Original Object:
A traditional Indian jhumka earring.
Iterations #1-48:
After choosing a traditional Indian earring as my object, I became inspired by its beautiful, unique, and intricate design and tried to reiterate it in 50 different creations. The first 48 of the iterations were created as 2D on paper. I used various methods and techniques: pencil, black pen, blue pen, crayons, colored pencils, markers, water color, and even nail polish. I used various hues in each iteration. While iterating, I realized this was very similar to the class exercise we did on word associations. For this assignment, I would create certain designs for an iteration and for the next drawing, I would be influenced to create something based on my previous iteration. So this was definitely like another association game. For example, one of my designs looked like the letter “J” so I made my next drawing look like an umbrella. One drawing looked like lips, so I made the next one look like an eye. It was a very enjoyable experience to have the freedom to do this. I come from a very technical computer science background, and did not start taking creative courses until my last semester of undergrad. I have been looking for a way to refresh my creative skills and this assignment helped me do just that.
2 3D Physical Iterations:
Iteration #49:
This iteration was created by using washi tape. I included 3 different patterns of the tape. This medium was a little bit tricky to work with, due to its stickiness. However, it was easy to rip and mold. I was aiming for an elephant design, but in an abstract way. I made different shapes (2D and 3D), such as triangles, cones, and swirls to create this iteration.
Iteration #50:
For my final iteration, I used Crayola’s modeling material in the color purple (for NYU pride!). To create this design, I created a pyramid shape, a cube shape, and made 4 braids for tassels. At the very top, I created a twisted seagull shape and to make the earring have the function of actually being worn, I added the pointy back part to be inserted in a pierced hole. For this design, my thought process was to make a pointy version of the original earring. I wanted to create longer dangling tassels and figure out a way to incorporate more 3D shapes into this design, which is why I added a pyramid and a cube. I also wanted to make the earring be worn in a different way, which is why I designed the back with the pointed line.
Overall:
I learned a lot from making these iterations. I enjoyed exploring different mediums. I think as creatives, we tend to become too comfortable with a certain medium, but it’s a good idea to challenge ourselves by trying new mediums and techniques. I generally tend to struggle while making 3D designs. I am very used to making 2D designs, but I noticed it is something that I am too comfortable with. Doing this assignment helped me learn that it is okay to not know the full plan of each design. It helped me go with the flow more. I enjoyed letting my hand take the lead while drawing instead of my brain being so fixated on the logical components.