Introducing to you…Screwella

I want to show you how Screwella will come to life – Come and join me on my/our journey

Part 1 – The beginning

I was playing with different natural shapes consequent to the way we scrunch, tear and twist paper, and there at once was a new character for the Paperartzi!

It looked like a head on a twisted body and reminded me of someone I’d once met. In fact, you’ve no doubt all met this type of person.

In this case it’s a female, with a taste for standing out and wearing over the top fashion statements; always on the look out to make sure she’s the centre of attention. She goes to social places to test her allure and can’t stand it when she’s not in the spotlight. Down deep she just wants love like everyone but goes about finding it the wrong way. So she comes across a bit snooty, bitter and twisted though of course she thinks everyone shuns her because they’re so jealous of her. With all that in my imagination from just looking at an abstract shape of paper in my hand, there too was the perfect name: Screwella!

So I sketched her form with flame-like hair to match her burning need for attention, cool piercing green and blue eyes that watch and analyse what others do, especially her supposed competition(!), and a “jump suit” of sorts with a big popped collar to stand out all the more, (not shown on the drawing because I decided on that as I was making her).

My desk top is strewn with work objects. They’re named so you can understand my process. It starts with a concept drawing that’s traced part by part onto a template. The right papers are chosen and sculpted with the help of some water. Airbrush tinting parts like the hair and cheek blush give the exact colouring touches before final assembly.

The finished Screwella you’ll see in another post very soon, and you’ll understand why she has that sideways snigger with hands on hips…. hmm, she’s not happy!

We all express our take on life in endless different ways, but mine, along with my sense of humour comes out through the medium of art that began with my childhood: my paper sculpture.