By "recently", I mean a few months ago. There was once a paper log to complete the sculpture, but it has since been lost in a transitory shuffle. Additionally, at the time of creation, the environmental irony of creating a tree and forest-dwelling creature out of paper was not lost on me, or those who saw the finished project. However, it was still fun to make--the snail is small, extremely delicate, and has a hollow shell.
Chris Sickels, founder of RedNose Studios, creates sets and puppets "from a combination of wire, fabric, cardboard, wood, miniatures, and found objects". His work is whimsically unique and has been featured in magazines, newspapers, ads and animations.
More about Chris from HOWdesign.com:
"When he first started illustrating for HOW, Sickels had only been out of college for three years and was working part-time doing construction, installing and tearing down shows for museums in Cincinnati, while pursuing a freelance career on the side.
Today, Sickels is worlds away from where he started. "When I was first looking into colleges, I knew I wanted to go to art school, but I didn't know about illustration," he says. "I also didn't know people created things for magazines. I grew up on a farm, and we didn't have subscriptions to magazines. So, when I went to school, I figured I'd have to design shampoo bottles for Procter & Gamble or draw logos."
...of sorts. The structure material is foam core, and I went with a geometric/mandala design. The color is a blend of chalk and sand, which needless to say, was tricky to apply without excessive smudging.
I think the construction is a little weak, but I like the design and may use it again. Next time, I'd like to paint the pattern on first, then build up with a more delicate structure (the diameter of this piece is nearly three feet).
Jen Stark is a young, up-and-coming, Miami based artist. Her work is inspired by fractals, worm holes, MRI scans, and interestingly, dead bodies. (read more)
See more on her website.
It's been over a decade since my last foray into 3D work. While I'm not very enthusiastic about the completed piece, the process was worthwhile, so it's a start:
Ron Mueck is an Australian hyperrealist sculptor. More from Animation Nation:
"His parents were toy makers. He worked on children's television shows for 15 years before creating special effects for the 1986 film Labyrinth.
He then started his own company in London, making models to be photographed for advertisements. Now he's creating on his own and showcasing his work in places such as the Royal Academy, the Millennium Dome in London and the Venice Biennale."
I first mentioned Andy Goldsworthy here. This is a clip from the documentary about him, called Rivers and Tides.
"To make the pencil sculptures, I take hundreds of pencils, cut them into 1-inch sections, drill a hole in each section (to turn them into beads), sharpen them all and sew them together."
"The idea was of something beautiful, sculptural, but that you wouldn’t necessarily want to touch, and that also held a secret treasure. I never developed the small-metals skills to ever make the box, but it got me thinking about that kind of form. I started experimenting with different materials to make urchin forms. I found that nails, pushed through window screen, worked well, and I could use many different types and textures and colors of nails."
