Assignment 3 : Balance and Texture – cardboard/or other found material and found object construction (activity)
For this project, I explored a combination of found and made/upcycled materials to construct a series of sculptures. For the found materials, I used simple, everyday items that carry their own texture and history. One of the more delicate elements is a single piece of wool, unraveled from a larger form, which adds a soft, organic touch to the sculptures. I also incorporated red and white paper straws, tearing them into long strips to emphasize the fragility and flexibility of the material. Another found object is a string made from rolled paper, which adds both linear structure and a tactile sense of tension. Finally, I selected a wood stick that was shaved down, revealing its raw texture and transforming its surface to give a more refined appearance while maintaining its natural origins.
First of all, I made three differently sized, four-pronged cones made from sawdust, bound together with starch glue. The sawdust, once the byproduct of sanding down wood, was ground down further using a blender, mixed with starch glue to achieve a clay-like consistency, and then shaped into cones. The color, reminiscent of sandy soil, speaks to the organic origins of the material. These were baked in an oven to harden and strengthen their structure.
I also made small gravel-like pieces by beating cardboard into a paste and adding starch. This mixture, after being hand-drained and shaped, was baked to create hardened, textured fragments.
Thanks Monika for instructions!
Similarly, I upcycled hand towel paper by blending it with water, heating it into a paste, and molding it into a small dish, which solidified into a delicate yet sturdy form after baking.
One of the more unusual objects is a tea ball made from tea leaves and starch glue, with uneven, earthy surfaces. The tea ball was shaped by hand and baked, resulting in a deep green color and rich texture.
Picture of all the objects I used
For my first installation, I focused on creating a sense of order and progression by arranging the objects in three distinct rows, each offering contrasting textures. In the first row, I neatly lined up the sawdust four-pronged cones, ordered from largest to smallest, establishing a visual hierarchy that evokes a feeling of stability and control. The cones’ grainy, earthy texture introduces a grounded, organic element.
In the second row, I placed the inverted pulp dish, tea ball, and cardboard paste blocks in sequence. The soft, uneven surface of the tea ball contrasts with the sturdiness of the dish and the roughness of the cardboard pieces, adding a tactile variation. This row emphasizes transition and impermanence, as the materials seem to evolve from solid to fragile.
For the final row, I arranged the torn straw paper, twisted straws, and the original straw from left to right. These lightweight, fragmented materials represent disintegration and disorder. The delicate, torn edges and twisted forms evoke a feeling of tension as the balance becomes less predictable and more unstable.
The arrangement balances structure and disorder, with textures highlighting a gradual breakdown, shifting the mood from stability to fragmentation.
My first attempt at a second installation is below.