the main event! (5-24-08)

for more of the scoop, check out:

http://fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080525/GJNEWS_01/558970783/-1/FOSNEWS03

. . .

http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080525/NEWS/805250327/-1/NEWS09&sfad=1

snug as a bug in a rug!

All ready for the show!

touch-ups

Since I had done all my experimenting with color choice and mixing on the first round, the second time went a little easier. First black, then red, then orange, then clear coat.
I let the head paint dry for a bit, then I coated the eyes with a heavy layer of black. I used some old pizza boxes with a notch cut in the center to wrap around the eye sockets and keep the black paint off the head.
Unfortunately, it was a rather humid day, so I had to keep the fans blowing on the head all night long to ensure that the paint would dry for the following day. But rest assured, it worked without a hitch.

reinforcements & reconstruction

Here's what was left on site.
At least the body was still intact.

So I took some measurements of the body in order to build a little protective deterrent. And I actually got to use some geometry in a real life application...yeah! Math!

So the main damage was done to the back "neck" shaft which was ripped off from the head, but there was also a fair amount of denting and ripping done to the antennae. So I decided to cut them off and reinforce the head where they are attached...

...which was not as easy as I hoped.

But eventually I got them off. And then I drew out out some contour lines on the head of how the steel plates would be added. Then I traced those lines with some acetate and a sharpie to make the templates.

Then I grinded off the paint where we'd be welding, and re-drew the lines to act as guides for placing the plates.

Here's the 1/8 inch sheet metal we used for the plates with the shapes traced out on them.

And once they were all cut out, it was time to weld them to the head.

We started with the center plate, welding along one end, to keep it in place. And then using a torch, we were able to bend the metal to closely follow the contour of the head shape.

And then each of the next plates were welded in a similar fashion, trying to keep each one as close to the other one as possible.

Then the new back plate was welded onto the head, and the shaft was secured to it. It certainly felt a LOT tougher than the first edition, but we'll see.

And here she is all finished up.

Now I just have to clean it all up and then paint it.

Ant Aid 2008!

Thank you to everyone who came out to the first ever

Ant Aid: benefit to re-build the ant! And thanks to Flatbread co., Art-Speak, and everyone who shared their affection for the ant.

With any luck, I'll get the head back on the Giant Ant by next week!

Attack on Art!

Be it a sculpture by Michelangelo, a painting by Picasso, or book by Salman Rushdie, certain art has always been surrounded by controversy. It's critics will persecute and chastise it's makers, while trying to figuratively and literally tear down the work itself. And it seems an innocent, giant, metal red ant in downtown Portsmouth is not immune to such tyranny, either...

click a link to see the full account:
http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080518/NEWS/80518003&emailAFriend=1

http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080519/NEWS/80519022

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080520/GJNEWS_01/282511463

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GYnXWd26144

the Giant Ant Blog

Please enjoy this blog/tour of how the Giant Ant was created;

from it's initial inception, to the final installation.

On the right side of this page you will find "blog archive" links where you can click to start at the very beginning with Step 1 and then follow the progression all the way to Step 18.

If you have any questions you are welcome to email me at

nwillustration@gmail.com

I would like to thank everyone who helped bring this project to life:

Everyone at Art-Speak

The City of Portsmouth, NH

Everyone at Osram Sylvania

Cycles 128 in Beverly, MA

Portsmouth Trading

Blue Rhino in Middleton, MA

...and especially Ronald Durand

And thanks to all of my friends and family who gave of their

time and energy during these last few months

Giant Ant (Step 18) - ta daaa!

We arrived on-site at 10 am, May 12, 2008. The sky loomed ominously overhead, but we were steadfast in our determination. We would build that ant!

There were some last minute tweeks to the leg sockets, upgrading from a 3/8ths bolt, to a 7/16ths...oh the humanity!

Laying out the pieces, we took a quick inventory.

And here's the site all prepped and ready for digging!

Much love for the ant head!
The first step was to put the legs onto the body so we could get our footing placements.

And temporarily adding the head made it easier to orientate the ant in a good direction.

Still mapping.

Then we marked the foot print, and slid over the whole sculpture so we could start digging.

So we had a few problems at this point. It would seem that the concrete base for the flag pole extended a few extra feet in every direction, making digging a bit tricky.

Luckily the city folks arrived in the nick of time and were ready to lend a hand. They trimmed up some of the concrete anchors I had made, so our holes didn't have to go as deep and then we were good to go!

Then we aligned the anchors to the foot holds, and bolted them in place.

And then we just had to tamp down the dirt in each hole and cover up the evidence.

It was now time to attach the abdomen...


...even more fun.


But we finally got it in place, and locked it down.

Then it was time for the last minute touch-ups.

Such as painting the tops of the bolts and nuts to blend in with the rest of the ant.

And there she is, in all her glory!

The End :)

(many thanks to Christopher Greiner for Step 18's great photos)