Nathan Walker - the giant ant blog

The End...so far

2008-05-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks for visiting the Giant Ant Blog!

It's been quite an experience working on this project - my first ever public art sculpture. From sketching out my initial ideas, to finding materials, from designing the framework, to building the ant, and then doing the finishing touches -it has been a truly great process! And then having my sculpture vandalized and the resulting media attention, added a whole other dimension to the experience. First, trying to find out what happened from the police, then figuring out how to fix the sculpture, and then making my way amongst the countless interviews and resulting fanfare, not to mention the most excellent benefit dinner, were all things I hadn't anticipated when starting out on this artistic journey. But in the end it all worked out for the best, as it gave me the chance to talk further about my piece and public art in general, as well as hear back from the innumerable people in the community who shared their comments with me. I am eternally grateful for being part of this experience. I hope you enjoy the pictures and text here in this blog. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at nwillustration@gmail.com

the main event! (5-24-08)

2008-05-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-05-25T10:06:00.000-07:00

All ready for the show!

touch-ups

2008-05-25T10:00:00.001-07:00

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

2008-05-24T23:04:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-05-20T21:59:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-05-18T08:27:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-05-12T17:19:00.000-07:00

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)

Giant Ant (Step 17) - viva the color!

2008-05-11T10:42:00.000-07:00

So, color...huh? Well, I knew what color I wanted the ant to be, so I went to the store, found the color swatch and had them mix me up a gallon. Then I came back and started painting...and that's when the trouble began. Nobody told me that using a spray gun would be sooo tricky! I couldn't get the gun to work right, I could get the air pressure right, and the paint (although it was brand new) was full of chunks of latex which continually clogged the nozzle. So after several attempts, and several cleanings, and even several different spray guns, I finally decided to go out and buy some cans of spray paint.

So then I came back and painted the entire ant a nice red color. And then I sprayed the eyes with black and just for fun I sprayed one of the antenna. I let it dry, then hit it with the red paint, and it looked great! There was just a hint of the black coming through the red and it gave the color so much more depth! And unfortunately I really liked it! SO, I went back to the paint store and bought all their black paint (unfortunately I had already bought out all their red supply, so I had to go elsewhere for that).

And then I proceeded to paint the entire ant black (over the red I had just painted).

And then I let this coat dry...

...and painted it all red again.

And it's kind of hard to tell from the photo, but I also got a few cans of orange to add some highlights to the red, furthering the depth of color even more! Yeah!

And here are all the cans I went through...and yes, my finger is really sore.

Giant Ant (Step 16) - White Out!

2008-05-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

These are some pics of the giant ant with the primer coat of paint.

(I used a white Rust-Oleum primer)

I think it's really cool how just painting everything white totally unifies the entire sculpture.

(another angle)

My little invention for painting "in the round"

And the finished product (...so far)

Giant Ant (Step 15) - my shiny new toy!

2008-05-11T10:19:00.001-07:00

First thing to do is fill in all the gaps and holes with some expansion foam (a.k.a. ant guts). This is to keep out the moisture and anyone looking to build a nest inside the ant body.

(My dad helping to fill more guts.)

The next step is to clean up all the metal in preparation of the painting to come.

And so now the ant has found a temporary new home...

...where the final steps will be completed.

(I have to say that I really like this all-polished-silver look. If I hadn't already committed to making the ant red, I think I would have just finished it off at this point with a clear coat, and called it a day...but no.)

Giant Ant (Step 14) - it's the final count-down

2008-05-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

Today was the day for any last minute tweeks...

...because today, my baby gets a head!

Awww, he looks just like me.

And wouldn't you know it, we finally give him a head, and he goes and tries to eat Ronnie!

(I guess there's not much more to say...so enjoy the show)

Giant Ant (Step 13) - almost there!

2008-05-04T08:37:00.000-07:00

Removing the paint from the gas tank had to be done via the grinder with a zircon pad, since the finish proved too tough for the sand blaster. And if anyone wants to see what color it was, I'm quite sure most of it will be residing in my lungs for then next decade.

"jaws of life"

Time for a little trim and tuck.

Ron holding the ant butt...it looks heavy doesn't it?

Giant Ant (Step 12) - location, location, location

2008-05-02T10:27:00.001-07:00

Here's your new home Mr. Ant. (downtown Portsmouth, NH)

And here's an artist's (me) rendition of how the ant will look, on-site, before the paint job.

I used half-cinder blocks, filled with concrete as a footing structure for the sculpture. Since the ant will be placed in a garden/flower bed environment, I needed something that could be buried and hidden, but still able to 'lock' onto the sculpture.

And here's a close up of those ant shoes. Believe it or not, the giant ant is only a size 8! (...of course I'm not sure how that translates when there are six of them)

Giant Ant (Step 11) - you work 16hrs...

2008-04-27T08:04:00.000-07:00

OK, so now the legs are really, really almost done!

This is a specially designed, adhesive backed stability strap used for high tech welding apparati, also know as 'masking tape'.

A quick inventory of parts and pieces for the ant head.

Here we are using a torch to cut out the shape for the ant hull, and boy, wouldn't a plasma cutter be great, right about now! Am I right??

A few last minute tweeks with the grinder.

fig. 1. Insert tab A into slot B.

...and voila!

Next we cut some old Coleman propane tanks to make the top leg appendage. Then a few patches to cover the holes up, and the ant body is looking pretty good.

And at the end of the day, we put the ant to sleep.

Here I am exercising just one of my many talents.

Giant Ant (step 10) - making contact...

2008-04-20T15:43:00.000-07:00

Welding lesson #1: do not stare into the light.

Now that the legs are done, it's time to see if this ant can stand.

We added a "pipe wedge" to thicken up the joints on the legs.

Me and my ant :)

It was such a relief to see that the ant could stand all on it's own.

Ron and Nate...the happy parents!

(giant ant...in case you forgot)

Giant Ant (step 9) - back in action

2008-04-16T21:12:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for action...and....

...action!!!

You'd be surprised what you can do with a few thousand pounds of pressure - in my case, bend some ant legs into shape.

Look! A barrel full of ant legs! Yummmy.

Each leg is made up of three pieces of 1/2 inch re-bar, welded together, and inserted into 1 inch pipe.

Here the body is starting to take shape, but there will be more of that later.

Giant Ant (step 8) - more sketches

2008-04-15T06:27:00.000-07:00

These are some ideas of how I'd like to make the body segments for the giant ant. This one is from the motorcycle fender. I had thought of cutting out notches in the metal to let me cinch it back together in a tighter arc. And then it would be welded onto the frame.

My other thought had been to get some large diameter pipe, cut it like we had with the legs, and re-assemble it to make the body segments.

These are the joints and base fixture sketches. The leg joints didn't quite end up this way, but the body/leg connector and the base connections should closely resemble the sketch.

Giant Ant (step 7) - construction day 3

2008-04-14T19:48:00.001-07:00

It's good to lift with your knees, but better to lift with hydraulics!

We welded the frame right onto the lift so that we could maneuver the legs and body parts without straps, ropes, or clamps getting in the way.

Every project needs legs to get off the ground, and a giant ant is no different.

First the re-bar legs were welded inside steel piping. Then we measured the angle of each joint and cut the pipe to match. And finally we re-attach the halves and weld them back together.

Six legs per ant. No more, no less.

And after several counts, we were sure.

Almost ready to stand on it's own!

The end?

Giant Ant (step 6) - construction days 1 & 2

2008-04-14T19:32:00.000-07:00

Does anyone recognize these?

It's just like a toy model you had as a kid, except the instructions are mostly guess work, the glue is hot, molten metal, and if you drop the pieces they could crush your foot. Where's the danger in that??

Now that's a big print out! Thanks so much Seth!

I don't think ants usually have a backbone...but this one sure as hell does!

aaaah, perspective : )

Oh yeah, this thing is going to get heavy! The wheel rims may be a great shape, but they're gonna add some major lbs to the back end...how are we going to counter that?

Oh, who cares...this thing is looking really cool!!!

Yeah, something like that.

(just in case you wanted a closer look)

My baby's first step!

Giant Ant (step 5) - tools of the trade

2008-04-14T17:38:00.000-07:00

A grinder is a sculptor's best friend. I can't even count how many grinding wheels I've gone through on this project. But as long as the sparks continue to fly, I'm happy.

This band saw is a machine that cuts through just about everything! And believe me, we put just about everything through it.

And Ron Durand is the man who tells it what to cut!

This torch gets kinda warm...you know, like a great white gets kinda frisky. But it can't be beat when it comes to bending re-bar!

Giant Ant (step 4) - the hunt begins!

2008-04-14T15:44:00.001-07:00

"It truly takes a colony to raise an ant"
-ancient walker proverb

There's nothing like scavenging for ant parts in a big pile of rusty metal. But I have to say, the Portsmouth Trading scrap metal co. is the holy grail for metal oddities and funkiness! I found most of my supplies there, and they gave me a great deal on the price, being that I was an artist.

These old tire rims were a great find - they were the perfect shape for an ant abdomen!

Cycles 128 in Beverly had a great assortment of used motorcycle parts. And like the tires, these pieces seem to have a purpose beyond their original intention. It must be their alien-yet-organic forms which scream out - "bug parts!"

And tell me, if this gas tank isn't the absolute perfect ant head!

Packing up the old pick-up for transport...I'm not sure which is the junk metal here? But at least it still runs!

Cutting and grinding away on the rims revealed this beautifully polished shape!

Giant Ant (step 3) - the mock up

2008-04-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

The next phase was to build a quick mock up of the ant, so I could figure out just how big this thing was going to be.

I used some 1" x 2" pine, a nail gun with 1 5/8" brads, and some string to piece together the framework.

It wasn't exact, but at least it gave me a sense of what I was getting into!

(me vs. the giant ant!)

I was also able to map out a rough footprint for the ant's footprint, which can be helpful when building a giant ant.

Giant Ant (step 2) - I'm in!!!

2008-04-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

Read the article here:
http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080314/NEWS/803140457
it's official...yeah!!!

Giant Ant (step 1) - idea/sketch/proposal

2008-04-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

I've always had a fascination with small creatures, and their intricate bits and parts. I thought it would be great to make something so small and seemingly insignificant, into a very large sculpture. (This is a piece from an old illustration I did for McGraw-Hill Publishers)

So after I heard about the competition for Art-Speak's Public Art project, I started doing little drawings of what I'd like to create. My first idea was actually a bunch of giant acorns...but I thought, 'if this is my only chance to make a big piece of public art, I might as well go all the way!'

And so the giant ant was born!

The next step was to enter the competition. So I prettied up my drawing, and stuck it 'on location' with a photo I took of Market Square in Portsmouth, NH. Then I worked up a budget proposal for materials, installation, storage, etc. And once all the "t's and i's" were addressed, I submitted my entry, and hoped for the best.