Week 3 - Processes & Collaboration

Het ontdekken van materiaaleigenschappen.

Assignment 1 - individual

Create your own sample book in which you address the following aspects:

  • Explore what the assigned contrast in material properties entails (this can be in the form of mindmaps, collages, moodboards etc.)

  • Explore what the available flat sheets materials offer and what material(s) would suit your assignment best (share your results with each other). You can also bring your own material(s).

  • Show iterations on the process, work towards a range of experiments that explores the two extremes of your contrast and various stages in between. Document your process and use a template to document the material properties, machine and settings used.

  • Bundle your experiments in a sample book which displays your material exploration. Your sample book contains your interpretation of the assigned contrast, your experiments with various materials and techniques (at least 2 iterations with several gradations), and your final range of gradually moving from one extreme of the contrast towards the other end of the contrast (at least 5 gradations).

  • Your sample book displays experimenting with the laser cutter. Use the laser cutter at least for one iteration with several gradations.

  • Book binding is part of the process of creating your sample book.

  • Document all the steps, tricks, tips, settings and outcomes as described on your gitbookarrow-up-right documentation page. Please don't forget to document small experiments that did you perhaps did not include in your sample book (such as cutting/etching, folding/forming experiments).

____________________________________________________________________________________________

During week 3 of the minor, the assignment is to discover material characteristics and how to manipulate them by using a laser cutter.

Sam handed out post-its with two extremes for characteristics, and we could choose one of those contrasts.

The contrast I picked

I immediately was thinking about materials that are flexible by itself, like paper or latex. But I could also work the other way around, by making rigid materials like plywood flexible. There are many sources of inspiration and examples around. I started looking in the makerslab for some inspiration, and I saw some interesting examples.

Inspiratiebord papier

My interest for the art of origami inspired me to work with paper. Paper is very versatile, we use it everyday in a 2D form, but the possibilities in 3D are endless.

I started to look on the internet for folding patterns. I quickly discovered a scientific paper, written by Kazuya Saitoarrow-up-right, Akira Tsukaharaarrow-up-right and Yoji Okabearrow-up-right. Their goal is to re-invent origami, by adding holes to existing origami folding structures. The goal is to make the structures more sturdy.

Last updated