This project explores the relationship between color, size, shape, and volume through the making of three improvised inflatables. They are meant to be quirky and usual — Tracy Zhang

Inflatable #1:

The first was made from random shapes cut out of white, black, and clear plastic bags. To keep the clear quality of the material, I used clear double side tape, which introduced too many holes that failed to seal the air and inflate the form. The other difficulty of working with double-sided tape is that it often sticks onto other parts and eventually rips and stretches the form when trying to inflate again from its deflated form. Nevertheless, I persevered with the triangular character of the edge of the plastic bag when assembling the colored patches in an alternated fashion. Unfortunately, the air did not end up reaching into the little pockets of the irregular shapes.

Inflatable #2:

Learning from the last failed attempt to create a seamless connection, an alternate tool, a heat seal, was used to ensure air capture. The concept of this one is to utilize the unique qualities of triangles to ‘mesh’ a 3D shape. I choose pink, orange, and green to create a contrasting palette. Making this one is the most methodical: first cut triangles that approximately fit to be later trimmed or extended when assembling. Like the last one, I tried to alternate the color so it would be more engaging to look at. This one ended up being my favorite one due to its roundness of the seemly sharp deflated form.

Inflatable #3:

For the last one, I choose to use yellow tape visible on the outside to connect the pieces. This one was made from all the recycled scraps from the previous two. Thus you can sense a similar color palette. When the form is inflated, the yellow tape almost becomes another media other than just sealing but providing structure and the unexpected edge and ridges to the appearance. Such quality bounded the shape unexpectedly, turning this one into the most regular inflatable of three, although it was made of organic scraps.