INSPIRATIONS - TY Beanie Babies

 At the beginning of the project, we were asked to bring in 2 small comfort objects. One of the things I chose was a TY beanie hippo, and I enjoy collecting these animals from second hand shops and online sellers of vintage toys. Many aspects of them bring me comfort but I think one of the more significant things is the under-stuffed floppiness of the creatures, and the sound of the beans inside. The simplified forms embody so much character while still resembling their respective animal, and they have a really friendly appearance.

When I first started making clay stag beetles, I took inspiration from the beanies when I decided to give them string legs with knots at the ends for feet, because some of the animals have knots tied at the end of their tails to represent a tuft and I thought that was really endearing and effective. I also liked the idea of making soft sculptures of beetles that were simplified and friendly looking to subvert the viewers feelings towards insects.









 

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