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Evolution of the Morphoids: Part Four: Scarabaeidae

 The most recent ‘Phoid, Scarabaeidae, has a quality of “life”.  I overstuffed it, which seems to give the ‘Phoids more of a sense of muscle. While this one doesn’t have a multitude of appendages to pose, it has the animation I am going for.  It seems to me that there are a few ways to get that sense of life: through limbs, personality, and possibly overstuffing, so they seem to have organs and muscles inside them.
 I’ve realized that to get the most out of these, I need time to get to know them after I’ve made them.  While playing with them in the photo suite, I’ve realized that presentation is everything, and how I document them will make all the difference.  So, today I’m off to photograph them in nature some more.  Here’s one more image, of an earlier piece, Sepal.
Sepal in nature.

Thanks for watching!!

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Evolution of the Morphoids: Part Three: Foraminifera

That idea led into Foraminifera, which I was initially disappointed with.  It didn’t seem to have any life or personality, although it did have lots of arms.  It seemed flat, and, while colourful and an interesting shape, it seemed distinctly an object.

But then I started to spend some time with it and play with it.  I discovered that, by moving the arms around and posing it, it could have a lot more animation.

I realized that presentation might very well be everything, and the animation of my objects depends very much on how they are presented.  I wonder if I made the same piece, but maybe a different size and/or colour, and presented them differently, would they be recognized as the same form?

Part Four still to come.

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Evolution of the Morphoids: Part Two: Pteropod

With Pteropod, (also known as “PMS”), I think I managed to achieve what I’ve been going for in creating “life” with the Morphoids.  It has two long, curling appendages, and I thought that was the key to animating them, giving them arms to move, and therefore, keeping them “animal”.

Interestingly, Pteropod seems even more animated when interacting with a human.  There seems to be more of a relationship (in some cases, even a friendship) between the two participants.

Part Three: Foraminifera is next!This work seems much more versatile, and so documentation seems to be everything.

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Evolution of the Morphoids: Part One: Metamorphosis, Radiolaria

So I’ve been continuing with the Morphoids this semester…. trying to get a more “animated” feeling.  I’ve made quite a few this semester, with varying degrees of success, in terms of how much “life” they have.  One of the first Morphoids I made this semester, Metamorphosis, seemed to have life, but be in a dormant stage. (Originally, I had these hanging from trees.)

Radiolaria, the next work, seems to have more of a potential at life, rather than a distinct feeling, as they seem to be more of a seed/pod type thing.  Definitely plant related.
But, with both of these, I seem to have hit on a dormant part of life.  They have the potential to grow or hatch and become something that is living, but they don’t seem to be “alive” on their own.  I seem to have hit on a place with both of these where they “could be” but aren’t necessarily.  Also, these two both sit on the line.  Are they plant, or animal?

More tomorrow.