What is a line?: Shadow projections.

Inspired by a wonderful paper cut design which I found a few weeks ago and posted to my design context blog (http://www.s-wilson1013.dc.blogspot.com/), I decided to create a series of constellation papercuts, to which then I would project light through to see the effects they created. To keep the series minimal and structured, I illustrated the thirteen constellations of the zodiac onto black card with silver pen- fitting to the constant design theme of the project thus far....

Despite beginning and illustrating the designs some time ago, it wasn't until today that I could develop any sort of experimentation or outcome. I had tried various methods of cutting the holes and was largely unsucessful- creating untidy, scraggy edges, not as crisp and sharp as I originally hoped. Methods included:

-Standard hole punch (awkward to avoid the second hole punching away at the paper where unwanted)

-Single hole punch (effective precision, though limited to the depth of paper I can reach due to the head mechanism)

-Compass cutter (Difficult keeping consistency of pressure- often resulting in torn edges)

-Template cutter (Again, same problem as with compass cutter, above)

Feeling at a loss, but still with a great desire to persue the idea, I found a device named a hollow punch- usually used by carpenters or leather cutters to punch holes in material, and was assured that it would effectively cut through paper when force was applied to the end with a hammer.

Naturally dissapointed when this effect failed to work, I decided to cut the holes freehand (with a craft knife, as neatly as possible) and then poke the hollow punch through- hoping to create a neater, smoother edge.

Although the pictures are sadly not brilliant, these are the effects I created when shining the light through the paper...it was really fun to see the effects when altering the distance and angle of it's surroundings- I would love to experiment more with this idea in the future- altering scale and positionings, and hopefully having acess to a laser cutter to ensure I get it right first time!)...

The papercut below shows the reasonably unfamiliar and new addition to the zodiac constellation series, Ophiuchus. Due to time constraints, I only cut the one papercut, though given more time would love to see the effects of the entire eighty-eight series!...