For my upcycle project I initially had a very hard time thinking about what material i wanted to use and what aesthetic i wanted to incorporate. To me choosing the material would some what point me in the right direction for what I wanted to make, and what aesthetics to use. I knew that I wanted to make something that incorporated many many small items of the same type or category to make something larger. Almost like a mosaic, using so many similar small items to make something bigger.

The image below is an example of a sculpture using the technique that I want to incorporate. When you first look at the creation you do not see rusty nails, however as you look more closely you can begin to see them. The uniformity of the material used makes for a very visually appealing creation.

I also wanted to make this project unique to myself, and use an “outside of the box” material. I wanted to use a material that I know I could get lots of, and that would add a unique aesthetic. It was actually a friend of mine who suggested that I collect the used brass casings from expended cartridges and use them as my upcycled material. I immediately knew this would be an awesome material to use and easy to come by. Many individuals at public ranges leave thousands of brass casings after they shoot, plus it gives me an excuse to go out and get some range time in! Picking up brass is also beneficial to the environment by getting those pieces of metal out of nature.

As I gave it more thought I knew that someone out there had already done this, however I wasn’t going to let that stop me. The image above shows one of the ways someone has already used bullet casings for the use of art. This sculpture really adds some awesome texture to the sculpture and makes it pop in a very unique way. There are limitless avenues to peruse using this material, and I still haven’t decided on what I want to make with the casings yet.

This image above I think is a very interesting way this artist used bullet casings in art. The artist formed a sculpture of Ghandi using brass casings which to me is very ironic and I think the artist here is trying to get a message across. The fact that Ghandi was one of the most famous world figures who stood for peace, and many associate guns and bullets with violence is quite intriguing.