The Dapper Dans in 3-D

About a month ago I decided to attempt my first dimensional collage. Overall it went a lot more smoothly than I'd anticipated. Apparently years of making things out of cardboard and tape actually turned out to have a practical value for me, so it wasn't too hard to figure out the extra mechanics to make it dimensional. Even so, there are some things that I wish I had done differently. I still think it turned out pretty well for a first attempt.

While I enjoyed it, I don't think I'm about to embark on a switch to more dimensional collage. I really like the flat work that I've done. I think I will decide on a case by case basis which route to go.

The only thing I really don't like about this format, is I can't just throw the finished piece on the scanner in order to replicate it. Photography is now necessary, and I've learned that it's really tricky photographing artwork. Lighting is particularly difficult. The type of bulbs can change the appearance of the colors in the piece. The blue here, in particular is way off from how the actual blue looks. The second image gives a better sense of the actual colors, but even that is still off. In reality the blue is much more vibrant. Because I used reflective magazine paper for some of the collage, it would project a glare if I used a flash, or lighted it more directly.

At some point I'll get this photographed properly and repost it.

The subject for this piece is the Dapper Dans, the barbershop quartet that strolls up and down Main Street at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World. There are Dapper Dans at Disney World as well, but this group is particular to the Orlando, FLA park because they are standing around the barber pole that can be found there.

I have no idea it the non-USA Disney Parks have their own Dapper Dans.