PlanetSimon

Experimental surfaces using annealing, rolling and stamping this morning

Experimental surfaces using annealing, rolling and stamping this morning

Higher end photography induction today...

Experiments in anodising, colouring and etching aluminium this morning. Trying different inks to see which takes and what effects can be created.

Idea for a transcription device using MP3 modules: this is for a planned artist interview. The interview can be replayed using an acrylic kinetic sculpture, making the submission for my Research in Practice module a piece of interactive art in its own right. A rack which can raise or lower a platform on which a speaker sits activates the sound module, replaying a part of the interview. Questions would be structured so that each module deals with a particular theme. The viewer can then choose which part of the interview they wish to hear by operating the mechanism.

I hate things going to waste, so I took all my welding practice offcuts and made a series of free-standing sculptures, provisionally entitled "Bad Welding Making Interesting Art". The way the metal discolours and warps in fascinating ways as the weld heats, cools and anneals the metal gives some interesting shapes and textures, especially with this light guage steel. Not pretty, but they have an industrial feel whilst also having an element of natural forms.

More welding practice this afternoon. I think I will call this piece 'Bucket', which is a poor joke only people of a certain TV vintage and country will get...

Studio lighting basics today. Amazing how many different effects can be achieved with lighting.

Beautiful short film of Arthur Ganson’s “Machine with Wishbone” by Randall Lloyd Okita, with several dramatic cameos from other pieces. The film shows off Ganson’s work in detail, showing the mechanisms in good detail.

It strikes me (pun intended) that no Artist Engineer can survive without knowing how to weld, so today I've been learning the noble art of MIG. Clearly there's a long way to go!