So I designed a basic structure for the body of the robot.
Once I had this blue print, I could then think about how the outer shell would fit around the inner skeletal structure.
Here is the original design, which I will be working from.
The head you see at the bottom of the series of sketches (above), would be the original design for the helmet (head) of the robot. As you can see, I have based the structure of it around the television screen.
The structure of the body would be more complex, because I will have to build an inner structure from wood, before completing each part of the sculpture process.
I also felt strongly that it would be really effective to have the robots eyes replaced with a small television screen. This screen would help me to show advertising on a more visual level.
I started playing around with different designs for or the body and helmet (or head).
Here are some quick ink sketches (templates) I did to play with different ideas and get a better understanding of how it would be structured.
Robot Project.
Even though a lot of my work is in paint and photograph, I have always enjoyed making sculptures, and so wanted to incorporate this into my studio practise.
I had this image in my head of a life-size sculpture of a ‘Robot’. I wanted this robot to represent the consumer culture that we live in today. I want this robot to look out of place, collaged from head to foot in recycled packaging and logo’s from magazine cuttings.
I researched different robot sculptures, specifically made from cardboard and packaging, because that was the material I wanted to use.
The company lettering I also wanted to use within the work (top, left). I sketched onto foam board and cut out. This I painted the same colour red as the background.
The main reason for the use of foam board in this project was for the use of ‘relief’ work.
Because the filter tips were raised off the canvas, I wanted other parts of the work raised as well, because I liked the idea of the work coming off the canvas.
I discussed the use of subversion within my work, and decided that not only to try and camouflage the text within the background, but I would have the word ‘Swan’ backwards.
This I felt would throw the viewer to reassess what they where seeing. This was important, because I also want to keep the viewer thinking and guessing. This is why subliminal messaging, which many advertisement companies use, are there to create an emotion or feeling, of a particular object or logo.
