6. BioFabricating Materials¶
References & Inspiration¶
Process and workflow¶
FOR THE BIOMATERIALS WEEK, I HAD PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED A MULTITUDE OF NATURAL MATERIALS FROM AN INDIAN GROCERY/HERBALIST SHOP WHERE I NORMALLY BUY FOR COSMETIC OR NATURAL HEALTH PURPOSES. AS I SAID BEFORE, I AM FASCINATED BY HOLISTIC MEDICINE AND THE WORLD OF PLANTS IN THE BEAUTY & HEALTH WORLD. FOR THE BIOCHROME WEEK, I HAD ALREADY USED THE PLANTS AND FLOWERS THINKING ABOUT THEIR BEAUTY AND HEALTH PROPERTIES ON THE BODY. I ALSO CHOSE MATERIALS FOR THEIR VISUAL APPEAL AND TRIED TO HAVE VARIETY TO EXPLORE.
I HAVE MOSTLY USED THE SAME RECIPES THAT I MODULATED BY EXPERIMENTING WITH DIFFERENT COMPOSITES.
THE RECIPE I HAVE MAINLY USED WAS GELATIN COMPOSITE WITH VARIOUS MATERIAL COMBINATIONS. I HAVE TRIED TO REPLACE IT WITH AGAR AT SOME POINT BUT HONESTLY THE STRENGH WAS NOT AS GOOD AS ANIMAL MATERIAL AND IT COULDN’T HOLD TOGETHER. THE GELATIN USED WAS PORK GELATIN POWDER.
- gelatine : 48 gr
- glycerine : 12 gr
- water 240ml
- saucepan
- kitchen whisk
- cooking plate
- measuring spout
- spoons
- container/mould/moulding surface
- WEIGH THE INGREDIENTS AND THE QUANTITY OF WATER REQUIRED.
- POUR THE GELATINE INTO THE PAN ALONG WITH THE COLD WATER.
- START MIXING WHILE HEATING THE WATER LITTLE BY LITTLE.
- WHEN THE GELATINE HAS MIXED WELL, ADD THE GLYCERINE.
- BE CAREFUL TO STAY BELOW 80°C AND MIX WELL TO AVOID BUBBLES.
- MONITOR THE COOKING PROCESS UNTIL A SYRUPY TEXTURE IS OBTAINED.
- POUR INTO THE MOULD OR ONTO A SELECTED SURFACE.
- PLACE THE SELECTED COMPOSITES BEFORE, MEANWHILE OU AFTERWARDS, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU WANT.
- ALLOW TO DRY FOR SEVERAL DAYS UNTIL THE MATERIAL IS HARDER.
- UNMOLD.
I HAVE CREATED SEVERAL SAMPLES BY COMBINATION OF THIS RECIPE WITH…
FROM THE SAMPLES I PREFERED, I CHOOSE TO EXPLORE MORE WITH SELECTED MATERIALS AND GELATIN.
I APPRECIATED MOSTLY :
LARGER VETIVER SAMPLE
- SAME RECIPE (GELATINE COMPOSITE)
- APPLY ON LEATHER FABRIC WITH EDGES
- PLACE THE VEIVER ROOTS
- LET IT DRY
LARGER FUNGUS SAMPLE
- SAME RECIPE (GELATINE COMPOSITE)
- APPLY ON BAKING PAPER
- PLACE THE MUSHROOMS
- LET IT DRY
LARGER HIBISCUS SAMPLE
- SAME RECIPE (GELATINE COMPOSITE)
- ADD 1 tpsp SPIRULINA
- APPLY ON FLAT SURFACE WITH EDGE
- PLACE THE FLOWERS
- LET IT DRY
I WAS ABOUT TO EAT CABBAGE WHEN I REALISED THE LEAF WAS VERY INTERESTING IN TERMS OF TEXTURE, THEREFORE IT COULD MAKE A BEAUTIFUL MOLD AND BE THE VESSEL TO A LIQUID TEXTURE TO CRISTALLIZE.
CABBAGE LEAF SAMPLE N°1
- SAME RECIPE (GELATINE COMPOSITE)
- POUR IT ON CABBAGE LEAF
- LET IT DRY
CABBAGE LEAF SAMPLE N°2
- SAME RECIPE (GELATINE COMPOSITE)
- ADD 1 tpsp SPIRULINA
- ADD 1 tbsp BLACK OXYD PIGMENT
- APPLY ON FLAT SURFACE WITH EDGES
- PLACE THE CABBAGE LEAVES
- LET IT DRY
CABBAGE LEAF SAMPLE N°3
- SAME RECIPE (GELATINE COMPOSITE)
- ADD 3 tsp CLAY POWDER « TERRE D’OMBRE »
- POUR IT ON CABBAGE LEAF
- PLACE EVERYTHING INTO A HOLLOW POT
- LET IT DRY
= I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO SEE SOME OF THESE SAMPLES APPLIED ONTO THE SKIN, IN LARGER PROPORTIONS. BUT IN MY OPINION IT COULD BE THE START OF SOME GARMENT EXPERIMENTATIONS, COSTUME DESIGN AS WELL. WHAT I FOUND VERY INTERESTING WAS THE SMELL OF SOME OF THEM, WHICH FOR ME WAS AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT.
I USED THE TAPIOCA BIOPLASTIC AS I ENJOYED THE BUBBLE-LIKE ASPECT OF IT. AS BEFORE, I USED THE SAME RECIPE FOR ALL MY EXPERIMENTATIONS BY ONLY CHANGING THE ADDED COMPOSITES. I ADDED A BIT OF WHITE IRIDESCENT MICA POWDER TO ADD SOME GLOW TO THE TEXTURE.
- tapioca : 100 gr
- vinegar : 50ml
- water : 300 ml
- glycerine : 22 gr
- iridescent white mica powder : 2 tsp
- saucepan
- kitchen whisk
- cooking plate
- measuring spout
- spoons
- container/mould/moulding surface
- IN A SAUCEPAN, COMBINE ALL INGREDIENT AND TURN THE HEAT TO MEDIUM.
- WITH A WHISK, MIX THE MIXTURE WITHOUT STOPPING UNTIL THE TAPIOCA MELTS AND THE MIXTURE THICKENS.
- ONCE THE CONSISTENCY IS THICK AND STICKY, REMOVE THE MIXTURE FROM THE HEAT.
- POUR INTO THE MOULD OR ONTO A SELECTED SURFACE.
- ALLOW TO DRY FOR SEVERAL DAYS UNTIL THE MATERIAL IS HARDER.
- UNMOLD.
= THESE SAMPLES, WITH TAPIOCA, REMIND ME MOSTLY OF PROP DESIGN AND I COULD SEE SOME OF THIS USED FOR DECORATIVE PURPOSES.
I EXPERIMENTED WITH RICE PAPER, EVEN IF I KNOW BY EXPERIENCE THAT IT DOESN’T LAST AND CAN BREAK EASILY AFTER DRYING.
UNEXPECTED EVOLUTION : MOLDS AND FUNGI¶
