Light Bulb Alphabet

I created this using broken light bulbs, a desk lamp, and a chip board painted flat black. It was a project exploring the alphabet, and seeking to find an expressive way to portray the alphabet using a set of creative constraints. I had several fantastic ideas, but this one was among the most unique. So I went to WalMart, bought several packs of light bulbs, and wrapped them in a small towel before carefully breaking them from certain angles. Once I had an assortment of useful and irregular shards, I started arranging them into letter-forms, silhouetting them with the lamp, and taking photos. Now I have an alphabet from broken light bulbs.

B&W Photos

I am getting started with a Canon Rebel XTi. I don't have much photography experience, but here are some of my first stabs at some Black and White photography. I love the stop motion and long exposure photographs; there is something fascinating and super-natural about them.

For Sale

By the way, I should mention that the prints I have listed are for sale. I have limited quantities of each, but I will take offers here first before I sell them on Etsy. So if your interested in anything, let me know ASAP

"Infinity Flower"

I stumbled across this idea while working on a different project (which I will hopefully get posted soon) where I was overlaying type in CMYK. The concept was that the core elements of letters have stayed the same throughout time, but the styles, the serifs, the accents, strokes, etc. are what have changed. By overlaying type from different periods in time and from different classifications, the outside edges would be various colors, but the core would multiply to a rich black. 

I wanted to perform this concept using infinity signs on a much larger more complex way, but time/resources/difficulty constrained me to this print. I will return to this concept to really flesh it out.

"Breaking Free"

As a growing designer, I find myself stuck in boxes all the time. I limit myself and impose myself without hardly even realizing it. As I was printmaking, I was reminded of this by the impression that the plates made in the paper during printing. I wanted to have an expression of breaking out. I find that when I ask myself questions, "why not try this?" "what if that happened?" and especially when I find myself think, "no, I can't do that, it won't work." To quickly rebuttal with, "Why not?" When I do that, I find that my designs become more interesting and creative. Thus this piece is about breaking free with questions. 

"Form of Beauty"

This was my fist composite print that I completed. I based the image on different elements that I find beautiful. The background is a rough rendition of a photo that I took in the City of Rocks near my home. I am also always impressed by the presence of the golden mean in the world. It will show up in nature, in type, in so many good designs; it is prevalent and powerful. The overall scope of this piece was to communicate some of my life and what I find beautiful.

Letterpress Quote

This was an expressive letterpress project I recently completed. It was such an experience to use actual lead type, to deal with each individual letter made out of metal. I loved the process, it was so much fun to get hands on, close and personal with a heavy duty letterpress, and implement design. I also really love the quote. It is one of the great ironies of life that constraints are what keep us free, and that embracing constraints can make it possible to soar.

Short Story Typography

The Noticer by Andy Andrews is a fantastic read. Anyone who hasn't read it yet, it is a powerful short book. This is a recent project in class that I did, in which I designed an excerpt from the beginning of the book. Jones, an old man, is a noticer. In the design I highlighted the things Jones sees, so that the reader can start to see the perspective from which Jones sees. Enjoy

Paden

Getting Started

Hello All,

I am just getting started at this, so be patient with me, and give me suggestions. I am planning on getting a lot of my recent work on here very shortly. Thanks for taking the time to visit!

Paden