This class framed it's assignments as real projects a client might give you, for this project I was asked to design a wire sculpture to display in an aquarium. My idea was to have this giant sculpture placed just slightly outside the entrance to the aquarium--to evoke the image of an octopus emerging from its den. Visitors would be able to walk beneath the sculpture.
Out of all the ocean animals, I thought the octopus would be one of the best when making a wire sculpture because their forms are so linear!
I did several initial sketches to figure out how I could connect the different parts of the octopus to each other using wire.
The next trick was making a free-standing sculpture that still evoked a sense of motion and the weightless sensation of being underwater.
One notable change I made between the drawn designs and the finished sculpture was looping wires at the tips of the tentacles. This was a suggestion from my professor in order to help stabilize my sculpture.