Process: I attached a symmetrically patterned piece of fabric to the wall in the middle and sewed folds in place on one side, copying each fold carefully on the other side. I repeated this hundreds of times, often undoing the stitches and folding again in a different way if it didn’t feel right.

Concept: I wanted to make something that wasn’t flat and to manipulate the image physically with the same ease as manipulating it in Photoshop. I transformed the original pattern into something that had a character and something that surprised me.

Activity

Folding, Drawing, Cutting Exercise: Supplies: paper, drawing tools, scissors

1. Take a piece of printer paper and fold it in half vertically and horizontally. Do this several times to make a grid.

2. Unfold and use colors or black and white pencils/pens/crayons to make a horizontal symmetrical design on the front AND back of the paper.

3. Make 3 symmetrical folds along diagonal lines on each side so left and right sides mirror each other.

4. Make 3 mirrored symmetrical cuts on each side and remove those sections, pulling out these extra flaps of paper to create a complex composition that surprises you.

5. Keep going until you are pleased with the product. If you aren’t, start over again inventing a system that works for you.