Okay, these are definitely big!

These are the large versions of the maquettes I wrote about in my last post. And the lesson learned is that, no matter how much you think you’ve got it figured out, it’s just not easy to scale up.

My process was to trace the patterns of the maquettes, reduce them at the copy shop, transfer them to transparencies, and then enlarge them with the overhead projector. Simple, right?

Well, actually, no. It’s taken me much longer than I thought it would to get the patterns to fit right and to look like the maquettes. And then, even though I kept trying to ignore it, I finally had to admit to myself that the small one needed to be bigger. Grrr! More cutting, adding, and taping and I still don’t have it quite right.

I’m getting close, though. Anna and Paul, my studio-mates, took a look today and gave me some good suggestions for tweaks on the shapes. I’m hoping to get these full size models done tomorrow. Then I’ll take them apart, make new paper patterns, and tape them back together. Then I can bring them to Steve so that he can start working on the welded skeletons.

Even though it’s been a bit frustrating in the studio the last few days I’m actually really happy with the way these are turning out. They certainly fill the room and the negative spaces they form are pretty compelling. I’m glad that Jessica and Phen at Foster/White gave me a push to explore working at this larger size.

It feels like the start of something big.

smaller form before it grew 2 inches