Project Description:
While only using Sharpie markers, customize a Tyvek suit that both follows a personal theme and still includes linear elements
Process:
When first assigned this project, I had trouble deciding what got to be the theme of my suit. It had to be possible to create yet unique to myself. I finally picked the animals of Haiti playing the native instruments because it felt unique. I haven’t known any of the animals’ existence before or some of the musical instruments either, but they were connected to my culture.
After my research, I mapped out the idea onto two maquettes, one depicting the front, and one the other side. There was a clear difference when I first started and when I finished. I began with each section at a time and expanded from there. As the suit became worked, new ideas that weren’t previously sketched out were included because I felt like it matched the suit as a whole.
As I neared the end, fatigue and restlessness began to take over. There were points where I had worked for multiple hours every day and I just wanted it to be done. One of those points were the snake extending into the left leg. My resources were running low, and I still had no idea what will occupy that space. The snake was the only animal I didn’t draw yet so it just placed of out desperation.
Final Observations:
This had to be the biggest project I’ve ever completed, in terms of the canvas size and the completion time.
The entire process of making the markers into paint was a tedious one, but it paid off. I know that it wouldn’t have come out the same if everything was drawn. My suit projected my theme very well and is visually pleasing.
However, from the feedback, I think I will go with my idea of adding more color to the background to rid of some of the empty white space. I was contemplating on painting large portions of the suit red and blue to symbolize the Haitian flag’s color, but I’ll just make a colored banner wrapping around the suit instead.
