3D illustration
for the New York Times
On Gum Drop Grapes and Other Fruits Designed to Taste Like Candy
Advances in plant breeding and indoor growing have led to produce that promises to be perfectly sweet.
By Alex Beggs
This project involves creating a 3D piece to illustrate an article for the New York Times magazine. First, the set had to be constructed out of various materials. Then pictures were to be taken and cleaned up in Photoshop. This project was inspired by Kyle Bean’s work, which consists of a lot of 3D constructions made out of various materials, notably paper.
This article explores the rise of specialty fruits designed to taste like candy, citing advancements in plant breeding and indoor growing. Examples include Cotton Candy grapes and various strawberries and pineapples, prized for their sweetness and appearance. While some are genetically modified, most are created through traditional crossbreeding. Despite concerns, their popularity grows, driven by consumer demand for novel food experiences. The trend also highlights the potential of indoor farming for year-round production with minimal environmental impact, reflecting a broader cultural shift towards indulgent comfort foods.
As a team, many ideas were brainstormed and considered, such as grapes growing from or into a gumball machine, and a strawberry slowly morphing into a strawberry-flavoured candy. We ultimately decided on representing slices of a strawberry, where each slice is revealed to be a candy of a different color combination.
As a team, many ideas were brainstormed and considered, such as grapes growing from or into a gumball machine, and a strawberry slowly morphing into a strawberry-flavoured candy. We ultimately decided on representing slices of a strawberry, where each slice is revealed to be a candy of a different color combination.
Personally, one of the most fun parts of this project was to edit the photo of the set, as I enjoy using Photoshop. All of the little imperfections were to be edited out and everything had to look seamless. It was especially challenging to make the skewers disappear. The other aspect I enjoyed was constructing the strawberry slices. Overall, this was a really fun project and I’m glad I got to be a part of it.
