A container for Twelve stwigs (sticks and twigs)

 My PARTI - mainly my big idea.  Turns out this was extremely complicated and immediately began to be scaled back.

My first two Prototypes.  Here I was working with size and form.  These were centered around being an enclosure for the stwigs which made these objects about 18 inches tall.  These dwarfed the delicate nature of my stwings.

versions 3,4,5, and 6.  The scale is greatly reduced.  I've played around with the diameter of the tubes as well as the length and color of paper used.  String is my binding agent and is integral in the design and function of my final container.

Interior views - show how I ma trying to have a interior focus on the container.

Prototype for the first major critique.  I have focused on a six sided tube, based on the number 12.  There are twelve different pieces of string arranged to replicate the pattern that the branches of the stwigs make.  I really enjoy the pattern that the string makes on the inside of this piece.  I do not enjoy the pattern that they make on the outside, as this pattern does not relate to the stwigs.  I also needed to work on my point of juncture and either highlight this or integrate it more.

For our next critique I fashioned this prototype.  Here I have used 6 pieces of paper held together with 1 continuous piece of string.  The juncture point of the different pieces of paper has been stretched vertically to have a slight graceful curve which relates to the branching pattern on the stwigs.  The pieces of paper also form an outer and inner ring which relates to the stem structure of my stwigs.  The paper I chose was lighter in coloration which I felt was too austere for the stwigs.  From here I wanted to add significantly more string to develop the inside more and also work on my wrapping pattern and amount of wrapping on the stwigs themselves.  One major aspect still to be tackled is hot to seamlessly integrate the stwigs into their container. 

Final version failed prototype.  After a good hour and a half stringing string inside the container it came time to fold the ends over to make the tube come to life.  The additional string made this impossible to come to fruition.  This meant the final needed less string on the inside and led to my final project below.

My final Conatiner

This is my favorite way to view my container for my stwigs.  The ends of the stwigs were their most compelling attribute.  Inside the container is a web of twelve strings.  They create central place to contain the stwigs.

This is a view inside the container.  I wrapped the stwigs in a manner that reinforced the delicate curve of the stwigs.  The string is made from hemp and relates to the texture of the stwigs.

close up of the wrapping technique.

The container in it's place on my twigs.

Here you can see the ends of the stwigs, the detail inside the container, and the slight curves on the outside of the container.

Isometric Drawing

Going to the Movies!!!

In class on Wednesday, September 15th, we viewed the documentary Rivers and Tides featuring Andy Goldsworthy, some of his works, and a bit of his creative process.  He is extremely connected to his sense of place and dislikes travel greatly because it disrupts his sense of place.  I am in awe at how he views the world.  He sees all the beauty in the earth's most simple aspects.

Drawing from what he has around him, Andy creates amazingly delicate and impossible works.  In Rivers and Tides the works are temporary installations.  I really enjoyed seeing how the individual works interacted with their natural surroundings, how they changed, how they evolved, and how nature reclaimed the materials.

In his permanant installations, like the wall he did in Fire King Pensylvania, the way they interact with their surroundings amazes me.  Andy has the ability to think creatively like a child, I'm extremely jealous!!!  My favorite part of the documentary is when he discovers that the rocks in the stream are red due to their iron content.  He then proceeds to spend a few hours grinding up a few stones, adding some water to make a "ball" and launches this ball into the river, making the water look blood red.  What kid would not want to do this if their parents would only let them.

The documentary relates to our class very directly.  We have had the opportunity to see Andy work with leaves and twigs.  Both of these mediums we have or are working with and I can not wait to see what we work with next.


All images were taken from the internet and are considered to be of free domain.  If they are not please contact me and I will remove them.

The Most Successful Sketch so far

I drew this leaf on September 10th and it took me about 45 minutes.  I drew this leaf from life which is a challenge for me.  I enjoy the way that I was able to capture the depth and shadow of the leaf with darker and lighter values created with the pencil.

A place for a leaf, Project 1

This is one of my early ideas.  Framing the leaf while showing off the structure of the leaf.  The design was somewhat flimsy and did not completely relate to the leaf.

After a feedback session it was suggested that I elongate the frame.  Here I did this and also attempted to make the frame relate more to the leaf itself.

The above two images are of one of my two evolved ideas.  The pleating of the paper was a response to the nature of the leaf, being small and many.  I allowed for part of the leaf to come out of the frame, which was part of my initial idea.  The paper used is trash paper which is light and soft, like the feel the leaves evoke.

These two images, above, are of my second evolved idea.  Here I tried to use the paper in a way to relate more to the leaf.  I chose a tighter pleat pleat with more spacing between the pleats.  This gave a very structural feel to the place.  The linear lines created by the paper directly relate to the thinness of the individual leaf.  This allowed for a longer frame which also related more to the proportions of the leaf.  I really enjoy how the light comes through the paper and interacts with the leaf.

These two images represent a combination of the first two evolved designs.  I started working with Velum, which is somewhat stiffer than the trash paper that I had been using.  I felt this related more to the rigidity of the leaf.  I also reduced the thickness of the place to better relate to the leaf itself.  One side of the box features many cutouts that allow parts of the leaf to escape from the leafs place.  I also incorporated a cutout on the face of the place.  This design is very close to where I want to be.  At this point, any additions need to directly relate the leaf and its place.  I appreciate the simplicity here.

Further feedback suggested that the place for the leaf hang on the wall to celebrate the way the light plays with the space.  I thought it might be necessary to create a spine along the top of the place to add support for this idea to work.  This also correlated directly with the structure of the leaf.  The challenge here was to tie the two sides of the spine together so the place for the leaf kept its box shape.  I figured out a way to weave a piece of paper through the spine to tie the two sides together.  Problem solved...  not so fast.

Here you can see the spine in place on one of my final places.  Even with the paper woven through the spine, it wanted to open up.  At this point I decided that the spine was not really necessary as the Velum would support the leaf.  The spine was detracting from the overall sense of place and needed to be removed.

Here is the Final place for my leaf.  It hangs on the wall with the help of integrated, hidden pins.  This allows the light to pass through the place and highlight the place for the leaf.  I have incorporated the idea of the leaf escaping the frame from my initial design while working with the design to make the best place for this leaf.

Here you can see the slimness of the design which relates directly to the shape of the leaf.

This image shows two major design ideas.  The pleats have been modified to a pattern of twos.  When you look at the back of each leaf there are two distinct white lines which relate directly my choice of pleat patterns.  The second idea is creating a purposeful place for the leaf to escape the face of the place.  By widening the space between the pleats in one specific area the space is meaningful and intentional.

Here you can see the bottom view when hanging.  The cutouts relate to the openness of the leaves in mass.  This is the best place for this leaf.