Map Relief

I'm so happy this project turned out exactly, if not better than how I envisioned. I've never been so excited about something like this. So my concept  sort of came to me out of the blue and I sketched it out in my sketchbook. It wasn't until towards the end of finishing, I realized what my concept was based on. Within the recent couple years, I converted to a religion known as Paganism. Upon converting and learning more about it, I began to feel very spiritually serene and balanced. Paganism also has some motifs that are present within my map relief. These principles include: 1) interconnection (all things are connected in some way); 2) motif of cycles (life cycles, seasonal cycles, circadian cycles); 3) concept of harmony and balance. To relate it back to mapping, I would say that this piece is a spiritual map to serenity and balance. This piece means so much to me because it is the first piece of art I created that outwardly expresses my faith.

Constructing the piece was very fun and exciting. I was always eager to work on it. I wanted to add many different elements to create an intriguing piece. I covered the moon  side with many, many circle shapes to create simulated texture. On the sun side, I stacked rectangular shaped paper on each other and on form board to create actual texture and depth. I chose to place the vertical center piece on top of a black circle to bring the two opposite side together. Creating the mountain was very interesting. I cut paper out to form the interior of the mountain, cutting ridges to help create the mountain's texture. After gluing all the paper to the board, I used tracing paper soaked in gel medium and water to form the surface of the mountain. The tracing paper was very flexible so I could mold and shape it how I wanted. When it dried, the paper became very rigid and sturdy. Then I covered the whole mountain in white gesso to make the surface match the rest of the piece. 

Looking up from under the piece

Moon side is  coming out of the piece with simulated texture.

Sun is receding into the piece with actual texture and depth.

Embroidery Floss lines to connect everything together. 

Materials: Foam Board, Gesso, Black Drawing Ink, Black Paint Marker, White Paint Marker, Stonehenge Paper, Black Paper, Gel Medium with Water, Tracing Paper, White Embroidery Floss, Straight Pins, and Glue.

Fall 2016

3-D Materials and Concepts