennedy-space-center-visitors - While in America I visited the space center and noticed how people liked interacting with these.
- https://labiotech.eu/bioart/biology-art-berlin-central-station/ - pop-up attraction at a train station to captures people interest in Biology. I like how it is a great combination of art and science.
- https://www.wired.com/2010/01/slime-mold-grows-network-just-like-tokyo-rail-system/
- http://meredithwoolnough.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-mandala-series.html
- http://www.aurorarobson.com/sculpture-installation/ - An artist who produces inspiring installation pieces
- https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/new-exhibition-seeks-to-explain-trauma-through-art-1.2436884
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-news/8383363/Artist-uses-live-cells-to-create-new-form-of-design.html - "A new technique which records the shapes made by human cells as they react in the body" http://www.joberry.co.uk/ - cool website with video backdrop
With this piece above, I really like the use of gentle pink/reds rather than harsh blood reds. For an installation to attract people I wouldn't want it to repulse people so the less graphic and gruesome the better.
- https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/bio-art-microbes-and-machines/index.html - art and science meet to educate the public
Statement of Intent
For the Interdependent themed project Lily and I have decided to work on separate installations both based on the the interdependent relationship of systems in the human body; Lily is looking at the skeleton while I am looking at the circulatory system and cells. I have decided to create a design for an installation in our university that will raise awareness for the Anthony Nolan for Stem Cell charity which will encourage donations for their research and people to sign up to the register. After research and discussion with my partner I came to the decision that my installation should be a balance between an artistic sculpture but also have an interactive element, something for people to react to and draw them in, hopefully thereby creating a lasting impression and impact.
Photo Reasearch
Sketching on Wacom: exploring ideas around the heart and veins
12-14/1/19 Some images of what I I have investigated around the idea of the human heart as it is what pumps the blood around the body which transports the cells.
I began by sketching the heart and veins to get me started which led to placing the heart model within the space. The heart is suspended by the rope like veins or modelled with the much larger tube like veins.
![Picture](/uploads/1/0/2/3/102360428/heart2_3.png)
Above, I like the idea of the heart having a light inside it to draw people towards it.
Sketching on Wacom: exploring ideas around cells and blood
Some layered digital drawings:
experiments with super sculpey |
16/1/19 These sculpey experiments are merely place holders for a heart made that can inflate and deflate for the effect of breathing.
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superimposed sculpey heart
The sculpey hearts with acrylic paint:
This one below has PVA glue painted on to create a glossy effect.
experimenting with clingfilm
Inspired by my Pinterest research I went about experimenting with heating up the clingfilm when stretched between the hot glued lollypop sticks. The heat gun didn't work but I discovered that the hot glue gun head itself melted holes in the plastic. I went on to layer this up and then paint with watered down acrylic to get the pinkish/red colours.
These are the responses I got when asking for peoples opinions amongst my peers:
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using google sketchup to plan my maquette
Using the same foam board as a the maquette I will experiment with paint on the board so I will have a back coloured/textured background.
Below, some experiments with acrylic paint and white pen:
I like the bottom on the left test piece similar to the digital drawings. The vein pattern on the bottom right is not as good as the digital version - I might redo it with red pen on top rather than using a brush. The bottom middle is textured with glued down tissue paper but the effect came out too messy for my liking.
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The image above is of plastic with holes made in it to try to mimic the effect of the painting on the left, middle top.
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Here is my test pieces with the cling film layered on: the one on the left mirrors the pattern of the film holes which looks good but I like how the veins on the right are a bit different. The veins would also draw together the cotton veins and the painted background. Having a darker pattern behind looks better than a lighter one, gives more depth to it, I might try another experiment that makes the vein pattern closer and darker.
Mock-up of the maquette with a large scale pattern:
To explore this idea... |
I took my original digital drawings of cells, broke it down to the separate layers and will try to animate them on Adobe Photoshop. I also redrew digitally the vein pattern to create one more like the brush strokes I made in my acrylic experiments.
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Here is my animated outcomeI used photoshop's ability to make the animation and adjusted positions and opacity. After looking into various ways of saving my animation I found - through trial and error mostly - a way to make a gif that looped continuously and seamlessly. I converted my animation to an image sequence, then duplicated the images and attached the copy to the end of the first set in reverse order created a type of "bounce" back so my gif would finish where it started, resulting in a loop. I created the frames and then the gif itself on photoshop also.
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(For upload to my blog I had to greatly decrease quality and export as
an MP4 to post to youtube which I could then link to here)
an MP4 to post to youtube which I could then link to here)
Painting on the maquet
For the sake of the maquette I painted the texture on to the foam board - doing this neatly to mirror that of my perfectly made work on the computer took more time than it would appear to have - in the real installation It would be this moving, shifting background projected on to the white walls. Below, the paining of the veins on the pink:
Below, the next layer of the paint. I was worried that with out the movement the veins would be lost and it would lose the layered effect I was trying to represent but luckily as the layers get gradually darker the effect was preserved.
I was not pleased with the look of the heart suspended in the maquette: it looked too messy, didn't hang down like I was envisaging the veins coming more out of the walls but as I needed to line up the end of the cotton with the vein paining marks I didn't attempt it on here (at this point).
The heart model I made is also too big for this moquette |
I want to work out new proportions for my next attempt, so I made this Sketchup model with the size of the sculpey heart to help gage the size.
I am happy with my new proportions - this way the heart can be suspended on the cotton much lower and have some cotton coming through the walls. I am yet to work out how to keep the outside of my model neater as the tape and cotton doesn't look very professional; I could potentially use white electrical tape to cover the cotton securely on the outside.
My original designs had a ceiling on the moquette but I didn't do this as it would block the view of the inside originally. However, with the slightly bigger model I might be able to do this.
My original designs had a ceiling on the moquette but I didn't do this as it would block the view of the inside originally. However, with the slightly bigger model I might be able to do this.
my final model
Below, using a thick needle with the thread I tried feeding it through the foam
board; this worked so I used it on my final model.
board; this worked so I used it on my final model.
Above, is my finished model with the heart suspended on the cotton. On the outside to hold the cotton I used white electrical tape as it was strong and fixed well to the foam board. The cotton through the walls themselves looked really neat and created a much better overall effect than bunching it up on the "ceiling": on the final image I show a close up of the cotton meeting the start of a cluster of veins like in my original drawings. I can imagine in the real gallery setting the shadows would look great particularly if the projection worked as they would be intermingled with the movement of the background and shifting light changing their position.