Art from Code: BeeConstruction

When we got the assignment to create a collage, it took me a long time to decide what theme I wanted to work with. But after several hours of watching a playthrough of the game Cuphead, in which a queen bee is a primary boss, I became fixated on the complex and rich imagery of bees. The hexagon shape sounded like a worthwhile challenge to construct through code. The hexagonal background was the first, and most technically challenging, thing I worked on for this collage. My original plan for the hexagon was to have it flat-side up, but when I went to hang it up in class, I found that I much preferred it the other way. Which caused me to spend a few more hours reworking the hexagon. The eventual solution I found was to over a transparent outline of a hexagon and to trace the points. Then I constructed triangles to cut out that part of the canvas. This technique of using the image of a hexagon to construct one came in handy for the hexagons in the corners, too.

myles_collage_background

The specific imagery that I was working on was juxtaposing the modern and the ancient views of bees. In the modern day, bees are often considered a pest and something to be afraid of. Older, more specifically Greek, views associated bees with divinity and the Oracle of Delphi. I personally find bees and their hives beautiful, so I found it fun to show these two perceptions side by side.


myles_collage_sketch_bigger

Then I started layering images and text. I tried to use modern words in more decorative fonts and ancient words in more modern fonts. Part of how bees communicate is through movement, so I included a moving bee. The moving background both acknowledges this and creates an almost hypnotic background that also connects to the divination aspect of the Oracle.

myles_collage_final

Author: Myles Columbo