Video- Explode!

Here is a video of a gumball machine exploding. The shards of glass coming out of it are similar to my above ground effect.

Model 2

Preliminary SketchUp Model

This was my first attempt at sketchup. I think the result is a bit too simplistic, and I hope to develop my skills over the next few weeks so that I can create something a bit stronger and more complex.

Australian Artists

Patricia Piccinini
'Foundling'
conflict, juxtaposition, confronting




Ricky Swallow
'Picture a Screaming Sculpture'
horrify, postmodern, reaction


Richard Goodwin
"Poroplastic I – red octopus"
explode, intriguing, deconstruction

Something Creative I've Done Recently

As an Engineering student, I haven't had a big focus on art and didn't do it in high school. However I've always been interested in it, and sketch every now and then. This is a rough sketch I did recently that was an exercise in trying to put things in proportion, and become more familiar with my materials. I like it because it's natural and fluid; you can see smudges and faint guidelines. It shows the process of creating art, as well as the final image.

A Piece of Great Architecture

The CCTV building in Beijing (designed by Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren of OMA, with engineering by ARUP) is one of my favourite modern buildings. Completed in June 2008, its unusual design strikes me as a great piece of architecture, as well as engineering. The building appears to defy the laws of physics, resembling a sculpture rather than a skyscraper- yet it is functional and safe. It also represents a shift towards more interesting modern Chinese architecture; perhaps pushed by the ARUP projects (the Water Cube and the Birds Nest) of the 2008 Olympic games. This contextual issue is further explored on the CCTV website (http://www.cctv.com/newSiteProgram/en/project_info.htm).

Something That I Find Beautiful

Many things are beautiful- at first, things like beaches, flowers, or other idyllic scenes came to mind when I was selecting an image for this post. However, beauty is most definitely a personal idea- so I instead tried to think about what I find beautiful, that other people may not. In this particular photo, I like the strong, happy colours, and the focus of the camera. The playfulness of the photo and it's familiarity throughout my childhood bring another, more personal dimension to it; "delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration." (Definition of 'beautiful' from princeton.edu)