Trash to Treasure
This week we were tasked to choose an endangered animal, and create a replica using reusable and recyclable materials. I decided to focus on the Great Hammerhead Shark, which has become prone to overfishing, and has been considered critically endangered since 2013. This species has been targeted because of their large fins, which have a very high commercial value, and are extremely sought after. Combined with their slow reproduction rates and high mortality rates (due to fisherman) they are vulnerable to exploitation.
Exploration & Prototyping:
I’ve always had a fascination for sharks since I was in high school. And I realized that they were in incredible danger due to hunting and finning, and more awareness about these issues needs to be brought to people’s attention. Not only that, but the constant pollution of the oceans is affecting their environment and their food sources. As I was thinking of ways to try and recreate it, I was wondering what materials I had laying around my house that would not only be easy to work with, but also held some kind of significance — plastic grocery bags. They are easy to manipulate, cut up, and work with. And they are also one of the main things that is causing problems for all of marine life, not just sharks.
Final Design:
In order to create the prototype, I had to find a good amount of images to work with. And from there, I drew out a template that I would use to trace the image on the plastic bags. I wanted to keep the design simple, and try to use the least amount of products possible. So I only ended up using the plastic bags, scissors, tape, and then paper and a marker for the template. After tracing the shark onto the plastic bag, I began to carefully cut around the outline, trying not to rip the bag. After getting the pieces cut out, I started to tape them together along the edges. I used the remaining parts of the plastic bag as a stuffing to fill up the inside of the shark. After I taped the last part of the tail, I cut out his top fin, taped and stuffed it, and then attached it to his body. In undergrad, I used the same deign process to create a project in a 3D Design class I was taking, so I already knew how quickly and easy it would be for me to use the same idea, but turn it into an animal instead.
Self Reflection:
Being a designer, I always take for granted getting back to the roots. Having a chance to get off the computer and work with my hands was a good reminder of where I come from, and this is definitely a good practice to have. Being able to have an idea, sketch it out, and turn it into something tangible is a very good skill to have because it becomes a lot easier to articulate your thoughts and ideas when it’s right there in front of your face.
