Model Component to be Scaled Up

An important part of the set-design is the inclusion of some kind of sign/feature that can be scaled up and used almost as a storyteller for the set's narrative. I wanted to be a little bit more creative than a mediocre "Warning. High Voltage" sign, so started thinking of ways I could communicate the story behind the set rather than just informing people of what they can already see; a room of confinement and experimentation.

My initial thought was to add a small serial number plaque to the side of the machinery. Within the plaque there would be some kind of text such as "manufactured for experiment #1829" and some information about the machine itself. However, I wasn't too enthusiastic about this idea and it was only until I visited the Wellcome Collection that I came up with a better concept.

The two most notable exhibitions to me were the 'Medicine Man' [permanent] and 'Ayurvedic Man: Encounters with Indian medicine' [temporary].

Above: A selection of images from my visit to the Wellcome Collection.

Alongside the 'Medicine Man's brilliant collection of items encompassing our universal interest in health and medicine [including the two sculptures shown above], the 'Ayurvedic Man' exhibited a selection of Tibetan anatomical diagrams that triggered the idea of creating some sort of documentation within my set-design of the most recent state of the subjects' body.

Currently, I'm picturing a diagram of a slice through the subjects body at his point of death. At the top would be the experiment number and name with a section at the bottom noting his date and cause of death including a 'termination of experiment' note. Some scruffy doctor's notes would give the piece some extra character too.

In regards to the model, the wall of section D-D is pretty much empty so this would be the perfect location for it. Although this idea isn't necessarily a 'sign', I think it's a really great way to convey the narrative clearly and almost intrusively - as though your looking through confidential files.

Above: A few blueprint examples.

In regards to how this idea will be displayed, I've been drawn towards the possibility of making it a blueprint. Although blueprints are known to us as means of presenting architectural or engineering design, my world is a fictitious one... so I can bend the rules a bit.

Above: The initial sketch, the 1:25 version and its place within the model.

As you can see, the initial design shows front and side labelled diagrams of the body, the experiment number, a diagram of the progession [and decline] of the subject and their date + reason of death.

These all exist upon the blueprint which is taped to a pull-down chart [the other two are older documentations that have been kept for comparisons. I had created this pull-down design purely from my imagination [as I wasn't able to find images of similar items until after it was made] - the result is something more of a window blind than what I intended. That's why i've collected some example images below and made some changes to the design in regards to them.

Above: A few example of the prop I'm going to create.

Below, I've created a technical drawing for the design of this prop [keeping within the rough A3 guide]. Unlike the 1:25 modelled version, this new design shows the pull-down handle attached to the lower rod [like most real-life pull-down charts] and the blue print image is the material, spanning from the top beam to the bottom beam [as opposed to paper attached to a backing].

Above: The measured design for scaling-up.

Ever since I started studying at Wimbledon, I've been waiting for the opportunity to use the metal workshop, so this would be the perfect time to do so. The scaled-up prop will require the metal fitting at the top and bottom of the sheet and for the pull-down handle. To practice my painting techniques, I can adjust the colour/age of the metals once they've been cut.

The blueprint itself, I would hope to create digitially and print out at a high quality. I think creating this component will take the most amount of time and, although it doesn't involve physical making skills, the digital aspect of it would be something completely new to me.