Freedom/Restriction - Silhouette Synthesis Project
Project Guidelines: The project was to use Adobe Illustrator to combine two distinct silhouettes into one hybrid profile. Then, we were to use the laser cutter to cut the final shape. The theme we were assigned was opposites/duality.
Research: I decided I wanted my contrasting ideas to be freedom and restriction. Once my parents divorced, I noticed that my dad had more of a protective parenting style while my mom gave more freedom and allowed me to make more choices. This theme also played a role when coming to college. In college, I am on my own and have a lot of freedom. For the images I wanted to use, I knew a bird could be a good representation of freedom. Birds are able to go wherever they want whenever they want. Chains are binding and keep things held back and contained. For this reason, I wanted to use them to represent restriction.
Design Process: For the project I needed to use pictures that I have taken. I like taking pictures of birds, so I had a lot to pick from. I went with the picture of the female cardinal since it would have a recognizable side profile. The cardinal was also in focus and captured with a lot of detail. For the chains, I used a picture of clay chains I made in high school. While the chains were originally used to decorate a vase, they had an interesting curve to them that I could wrap around the bird in Adobe Photoshop. Once I put the photos into Photoshop, I isolated my subjects, combined the images, and played with curves and levels. Some of the details I had to use the brush tool to make the silhouette look more readable. I also had to add some lines to connect parts of the image (head and eye). After all of that, I was ready to use the laser cutter. The laser cutter was very easy and fun to use. It cut my project in about 5 minutes with a significant amount of detail. Finally, rubber cement was used to mount the silhouette.
Design Solution: Overall, I am very happy with my design. I get excited anytime I can incorporate birds into my artwork. I also think the amount of detail really makes the piece shine. My brush tool strategy worked, and the eye was connected by a thin strip of paper. An area that could be more readable is the space around the tail of the bird. However, I think this project was a success for my first time using the laser cutter and making a silhouette.
