Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Giant Psychedelic Webs article in Fastcodesign.com
Beautiful lively original article on my work.
It's well written, funny and accurate.
Enjoy
It's well written, funny and accurate.
Enjoy
Friday, July 22, 2011
reflections on 3D imaging
I took a two week class this summer to learn 3DsMax software.
My first intention was to have a tool to use in the presentation of my work. Commissions, art competitions all require drawings of the proposed idea. My work is nearly impossible to draw in itself, and although I can draw a still life with skill, I have a hard time drawing my installation/string work.
I found out the first day of the class, that 3DsMax was a GREAT way to present my work. By the second day, I had created a new work, lighted it and got some great snap shots of the newly imagined piece. By the end of the week, I even had films.
So my first intention in taking the class actually hit pay dirt.
For all the time I have been doing string installations, people ask me if my work was drawn by computer first. That raised my hackles, and I assured them, that I imagined the piece in my head and then built it. Drawing it by 3D somehow cheapened the idea in my mind.
After a week of my 3D class, I soon dropped that antiquated prejudice. I soon discovered that 3D was a GREAT way to work out new ideas. I could build a 30m piece in a day, light it, change it, refine it all before ever needing a to "string" it by hand. I realised I could work out a lot of the structural and aesthetic problems before ever "getting physical"
I could play with lighting, setting, scale, material, color... all with the click of a mouse.
So now, I find it to be an integral and necessary part of my work.
However, it should be noted that the work I do in 3D rendering is limited. It lacks all the hand-made qualities that I think make my work relevant. It lacks imperfection, which is also an important part of my work.
I now see that it is only a part of the creative process and doesn't in anyway replace the hands-on part. It is a step along the way to realizing a project. But not the final result.
The 3D images that come out of my studio, should never be considered anything other than sketches. Working drawings. They are not final pieces in themselves, to me.
They are fun, they are colorful, they are popular, they are easily readable...
BUT, they are not my "real" work and shouldn't be confused with it.
They make a great "other" point of view.
I'm having a ball, and am enjoying working through new ideas as they come to me and at rapid speed, instead of waiting for the once or twice a year "big projects" that come along, such as "crépuscule" in Colorado or "cathedral" in the volcanic mountains of Central France.
Those are where my work really lives and breathes, but if I only do those monumental pieces, my work advances too slowly for my taste.
Of course, I'm continually doing small pieces that I can advance my ideas with too, but I find having big projects, small sculptures AND 3-D provides a new richness, which allows me to explore different aspects of my visions, which compliment each other.
My first intention was to have a tool to use in the presentation of my work. Commissions, art competitions all require drawings of the proposed idea. My work is nearly impossible to draw in itself, and although I can draw a still life with skill, I have a hard time drawing my installation/string work.
I found out the first day of the class, that 3DsMax was a GREAT way to present my work. By the second day, I had created a new work, lighted it and got some great snap shots of the newly imagined piece. By the end of the week, I even had films.
So my first intention in taking the class actually hit pay dirt.
For all the time I have been doing string installations, people ask me if my work was drawn by computer first. That raised my hackles, and I assured them, that I imagined the piece in my head and then built it. Drawing it by 3D somehow cheapened the idea in my mind.
After a week of my 3D class, I soon dropped that antiquated prejudice. I soon discovered that 3D was a GREAT way to work out new ideas. I could build a 30m piece in a day, light it, change it, refine it all before ever needing a to "string" it by hand. I realised I could work out a lot of the structural and aesthetic problems before ever "getting physical"
I could play with lighting, setting, scale, material, color... all with the click of a mouse.
So now, I find it to be an integral and necessary part of my work.
However, it should be noted that the work I do in 3D rendering is limited. It lacks all the hand-made qualities that I think make my work relevant. It lacks imperfection, which is also an important part of my work.
I now see that it is only a part of the creative process and doesn't in anyway replace the hands-on part. It is a step along the way to realizing a project. But not the final result.
The 3D images that come out of my studio, should never be considered anything other than sketches. Working drawings. They are not final pieces in themselves, to me.
They are fun, they are colorful, they are popular, they are easily readable...
BUT, they are not my "real" work and shouldn't be confused with it.
They make a great "other" point of view.
I'm having a ball, and am enjoying working through new ideas as they come to me and at rapid speed, instead of waiting for the once or twice a year "big projects" that come along, such as "crépuscule" in Colorado or "cathedral" in the volcanic mountains of Central France.
Those are where my work really lives and breathes, but if I only do those monumental pieces, my work advances too slowly for my taste.
Of course, I'm continually doing small pieces that I can advance my ideas with too, but I find having big projects, small sculptures AND 3-D provides a new richness, which allows me to explore different aspects of my visions, which compliment each other.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
3D Cathedral of the Winds update
Thursday, July 7, 2011
new gallery of sewn prints online
a line a artwork I do in addition to strings in boxes and strings in installations :
strings hand-sewn on prints.
check them out and let me know what you think
Sean
strings hand-sewn on prints.
check them out and let me know what you think
Sean
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Rockhem & Chicstone
text from the bio at Rockhem & Chicstone, who represent my work globally
Sean McGINNIS, an American sculptor living in Paris, grew up in Hays, Kansas, attaining a Master of Fine Arts Degree in 1989 from the University of Arizona. McGinnis takes an intensely hands-on approach to his work that he crafts in his Parisian workshop or on-site at various international destinations. Creating a sculpture in mini form or transforming an entire space, he gives either method a three-dimensional aspect by adding a dense installation of strings held and sculpted into arcs, by yet more strings. Miles and miles are needed to create some of the architectural weavings, that float like colored drawings in the air. Original and rare, his work recalls the sculptures of Andy Goldsworthy and Christo, as well as the architecture of Gaudi.
The result is an array of fresh, architectural forms that reveal an intricately dense installation of strings. Glowing with brilliance the work is seductive, putting to use simple materials but allowing pieces to assume surprising shapes. Once the general idea is determined McGinnis begins to improvise. He factors in surprises, accidents and twists of fate. Accommodating these twists of fate and experimenting with them, not panicking but trusting the material and the area elevates the art of string sculpture far beyond our imagination.
Sean McGINNIS, an American sculptor living in Paris, grew up in Hays, Kansas, attaining a Master of Fine Arts Degree in 1989 from the University of Arizona. McGinnis takes an intensely hands-on approach to his work that he crafts in his Parisian workshop or on-site at various international destinations. Creating a sculpture in mini form or transforming an entire space, he gives either method a three-dimensional aspect by adding a dense installation of strings held and sculpted into arcs, by yet more strings. Miles and miles are needed to create some of the architectural weavings, that float like colored drawings in the air. Original and rare, his work recalls the sculptures of Andy Goldsworthy and Christo, as well as the architecture of Gaudi.
The result is an array of fresh, architectural forms that reveal an intricately dense installation of strings. Glowing with brilliance the work is seductive, putting to use simple materials but allowing pieces to assume surprising shapes. Once the general idea is determined McGinnis begins to improvise. He factors in surprises, accidents and twists of fate. Accommodating these twists of fate and experimenting with them, not panicking but trusting the material and the area elevates the art of string sculpture far beyond our imagination.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Cathedral of the Winds
Today, I'm continuing to work on drawing the Cathedral of the Winds project in 3DsMax. Need to get it done this week. As soon as I do, I'll post photos and films.
Friday, July 1, 2011
new blog
playing around with the new blog today, figuring out how to post, how to put photos on, how to make links, how to change the graphics... :)
Grand Arch Project
a 3D sketch of an idea I have
an installation I would like to build
This is part of the larger Cathedral of the Winds project
©2011 all rights reserved
older posts 2008-2011
use this link to see previous blog entries in the old format
http://sean.mcginnis.perso.sfr.fr/seanexpoblog.html
http://sean.mcginnis.perso.sfr.fr/seanexpoblog.html
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