Arani Halder
11th November, 2016
Integrative Studio 1: Avatar
Nayia Frangouli
Fabrication Store Research Visit
The Canal Plastic Centre has an array of plastic based art materials that span across just about every design field. The flashy disco balls at the entrance of the store contrast well with the slightly sketchy neighborhood. When I entered the store, the first thing that caught my eye were the small pyramid structures made of acrylic.
The first material that I chose was acrylic. The store has a large collection of acrylic material, and I chose to pick out acrylic sheets, bars and balls of different colors like blue, green and purple samples for $1 each. Acrylic is a transparent thermoplastic that is often used as an alternative to glass. It is a synthetic polymer, manufactured by emulsion polymerization, solution polymerization, and bulk polymerization. I think that acrylic is an indispensable part of the art world, as it is used in making paint, framing glass, sculptures, furniture and jewelry. Since my research project is about postmodernism in the 1970s and the art and urban landscaping produced during that time, I feel that use of acrylic can add to this project. Art during the 1970s was very abstract and edgy. The sculptures especially were very angular and sharp. I think that this effect can be created using acrylic sheets and bars to make pyramidal, offbeat architectural structures inspired by the postmodernism times.
The second material that I chose was a green vinyl sheet, that was for $1. Vinyl is a man-made plastic made of ethylene and chorine. Vinyl is used in the manufacturing of medical products like medical gloves, valves, masks, IV bags. It is also used to make frames, insulation for wiring and for roofing. I chose vinyl as one of my materials because it is a very durable material but at the same time it is very flexible and can be molded into different shapes. Also Vinyl is a very environment friendly material only because it can be recycled. The art during the postmodernism times had very bold and solid colors and sharp lines. I feel that since acrylic comes in different colors and can be opaque and transparent, I will be able to represent the color scheme of the 1970s well with it. The color blocking technique can be depicted with the use of vinyl.
The third material that I chose was a white textured, holographic poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) plastic for 50 cents. PVC is a synthetic material made using suspension polymerization. It is very useful in the manufacturing industry, being used in pipes, electrical cables, flooring and toys. I liked this material because I liked the trippy, holographic pattern on it. It looked like it had been etched on. I think that it will add to my project because it can add an abstract element to the sculpture. The circular patterns that change when seen from different angles, can add a psychedelic effect to the sculpture.
I think the trip to Canal Plastics was very useful as it introduced me to different kinds of materials that I have never used before. It helped me research the different kinds of materials and how they can add to my project.
