CHERIE HILLMAN
CH
Pretty Deadly
"We automatically assign favourable traits to good looking people, finding them to be more likeable, competetant, and honest that unatractive people'
My final degree show piece is a visual represention of 'The Ken and Babrbie Killers' its apperance is attractive, inviting and child friendly, but after the shocking truth is revealed the viewers perception is changed. The work creates a contrast between pretty and ugly, and plays with peoples assumptions and perceoptions by using inconic inspiring characters to reaveal a dark truth.
I am very intrested in true crime and find the horrfic events fascinating. When i learnt of 'The Ken and Barbie Killers' i found the events uncomprehendable. The canadian couple Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo who where knicked named after the iconic dolls due to their good looking apperance, fairytale wedding and false perfect relationship. The couple lured three teenage girls to the comfort of their home where they recorded, raped and murdered the victims including Homolka owned fifthteen year old sister.
I used images of the killers to create my sculptures as well as profiles and measurements i created from found images.
I moulded my clay sculpts in a two part silicone mould with a fiberglass case, and cast my sculpts in wax to create the plastic, doll like finish.
Ready for moulding
First layer of thin silicon complete, four more where applied including two fixo layers.
Measuring silicon for moulding and taking a mould of barbie face as sculpting reference and paint finish experimenting.
I piped a Fixo Silicon line around the highest point which i then cut with a stanley blade to insert the shim to create a two part mould.
I then contiued to add more layers of silicon concentrating around the shim line and adding cut up sponge to help fill in the deep area.
once i completed all the shimming and silicon. I then coated my mould in fiberglass to create a hard case to hold the shape of the mould during casting.
once the case was complete and dry, i drilled holes to insert the screw which would hold the mould together during casting. I then opened the mould and case and cleaned out the inside of the mould.
I did experiments with plaster cast, resin and wax and decided wax created the best plastic doll finish. I then experimented with different paint finishes by hand and with an airbrush which resulted in the use of raw wax as the skin colour. I then used alcohol based pens and silicon pigments to create the complete look. I finshed the look off with wigs which had the perfect shape just like barbie and Ken.
During my paint finishing i was also creating my packaging boxes which i created from acetone sheets with a plastic bottom for support. It was then finalised with custom-made sticked to create the manufactured look. I also added in 'free gifts' just like toy boxes.
