When youโre staring straight at them, Will Atwoodโs three-dimensional resin paintings appear at first glance to be just that โ paintings. Look a little closer at one and youโll see the drop shadow. Approach it from an angle and the separated layers will reveal themselves.
Atwoodโs pieces average about 20 layers. He works on several simultaneously to optimize time spent mixing resin and waiting for layers to cure. โIf Iโm working nonstop,โ he says, โI can make a few pieces from start to finish over the course of a few weeks.โ
To plan out his pieces, Atwood uses design software like Illustrator and Photoshop, as well as Blender, Rhino, and Fusion 360. โResin makes it easy to erase the layer youโre working on, but if I want to prototype something that would unfold over multiple layers, Iโll turn to digital tools to make mock-ups to see how the idea might work,โ he explains. โIโm inspired by the technical aspect of merging the analog and the digital, using a vast array of tools to help realize a novel idea and create something new.โ
The medium of resin itself often complicates his planning, though. He says the most difficult part is just the finicky nature of the material itself. Itโs impossible to cure it with absolute pristine clarity โ hairs, smudges, and bubbles are inevitable hiccups. When unsightly imperfections happen, Atwood has to change course. โSometimes these adjustments to unexpected problems can yield a more interesting final product than what Iโd planned!โ he says.
Atwood is now experimenting with unframed pieces so that the layers can be admired from all angles, such asย Second Law.
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