Repurposed material study 1: plastic bags

Maxine Whiteley

Midterm Artist’s Statement

March 25^th, 2013

Design II, FN102.03

Heather Ujiie

            Working as a design team for my modular relief  project could not have been more successful.  I have never worked with another person to create art but my first time was so successful that I would defenetly try again.  I believe that what made working with Claudia so productive was the combination of our skill sets. I have a fine arts background and she is a talented dressmaker which allowed us to have the best of both worlds. Our concept changed as we started to construct the dress because our ultimate goal was to create a art-to-wear garment in which the relief sculpture appeared as a fabric. We faced a lot of challenges that required us to change our “wedding dress” design but now, as a finished product, I believe it is more successful than what we had originally planned.

            I was excited to learn about serial planes because they introduced e to a whole new way to create form. I’ve always preferred curvilinear shapes as opposed  to geometric but when creating serial planes I preferred the geometric example. I struggled with the vertical composition and could not get the foam core to cut with a clean edge so I used bristol for mine. My curvilinear foam core sample structure was difficult for me because the foam core was so limiting. I struggled to find a concept and I wish that I could have made the piece for successful and unified. I am interested with the idea of scoring foam core but in the future I think I should place more attention to making a multitude of cuts rather than properly measuring the cuts.

            I struggled greatly with the architectonic sculpture. I had a strong concept but construction wise I couldn’t quite create what I had originally planned. I was working of the original theme of architecture. I loved the appearance of spiral architecture, and wanted to would to build a building of spirals that worked as serial planes did. Again, I struggled with the construction.  I eventually lead my project in the direction of deconstructed architecture. I am so pleased with my sculpture so far and do not want to ruin it rushing the transparent element. I want to hear ideas from the class before I continue. I’m currently playing with the thought of  putting the whole sculpture in a bubble. A transparent dome over the whole project may add a more volumetric feel. I’ve also wanted to explore floating the sculpture in an organic transparent form filled with water.

Late night work on the dress!

Reading Assignment



1. Describe interaction and stability in 3-D form. What is the “three plane rule?”
Interaction: action, effect, or influence.
Stability: permanence of position
Three Plane Rule: 
1- Planes can meet at a common edge
2- Planes can be adjacent to one another
3- Planes can pass through each other

house in sao bento du sapucai' by UNA arquitetos, sao paulo, brazil

2. What is an environmental plane and planar structure?
Environmental Plane: space in which the plane exists
Planar Structure: arrangement of planes that appear to be one single form

production still  from 'primitive' by apichatpong weerasethakul

3. Define an architectonic form.
-having qualities in the category of designand/or structure that relate to architecture

OBU  (original bipolar units), 2012 by elisabeth lemercier

4. How can a reflective surface effect the transition of space?
-a reflective surface can effect the transition of space by recreating, mirroring, or morphing its environment. 

The Mirrorcube was designed by Tham & Videgård Arkitekter. 

Sweden- Tree Hotel

5.How can planes define volume?
- the organization (position and proximity) of planes can create the illusion of form

close-up on construction of 'wangjing SOHO' by zaha hadid, beijing, china

6. Describe the following organizational principles that relate to 3 dimensional forms: 
1. Organization- placement and proximity of components of the form

'my things - book keeping of 07 B' by hong hao

Mosaic of Found Things

2. Synergy- interaction of components that allow the form to appear as one as opposed to seeing the components separately

honey scape' by gonçalo castro henriques 

3. Order and Freedom- the choice between the two can effect the unity of the components, consistent and expected or loose and random.

yangtze chandelier detail

a journey through the yangtze river's transformation by jorge mañes rubio

4. Structure and Unity- important elements that define the form.
structure- appearance of construction and of the mass as a whole
unity- specific placement of components that create a balanced/harmonious whole

3-D printed wall lamps

biennale internationale design saint-etienne 

5. Symmetry- when one component mirrors another or describes a sense of balance

lido mar' by studio RHE, tivat, montenegro

he white and timber clad facades create a sense of movement and repetition 
within the space 

6. Repetition within Variety- to vary an element of repetitive forms such as color, direction, or texture 

view of the exhibition 'in the good name of the company' at foryourart, LA

7. Rhythm and gradation- rhythm creates order and composition between components of a form and gradation is equal visual change separated by steps.

'youth center in quingpu' by atelier deshaus, quingpu district, shanghai, china 

LOVE the texture that the rubber cement made on the base of my sculpture!!!!! It looks like snake skin to me.