Introduction: Remembrance of a Real Tree
First post ever in instructables.
I have retrieved hundreds of discarded coffee cups and fashioned it into a life size tree. With this artwork, I wanted to communicate and raise awareness about the issue of non recyclable cups and encourage a sense of personal responsibility for the wasted cups that are destroying natural beauty and damaging the environment.
This might be a big piece, but whoever reads this and creates one themselves. We can all collaborate our piece and turn it into a forest and bring a bigger message=)
Step 1: Material
Hot Glue gun
scissor
exacto knife
ruler
Scrap material (wood, pipes, and anything strong)
Step 2: Plan Ahead
Draw sketches on how your tree will look like.
Draw an internal support for the tree.
determine how many cups you want to collect.
Step 3: Collecting Process
find a location that you know will have lots of thrown out coffee cups (in my case I distributed around my school.)
collect as much coffee cups as possible, before constructing
* as a suggestion, advertise your concept to the public. Ask for their support to make a difference to achieve your project
*Remember when collecting your cups, wear gloves
Step 4: Preparing the Material
with your collective cups, wash out the residue and let the cup dry before cutting it.
Prepare to cut the cups
Cut the bottom of the cup, and cut it open into a flat sheet.
Lay it flat and cut the top and bottom , so it looks like a rectangle
Step and repeat until all the cups are done. (Be patient on this, when it is all cut you will be really happy =))
Untitled from Richard Chang on Vimeo.
*You will need scissor, exacto knife, and ruler
Step 5: Internal Structural
Create a base with scrap materials to support the structure
Create an internal frame to support the trunk and branches. ( I used plastic pipes that i collected from the junk yard for my internal frame.)
Step 6: Constructing Begins
with the cut out coffee cups, attach a couple so you have a longer strip
the first ring you make is going to be the base.
From there on, start gluing more rings on top of each other until your satisfy with your trunk.
After the trunk is completed, start making branches around the pipes. By taking the cut cups make cones out of it and stack it until you get your desire branch..
make as much branches as there is pipes ( In my case there is four big pipes)
When your tree is fully constructed with a trunk and branches, don't stop there. Continue, start making twigs and leaves to make your tree more lively.
Contructing from Richard Chang on Vimeo.
*You will need a hot glue gun and scissor
Step 7: Result
Your Done!
Use your tree and show it to public ( maybe the location where you collected the most coffee cups). Let them remember this was once a real tree.
Runner Up in the
Coffee Cup Challenge
Be the First to Share
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20 Comments
12 years ago on Introduction
You are Richard Chang?
L
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
You'd think that an established artist would be able to use grammar and spelling properly.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
you would think that a "pro" in instructables would know about the "be nice" comment policy.
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
do i know you ?
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Do you ever drink in The Nook?
L
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
nope
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Let me entertain the possibility that you are Richard Chang - have you ever published any papers, and which educational-establishment do you /did you attend?
(You've put nothing your profile)
L
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
LOL..i go to ryerson university, it sounds like you might no me.
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
You posted videos authored by Richard Chang, Lemonie is most likely just making sure these ideas are authentically yours.
Btw, this is fantastic
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
oo....lol...yah i am Richard, and thanx
12 years ago on Introduction
That is a wonderful project. Reuse is a great thing, but raising the awareness also brings to mind there was a "use" step in the first place. Reduce is just as important as reuse. Thanks for the post! Outstanding example of artwork driving home the point.
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
thanx=)
12 years ago on Introduction
Wow... I think this is a wonderful way to raise awareness! Love that you want to put it where you found the most coffee cups. Talk about target audience...You could try at the source to (maybe people will think twice about not using a re-usable cup. I had thought I could find the most cups AT the coffee shop (boy was I wrong). I have to admit I miss tim bits :-) sigh!
12 years ago on Introduction
Gorgeous artistic work!
I think that is a good project to fight also for the big prize in a parallel competition ;o) - this sculpture real influences on the human imagination!
PS: Do you glued to the blue cup red on last layers?
12 years ago on Introduction
GO RICH GO!!!! Finally a better use for tim's sludge buckets. Awesome work dude =D
12 years ago on Introduction
TIM HORTONS!! ALLRIGHT!
GO Canada!
12 years ago on Introduction
this is awesome, but like kelseymh said, you might want to polish it a bit.
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
thanks
12 years ago on Introduction
You should make it a maple tree seeing as you, and Tim Horton's are Canadian!
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
lol... my next tree=)