Wednesday, January 23, 2013

In Search of a Virtual Window (Updated)


Labradorite Window detail - Digital - DS 2013
(Click to enlarge.)


The graphic above (Note: Original graphic has been replaced with a different version.) charts the progress of the labradorite window I mentioned in my previous post. Of course it helps to know what sort of portal one means by "window" before one attempts to create a virtual one. In the very early days of this project, the window was opaque, and for the most part metaphorical. I wanted something that was so organic that it appeared to have literally grown into place. The "place" was in the middle of a stone slab. I didn't think too much about the slab. I knew it was on the ground. As far as the "labradorite window", originally the idea emerged from a line of a poem I wrote in 2009:
"I lie on a bed of labradorite; of labradorite is my window."

I pretty much abandoned the poem, as my muse had little else to say, but the idea of a labradorite window intrigued me. I wanted to see it, which is pretty much the definition of art for an artist: that is, things we need to see. I'm not sure when I began fashioning it's size and overall shape... but, I had in mind a stained-glass-like "rose window"; the sort one sees in the great cathedrals, but on a smaller scale, and, as mentioned, not really a window at all. I also knew the panes of labradorite would fit together in an organic array, which is when my mind hit upon the idea of the meteorite. Below is the results of my initial attempts at developing a meteorite "shell". I thought that it only remained to fill in the pockets of my faux meteorite via my airbrush tool.

Wrong. After a number of failed attempts I just placed the whole project in the "Someday Maybe" file and moved on.

It was only recently that I began playing with it again. For whatever reason, I started airbrushing a metal swirl pattern over my meteorite, and, during this process, it came to me finally just what sort of window I was seeing in my middle eye.

Yes, the labradorite window is still in the center of stone slab lying flat on the ground... but it is not just some weird mineral deposit, as I imagined previously. It is an actual, translucent stained-glass window created to represent a metaphorical portal to an ancient, underground chamber.

Ah, but that's another story. Meanwhile, I'm progressing slowly with the project, though it feels like more of a craft project at this point, and a labor-intensive one at that. The previous image showed a view of the window laid over the framework of the faux meteorite shell... the new one displays, instead, the marble-like slab in which the window is embedded. The grey/green segments represent blanks awaiting to be filled. I'm experimenting with labradorite patterns presently, and there's a long way to go... and it suffers in a low-resolution format but, I think you get the idea. Incidentally, that purplish segment represents a variety of labradorite known as "Peacock". The whitish stones represent Rainbow Moonstone, another variety of labradorite.

As it stands, it's going to be fairly chaotic in meat-space for me over the next few weeks - the big move is about to take place -  but, I've begun laying the plans for my next Patron Saint post. See you then!




"Meteorite" Window in full - DS 2011
(Click on for larger view.)

5 comments:

  1. OOOOO! Love this concept....and one of the more adaptable ones you have shared. The idea of a meteroite 'translucent gem/stone" organic-form window is phenomenal!

    Hell...*I* want one!




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    1. Thanks, Bob!
      The meteorite shell looks like it should really exist, doesn't it? It brings to mind the skeletal remains of some bizarre organism.
      I'm not liking the .jpegs very much though... especially the metal-work of the top image... which is equally as organic and has corroded in an interesting way. Also, the proposed full sized window is a couple of feet across... so a lot has been lost in translation!

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  2. I met this artist recently and when i saw his work i though "dia would like this"

    http://sloweye.net

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    1. Wow! Trippy and wonderful - a true visionary artist! Thanks for the link, J. I think I'll post it on the sidebar under related non-digital. Though I notice he also does digital work, he's a painter... in the best pointillist tradition... only he's blown up the points! Very organic... and very quantum. :-)

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  3. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to seeing how this piece will turn out when finished. Beautiful.

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