My object, a packet of plasters, was my starting point. I spent time thinking over what meaning we ascribe plasters. Why is it we associate them inherently with childhood? Why are more plasters flesh tone as you grow older? Why are we ashamed of showing that we have a minor injury, when we know that there is no harsh judgement for a paper cut?
From the hand with plasters on it, I progressed onto the idea of a hand made out of plasters. To practise this, I made a small hand. This was hilarious, and I am glad that I made it, as it gave me an accurate prediction of how many plasters can be used to cover how much space.
After constructing this, I decided to make a perfectly scale plaster hand with the assistant of a patient friend.
The hand was photographed in a variety of positions as an attempt to experiment with different perceptions. I do wish that I could have involved a few more props and settings, however I had limited time and I am still incredibly pleased with the results of the experiments I managed to get done.
Because I liked the warm glow created by the lit up hand so much, I decided to keep it illuminated. I thought that this made the design a lot less 'creepy', as it had been pointed out to me multiple times how disturbing it was to see a hand with an 'off-flesh-but-near-enough' tone.
The above image is my final design - I researched average heights across the UK - if it stands at 5"6 it should be in the eyeline of the most adults as possible. The hand would be illuminated at the base, and provide the only light in the room in which it would be displayed.
I think that the final result is both unsettling and charming at the same time. I don't believe I would change anything if I revisited this project, as I feel it was an interesting challenge to take on, involving completely new ideas and an unusual material.
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