I Created Thumb-Shaped USB Drives To Promote My Photography Bussiness

In late 2014 I began to work on the blueprint plan for a direct mailer to promote my conceptual still life photography. Being my first foray into direct mail, I knew that I would need to create something that could stand out amongst the crowd of glossy 4×6 postcards. To encapsulate my “look,” I knew that whatever I made had to be tactile, visceral, and craft based. That’s when me and my friend Hans at Rethink came up with “Thumbs.”

I had picked out the material for this project years prior to ever using it. A low durometer platinum cure silicone rubber commonly used in the special effect industry gave an almost-flesh-like feel. This “realistic feel” was further enhanced when paired with an internal skeleton (the rigid flash drive). The same silicone used in the thumbs also worked out to be a suitable mold rubber. Casting silicone in silicone, I used a urethane spray to ensure that the mold and thumb did not become one. To paint and detail the solid “thumbs” I employed FW inks diluted with alcohol. The final step of the construction process was to spray the thumbs with a thin coat of naphtha + silicone solution to encase the pigmentation.

More info: justinpoulsen.com | Vimeo