Grid Art, Marilyn Monroe

Grid Art takes many forms. It's obvious modern day form is perhaps best realized in pixel based computer graphics programs like Adobe Photoshop. However, the idea of using a grid is nothing new. To get in touch with some of the earlier influences of grid art, I took my search to American Indian Bead Art. My search turned many corners until I finally settled on the image of Marilyn Monroe. My wife, Michelle is a big fan of Marilyn Monroe. I wanted to make something that would be meaningful to her. The image that I used for my "Marilyn" comes from Belkis Sanchez on Pinterest (Belkisaltsan12) www.pinterest.com/pin/308707749453617433/

I used 6/0 Beads from Hobby Lobby mounted on plexiglass using 50lbs fishing wire. 340 holes were drilled on the plexiglass to allow the fishing wire to string through and tie off in the back.

Flip Book Project, Trance Figure

"TRANCE FIGURE"

The "Flip Book" project started when I found a paper back novel ("Fifty Shades of Grey") in the trash. The concept of my flip book was to make a frame that would move around the page. Sort of a frame within a frame if you will... The dancing figure goes through a few transformations. This is where the title Trans Figure comes from... To make the "Frame", I used post it notes as a guide. I was able to post them, about a hundred or so at a time, and check the positioning by flipping the pages before committing to their placement.

The animated Dance Figure is named Klouse, and is influenced by the music of KMFDM, Ramstein & Kraftwerk. His main composition (Head and Torso) are the outlines of a dime and a quarter. His limbs were made by outlining different parts of a "D'Ring". He was created in a series of 12 step animations (thanks to my recent discovery of Muybridge) on card stock. I made a duplicate of the figures, and used an exacto knife to cut him out and make a stencil. The stencil was very basic, allowing for some modifications and transformations to happen while keeping the continuity of his movement.

The addition of other movements came after the main components were put in. They were more of an improvisation as opposed to part of a strict plan. The book is meant to be flipped from front to back. However, I did purposely add a few small details that make more sense when flipping from back to front. Lastly, the cover was created with card stock and spray adhesive to bind it to the original one.

B5, Camera Obscura

"CAMERA OBSCURA"

Camera Obscura dates back to antiquity. The earliest types were big enough to enclose the artist as well as his canvas or other medium. Before the development of the lens, a simple hole in one side of the box was sufficient to let in enough light and project it naturally on the other wall. Of course, the image was upside down.

For my Camera Obscura project, I chose to go mobile... My camera is approximately 18" x 18" x 24" with the hood. I used a mirror on the inside to flip the image right side up. This makes it easier to use. I also used acrylic sheeting for the viewing screen. It is cover with 2 layers of wax paper, which makes the image visible when reflected from the mirror.

The "Oracle" (aka, google) was quite useful when researching ideas on how to construct the project. My design is a combination of several designs that came up when doing a simple google search. The resources helped me more with concept than anything else though... I incorporated the use of an old Nikon telephoto lens to achieve the aesthetic look I was searching for. The construction of the box also had to be reinforced with more plexiglass and hot glue to support the weight of the lens and mirror. I've also incorporated a sliding tray design to allow the user to move the mirror and focus the image.





Several obstacles were encountered when construction my camera obscure.  The biggest problem was figuring out the distance for placing the viewing screen and mirror in relation to the lens. In order to figure out the focal point of the lens, I used a light bulb to project a focused beam of light on a wall. By moving the lens closer or farther away, I could see when it comes in to focus. The focal point for my lens was
approximately 18".










My Camera Obscura is quite useful even by todays standards. I used my camera to capture images of my drum set, the front yard, and my wife's massage room. I was happy with the level of detail I was able to capture, as well as the aesthetic of the color. I did have to experiment with camera distance from my subject in addition to mirror position in order to achieve an acceptable level of focus. However, the extra work was well worth it. I really like the natural vignette that seems to occur with the camera. I plan on using my camera on other project in the future to include still images, stop motion, and film.