The principal idea was to design a chair that would look totally different to
what it actually was made from. The Ideas started with Ethereal designs with light
glowing from within or made to look likeit was liquid. Then we decided to go down
to the local scrap yard and make a chair from what materials we could find. Then
design the chair around the materials!!.
First of all the ideas came flooding onto the page, the majority was very fantasy-like. So we decided to create a chair that would represent a character from many childrens bedtime stories/books.
We chose the poor witch (Ahhh) who always seems to end up losing. We gave her a chair that Jimmy Saville would be proud of!! She slept, cast her spells , lived and used her chair as a prison. She kept the elfs,goblins and fairies under her chair,where
they are caged and used as ingredients for her potions and spells!!!.
We came across an old bag of alluminium frame for a tent and a chrome coffee table. The frame and the ends of the coffee table happilly slotted together.
we then drilled and riveted the frame together. We bent arms, hands, candlestick holders and a book holder onto the frame. The bottom of the back of the chair was left free, so that the back could be off for transporting or for preference to the
upholstered back.
The coffee table was covered with shaped boards to create the roots of the tree and the prison. This was then covered in wire mesh and shaped again.
We then acquired 2 large rolls of stiffener for tailoring, which was ideal, when used with p.v.a. glue to create a material-mache. This was wrapped and folded into shape around the back and base of the chair to achive the idea of a carved tree.
The material holds its shape well when dry and is then covered with Expanding foam to create a textured bark and fungal effect to the structure.
An old 60's fibre-optic light ornament ws found on a local carboot for £1 and was ideal for the witches crystal ball. The fibre-optics was cut to shape and shortened so that they would
fit into a reasonable sized glass lamp. The whole appliance was then attached well tothe chair and sculpted around so that there was plented of ventilation. The wire led down the leg. The fibre-optics change colour as they turn around inside. This creates
a great effect on stage or when its dark!!!. The back and base of the chair was then made with M.D.F board that was shaped and upholstered with dyed and bleached material. the back was made to slot into a sliding bracket at the back of the base cushion.
Once the chair was assembled, 10 gallons of p.v.a. glue and 3 large expanding foam tubes spent on the chair. Then came the painting. This was achieved by coating the chair withcar spray
paints and wodd stain!!!! The stain was used in the cracks and creases of the texture to give some depth to the form and colour.
A staff was also ade to coinside with the chair and was made from a childs toy He-Man (Skeletor) Staff that played thunder and laughter when shook or pressed.
The staff was extended to 5 feet long and the head of the staff was made to look like the head of a dried up goblin. An old fur coat was used to simulate hair. The whole fo the staff was textured axactly like tohe chair.
First of all the ideas came flooding onto the page, the majority was very fantasy-like. So we decided to create a chair that would represent a character from many childrens bedtime stories/books.
We chose the poor witch (Ahhh) who always seems to end up losing. We gave her a chair that Jimmy Saville would be proud of!! She slept, cast her spells , lived and used her chair as a prison. She kept the elfs,goblins and fairies under her chair,where
they are caged and used as ingredients for her potions and spells!!!.
We came across an old bag of alluminium frame for a tent and a chrome coffee table. The frame and the ends of the coffee table happilly slotted together.
we then drilled and riveted the frame together. We bent arms, hands, candlestick holders and a book holder onto the frame. The bottom of the back of the chair was left free, so that the back could be off for transporting or for preference to the
upholstered back.
The coffee table was covered with shaped boards to create the roots of the tree and the prison. This was then covered in wire mesh and shaped again.
We then acquired 2 large rolls of stiffener for tailoring, which was ideal, when used with p.v.a. glue to create a material-mache. This was wrapped and folded into shape around the back and base of the chair to achive the idea of a carved tree.
The material holds its shape well when dry and is then covered with Expanding foam to create a textured bark and fungal effect to the structure.
An old 60's fibre-optic light ornament ws found on a local carboot for £1 and was ideal for the witches crystal ball. The fibre-optics was cut to shape and shortened so that they would
fit into a reasonable sized glass lamp. The whole appliance was then attached well tothe chair and sculpted around so that there was plented of ventilation. The wire led down the leg. The fibre-optics change colour as they turn around inside. This creates
a great effect on stage or when its dark!!!. The back and base of the chair was then made with M.D.F board that was shaped and upholstered with dyed and bleached material. the back was made to slot into a sliding bracket at the back of the base cushion.
Once the chair was assembled, 10 gallons of p.v.a. glue and 3 large expanding foam tubes spent on the chair. Then came the painting. This was achieved by coating the chair withcar spray
paints and wodd stain!!!! The stain was used in the cracks and creases of the texture to give some depth to the form and colour.
A staff was also ade to coinside with the chair and was made from a childs toy He-Man (Skeletor) Staff that played thunder and laughter when shook or pressed.
The staff was extended to 5 feet long and the head of the staff was made to look like the head of a dried up goblin. An old fur coat was used to simulate hair. The whole fo the staff was textured axactly like tohe chair.
