I was inspired to do this project after watching a documentary on Ray and Charles Eames. When Ray Eames died, the studio that she and Charles shared was archived, packed up, and distributed to a number of museums across the country. The archivists understood the importance of capturing on film - one of Charles' favorite mediums - the true character and personality of the studio as it once was, and the result was this 45 minute piece.
Besides the astounding collection of modern furniture in the film, what struck me was a shot of the interior of Ray's office: she had dozens of letter forms mounted on her walls. All different fonts, all different woods and metals, and all arranged haphazardly along one wall. And unlike what you'd find today in a Pottery Barn catalog, she didn't attempt to spell anything.
Materials
Word processing or layout software (optional)
Printer (optional)
Sheet of blue foam insulation (~$7 for a 4'x8' sheet @ local hardware stores)
Something to cut it with (Box cutter, bread knife, small saw)
Paint
Picture hanging hardware OR tacky putty
Step 1
Pick a letter form that you like. Using your layout software, print outlines of the letter onto large paper (depending on how large you want these, you may have to tile). Use rubber cement or temporary spray adhesive to stick the paper to the builders foam. If you don't want to use a font, just draw your letter onto the foam with a permanent marker or wax crayon.
Step 2
Using your sharp knife or box cutter, carefully cut out the letter. Remove whatever is left of your paper pattern. You may have to go back and clean up any rough edges.
Step 3
This is where you can make the letter your own. Try beveling the edges of the cutout to make it look more carved. Or use a gritty sandpaper to smooth down edges and create texture.
Step 4
Paint the letter. Most paints will stick to builders foam
except spray paint. After a few coats of the paint, cover the letter with a coat of strong varnish to protect it.
Step 5
Hang it! You could carve out a small niche in the back of the foam so that a nail could fit it, or glue small picture hooks to the back. Because the foam is so light, you could even adhere it to the wall temporarily with
tacky putty.
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