Category: Building the Sculpture

Bringing It All Together

This is the final blog for this project—it feels surreal. After nearly half a year of researching, planning, sculpting, coding, animating, and refining, this week was all about bringing every single piece of the puzzle together.

Putting the installation together felt like both a culmination and a celebration. It was a strange feeling: nervous excitement mixed with a little anxiety. I kept thinking, What if something goes wrong? What if the electronics don’t work or the sculpture looks off? But once I started fitting each piece into place—slotting in the coral elements, installing the screens, wiring the circuits, and arranging the periscopes—the nerves slowly faded into satisfaction and pride.

Seeing the digital content come alive inside the periscopes was honestly magical. After weeks spent staring at these animations and visualisations on my laptop, it felt amazing to finally watch them as intended—in context, integrated into the physical sculpture. The first moment I triggered a video just by peering into the periscope was a real highlight for me; it felt genuinely interactive and brought home the sense of curiosity and discovery I had hoped for.

Because of the lighting and reflections on the magnifying glass, it was difficult to flim it. But this result really motivates me to get all four periscope working with four circular screen. Hopefully I can purhcase them for the graudation showcase.

The sculpture itself took on a whole new life when everything was assembled. The coral elements, crafted carefully over hours, blended naturally with the polystyrene structure. It all somehow worked together, creating something cohesive and meaningful.

Reflecting on the final result, I’m proud but also reflective. The project turned out beautifully, yet there are always small things I’d love to refine. The screens could’ve been larger, or maybe the coral could’ve been a bit more detailed. But I also realise that’s part of the creative process—knowing when to step back, embrace imperfection, and let the work speak for itself.

Reflection

Looking back over the entire journey, this project pushed me to grow in ways I hadn’t anticipated. I’ve developed skills I didn’t even know I needed, like navigating new software, managing technical troubleshooting, and refining my sculpting techniques. But the biggest takeaway, perhaps, is how much I’ve learned about balance: balancing technology and nature, aesthetics and functionality, ambition and practical constraints.

This process taught me that creativity is not linear or predictable; it’s messy and iterative, full of mistakes, adjustments, and unexpected breakthroughs. I’ve learned to embrace uncertainty, to trust the journey, and to accept that a good project isn’t about perfect execution—it’s about how effectively it communicates an idea or a feeling.

Most importantly, finishing this installation reinforced why I chose this project in the first place. I wanted to invite people to reflect critically on our complex relationship with nature and technology. I wanted to create an experience that’s not only visually compelling but also thought-provoking and meaningful. And in the end, I truly believe I’ve achieved that.

Now, stepping back and looking at the completed installation, I feel grateful and fulfilled. The project has become more than just an academic exercise—it’s become something I genuinely care about, something personal and meaningful. It’s been an incredible journey, and I couldn’t be happier with where it’s brought me.

Building the Sculpture

This week was all about bringing the physical side of the project to life — finally making the sculpture!

Polystyrene Base

After weeks of planning and experimenting, I decided on using polystyrene as the base material. It’s lightweight, affordable, and relatively easy to shape, which made it the most practical choice for a large installation like this. Even though I had initially considered other materials like clay or chicken wire, in the end, polystyrene seemed to be the best option.

Once the material was sorted, I got to work cutting the sheets down to size. My goal was to build a 300mm x 300mm x 800mm cuboid, which would serve as the main body of the sculpture. Using a hot wire cutter, I sliced the polystyrene sheets carefully. It was bad at first because the cuts needed to be precise, and I didn’t want to waste any material. I made sure to do all the cutting outside for safety.

After cutting, I glued the sheets together using expanding foam. This part was messy but kind of satisfying! Once glued, I clamped the whole structure tightly and let it dry overnight. Seeing it come together as a solid block made me feel like the project was really materialising in front of me.

The next phase was shaping the sculpture. I used a combination of hot wire, a saw, and a box cutter to carve and refine the form. This was probably the most hands-on and physical part of the process so far. I took my time, adjusting the curves and angles to make sure the shape matched my design vision. Then I cut out the holes for the periscopes, circuits, and coral elements, getting everything ready for the final assembly.

To finish the surface, I wrapped the whole structure in Modroc — this not only smoothed it out but also added durability, which was important since other materials like the periscope pipes with screens and circuits, and the coral elements will all be add to this piece. Finally, I painted it with layers of acrylic, bringing in colour and texture to help it resemble the underwater world I wanted to evoke.

Coral Elements

One of the most detailed and delicate parts of the project was making the coral elements for the sculpture. Originally, I had planned to buy real coral pieces, thinking they would bring authenticity and texture to the installation. But after researching the sources, I realised it wasn’t the right choice — not just because of the high cost, but also because of ethical concerns. Using real coral for an artwork that’s supposed to raise awareness about marine restoration just felt wrong and contradictory. So I decided I would craft the coral myself.

At first, I thought 3D printing would be the perfect solution. I had the digital models ready and consulted with the fabrication technician, only to learn that the intricate, delicate shapes of the coral models would be nearly impossible to print without major redesigns.

That was a bit of a letdown, but it also forced me to get creative and hands-on. I pivoted to using air-dry clay, which turned out to be a really rewarding (if sometimes frustrating) process.

I began by colouring the clay using acrylic inks, which took more time than I expected because I needed to prepare large amounts in different shades. Sculpting the coral forms was both fun and challenging — the small pieces came together quite easily, but the larger, more branched models were trickier. Even with some added armature, they were often too heavy and fragile, and I had more than a few break on me during or after shaping. That was definitely frustrating at times, but it also made me understood the material limits.

In the end, I decided to combine the two approaches: smaller, delicate pieces made from clay, and larger elements 3D printed with simplified forms. Seeing them all arranged on the sculpture, I felt proud of how they came together — each piece adding texture, shape, and meaning to the final installation.

Reeflection

Reflecting on this week, I feel both exhausted and proud. This was probably one of the most physically demanding parts of the project, but seeing the sculpture come to life has been incredibly rewarding. It’s no longer just an idea or a digital plan — it’s something real, something you can walk around, touch, and experience. Making the coral elements reminded me why I care so much about this project in the first place. I understand their beauty and delicacy even more. It’s never just about aesthetics; it’s about telling a layered story that invites people to think, question, and feel.