Chelsea Fan-Looking Outward-03

Digital Fabrication by Marius Watz consists of 3D Printing, CNC Technology, and innovation to create new digital crafts. Watz uses creative technologies to make 3D artwork for various uses.

I admire that Watz uses 3D printing not just for art, but for daily needs such as Furniture Assembly, jewelry like rings and earrings, light installations, etc. His artwork has a sense of uniqueness for each individual piece. It is inspiring to see art that incorporates a different “look” and use.

Watz used 3D printing to create Connectors for Easy Furniture Assembly. (Undated)

One critique that I have is that although Watz creates an abundance of different pieces for various reasons, it does not seem as if there is any specific”style” that really represents “Watz’s Art”. There isn’t any notable part of his art that tells viewers that a certain display/piece is created by Watz. This makes it less likely that the name and brand Watz has created will be widely known or spread.

Watz’s Wearable Sculpture (Undated)

More artwork by Watz is available at this link: https://www.pinterest.com/watzmarius/digital-fabrication/

Siwei Xie – Looking Outwards 03

Kinematics dress fits the model’s body to the largest extent, and the combination of small panels allows it to flow according to new movements. Image source: Nervous System.

I’m greatly inspired by the 3D printed Kinematics Dress that is directly generated from body scans and requires absolutely no assembly. I have some exposures to the extremely expensive “haute couture” fashion that is based on the concept of ultimate customerization. Yet today, technology can reproduce this concept more efficiently and cheaply when mass production is possible. 

In terms of the algorithms that generate the work, each dress is composed of thousands of small triangular panels that are connected by hinges. Although the material is nylon (a slightly rigid material), the body cannot feel unconformable because according to the creator, “continuous fabric allows the dress to flexibly conform and fluidly flow in response to body movement.” 

The creators are able to arrange the triangular panels in a way that artistically mimics floral print on a dress. Panels even act as look-through laces that you can find on a normal dress. The structure and cut of the dress are also aesthetically satisfying.  

Link to Kinematics Dress created by Jessica Rosenkrantz from Nervous System, 2014-2016.

Sewon Park LO-03

A demonstration of the framework used to analyze the structure of a bird’s beak.

A computational fabrication project that I found to be inspiring is the Narrow-Band Topology Optimization by Haixiang Liu, Yuanming Hu, Bo Zhu, Wojciech Matusik, and Eftychios Sifakis. As structures found in nature are often unique in shape and feature, it is difficult to analyze and recreate such structures with the existing computational approach. As such, the team created a highly efficient framework.

Although the exact algorithm used to devise the framework is highly complicated, the general idea was to track the evolution of such structures in a in a narrow-region grid with high density so no effort is wasted on large void areas.

This project is captivating as it uses pre-existing structure in nature to enhance existing structural components. Such components can be used in a variety of fields including architecture and product design. Because structured naturally developed by the Earth’s atmosphere is high in both practicality and beauty, the new framework will be valuable for the path of futuristic design. The few given examples demonstrates the engineer’s sense for incorporating the beauty of nature to everyday products.

Introductory Video of practical applications of the framework.

Alec Albright – Looking Outwards 03

Kinesis by Daniel Widrig_dezeen_1sq
Daniel Widrig’s exoskeleton wearable 3D sculpture. Picture from Dezeen.com.
Kinesis by Daniel Widrig_dezeen_14
Side view of the sculpture, displaying how the piece rests on the back of the neck. Picture from Dezeen.com.
Kinesis by Daniel Widrig_dezeen_2
Another wearable piece from this colletion, which sits around the neck. Picture from Dezeen.com.

Daniel Widrig’s wearable 3D sculptures were released in the Design Miami show of 2013. At this time, Widrig unveiled the pictured pieces, calling it the “Kinesis Collection”, as they were customized to the wearer’s body to fit perfectly. This project is admirable because of its intricacies and care in the realm of customization and scalability. The pieces were designed to be able to be recreated for any user by scanning the wearer’s body and resizing the sculpture accordingly.

The algorithms of the work are supposedly designed to replicate human vertebrae in a generative fashion, but I am unsure of the details as to how this was accomplished. In its final form, it manifested Widrig’s artistic sensibilities in its craftsmanship, perfectly customized design, and sleekness.

Ankitha Vasudev – Looking Outwards – 03

The Voxman Music Building at the University of Iowa was designed by LMN Architects in 2016. The architects used parametric modeling to explore the intersections of multiple theatrical disciplines. The concert hall features a suspended “theatroacoustic” system, unifying acoustics and lighting. I find this building inspirational because generative modeling was used to design and build the structure. The ceiling is assembled out of 946 unique, folded-aluminium modules that were digitally fabricated from modules digitally designed and fabricated from the architects’ parametric model. 

Internal photo of Voxman Music Hall

Using a series of generative-design scripts, the designers first protoyped and then created a unique architectural feature and used those same scripts to describe to the builder the geometry and construction sequence needed to fabricate and install the ceiling.

The builder then took the digital information computed by LMN’s generative algorithms directly to the fabrication floor, assuring absolute fidelity to the design the architects created, and manufacturing the system with computer-controlled accuracy.

Hence, without generative modeling, the design and construction of this building would have been impossible.

External facade of Voxman Music Hall
A video by LMN Architects explaining the design of the Voxman Music Building

Rachel Shin – Project 02 – Face Variables

I based this project off of my favorite Disney character – Baymax. I thought it’d be both interesting and fun to take on a quirky spin as I code to modify my favorite character.

Rachel Shin – Baymax

// Rachel Shin
// Section B
// Project 2 - Face Variable


function setup() {
    createCanvas(480, 640);

   
}



var backgroundR = 200;
var backgroundG = 150;
var backgroundB = 100;
var bodyW = 300;
var bodyH = 450;
var faceW = 500;
var faceH = 400;
var eyeS = 25;
var blushR = 209;
var blushG = 117;
var blushB = 135;



function draw() {
	//background
    background(backgroundR, backgroundG, backgroundB);
    text ("Hello, I am Baymax, your personal healthcare companion.", 130, 80, 400, 20);

    //body
    fill("white");
    ellipse(200, 550, bodyW, bodyH);

    //face
    noStroke();
    fill("white");
    ellipse(200, 310, faceW, faceH);

    noStroke();
    fill(blushR, blushG, blushB);
    ellipse(140, 340, 50, 10);

    noStroke();
    fill(blushR, blushG, blushB);
    ellipse (260, 340, 50, 10);



    //eyes
    fill("black");
    rect(150, 310, 100, 5);

    fill("black");
    ellipse (140, 310, eyeS, eyeS);

    fill("black");
    ellipse (260, 310, eyeS, eyeS);
	
	//blush
	noStroke();
	fill(209, 117, 135);

}

function mousePressed () {
	backgroundR = random (0, 200);
	backgroundG = random (0, 200);
	bodyW = random (250, 300);
	bodyH = random (400, 550);
	backgroundB = random (0, 200);
	faceW = random (200, 400);
	faceH = random (200, 300);
	eyeS = random (25, 50);
	blushR = random (0,209);
	blushB = random (0, 117);
	blushB = random (0,135);
}

Julia Nishizaki – Project 02 – Variable Face

For this project, I decided to create different monsters/creatures, and focussed on conveying both their physical characteristics as well as their emotions or personalities. When approaching this project, I struggled with deciding on a concept, and kept it fairly simple, changing more of the facial aspects of the creatures, rather than adding arms or tails.

sketch

//Julia Nishizaki
//Section B
//jnishiza@andrew.cmu.edu
//Section B, Project 02 Variable Face

// starting variables
var eyeSize = 20;
var faceWidth = 150;
var faceHeight = 200;
var CornerT = 30;
var CornerB = 15;
var toothExistence1 = 0;
var toothExistence2 = 0;
var faceY = 340;
var bodyWidth = 250;
var mouthWidth = 100;
var mouthHeight = 50;
var eyebrowY = 320;
var r = 243;
var g = 179;
var b = 174;
var pupilDX = 6;
var pupilDY = 5;
var w = 5
 
function setup() {
    createCanvas(480, 640);
}
 
function draw() {
    background('white');
    noStroke();
    
    //background color
    fill(r, g, b, 55);
    rect(width / 2, height / 2, width, height);

    //body
    fill('white');
    rectMode(CORNERS);
    var faceX = width / 2;
    rect(faceX - bodyWidth / 2, faceY + faceHeight / 2, faceX + bodyWidth / 2, height, CornerT, CornerT, 0, 0);
    //stomach   
    fill(r, g, b, 100);
    rect(faceX - bodyWidth * 0.25, faceY + faceHeight * 0.75, faceX + bodyWidth * 0.25, height, 50, 50, 0, 0);
    
    //face
    fill('white');
    rectMode(CENTER);
    rect(faceX, faceY, faceWidth, faceHeight + 1, CornerT, CornerT, CornerB, CornerB);
    
    //mouth
    noStroke();
    fill(r, g, b);
    var mouthY = faceY + faceHeight * 0.25
    rect(faceX, mouthY, mouthWidth, mouthHeight, 50, 50, 50, 50);

    //tooth and teeth
    fill('white');
    triangle(faceX * toothExistence1, (mouthY - mouthHeight / 2 - 1) * toothExistence1, (faceX + mouthWidth * 0.5) * toothExistence1, (mouthY - mouthHeight / 2 - 1) * toothExistence1, (faceX + mouthWidth * 0.25) * toothExistence1, mouthY * toothExistence1);
    triangle(faceX * toothExistence2, (mouthY - mouthHeight / 2 - 1) * toothExistence2, (faceX - mouthWidth * 0.5) * toothExistence2, (mouthY - mouthHeight / 2 - 1) * toothExistence2, (faceX - mouthWidth * 0.25) * toothExistence2, mouthY * toothExistence2);

    //eyes
    var eyeLX = faceX - faceWidth * 0.25;
    var eyeRX = faceX + faceWidth * 0.25;
    stroke('black');
    noFill();
    strokeWeight(5);
    ellipse(eyeLX, faceY, eyeSize, eyeSize);
    ellipse(eyeRX, faceY, eyeSize, eyeSize);
    //eye pupils
    noStroke();
    fill('black');
    var pupilLX = eyeLX + eyeSize * 0.125;
    var pupilRX = eyeRX + eyeSize * 0.125;
    var pupilY = faceY + eyeSize * 0.125;
    ellipse(pupilLX - pupilDX, pupilY - pupilDY, eyeSize * 0.625, eyeSize * 0.625);
    ellipse(pupilRX - pupilDX, pupilY - pupilDY, eyeSize * 0.625, eyeSize * 0.625);
   
    //eyebrows
    stroke('black');
    strokeWeight(w);
    line(eyeLX - eyeSize / 2, faceY - eyeSize, eyeLX + eyeSize / 2, eyebrowY);
    line(eyeRX + eyeSize / 2, faceY - eyeSize, eyeRX - eyeSize / 2, eyebrowY);
}

function mousePressed() {
    //color of background and mouth
    r = random(255);
    g = random(255);
    b = random(255);

    //face and body proportions
    faceY = random(200, 350);
    faceWidth = random(100, 250);
    faceHeight = random(150, 300);
    bodyWidth = random(50, 300);
    //roundness of face and body
    CornerT = random(10, 50);
    CornerB = random(10, 50);

    //size of eyes, angle of eyebrows, and location of pupils
    eyeSize = random(15, 40);
    let existence1 = ['0', '1'];
    eyebrowY = random(faceY - eyeSize * 0.5, faceY - eyeSize * 1.5);
    pupilDX = random(eyeSize * 0.25);
    pupilDY = random(eyeSize * 0.25);

    //stroke weight for eyebrows
    w = random(1, 15);

    //proportions of mouth and how many teeth
    mouthWidth = random(15, 100);
    mouthHeight = random(15, 50);
    toothExistence1 = random(existence1);
    let existence2 = ['0', '1'];
    toothExistence2 = random(existence2);
}

Fallon Creech-LookingOutwards-02

Italian woodworker Uli Kirchler shapes kinetic castles out of knobbly tree pieces, which are known as “very hidden castles.” Now based in Oregon, Kirchler uses local wood pieces that have an interesting shape, which ultimately dictates the form and placement of the castles within the wood. The castles, which in starting position resemble an ancient European streetscape, cave into the carved piece of wood after a gentle stroke of the hand. 

 

I admire this piece for its structurally ability to both form a hilly skyline and easily retake the shape of its original wooden formwork. It shares characteristics with general computing practice in how quickly and deceivingly easy a given task is accomplished. Assuming that Kirchler based the positioning of the telescopic castles on the soundest areas of the wood piece, the rhythm of the piece contains an organic quality, giving it a naturalized type of algorithm.

Sydney Salamy: Project-02-Variable-Face

I wanted my project to react and change as the mouse of the viewer moved, so I played around with if statements, which was an interesting challenge. I wanted my project to have a cute aspect to it. Originally, there was supposed to be a fruit with a face reacting, but then it turned into a baby who didn’t want others touching its candy.

sketchsydney

//Dont Touch The Lolipop!

var pi = 3.14159;
var mainX = 320;
var headY = 220;
var bodyY = 360;
var iEyeBrowY = 212;

function setup(){
    createCanvas(640,480);	
    
}

function draw() {
    background(163, 210, 267);//baby blue
    noStroke();
    //baby base
    fill(233, 185, 122);//darker tan
    ellipse(mainX,bodyY, 170,170);//baby body
    fill(237, 189, 126);//tan
    ellipse(mainX,headY, 150,150);//baby head
    //arcs
    fill(255);
    arc(mainX,bodyY, 172, 172, 0, pi, CHORD);//baby diaper
    fill(255, 163, 195);
    arc(mainX,headY, 152, 152, pi, 0, CHORD);//baby hat
    //limbs
    fill(229,181,118);//darker tan 2
    ellipse(440,307, 150,40);//right arm
    ellipse(200,307, 150,40);//left arm 
    ellipse(355,475, 45,145);//right leg
    ellipse(285,475, 45,145);//left leg
    //lolipop
    fill(245);
    rect(490,245, 6, 100);//stick
    frameRate(.7);
    fill(random(230),random(200),random(220));//candy color
    ellipse(493,220, 106,100);//candy part   
    //facial features
    frameRate(10);
    fill(0);
    ellipse(343,225, 8,8);//right eye
    ellipse(297,225, 8,8);//left eye
    strokeWeight(4);
    stroke(0);
    line(336,iEyeBrowY, 355,218);//right eyebrow
    line(285,218, 304,iEyeBrowY);//left eyebrow
    //movement
    if(mouseX > 365){
        iEyeBrowY = 218;//stern
        line(315,256, 325,256);//flat mouth
        fill(128, 17, 17);
        ellipse(343,225, 8,8);//right eye
        ellipse(297,225, 8,8);//left eye
    }
    if(mouseX > 440){
        iEyeBrowY = 223;//angry
        arc(mainX,256, 20, 20, pi, 0, CHORD);//sad mouth
        fill("red");
        ellipse(343,225, 8,8);//right eye
        ellipse(297,225, 8,8);//left eye
    }
    if(mouseX > 545){
        iEyeBrowY = 218;//stern
        line(315,256, 325,256);//flat mouth
        fill(128, 17, 17);
        ellipse(343,225, 8,8);//right eye
        ellipse(297,225, 8,8);//left eye
    }
    if(mouseX < 365){
        iEyeBrowY = 212;//happy
        arc(mainX,256, 20, 20, 0, pi, CHORD);//happy mouth
        fill(0);
        ellipse(343,225, 8,8);//right eye
        ellipse(297,225, 8,8);//left eye
    }
    if(mouseX > 621){
        iEyeBrowY = 212;//happy
        arc(mainX,256, 20, 20, 0, pi, CHORD);//happy mouth
        fill(0);
        ellipse(343,225, 8,8);//right eye
        ellipse(297,225, 8,8);//left eye
    }
}

Crystal Xue-LookingOutwards-02

Art That Makes Itself Symposium 2015 | Frieder Nake

Frieder Nake is a mathematician and computer artist. He is also the founding father of digital computer art. He raised a question of “Do calculating machines like drawing?” and he tried to solve it by experimenting with digital artwork. A computer is a tool equally as useful as a brush and paints which turn the open infinite process into a determined finite process.

http://dada.compart-bremen.de/item/artwork/1208

This is one of his famous artwork “Walk-Through Raster” done in 1972 was particularly interesting to me. He color-plotted squares in yellow, orange and blue with different grid dimensions. The variations of depth and density are shown through the layering of the grids. It is a full series of art compositions. To me, it is similar to how computer screen works. Zooming in to the resolution of the display, all we can see are color squares. A lot his work was also based on political points which takes the merely aesthetic compositions to the next level.