Endotopic and Exotopic.

My most recent university project was to explore endotopic and exotopic forms through balsa wood sculptures. The project brief stated that an endoptopic form was one that implodes within a frame and an exotopic form explodes externally from a frame. For this project our endotopic model was to use geometric shapes, forms and ideas, while our exotopic form was to be organically driven.

In designing our two sculptural forms we had to use different weight of balsa wood, develop our visual diaries, construct sketch models and undertake measured drawings of the form. Balsa, and glue, were the only materials that we were able to use. 

As I began to undertake research I thought of the idea of winter and hibernation, and the simply act of curling into oneself to make one warmer. I came across an image of a squirrel huddled in snow, it's paws tucked into it's body and it's tail curling upwards and wrapping around itself. From this I decided to base my endotopic form on a squirrel and my exotopic form on flames.

I formed both through cutting the balsa with a scalpel and stanley knife, and curling some of the balsa in boiling water and glass cleaner for long periods of time before drying the balsa curled around multiple wooden spoons (see below), and on the inside of bowls - one piece took five days to dry! 

Here are the final models:

Here are some of the technical drawings for the squirrel: