I researched into species of sharks to see which i wanted to make then i researched into the process of resin model making and other artists who use this process in their work.
It was expensive but really really rewarding. I am happy with the results, although there are not as many as i would of hoped there would be. This is something i would think about if i came to do another self initiated project. I would plan my time more effectively in order to create as many successful products as possible without compromising the artwork or integrity of the models.
Critical Evaluation.
Within
this module I have taken somewhat of a risk when I decided to create 3D
objects. I have always had an interest in model making, in particular 3D
animation, but I thought that I was better at drawing and never really explored
it much further. With the intention to sell in mind, I could of played it safe
by creating some 2D illustrations and applying them to various mediums but I
really wanted to push myself and see what I could achieve. I am so glad that I
challenged myself with this project; it has been educational and really
rewarding.
I
began by researching, as always. I already had an idea of using sharks from
stage 1 so I did some more research into different species, making notes and
drawing from reference images. From this I chose the species which had the
nicest shapes and then began to think more about the making process. I
researched into other artists who used resin to create art toys etc. Past
students, specifically Laura Weeks, was a great person look at. Her resin
models are beautiful and they reflect her illustration style too. I looked at
artists like Amanda Visell also. Her models were also reflective of her
illustrative style and they were packaged really simply but still looked high
end and enticing enough to want to buy many of them!
Creating
resin models is a process of many parts so it was important to have some
semblance of structure at the beginning so I could plan my time effectively
(and so I could make the most productive use of the college resources as
possible). I didn’t mind having this structure in place as I like to know what
I am doing from day to day and to have a clear goal to aspire to.
Early
on in the project Me, Leah and Jack had decided we each wanted to create
something from resin for Stage 2 so we ordered some silicone between us and had
it in time to begin the making process. We didn’t realise, however, that we did
not have enough silicone to complete all of the moulds we had. As learning
curves go, this was a big one but I am confident now that if I were to make
some more resin toys I would know how much silicone I would need and could buy
it accordingly. Thanks in large part to Ben’s help, we were able to each make at
least one mould with our silicone and some extra. I was lucky because I
intended to make badges and they required only a one part mould, thus using
less silicone so I was able to make two complete moulds.
Regarding
the timetable, I unfortunately did not factor in that I had to work the first
week of the Easter holidays which was the only time really that we could come
in and make the moulds/cast the resin models. Fortunately though, I work at the
college so I was able to come up during each break and after 4pm to get
everything done. This said, I would not have got this far without Jack and
Leah’s help, they were great!
Even
with all of these circumstances the process itself was not too arduous. I would
definitely think about using it in the future and creating more 3D models in my
future practice.
Although
it may have seemed like a lot of money at first, it was worth investing in some
materials for this project. When divided between how many sellable units I have
made, the overall price does not seem too bad and some of the materials I can
use again. I also now have the added benefit of experience and am confident I
could use this process in the future with little problems.
Due
to the nature of my models (being hand sculpted, hand cast, hand painted and
hand packaged) I can price my models and badges at a reasonable price but still
make a profit.
This
was my first time casting resin models properly and a few of the models I
deemed not sellable. This was expected and anticipated as I used these slightly
imperfect models to practice painting on a 3D surface. I was nervous about this
as I am so used to working on a flat surface but I found I could adapt and
simply tried to apply my drawing style to my painting. The more models I
painted the more confident I grew with using a paintbrush and I feel that if I
continue to paint then my skills will hopefully improve even more.
Although
I ended up changing the colour tones a bit, I was more than happy with my
experiments. They were by no means perfect but if the pattern was completely
symmetrical and neat, it wouldn’t reflect my style or how I work! I like the organic
shapes that formed and the quality of the linework achieved with a paintbrush.
Due
to the nature of the patterns I designed it took a while to paint each model. I
could finish 2 or 3 in an evening which still left me time (to think about
prints and packaging etc) but the problem arose that that my paint would dry up
each time and I would have to mix some more. This meant that the colours vary
slightly from shark to shark. If I were creating more multiples of these models
this would prove much more of a problem but I think, due to the unique nature
of my models, that I can get away with each one being slightly different! If I
were doing them again, and in multiple, I would look for ready mixed colours to
keep them all the same.
If
I had the time to extend this project I would perhaps look into using different
colours. This way people could pick a model with a colour preference in mind. I
believe this would make the models even more individual but it would also give
them a little bit more character.
I am happy though with the
two grey tones I chose. If there were no patterns then the sharks would be
nothing more than miniature shark models but with the patterns they feel much
more collectable, valuable and much more like an unique art toy.
