Meet Jason, he makes string art. Jason Betty, Studio Other Engineering Supervisor, has spent hours meticulously stringing art since he was first introduced to it by a coworker. Drawing inspiration from the ocean and using hand-stained reclaimed wood, Jason pours patience and a love for the craft into every piece, sometimes spending up to 50 total hours on larger designs. He even made a massive mural on Studio Other's headquarter walls — a string art "Yes!" — that captures the team's underlying intention for every project they work on.
What first got you into this passion project?
JB: I was actually introduced to this art style by another coworker. A group of us all got together one night to hang out and be creative and this is what we did. I've been hooked ever since.
Describe some of your favorite designs.
JB: My main focus is mainly "under the sea" themed pieces. My favorite designs are a jellyfish and an octopus. The jellyfish in particular has a lot of movement and really stands out with all of little tentacles flowing within the piece.
What was your inspiration for this project?
JB: I've lived by the beach my whole life so the ocean and its creative have been a part of everyday life, and therefore daily inspiration.
How long does it take you to build a piece?
JB: The size and complexity of each piece determines the time it takes, but most pieces take anywhere from 6-10 hours, with the larger pieces taking up to 45-50 total hours.
What materials are used?
JB: I mostly use reclaimed wood that I hand-stain. In addition to that, it's just nails, strings, and sometimes wire.
What does the building process look like?
JB: I will typically start with the design on tohe computer to figure out the pattern and spacing of the nails. I'll then print out the design to get a feel for the scale, and if all looks good, I'll tape the template onto my wood and start to nail it down. Once all the nails are in, I remove the template and clean up any paper that may have gotten stuck in the nail holes.Then it's time to string. Most of my designs use a single color but I have made some pieces with multiple layers of colors. My typical designs are "negative space" where I'm coloring in the water and leave the actual design clear. When stringing, I go with a random pattern that I run with depending how I'm feeling. After the stringing portion is done, I'll sometimes do a wire outline of the design as well to really make it pop.
What is the greatest obstacle you face when doing string art?
JB: The greatest obstacle is time. The only way to overcome it is with patience, taking on each piece little by little until it comes to life.
