Mirror + Acrylic Painting: Final Report II

Introduction: Vision and Aesthetic

For this project, I wanted to make something visually compelling and conceptually reflective—both literally and aesthetically. Inspired by the Early Virtual Aesthetic, I focused on creating a piece that felt like a frozen moment inside a digital space. This aesthetic comes from early 3D games and computer graphics, known for their blocky characters, pixelated textures, and artificial, sometimes chaotic layouts.

My plan was to create a layered painting using a clear acrylic sheet painted with floating character line work, mounted in front of a mirrored acrylic sheet. The mirror would reflect both the artwork and the viewer, creating depth and interaction without any electronics.

Timeline

After deciding on making a painting in the early virtual aesthetic, I brainstormed many ideas on how to make the piece interactive, and appealing to the viewer. I landed on making a sort of light box, with a mirror behind it, so the painting would be on clear acrylic, and then a mirror would sit behind it, and a frame would be lined with LED lights to add to the interactiveness. The first step of the Process was gathering materials, I ordered a 10×10″ acrylic mirror mirror from amazon and got a 10X10″ acrylic sheet from the BTU Lab on campus. I got some LED strip lights from amazon, that will go within the the acrylic frame, the frame will be made from acrylic sourced from the BTU as well. I got acrylic paint from my mom and some paint pens too, as I wasn’t sure what medium I would be making my painting in yet.

Once I knew what materials I would be using, I sketched out some of my favorite characters from early 1990s-2000s video games, from Lego Stars to Banjo and Kazooie. I wanted a mix of nostalgia and also characters that exemplified the clunky, low quality, 3D animation that exists in this early virtual aesthetic.

Once the sketches were drawn I could easily transfer them to the clear acrylic sheet I would be working on by placing the sketches underneath, in the orientation that I wanted, and tracing them. I liked the idea of the characters floating around, with no clear ground or gravity, it added to the organized chaos I was looking for, and added to the endless virtual world that I want to draw the viewer into. I also decided to make one character, Franklin from GTA III the focus of the piece, the specific part of the video game I wanted to portray is him walking into the distance, and I wanted that to be the focal point as it draws you into the painting, the one character oriented the same as the viewer and every other character floating around him in different directions. Painting directly onto the acrylic required some experimentation. Acrylic is a slick surface, so I tested different pens and materials to find one that could deliver crisp lines without smudging or flaking. I sketched all the characters on the acrylic first with pen that could easily be “erased” if I messed up.

Deciding on what to use to add permanence to this piece took some thinking. Initially, I got some paint pens, that I would use to trace over my sketches on the acrylic and add color, but when I put my acrylic on top of the mirror with the acrylic it a really interesting effect with the line work. The empty spaces let the mirror show through, creating a translucent, ghost-like effect that was both subtle and surreal. That worked perfectly with the aesthetic.

The mirror did exactly what I hoped—it added layers to the artwork without physically layering more material. Looking at the piece from different angles changed the view entirely, and reflections moved behind the drawings as if they were alive. This alone felt more dynamic than any colored or filled image would have.

Ultimately, instead of using the paint pens, I went with acrylic paint and used a paint brush to go through and trace all my lines. Here is a Timelapse of some of that process: IMG_1538

To keep the acrylic sheets together, I designed a frame in Illustrator and laser cut it out of acrylic. I tried to glue it together using acrylic adhesive, but that process was a mess. The glue left cloudy streaks, and it didn’t bond consistently. It also made the frame feel fragile—too risky for a final presentation. This was a major setback.

Instead of continuing with acrylic, I redesigned the frame for wood. I laser cut the new version using 1/8″ plywood. This solved several problems at once—it was easy to glue, more forgiving to assemble, and added an unexpected but welcome contrast to the plastic and mirror. While the wood wasn’t originally part of the plan, it ended up grounding the piece in a more physical, handmade way.

I carefully aligned the acrylic sheets inside the frame. The clear sheet sat in front, painted side facing backward so the ink wouldn’t get touched or scratched. Behind it, the mirror reflected both the artwork and the viewer. The frame held everything snugly without needing any screws or brackets. I also laser cut some backing to further add to the structural integrity of the piece.

And with that, My final project was complete!

Conclusion

I’m really proud with how my project turned out! This piece came from a clear aesthetic vision, and I stayed true to it—even as I made changes along the way. I’m really happy with how my portrayal of characters from the early virtual aesthetic turned out, especially using acrylic, I was skeptical of my painting abilities, but keeping things simple and focusing on the line work, let the interaction of the material create the depth and effect I was looking for with this piece. My original plan included color and LEDs, but I ended up removing both. Keeping things simple gave the piece more clarity and made the interaction through reflection stronger. The mirror was the key to the whole effect. It made the characters feel like they were floating—not just on the surface, but inside a shifting, digital space. As viewers move around the piece, they see their own reflection pass behind the characters, like they’re part of the same virtual layer, and it also add a really interesting visual as the lines reflected, and created a different viewing experience depending on how you were looking at it.

If I were to do anything differently, I might revisit the LED idea with a different approach. At first, I planned to install strip lighting to react to motion or add glowing effects, but I decided against it to avoid overcomplicating the piece. Looking back, I think a soft, diffused backlight could have enhanced the layered effect without overwhelming it—especially if it was subtle enough to support the aesthetic rather than distract from it. That might be something to explore in a future version. As for the frame, I’m happy with the switch to wood, but I would consider refining the cut and assembly. Some joints aren’t as seamless as I’d like, and I think a tighter fit or a more polished finish could elevate the whole presentation without changing the materials themselves.

Overall, the finished piece is what I set out to create, even if my artistic vision changed along the way! A painting that looks like a moment from a lost digital world, creating an early virtual aesthetic between layers of plastic, glass, and reflection. It’s not about telling a story or having a clear subject—it’s about mood, visual texture, and interaction through space. I plan on hanging this up in my apartment and displaying it. It will act as a functional mirror for me and my roommates and an intriguing interactive piece!