PARABOLAS + STRING= LINE SCULPTURE RELIEF

  Parabolic Line Design introduced in the DRAWING section, now takes on a new expression. We began with a 9"X12" sketch on 12"x18" paper allowing 1 1/2" and 3" side margins for later folding. Lines were sketched exactly the way they would be constructed with string. Allowing for needle and string thickness, points were placed about 1/4" apart.

  To see the relief as an extension of the foreground, we added a "wall" to the design, which raises the lines and also assists in further line and shape creation. See below!

  The red lines (above) indicate where the walls will be placed. These are glued to the background before any stringing is done.

  The "wall" needed is cut from a 3"X12" matching piece of background media, folded in half. It can be any variety of sizes.

  The long ends are folded 1/2" forward together, and slashed at 1/4" intervals. These are the "feet" which are glued to attach the wall as needed. NOTE: the wall can be designed square, curved to blend into the background, or diversely shaped as long as the fold line does not entirely disappear.

  Points are marked and punched along the final top edge. It is then ready to be glued to the background.

  The drawing is folded over the finish media and paper clipped or temporarily taped together. Materials such as tagboard and poster board are fine for backgrounds and will hold their shape under the stress of the stretched strings. Construction paper and other light paper materials should be folded in half for double strength.

  The drawing is placed over a small piece (3"X4") of ordinary ceiling tile. A small push pin is used to punch the points through the drawing on to the background. The stringing begins from the back of the work. There are no knots. The first and each succeeding string is pulled to the front leaving a 1" length on the back, and each is taped down. The entire work should retain a nicely flattened back with no bumps.

  The wall nicely suspends the wings up and outwards, tapering to the ends. Curved wall pieces should be pulled over the edge of a table a few times for flexibility before being attached to the background.

  The inclusion of collage materials--fabric, foils, printed papers, etc., was a completing option for additional contrast.

  There is a specific rule for the back of the relief: no "wrap-a-rounds". To be correctly strung, the line begins with the needle inserted from the back leaving a 1" thread, moves to the front to its connection point and goes downwards. The needle is then inserted to the very next point on the back up to the front to the next position and continues. The back should look like short "dashes"--no long string lines anywhere!