Professor Ken Rinaldo
The 3D Modeling course, taught by Professor Ken Rinaldo, serves as a platform for students to visualize their ideas and to have the opportunity to turn them into something concrete. Students are taught to research their ideas as well as explore the primordial forms of their ideas. This process allows the student to work out any problems they foresee before actually creating a version they can hold with their own two hands. They are encouraged to ask questions and explore possible scenarios that could spring forth when using their designs.
As a play on selfies, “themies” was the focus for one of the projects. The Telepistomological Themie project asked students to try and capture images of animal life on campus. Each student designed a device to complete this task. They began by sketching their ideas.
Here is a video of Ken talking about the project.
Erin Koyle designed a 3D printed food dish that held two camera phones. When the animals came to retrieve food, the cameras were triggered using a motion sensor mobile app. Erin aimed to capture images of her pet turtle feeding as well as squirrels around campus. Here are her design sketches:
Upon reaching a feasible starting point students begin modeling with Cinema 4D computer software. Students are able to see their models in full form and make any changes necessary to the structure. Not only can the student artist create the desired object in Cinema 4D, they also model an environment suitable for that object. This helps others who will eventually view the work and provide feedback understand the goal of the creator. In this class, posters were created to pitch and relay ideas.
Finally, after all of the brainstorming, sketching, and modeling is complete, the student is able to begin constructing their piece. This can include 3D printing, using the wood shop facilities, laser cutting, rapid prototyping and the CNC mill. There are little to no limitations for creating. Here we have student Jeremy Viny constructing his design that had to be 3D printed in many pieces:
When the project reached completion, students placed their objects in their chosen spaces for testing. Most students succeeded in capturing images of their desired animal.
Here are Erin’s images and video:
For more information about this course, click here