I’ve realized recently that I haven’t shared many recent projects here on the blog. I would like to remedy that! So, this week, I’ll be sharing with all of you, dear Andropolis.org readers, some of the things that I’ve been working on over the past few months. I hope you enjoy!
Part 1: Materials Midterm
I’m currently taking a class called “Materials of Art & Design”. The purpose of the class is to expose us to a wide variety of tools and techniques, which we can later apply to future projects. Along with the traditional shop tools (drill presses, bandsaws, table saws, routers, lathes, etc), we also learn how to use laser cutters, how to make plastic molds, how to cast in bronze, etc. It’s a fun time! One of the nicest things about the class is that while we have to show skill on our finished pieces, they don’t necessarily need to serve a purpose, per se. We are relatively free to let our imagination (not outside constraints and parameters) guide the process.
For our midterm, the task was to create a piece that would combine use of the wood lathe, drill press, table saw, a handmade box, and the laser cutter. And this is the bizarre piece that I ended up with. I made a box with three interior spaces, placed upright. I drilled 1/4 inch holes through each side in the box, through which I placed a wooden dowel. To each end of the dowels I affixed a handle, shaped with the wood lathe. Inside of each space in the box is a smaller box, pierced by the dowel, each of which features four panels. On each panel is a face of a well known American celebrity or cultural icon. These faces were created in Photoshop and then burned onto the panels with a laser cutter. By turning the handles, you can change the configuration of the faces, and alter the triptych to your liking. By changing the combinations of faces, new relationships and contradictions are found between them. At least, that’s the idea. The whole thing was painted in a sort of “putty grey”. So yeah! There you go! Something I made. Not particularly useful, but it was definitely fun to work on!
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Comments (17)
Gavin wrote that on Jul 01 08 at 6:59 amI bet “T” was a big hit. Glad he made the cut.
andrew johnson wrote that on Jul 01 08 at 11:34 amThanks, guys! Yeah, Mr. T was a hit. Our instructor began to wax profound about what each figure represented, what type of symbol they served as. I can’t remember what he called MR. T, but it wasn’t terribly flattering.
lau wrote that on Jul 01 08 at 9:12 pmSo cool! Though I know it would be a bit much to post photos of each panel, could you instead list all the icons you used?
Sarah wrote that on Jul 01 08 at 9:38 pmI had a shard come out of my mouth about five days after my operation and it blew my mind. You’re art is great. Is that goign to go above the mantle?
andrew johnson wrote that on Jul 02 08 at 11:47 amThanks, guys! Lauren, I might go ahead and post photos of each panel, just so you can see them all. Soon!
Sarah, that’s disgusting. And awesome. But mostly disgusting. And, hey! Thanks for the compliment!
Thanks, mom!
Lev wrote that on Jul 02 08 at 11:53 amThis site has such great visual structure, Andrew! The way the diagonal lines and strong colors of the photographs contrasts against the comfortable, black-and-white grid layout of the page.
And it’s not just about the blog anymore, it’s about ALL of who you are. I feel like I would come to this site even if you weren’t blogging. Just to poke around.
cait wrote that on Jul 03 08 at 9:14 pmthis is so great. would love to know who the other icons were.
Madeline wrote that on Jul 04 08 at 7:05 amI agree with the beseeching voices for pictures of other icons!! and I also think it should go on your mantle…
Heather wrote that on Jul 04 08 at 2:48 pmI was trying to figure those things out by the pictures on flickr and couldn’t quite grasp their purpose. Glad to know now that it’s ‘cuz they don’t got one. :0)
Also, it’s good to be back in the Land of Andropolis. It’s been too long.
andrew johnson wrote that on Jul 04 08 at 4:58 pmAw, thanks Lev! I’m so glad you like it! It was definitely fun to put together.
Cait, Melon I’ll be posting photos tomorrow. Promise.
Heather, welcome back!
Mykgerard wrote that on Jul 06 08 at 12:11 pmThis is one brilliant piece of problem solving Andrew. It’s far from useless.
First off…I bet you could actually sell it for several hundred dollars at a gallery. Visually it’s very interesting.
As far as practical uses You could use this as a part of a board game that you create.
Andrew wrote that on Jul 06 08 at 3:45 pmThanks, Myk! That means a lot coming from you!
Also! I’ve gone ahead and posted a picture of all of the faces, right here. Enjoy!
atoosa wrote that on Jul 06 08 at 11:35 pmI agree with Myk. You could make a totally make a marketable game, or even a sociology midterm out of this piece. “Explain the contrasts and interactional relationships between iconic images….”
It made me laugh and think. I would put it on my mantle anyday….and if it had a game to go with it? Awesome.
Zane wrote that on Jul 09 08 at 11:31 pmI feel like a game could easily be made out of this, such as how are the three related, or asking people to create a story, sort of like 6 Degrees of Separation.
…and I just checked out the “”Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks,” it is absolutely wonderful, it has filled a void in my life-now I can be fulfilled.
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