Self-Evaluation Anna Ling Project number: 3 Title: ‘Galaxy’ Media: String art, Mobile

Date completed: January 23, 2011 Dimensions: 60x70x30 What were the artistic and/or cultural influences for this project? Who/what influenced either the composition and/or the style. For my third project ‘Galaxy’, I incorporated string art and a mobile. My

inspiration for string art was from my math class. There were circles with many lines going across them, and I remembered a video about string art that looked very similar to it. I researched string art because my last project involved thread,

and I liked how it can create delicate and detailed work so I decided to carry on with that media. After making a few discs of string art, I thought of hanging them from the ceiling, and I came across mobiles of Alexander Calder. I saw his work

in the SFMOMA, and I liked how they moved with the currency of the air so I thought of combining the two medias together.

What materials/media/processes did you use and or experiment with, and how?

The first experiment I did was creating a basic string art, with simple patterns. I learnt the steps from the Internet, however as I got use to making them, I made my own patterns, adjusting to what sizes and amount of string I should use for

one disc. Usually, the string forms a pattern by hooking it on to nails on wood. However I found a way to get them off of the wood and nails, so it can be more flexible to combine it with other medias. By painting diluted glue on top, and let it

dry so it hardens and I can take it off from the nails. I also tried creating patterns with nails that are not in a circle, to see the possibilities, however I liked the circles better because you can see the patterns clearly. From the inspiration of

dream catchers, I sometimes added beads to add some detail. For the mobile, I needed to calculate how many discs I needed to make,

because they have to balance on each side, so I made various sizes of discs and weighed them. I used wire for connecting the discs like how Calder does in his work (without using strings). I played around with the discs, laying them on

the table and took pictures to see what will work the best. Inspiration/influences? As I was making the mobile, I was not satisfied with the color of the discs, because it had no particular reason. After the mobile was done, and watching it

move with the air surrounding it, it reminded me of stars in the sky, moving around as time pass by. So I decided to paint the discs dark purple/black/blue so it can resemble space, and for the biggest disc, I painted it yellow and orange

like the sun. I added some glitter nail polish to add sparkles like the stars. I was not sure about adding glitter on it because I was worried it might look cheap, or kid craft like, but I tried it on one of them, and I liked how it looked so I decided to

do it to all of them. What could you take through to the next project and develop further? This could be anything, ranging from a technique to an idea, not just the Theme itself. During my research for string art, I noticed that there are many connections with dream catchers. They have the same Concept of having string making a pattern in shapes. I also got interested in Native American traditions, so I would like to

make a dream catcher using natural materials because that’s how the natives made them. I think they will create shadows, and I can use the string part as a pattern itself.

Overall, I really like the end product, even though making the discs were very

time consuming. I had fun balancing the discs on the wire the most, seeing the mobile be formed and watch it moving with the currency of the air. I can always come back to the media ‘mobiles’ because they can be created from anything.