STEP 1: PROTOTYPING/SKETCHES
Ideations!
Ideations pt 2!
Ideations pt 3!
Ideations pt 4!
Final Idea!
These were some of my initial sketches for the project. First, I was considering my found object to be a pair of glasses. I was thinking about how I could distort the idea of glasses being used for sight by covering up the lenses in some capacity. I thought of maybe making the glasses into a plant, or even a traffic light, but I wasn't sure how that would be structurally sound, and the idea wasn't the most interesting to me.
Then, I realized I had an old jewelry holder laying around that was a really cool shape and thought it would be cool to work with! I was a little stuck on what to do with it but I was talking to my roommates and they suggested making one side of the holder a bug, and keeping the other side as is.
I liked the idea of the bug but continued brainstorming for a little bit until I thought of instead making a turtle instead! I figured it would be a cool concept and could make a commentary on the fashion industry!
STEP 1.5: INSPIRATION
I was inspired by the #savetheturtles trend that was going around in the late 2010s, early 2020s. People would constantly be saying the phrase: "save the turtles," especially in reference to plastic usages. When I was considering what would subvert the function of the jewelry holder I thought that it needed to be something that isn't very materialistic, and doesn't hold any monetary value.
Step 2: IN PROGRESS !
These are some of the steps in my process to designing this piece! I spent a lot of time designing the turtle in Fusion360. Since I was trying to get it to interface with my found object, there were a lot of different measurements I had to make and then double and triple check cause I was writing them down wrong. I also ran into a bit of trouble trying to properly hollow out the turtle in Fusion360 but eventually got it to work!
Getting to see the turtle 3D printed was really cool because I had never done any 3D printing before. Since the turtle was hollowed out, I had to rip out the supports that were covering the bottom, and ended up making a huge mess. It took around 20-30 minutes just to rip them out, and Alyssa had suggested just ripping off the fins to make the process easier, so I ended up with a avocado shaped blob. But, the I glued the fins back on and it was really starting to look like a turtle!!
STEP 3: FINISHING TOUCHES
Turtle on Display
This is my finished work! I painted the turtle on one side to look more realistic, or a least resemble more of a turtle. The turtle hooks onto the jewelry holder that I used as my found object. However, in order to keep it more secure, I added a twist tie that functions to keep the two pieces together even stronger. Since the tie is also made out of plastic, and looks the be restraining the turtle it it also works a different level. The other side of the piece is one side of my found object, which closely resembles a dress, and some tissues were added to make the it look more like clothing.
Turtle on Display, PROJECT STATEMENT :
For this project, I wanted to create a structure that evoked meaning but wasn't exactly apparent at first glance. Beginning with choosing my found object brought an interesting wave of ideas to mind, mostly focused on commentaries with fashion and beauty. The jewelry holding having the shape of a dress lent itself very well to tackling one of these issues. As someone who thrifts most of my clothing, I often consider the pros and cons of thrifting vs. buying firsthand. But, probably the biggest pro has to be its positive effect on the environment. There are large quantities of microplastics and other materials that are harmful to animals in many types of clothing. The travel of clothing and trash containing these harmful substances from landfills to the ocean is still very much a problem. With this piece, I wanted to tackle one of the animals that are at the forefront of this movement, turtles. I wanted to create a juxtaposition between the turtle and the jewelry holder by draping clothing (or in my case, tissues), on one side, and having the turtle at the forefront on the other. In addition, when thinking of how to attach the turtle to the object I was initially considering screws or some type of glue, but I came across some twist-ties, and inspiration struck. By using the twist-ties, I could restrain the turtle to the holder in a visible way. This way, we are able to see the harm that is caused to the turtle due to the mass production of the clothing that can be seen on the other side. The smile on the turtle's face also shows how unassuming and innocent they are in the grand scheme of things. Thus, the piece is able to depict 2 sides to the fashion industry: one being the beautiful clothes that are made and the other the poor turtles and other animals that are being harmed by their creation.
