3D model making has always been my favourite medium.
Since childhood I’ve used ‘junk’ materials (cardboard, papier mache, packaging etc.) to create 3D characters.
For my final project at university I created large, furry, monkey-like creatures out of carpet tubes and felt. I created a mock-serious conceptual art piece, and then positioned the monkeys to make it look as though they’d ruined the piece by throwing paint at it and breaking the exhibits.
Whilst completing my fine art masters I worked as a 3D art teacher at Aynsley School, Blythe Bridge (now Portland Specialist College). The children were studying Lichenstein and Warhol as part of a pop art project. We spent our class time creating giant versions of confectionary items using junk materials: enormous Snickers bars, huge bags of crisps and bottles of Coke. I was immensely proud of the result, as were the children.
In 2022 my friend (and fellow puppet enthusiast) Chris Carr and I started a small animation studio. We started to create and build surreal stop frame characters. We posted our test shots online and started receiving a huge amount of attention – people clearly like seeing strange and creepy characters come to life using traditional stop frame techniques. Our second video was watched 250,000 times! We’re currently building models and sets for our first short film.
3D workshops
In 2020 I started working with Friends for Leisure, a Congleton-based charity supporting children and young people with disabilities.
I run 3D ‘junk puppet’ workshops in which I guide the children through the creation of fun, silly characters created using cardboard, fabrics, glue guns (monitored carefully at a safe glue gun station!) goggly eyes and any other available materials.
I keep the theme of the classes very loose, enabling the children to express themselves however they wish. Some like to create versions of characters from film or TV, others let the puppets evolve as they work.
At the end of each session we film the puppets as an informal way of presenting our creations to the class. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable workshop!