Research
For this project, I started first with looking up mechanisms techniques and their different purposes, also I learned a lot from the trip to the Thompson library where I got to see and learn more about paper mechanisms:
Exercise/Activity:
We did an exercise in which we had to create any two mechanisms and bring them to class:
Iterations
I started to sketch abstract shapes that reflected the song:
I had created some templates to use when creating the mechanisms:
I tested different mechanisms that I thought would go well with the song my partner and I had chosen which is “Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky”
Then I did some prototypes to see how the composition would come together:
Concept Statement
Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Op. 20/10 is a complex piece of music featuring smooth, weeping melodies and climactic symphonies performed by a dynamic chorus of instruments. To represent this song abstractly, my partner and I used paper mechanisms including pull tabs, push tabs, and pop-ups to create different types of movement that would visually correspond to the features and emotional effect of the song. In our compositions, we relied on the design principles of movement and emphasis, using different types of movement to match the distinct parts of the piece. Since the piece is so complex, we separated it into three separate sections—the calm intro, dynamic middle, and the quiet end that returns to the same melody as the intro. Though they are individual compositions, both my partner and my piece harmonize with each other through this shared structure, which is identifiable when they are presented side-by-side.
Production
For my final composition, I decided with my partner on the size of the composition and we wanted to create contrast between our works so I did a white background and my partner did a black background. Then I decided on the mechanisms which are pull tabs and pop up to create the harmony that was presented in the song:
