Experimentation: Paper Waves

As I have decided that repeating waves will be the inspiration for my final paper sculpture I wanted to experiment with different ways of expressing the wave form in paper. I looked at new ways of interpreting the wave form and also expanded on previous models i had already made.

To create this sculpture I cut strips out of an A4 sheet and then twisted it round so two corners met. I used glue to secure the paper and keep it in shape. I really like the final outcome and think the lines it creates express the form of a wave well. I really enjoyed photographing this piece as it worked well with the light creating interesting shodows.

I then expanded on this idea by using the same method but instead of cutting strips out of the paper i simply made slits in it. I also joined the two corners slightly differently so that they twisted round each other. This gave the sculpture much more of a natural curve and you could see the lines twisting.






I then expanded on one of my original ideas in which i used strips to create loops and then twisted this around to form a circular sculpture. This time i used adhesive to keep the piece together and found it worked much better. I started by using a triangular piece of paper and creating bigger loops at the wider end gradually going down in size. I really like how this change in size works in the final outcome and how the
loops flow round so naturally.

I then expanded on the original idea of this again. I used the same size triangular piece of paper but instead of cutting the strips across it i cut the strips downwards from the thin end to the wide end. When the strips were pulled round into loops they had room to fan across the page and created what looked like a wave.

Although this is only a simple method I quite like the final outcome.

I then screwed up all my off cuts and found that they created quite an interesting shape. The strips tangled together and looked like a rough a sea with the waves over lapping and weaving together.

Primary Research

I wanted to photograph water moving in different ways and look at the repeating patterns it created in it movements. I decided to photograph the water fountains outside Sheffield Train Station to capture the images I wanted.

As the water runs down this sculpture you can see wavey lines are being created. The water then makes a different shape as it hits the bottom and then again as it ripples out.

This image shows shapes quite similar to waves as the water is being thrown up in the air.

I really like how the water is being manipulated in this images. The shape of the structure makes the water move in a certain way and the outcome is really effective.

Shaped Structures

I found a few structures and buildings that have all been formed around or resemble the shape of moving water such as waves. I really like the bench above as it takes a really similar form to some of the paper models i have made with its pleats creating curves.

I also found the work below that has been produced using paper to create a waved appearence. I havent tried out this technique yet so i will have a go and see what shapes can be produced.

This has been displayed hanging from a ceiling, possibly using fishing wire.

Wavey Paper

  

I really liked the work I saw by Richard Sweeney with the pleates that created a flowing curve in the paper. It worked really well with the idea of wave shapes that i was looking at. Richard showed me how he had created this models and i had a go my self. I found it really interesting as the curves are made from purely straight lines. I experimented using different size papers and different size pleats. I also tried using paper that was already cut into a curve to see how this would effect the shape.

The above images show one piece manipulated to appear in different forms.

These three images are using a thinner long strip of paper.

This is using the same piece of paper but twisting the structure round so that both ends connected and formed a sort of knot.

This structure was using a piece of paper already cut into a curve before it was pleated. I really like the shapes and forms that could be made with this idea.

With this piece i used the same idea of pleating and already curved paper but i tried to change the direction of the pleates in certain places. It made a more jagged and less fluent shape than the smooth flowing previous shapes i had made.

Structural forms: Arches

After experimenting with paper and making an arch like structure i decided to do some research into arches in architectural structures. These are a few of the images i found showing a variation of both new and old structures. All the images i have chosen have similar features to the woven paper arch i made.

Natural forms: Waves

These are a few images of waves i found on the internet that i thought had really interesting shapes and forms within them. I will try to do some drawings from these images that will help me interperate the shapes within them into paper forms.

Richard Sweeney

I had a look at some of Sweeney's work and was amazed by the forms he has created. It inspired me to push myself and experiment with more intricate and complex forms.

I picked out a few pieces that really caught my eye.

I love the curves in this piece and how it flows so naturally. It imitates the form of a wave in a completly different way to the structure i made.

I really like these pieces i think they would look really good as lamp shades.