Studio: Testing Designs / Cutting Metals and Testing Placement

First idea/ Test: 

• Going off from one of my designs - I arranged a series of similar sized square pieces of metal on the floor, mainly stainless steel but one aluminium. Each piece is unique and displays a different way of manipulating the material. I think this worked effectively and could develop by being placed on a wall, or doing a lot more of them. If they could become slightly more sculptural I think this series could work better. 
• I am starting to like the way the aluminium looks in contrast to the subtleness of the stainless steel, and perhaps aluminium is something I could go back to. 

• Next I tested out the placement of two opposing pieces of my crushed aluminium, face to face, after inspiration from Anish Kapoor's Double Mirror Works. 

• I wanted to test out cutting the aluminium, so I used a sample piece first. The lines were slightly rough and this was because of the speed I was cutting at (using the heat cutting tool in robs workshop). 
• Overall I like the holes in the material, and think on a larger scale piece it would look more effective. 

Cutting Large Sheet of Aluminium: 

The back - rougher edges. 

• I have began to file some of these edges down to create  a smoother look. Overall I'm pleased with the way this piece turned out, and the cutting works better on aluminium than it does on stainless steel. 

Testing Placement:

• This first test I put the two sheets of aluminium side by side, and they compliment each other. They are almost a surreal, inverted mirror image of one another, one has voids and the other fills those voids. 

• Testing it folded and put in a corner. This was initially inspired by Marina's work from Chelsea College of Arts Summer show, with the way she used the floor and walls in terms of placement, leaning some of her metal sculptures against the wall.
• I folded my aluminium and leant it against the wall, but this would need tacking to the wall with something to hold it in place as it flops down (being a thin metal). 
• I really like the way it sits in the corner between the floor and the wall and think this could be developed. 

• Adding in some aluminium wire, I scrunched up some wire and formed a sculptural object as a reaction to the aluminium sheet metal, and they look like they are in conversation when placed like this. 

• Putting the aluminium on the plinths side by side. The wire worked really well on the white plinth and stood out more than I expected it to. 

• Testing the placement of the metals, the sheet definitely looks better on the floor while the wire sculpture is lifted on a plinth. The plinth allows the wire to become a sculpture, whereas the sheet metal cannot hold its own and therefore needs to lean against something. 

Testing Placement of Smaller Cubes in Installation Style Setting

• Testing the smaller cubes in the corner of a room - from a design I did yesterday. I really like the way this sits in the corner and compliments the installation rather than being a self standing sculpture on a plinth. I think this is something I'd like to work with more. 
• This way I'd also be able to hide the construction of the cubes on the inside - facing the wall. 

• Testing three cubes on top of one another. This experiment has sparked further design ideas in creating something similar to this, going back to the de-constructed cube idea, and making a massive version all joined together, however, I would need to consider joining methods to make it secure and look good. 

Further Development:

• Buying a thicker sheet metal, especially if I want to weld or use the heat cutter tool. I need to investigate buying 3mm thick stainless steel if I want to construct proper sculpture. 
• Decide whether to continue work with aluminium as well as stainless steel.
• Decide which form and idea I prefer and want to continue developing.