21 Rolls
109 Hours
Inspiration
First in Flight. That’s what’s written on nearly every license plate in my home state of North Carolina. Perhaps the claim is somewhat controversial, but it’s worth wondering why this, more than anything else, is what my state wants to be known for. Why is flight so important? My answer is that to fly is to break free from the limits of the earth, and that’s something that everyone wants. This suit represents dreams and ambitions that reach sky high—improbable fantasies that can nevertheless become reality through determination and hard work.
Nothing worthwhile can be done without a good amount of work, and flight is no exception. Wilbur and Orville Wright spent years on their flying machines, and today every space mission takes hundreds or even thousands of people working together to launch. In a small way, my Duck Tape suit is similar, because it took so much work to make. I incorporated pointe shoes into the design because they symbolize how hard it is to achieve great things. Pointe shoes are beautiful and graceful, but they are also very painful and take years of training to wear. It’s hard to get even a few inches closer to the clouds. Everything beautiful, from space flight to ballet to a Duck Tape costume, takes a lot of work to create. But when you’re willing to pour yourself into a project like this, then your work becomes wings that can lift you off the ground, wings of power and inspiration that carry you into the sky.
This was by far the most ambitious craft project I have ever attempted, and it took a lot of problem-solving and learning new skills. For the wings, I made a structure out of cardboard, adding layers and using modeling clay for a more 3D shape. Then I covered the cardboard with 180 individual Duck Tape feathers, and almost 40 long strips of Duck Tape feathers, all of which I cut out by hand. I layered and folded the feathers to create texture, imitating real life bird wings. For the rest of the suit, I covered a clothing base with two layers of Duck Tape for a smooth, glossy and opaque surface. I used white and sky blue on the jacket and shirt to represent the sky in daytime, and dark blue on the pants for night. Before starting this project, I had been making paper beads, so of course I tried the technique on Duck Tape! I measured and cut long triangular strips of white and silver tape, then rolled them up into beads. It worked very well, although it was extremely time consuming. I made more than 220 beads, and sewed them onto the pants to imitate stars in the night sky. One of my favorite parts of the design is the Zodiac sign belt. To make the signs, I drew the pictures on parchment paper, covered it in Duck Tape, and then cut out the drawings. Then I peeled off the parchment paper and stuck the signs onto my Duck Tape belt. The feathers on the hairclips and pointe shoes are also made completely from Duck Tape. I had a lot of fun making this suit, and looking through the amazing entries and past winners. I’m very grateful to my family and friends for being so encouraging and enthusiastic, and especially to my cousins, who told me about this competition in the first place!