Building Modules.
Posted: October 27, 2014 Filed under: Ideas, Process, Subject | Tags: art, cardiff school of art and design, design, heat srink, joints, laser cutting., light, modular lighting, plumber's mait, student, wood Leave a comment
To develop the idea of modular lighting I need to create a way of joining the lighting parts together. The joints I have made include a circular form of joining and a castling form. By putting holes into the joint parts it allows the use of a component to reinforce the join. The picture below shows the use of Plumber’s Mait, a putty that does not set, to keep the parts together. This still allows movement of the join, which is not working out very well. I need to experiment with this using a join that is attached to a more weighted or larger piece of material to really be able to assess the use of it.
Other ideas I am planning to work through include the use of heat shrink materials, as these can be heated to form a tighter join and simply cut off to take apart the light. Other options include the use of cable ties and lacing the parts together. I will be carrying out these experiments soon.
I am also hoping that some of the joints I can create will hold their own and this will eliminate the need for a component.
Living Hinge Experimentation.
Posted: October 23, 2014 Filed under: Ideas, Skills, Subject | Tags: cardiff school of art and design, Csad, design, laser cutting., light, living hinge, plywood, wood Leave a comment
I have been researching methods of making wood bend, and have come across the concept of living hinges. Many open source options are available on sites such as Obrary (http://obrary.com/products/living-hinge-patterns?variant=798259727) which are quite successful, but I have chosen to design my own patterns to see what light patterns I can create whilst maintaining the characteristics of being a workable and bendable material.
These are my three most successful “hinges,” there are other trials that did not bend or broke under stress. (Looking that the top image) The hinge on top one is my favourite, perhaps because it is more intricate. It also bends a little bit more than the one below. The design below is not as pleasing to the eye as there is a lot of material still left, although it is more sturdy than the first. The bottom design is the most bendy, but is unable to hold its own form, which could become a problem with some design concepts. It is, however, fun to play with and the perfect stress release because of the pattern created through play. I feel that this would be better applied to the creation of jewellery or small objects to form a game.
I have many more ideas planned, but with the constraints of using the laser cutter (which is in high demand) I am working slower than I would like to be at the moment.
PDP/Autumn Reflections
Posted: October 15, 2014 Filed under: Constellation Leave a commentI am now back at university and my dissertation tutor has been changed, which would make sense for the lack of support over the summer. It has been quite hard to adjust to a different tutor with the usual crossed wires when discussing topics, but I am now looking to change the course my dissertation is taking. Instead of focusing on social reception of art I am now looking at autonomy and commodities becoming art. I want to look at work that sits on the intersection between art and design and attempt to define them. I am also trying to think of suitable titles for the chapters, but I am struggling to commit to something.
Bending Forms.
Posted: October 15, 2014 Filed under: Ideas, Process, Skills, Subject | Tags: art, bamboo veneer, cardiff school of art and design, design, laser cutting., light, veneer, wood, wood glue Leave a comment
Creating curved wood formations. I am experimenting with construction veneer to create circular and semi circular forms.
The process involves using two sheets of wood with wood glue between the two layers. the piece is either fastened around a form, like the first image above, or it can be pressed using a form, like the lower image. I am yet to test the second method, but I feel that it will be more successful than my previous attempts.
The larger piece in the first image has bamboo veneer laid over the top, as this will allow light to pass through the laser cut holes and a pattern using a lighting source behind.
The smaller two pieces have been laser cut using a “living hinge” concept that allows wood to become more malleable. I feel that the use of glue here has made the wood less bendable than before it was glued, the wood feels more fragile when held.
Alice's ArtVenture 