2013 Mystery Build Tips and Tricks
When you open a Mystery Build Kit, you open a world of possibilities...
Mystery Build is about being resourceful and using your materials in surprising and inventive ways. When you purchase a kit you get free access to 7 Tips and Tricks videos to get you started.
Contact us anytime if you have questions about materials and techniques, or if you are uncertain if your technique is in violation of any rules.
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Get access to 7 videos when you order a Mystery Build Kit...
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The best way to get started with your Mystery Build project is to just dive in and start playing. Most participants that are nervous about what to do, end up surprising themselves with what they create. A lot of participants are painters, graphic designers, and other 2D artists who don't have much experience working in 3D, but end up making really unique sculptures, videos , and more. The purpose of the challenge is to push you outside of your comfort zone and usual ways of making art. Once you get started, momentum will naturally build.
You could begin by watching our Tips and Tricks videos, and get familiar with any materials you haven't worked with. Do google image searches for things like sculpture + (type of material), for example 'Floral Foam Sculpture'. Do some general research into techniques that may come to mind. You might consider trying to find similar materials locally, to run some tests before using the kit. For example, you might buy a pack of sculpey and experiment before using the pack in the kit.
Some people start with the theme and try to imagine what they might create if they had their choice of materials. Then they try to figure out how they can make it with the kit, like putting a puzzle together. Maybe they have a favorite work of art they could put a twist on. Other people start by examining the materials and thinking about what techniques they want to use, then try to fit that around the theme. There is no right way, it's art after all, and you should approach the challenge in any way you think could be fun.
For inspiration you can look through all the previous entries, and look at the materials inside of the last kit on our gallery page. Get a feel for how people tackled it last year. On the Previous Winners page you can find images of how some of the winning entries were made. You can also look through our art history image gallery for inspiration on the theme. There are about 1,000 images of great art there, from cave painting to modern works. It's displayed on a cooliris scrolling image wall so it's easy to scan through everything.
Sometimes it's good to marinate on things, and dream about it for a while.
You should not hesitate to email us and ask us questions, we get all kinds. We don't mind providing some guidance on specific or general issues that come up for you. We can help you with art techinques, materials information, and more. Contact us anytime and we'll do our best to respond the same day.