DESIGN JOURNAL - DRAFT VERSION

Virual environments Semester 1_2013 Kozachenko MAria

IDEATION

NATURAL PATTERN: RED CABBAGE

1. Simplify 2. Analyse underlying forces 3. Transform Poling, Clark (1987): Analytical Drawing in Kandinsky’s Teaching at the Bauhaus, Rizzoli, New York, pp. 107-132

Cabbage head cut in two halves reveals beautiful pattern of white curvy lines (cut leaves) going from the center.

Outlining the contours of each leaf I got three spirals going outwards from the cabbage stalk (1,2,3). Connecting nodes(cut stems of leaves) I got the triangle I used this pattern as a base for my future model.

Following along the lines of weekly readings, I tried to extract the core pattern from the image of a cabbage. At first I used freehand sketching, but eventually decided that it is better to utilize straight lines in drawing software. Possibility to use layers in the software helped to produce a whole range of drawings without limiting myself Transformation process turned out to be very engaging and creative. Because it was difficult to start inventing my own recipes straight away, I decided to practice using those described in a weekly reading .

That helped me to produce a set of images and also gave me an idea of how to compose my own recipe

CREATING A RECIPE

Weekly lecture introduced several ways of further development of a pattern.

In billions of years of evolution Nature worked out a simple set of rules, that lay behind the variety of living forms.

Move Rotate Scale Mirror

1. Base shape (triangle)

Self-organised structures appear as a result of interaction of many forces (chemical or physical, cells growing) Ball, 2012

For my transformation process I decided to play with the core feature of the inspirational pattern: three spirals, which can be joined by a triangle

2. Scale the base shape

3. Rotate each scaled shape by 10% progressively

PAPER MODEL Making a paper model was not an easy task, I wanted to “extrude� my analytic drawing. Final model was exactly as I wanted it to be. But in the process of assembling I understood, that I should have thought of other ways to convey the same idea.

1. Draw circles of decreasing diameters (scale)

2. Cut circles out

3. Fold triangle envelopes

4. Stack in a pyramid An emerging model of curved spiral consisting of 74 triangle envelopes folded from a paper circle

5. Repeat 1-4 to create a second, mirrored pyramid. Assemble wider ends, arrange a degree of rotation.

PLASTICINE MODEL

I created several plasticine models with different properties, some of them very intricate. But eventually I came to conclusion that at this stage it is better to focus an overall shape of my paper model instead of trying to depict every single triangle separately.

PLASTICINE MODEL: RHINO PROBE

I experimented with plasticine models and tried draw them in Rhino just to get an idea of how difficult it is going to be and what will it look like.

That was a useful experience, even though experiments took a lot of time.

It was difficult to develop my model and follow the planned direction because of obvious lack of technical skills. Practice makes perfect and after several (even though unsuccessful) drawings I could operate Rhino much better.

DIGITAL MODELLING

TRACING CONTOURS

The next stage of the design process was transferring the shape of a physical model into the digital space. Several ways to do that were introduced. I started with slicing technique, but it didn’t work right with my model. In order to get the exact shape I needed, I used tracing the edge curves. At first I put the cross-sections on them, but the result after lofting was too smooth. The model lost it’s edginess and sharp angles. That is why decided to combine digitizing from physical model with Rhino modelling techniques. I took the edge curves and put a surface between them. After some modifications resulting polysurface looked very similar to the physical prototype. I decided to start panelling.

DIGITAL MODEL: PROBLEMS AND FURTHER ADJUSTMENTS As I was satisfied with the overall look of my digital model, I decided to start panelling. Panelling is an important part of working with curvy surfaces. Because it is expensive and not always possible to fabricate a curved surface it is usually unrolled as a set of smaller surfaces (panels). To cut costs and use commonly used equipment rather that some unique machinery the panels should be flat (planar). To reduce costs further, they can be uniform, although in my case all the final panels were all individual.

When I started panelling, it appeared that it is very laborious to work with a polysurface. Rhino kept sending panelling points inside rather than outside and didn’t allow to apply panels to the whole surface at once. To make things easier, senior tutor advised to create a closed surface from my shape. She also helped me to fix the errors in resulting surface.

To make a single surface we took an initial polysurface and contoured it. Then, using the Loft command, the final surface was created.

DIGITAL MODEL: PANELLING OPTIONS

When the digital model was finally fixed, I was ready to depart in exiting journey of panelling. It was interesting how depending on the degree of curvature an the density of points grid some 2D designs actually looked more like a 3D (first picture). Some of the outcomes looked interesting but it was obviously impossible to close them. Generally I had a strong impression, that triangle-based panels work better than others. That is because of the geometric rule which claims that it is possible to draw a planar triangle from any three points. That is why triangles are able to cover even very curvy surface.

DIGITAL MODEL: DIGITAL MODEL OF FIRST PROTOTYPE

For my first prototype I used the Tribasic pattern.

Making points disperse rather than dense I was able to keep overall shape quite rough.

That was important as a part of my design concept, as it corresponds with all the rough, ‘broken’ lines and folds inside of a cabbage head, which was my inspirational pattern.

I used offset from the base Tribasic pattern, because I intended to start prototyping using the black card. The black card does not produce diffuse light as does the white one.

This means that the model has to have cutting or slits to let the light shine through . I experimented with different sizes of offset. Then it came to my mind that the model is fully enclosed, which means that I might not be able to close it unless the holes are big enough for my fingers, so I put the offset equal to 1.5 cm.

PROTOTYPING

PROTOTYPE 1

Prototype 1 : - 2D panels - Black card 300 - Card cutter - 1:2 scale I decided to try tribasic pattern with offset borders to test the light effects and to see if it is generally possible to construct a fully enclosed model. I made the offset equal to 1.5 cm to be able to put my fingers into the holes and to press parts together while gluing them.

Things that I found out while building this model: - it will be difficult to put the model together unless the offset is big enough for my fingers. But with a big offset the model becomes to open and it is impossible to hide lights and wires there. On the other hand, big offset gives very clean, sharp light effects.

- I liked how this model was easy to unroll - only 6 large stripes.

- It is important to be accurate with the glue because even the clear-drying glue leaves messy spots. I decided to use a thin flat brush instead of cotton bud.

- The card is very rigid, so any inaccuracy in process of building a model may result in tensions and the card will eventually be torn in joints.

- I used 0.8 cm tabs, but found out that I could use even wider tabs.

- Labelling was not really necessary for my model as it was pretty obvious how to put it together.

-Length-oriented unrolling did not work well. For the next time I decided to try unrolling it in cross-sections.

PROTOTYPE 1: LIGHTING EFFECT

PROTOTYPE 2 Vivid light effects, the source of light is less obvious than in a previous model

Prototype 2: - 2D panels - White card - Card cutter - 1:1 scale For my second prototype I’ve chosen white card. The model was still unrolled in long stripes. The base pattern is Tribasic, but this time I decided to leave the gaps partially closed with flaps. This was supposed to hide lights and add some volume.

However, there were a coupe of things that I did not liked about this model: - Lack of volume, so I decided to try 3D panels -The white card produces diffused light, making shadows less sharp - The dashed lines are too visible. I decided to use score lines for folding.

- With the bigger model it is better to use 300 gr card

FINAL MODEL Final model: - 3D + 2D panels - Black card 300 - Card cutter - 1:1 scale Isometric NW

Isometric SW

For my final model I decided to use 3D panels. Because the model’s tail are very pointy, the panels become tiny and messy even with the very small amount of points in a grid. That is why I eventually came to an idea of combination of 2d and 3d panels in my design. Together they empathise movement, growth. Final design also reflects rotation, twists and spirals of my inspirational pattern. Spikes represent messy angles and folds inside of the cabbage head.

Isometric NE

Isometric SE

FABRICATION

FINAL MODEL: ASSEMBLADGE DRAWING

1

4

2 3

1. Cut out the stripes 2. Fold and glue the pyramids - 3 in each stripe. 2 stripes make a cross-section 3. Glue two parts of a section together 4. Assemble all sections to make a final model

FINAL MODEL: NESTING AND CUTTING

Outlay file, which was used for reference during assembling, and nested pieces

FINAL MODEL: ASSEMBLING

FINAL MODEL: INSTALLING THE LIGHTS

Lights attached to the ribs

Most of the wires attached to the ribs

Battery block

Switch button positioned close to cutting, easy to turn on/off

To light my model I decided to use LED lights preassembled in circuit. However, ready-to-use decision needed a few improvements. Firstly, I had to change the switch from a testing-only (that keeps the light on only while the button is pressed) to normal switch. Secondly, it appeared the circuit is too long and needs to be shortened in several places. Thirdly, the cord was silver while I’d prefer a black one. So I used the black tape to mask it.

That was sort of a prototyping as well: I learned that with the amount of time spent on amending the lights I could buy materials from the Fablab and use the exact amount of wires I needed without those unnecessary connections.

FINAL MODEL: LIGHTS ON!

FINAL MODEL: INTERACTION