Amounts in relation to the existing

Week 4
Following on from last week I have been experimenting with volume looking at pints and litres. The models I created look at proportion along with how we perceive and interpret volume. The various different forms, made those around me re think volume. The forms are based on simple 3D structures commonly found in physics or mathematics, informed from my research in the science museum.

This led me to look at environments where weight and volume are prominent, a bar and kitchen. Chef, Rene enlightened me by talking me through a couple of his recipes. He is polish and is accustomed to working with metric units, however when creating English recipes has to translate this into imperial. This leaves figures such as 667grams, which would normally be rounded to the nearest 10 metrically.

Alot of ratios are used especially in baking, and ingredients are added in a consecutive in one bowl. Rene raised an interesting point, of using taste as a method of assessment, a very human form of measure. Seasonal factors often determine recipes, eg. when strawberries are in season. Therefore more or less need to be added, depending on sweetness.

The method of measure Rene uses for hollandaise sauce is a soup ladle, which he uses as a method of ratio for each ingredient. He briefly mentioned the American measuring system of cups, he described as;

‘Simple, yet unreliable, under or over measured’.

I then observed human behaviour of making tea and coffee, the amounts of water required, and through habit how much you need to overfill of under fill with regards to milk and water. After baking cakes I noticed a really visually clear method of measure as part of butter packaging. I think it is informative as it involves interaction with the butter, through the act of slicing.

I experimented with the same volume of liquid but in different vessels. This showed similar results to the exercise with 3D volume models, and illustrated how we associate volume with certain vessels. When filling the vessels to equal a small glass of wine, I was unable to measure the quantity using just the ml markings so subconsciously referred to the imperial side.

I looked at what surrounds us and how we relate this to measure, such as packaging I looked at certain forms such as milk and juice cartons. I thought about taking the aesthetics of these containers and applying this to measuring devices, without being blatently obvious or crude.

From these experiments I established the clear theme of vessels, so decided to take familiar forms of pint gasses and turn them into measuring vessels. This was informed from looking at measuring jugs, as they are the volume of a pint. Through a familiar form, of the typical pint glass a sense of amount could perhaps be understood more easily. I did this by slumping the glass using a blowtorch. After a couple of cracked attempts, I managed to slump a subtle lip on the edge of a bubble pint glass. Unfortunately I dropped the glass and smashed it. But had another go with tumblers which worked, in a previous glassblowing project I did the same with a wine glass which had fluid results.

I also created a pint jug from a disposable pint glass, which I intend to slip cast next week. I have started to do the same with a 20cl disposable glass.

Experimenting with forms and volume has really helped me to move forward and to focus on vessels. I intend to keep experimenting with different forms, materials and processes and assess each stage. I aim to create a family of objects that look at volume and weight through human perception.