Spin Art Skulls inspired by Damien Hirst
what I really like is minimal effort for maximum effect.
-Damien Hirst
grab the complete DAMIEN HIRST INSPIRED SPIN ART SKULL Project PDF + Printable pack here:
“British Bad Boy artist” Damien Hirst started experimenting with spin art in the early 90s. A throw back to his youth and a poke at fine art that takes itself too seriously Damien’s love for spin has been going strong for decades. Damien was first exposed to the process at a carnival when he was a child and he brought the process into his studio practice in 1992 when he commissioned a German engineer to build him an industrial spin machine that allowed him to create spin paintings on a massive scale. Damien gives each spin painting a long title that begins with 'Beautiful' and ends with 'Painting'. These titles echo the childlike, spontaneous and playful nature of the process. Ex. Beautiful, cataclysmic pink minty shifting horizon exploding star with ghostly presence, wide, broad, painting or Beautiful Ray of Sunshine on a Rainy Day Painting or Beautiful Where Did All The Colour Go Painting. Damien’s expansive collection of spin art ranges in shape and size. There are works on canvas, paper and plastic sculpture.
“I really like making them. And I really like the machine, and I really like the movement. Every time they’re finished, I’m desperate to do another one.” - Damien Hirst
Here is a great video of Hirst making spin art skulls and hearts with hundreds of children in the UK for a charity event.
Feeling inspired to make some spin skulls of your own? Let’s get to it, shall we?
Materials:
skull template (Template bundle available in Project PDF)
65 lb cardstock - we used white, charcoal, navy and black
diluted acrylic paint or this quick drying acrylic paint
salad spinner from ikea or this clear salad spinner (if you want to see the spin art in action)
paint brush and water cup (if you want to try the wet on wet technique)
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Step one: Print and cut your shapes. Our printable set includes skulls, hearts, butterflies and a unicorn for good measure!
If you watched the video you might have noticed that Damien was using Golden brand high flow acrylic paint. We use this same paint when we do marbling workshops. The color and the flow is incredible but the price tag is STEEP. For this run of spin art we swapped the high quality (and high price tag) artist grade for studio/student grade tempera and acrylic. Our favorite brand is Blick.
Once you choose your paint colors you will add 3-5 tbs into a squeeze bottle, add water, plug up the bottle spout and s-h-a-k-e and then shake some more. You are going for high flow but not as diluted as a liquid watercolor. After we watched Damien’s video we decide to experiment with painting our skulls with water first. The effect of the wet paint on wet skull is a more translucent and ethereal look. My girls preferred the opaque results that the dry paper provided. I recommend experimenting with different variables; less water in the paint, more water in the paint, wet paper/dry paper, drops of paint in splotches, dribbles of paint etc. Spin art is one of those processes that appeals to everyone. Make sure you have a big stack of skulls, hearts, and butterflies on hand because you will go through the cut outs quickly!
Now, let’s talk spin machine. We have a ton of these Ikea salad spinners in the studio because we use them to run spin art stations for large events. They cost $6.99 so the price is right but they operate on a crank and the plastic is not see through. For bulk-buy purposes they fit the bill. If you aren’t in the market for 15+ salad spinners you might want to consider investing in this clear one with a pump. Or this clear one with a pully! Both look a little more small hand friendly and I love that they are clear plastic versus I can’t see a thing opaque white. There was a time not too many moons ago that I was looking into purchasing a legit spinner for our big events. Maybe.. someday.
A wise woman once taped down the paper cut outs to the bottom of the spin basket to prevent them from flying around the spin cage. A tired woman might have decided that taping down “yet another” skull was more trouble than it was worth.. a little texture never hurt anybody.
Ri decided to hole punch her skulls and string them up garland style for halloween room decor. I think they would also make great wall art if you are into a pop art macabre vibe.
We hope you have fun with this project.. don’t forget to tag us in your post so we can see your skullies!
