Sara Drake: Tangible Maps
Sara Drake is a Fremantle based artist, who spendt her first years in Hong Kong and then moved to rural Sussex in Uk. The artist’s love for maps and globes also derives from the continuous travels made during childhood, throughout Europe and Asia. She attended 3D and Furniture Design at Central St Martin’s and Middlesex University in London, where, as the artist says, she didn’t learn much except for the fact that her brain thinks better in 3D.
The Creative Process
Since the maps and globes that the artist creates are three-dimensional polymaterial sculptures, she must carry out a complex creative process to realize them, as she explains on her website.
The first stage is research. Since most of the works she creates are commissioned by private clients, Sara Drake tries to gain personal information from the clients, in order to characterize the work as much as possible. In addition, the artist studies atlases and manuals concerning the place she is going to represent. Sometimes sh even has the chance to create the work in situ, taking direct inspiration from the place.
The second fase is create the map base. The base is a polystyrene board reinforced by pieces of wood. She carves the general shapes into the foam and then applies a thin layer of tissue paper papier mache above them. Then the background colours are laid out.
The last step are the details. The artist handmades all the details using various materials from balsa wood to foam, beads, wire ecc.. She then paints them with acrylic paint.
Maps and Globes
The final products are beautiful illustrated 3D maps and globes animated by an infinity of details and colors that make them vibrant and come to life.
“My work is a unique combination of painting, sculpture and modelmaking”
Sara Drake
References
Featured image: New York Details
