Day 2: (Thu Jan 15, Week 1) Wind and Fabric Workshop

Notes for 2026-01-15.

Assignments

Please complete the KF Spring 2026 Student Questionnaire if you have not already. This should just take a few minutes.

Assignment, due by next class: Exercise: Precedent Research. Please submit your result as a Google doc or slideshow in the Exercise 1 Shared Folder prior to class.

Administrative

  1. Please follow through on laser cutter qualification (IDeATe Laser Cutters).

  2. Please check your door access using your ID.

Agenda

Hands-on workshop in small groups:

  • quick introduction to tools and materials

  • Textiles Guide

  • please clear the tables and stow your personal belongings near the cubbies

  • I’ll count off to divide you into groups

  • majority of class: collaborative gesture development and documentation

  • 1:20PM: mutual presentation of results

  • 1:40PM: cleanup: please help return all materials

In-class Wind and Fabric

Objectives

  • playful collaborative discovery

  • exploring the dynamic equilibrium between wind pressure and line tension

  • creating and documenting several gestures using dynamic effects

Materials

  • selected fabric (also see Textiles Guide)

  • line (nylon monofilament)

  • pins

  • fans

  • bamboo sticks

  • rigging kit components

Instructions

  • meet your partners

  • select some fabric of interest

  • brainstorm an equilibrium principle to explore

  • test kinetic effects

  • reflect on your observations

  • refine an effect

  • develop several gestures

  • record several short videos (e.g. 10-15 seconds)

  • please submit videos to Exercise 2 Shared Folder

Constraints and opportunities

  • we will be re-using all the fabric; please do not cut pieces, or if you must, please cut into rectangles which can be used

  • you are welcome to redirect the gooseneck lights

  • please negotiate with others on adjusting overall light levels

  • you are welcome to borrow other lab materials, but please return them to where you found them

  • you are welcome to route line over the overhead grid for overhead suspension

Comments

  • This activity is partly an exploration of the materials, partly an opportunity to observe how the dynamic process of the fabric interacts with a fixed energy source (the fan) while being steered via human input. It would be illuminating to find configurations where subtle inputs of the line are amplified by the air into surprising movements.

  • The audience of these experiments is actually the camera; please experiment with viewpoint.

Suggested starting points

  • billowing, sailing, rippling

  • kiting

  • luffing, fluttering, flapping

  • suspension, pendulating

  • rising and falling

  • stretching, twisting, folding

  • indicating an ictus

  • creating a visual rhythm

  • creating an audible sound

  • moire patterns

  • shadowing