My approach for this project was directed mainly by the limit of it’s length. While I was initially uncertain as to what angle I could use to approach this project, I was able to shrink it down to cultural identity, given that I couldn’t possibly do racially or ethnically based content justice within a minute. The cultural approach also allowed me to tie in my heritage with the ideological byproduct it has given me, so as to be able to better portray my perspective and biases holistically within the constraints of the project’s specifications.
I have chose to complete my final digital media foundations assignment on the color Falu Red, a color used on every barn in the continental united states and many classical Swedish house. It is named Falu red as it is a byproduct of copper mines in the Swedish town of Falu. The copper gets mixed with other minerals found in the soil to produce said red. Due to its materiality, Falun red is not thought of in the same manner oil or acrylic based paints due to how the very particulates of the paint – as they degrade over time – come off as individual particulates. This makes it so that even in the event that the paint is degraded, it does not peel away like alternative paint would. Instead, it can be easily removed with a steel brush and reapplied as needed.
The paint is made of water, rye flour, linseed oil, silicates, iron oxides, zinc and copper compounds.
Concepts
Concept 1: Red Falu Planet
I made this concept with a few ideas in mind. First and foremost, I wanted to use the chemical structure of copper – the primary compound found in Falu – into a design that incorporated its chemical structure into it. The term “Red Planet”, a reference to mars, also kept coming to mind while brainstorming ideas.
Concept 2: Material Falu
I wanted to attempt a very textural concept of Falu, given its material nature. As it is most commonly seen on wood , I recreated the environment it would naturally be found in. It allowed me to experiment with patterns and not focus so heavily on contextualizing the type.
Concept 3: Falu, Sweden
Given that the Falun mines are the sole source of Falun red, I wanted to represent Swedish culture without being too overt, choosing to make use of the official colors of the Swedish flag comprising of the sky and ground, the hills, and the architecture associated with Falu.
