Artist Statement #1

Vichhay Roeung

Artist Statement #1

            My name is Vichhay Roeung, and I am junior at Science Leadership Academy. We were asked to build something we enjoyed or dreams of out of recyclable material. My sketches started out as simple lines, doodles, about what I wanted to make. What is there to know about me is that I enjoy learning about war, the history, the political standards, and especially the weapons of that time. At the time I was still hook on this new video game Halo Reach, that’s where I was inspired to make a sword. Which was not just because I’m Asian, I just happen to own a sword of my own to use as a model. But as the process went on I though I should challenge myself make a working light saber because I’ve always wanted to be a Jedi, “may the force be with me,” This is why I am an Artist.

            When building the light saber, I looked around for materials I could use. I didn’t plan for what I was going to do. Maybe I should have but I didn’t because I imagined what I going to do piece by piece. It may not had been a potential plan but we needed to use our imagination more often or we will never be able to create something wonderful without the creativity and far reaching goals of imagination. Nothing really goes as plan so I didn’t expect my art to be perfect but I expect it to express me. The way I made my light saber handle shine blue in the dark or with a different shrine the color changes to an orange glow for the plastic section.

            At first I knew I wanted the light saber to be authentic so there had to be a light source so that it can shrine and be like an actual light saber. I started with the handle; the handle consists of two-laundry cap, which I covered with the construction paper that holds toilet paper. But what kind of handle would it be without something that helps as a grip for the light saber so duck taped. Which worked well in giving a grip like feel to it but also an authentic look as if it was a piece of cloth on it. Now it was time for the difficult task using something that the light could shrine through but also a cylinder. Which was the reason I choose plastic bottles. I tried many ways to attach them together but it didn’t work. First was using staples, which gave no support as did glue. As a last resort I used duck tape, the only other way to attach them would be heating them together but I highly doubt I’m allow to because it involves fire.

            The light saber right now is pretty amazing. It glows; it’s durable, and it fluent in it’s movement when I do stunts with it. All in all it was fun making it and now I got a light saber. My technique in this art was simple, just create and fix later. I actually plan on adding more, adding transparent paper so the light will be trapped more in the bottle but also look more processional.

            I really hope to build on from this experience. My life’s goals from art are really just to make an energy sword from the video game Halo and my art career is finish. I saw my mistakes, the problems that came up, and even the solutions that I came up with to fix it. Such as this was truly a wonderful experience because it was building something about me, something I could use to express who I am and what I enjoy.