Setting Up The Display

Today I got my display for my pieces set up. We had some problems with the screws where they didn't fit the slots in the keyhole hook. They could still sit on the wall but they can be knocked off easily. It was easily solved by replacing the screws. With the display set up i could begin arranging my neck pieces upon them. To get my pieces on without it looking too flustered took a few tries. I tried to layer them as the three sizes over lapped each other instead of one on top of the other. As the display are made with flat sheets of plastic they don't have the volume you would with a body meaning the pieces were too long and hung off the bottom of the display. To rectify this I pulled the pieces from behind the neck down the back of the display and clipped it to the frame holding it to the wall. Over all I'm really happy with my display.

Finishing Display

Today I've been on the mission to finish making my display to be put up on the wall tomorrow. I already had the body shaped plastic cut out from Monday. All I needed to do today was to make the part that was stuck to the back of the body and joining the wall. James had instructed me to use plastic glue to stick plastic dowels to the back and the dowels with slot into holes in the wall. I was a bit concerned about the glue holding to either side of the dowels and worried that by hanging it up with this process that it might fall off. I talk to Ian in workshop about my intention with the dowels and he informs me that it's not a very sturdy way of hanging. The problem is that the surface area of the dowels glued to the back is too small meaning it won't be strong enough to hold. Also I'd need to get the dowel at perfect right angles and I would risk breaking the bodies by drilling holes in for the dowels to go in. We brainstormed some idea to make the surface larger and finally came to the idea of a frame/bracket that had a square base to glue to the back on the left and right sides of the of the base square were panels bent at right angles away from the base giving the space between the bodies and the wall. Then another two parts folding at right angles away from the panels, parallel to the base square to then be attached to the wall with screws through keyhole shaped holes in the sections. This bracket would be much stronger and ensure that the display is parallel to the wall by using the larger surface areas.
We made the bracket from clear perspex and cut out the shape and etched the lines with the laser cutter. I was able to shape them using the strip heater to melt the plastic along the etched lines to make it malleable toe bend it into right angles. With the brackets made we could glue them using plastic glue onto the back of the bodies making sure they were straight based on the bottom of the bodies.

Spaces

This afternoon I was hanging around the hall to get the go ahead about setting up. During this time who gets what spaces was still being organised. I was asked if space is limited that I may have to only have two items  that sit one above the other. I really had my heart set on the three side by side and I personally think a group of three looks better. I am quite set on having all three, but I understand that if there is not the space then it's fine and I will work with what I've got. Hopefully I don't have to but we will see.

Postcard and Business Cards Arrived

I had to wait in this morning for a package to arrive. I am excited to have received my postcards and business cards today. I think they look amazing. I think the image quality could have been better on the postcards but it too late to change anything now and I'm still happy with them.

Making Display

My plastic sheets arrived today for making my display. I got them cut down to fit in the laser cutter at Folly campus and carried them to the workshop at CRC campus to cut out the body shapes on the bigger laser cutter in that workshop. I change my mind on having the hole distinguishing the waist and the arms etched and instead cut it out so that the shape of the body is more obvious and i was worried that if it were etched it wouldn't be as noticeable. I also decided to go with having my logo and name in the bottom corner as I like to see the branding spread across every part of my work. It was a nice feeling to see my name etched out onto the plastic. We had a problem with the letter D in my name with trying to get the space inside the 'D'. After a few attempts to fix it I got there in the end.

Editing Images

This weekend and Friday I have been editing pictures from the photo-shoot last Thursday. I had to cut down on the 400 images and picked out a select few for me to work with. It was difficult to get my head around at first but I've been watching a few Photoshop tutorials and have learnt a few things I can do to change the images. It has took me a while to get through all the images and my desktop is filled with many variations of the same image. I still have loads of more editing to do in preparation for the portfolio and website.

Preparing For Laser Cutting Display

Today I've been playing on Illustrator preparing the file for the laser cutter ready for when my plastic sheets arrive for cutting out my display. I'm having body torso shapes cut out of the plastic. I've made an example piece out of foam board and then scanned it into the computer to use the image as template to follow. I'm thinking of having the gap between the waist and the arms etched but am worried if it's not deep enough then it won't show. I've made two versions of the file, the second one has an additional etch of my logo and name. I think it would be nice to keep my branding on all my work.