Project 4:

Self Designed

Phoenix: Bird of Flame

Intention Statement:

The Phoenix has held a part in mythology for centuries. The bird itself has been depicted in many forms, both completely in fire and as a bird with feathers as well.

For years, people have created their own depiction of the phoenix, and this concept particularly interested me because there is no right answer to what the bird should look like. It is entirely up to the artist.

For me, the intrigue of this mythological bird is with not only it’s physical appearance but also it’s story. The bird itself is made of fire, and born from ashes. But this bird has the ability to be reborn again once it dies. Thus, the phoenix has a very circular lifestyle. I wanted to portray this in my sculpture through the symbolism of the circle shape.
I have chosen to make the shape of the bird very circular, so I made the wings brought upwards in a circle. This circle is to represent the Phoenix’s lifecycle. The wings are what give the bird flight and thus would be the part representing the circle of life for the Phoenix.

I made the armature with the intention of the circle being the main shape of the bird. I wanted the flames and the circle to be the main focus, and not the small details, which is why I tried not to add any.
The color choices were made to simulate flames, specifically a burning flame. By making the bird on a base, which is not visible, you are given the impression that the bird is in the process of burning and thus continuing the cycle, while not focusing on how it is structured.

The material I used enforced the feeling of flame and its flickering nature which paper emulated very well. I used red at the base and worked up to a softer yellow much as flames do when burning.
The overall message of this bird was intended to be the circular pattern of life and the flames that drive it. The viewer is not meant to be caught up in the details of the sculpture, but rather focus on the shape of the wings and the idea of flames. This piece is meant to sit at eye level so the audience can appreciate the shape right away.

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I’m fairy satisfied with how the tissue paper came out, but I discovered the best technique while doing the layering. I found that putting red and dark orange at the bottom and on the first layer, and then putting lighter colors on top gave the best effect, while making the paint and glue mixture more watered down as I got to the surface.

Another improvement I could make would be to make the base so that it would be easier to add extensions on it. This way, the fire on the bottom would have been more sturdy. Another thing would be to somehow anchor the small flames more because they seem to bounce awkwardly if the sculpture is in anyway moved.

For the color choice, I am overall very pleased with how it turned out. The way I layered the tissue paper adds to the fire feeling, without, in my opinion, seeming too artificial.

Time is something I definitely could have improved on. I didn’t realize how long it took to add volume to the wire beneath the tissue paper, and I had to be careful that the wires didn’t tangle while working on the wings.
The texture of the bird itself I could have worked on more, but I wasn’t sure how to make it not seem terribly realistic, yet blend in with the fire.