The Perfect Cube
Out of the eleven different ways to make a cube, I found this one to be the easiest to construct. This is because the last tab is left open, allowing me to reach inside and stick the flaps down more accurately. The biggest challenge was having to lay down the last tab, along with managing the glue. It was easy to forget where I was touching. I also realized that its way harder to take the glue off than to put it on.
Letter F Construction
I decided to construct this letter F. I started to notice that the more complex the shape gets, the harder it is to stick down the flaps.
This construction made me realize the importance of accuracy. If the measurements are wrong. then the whole structure won’t fit right.
Digital Composition. – Orthographic and Isometric
I found the digital construction a lot easier than analog. It was easy to follow the grid lines on Vectornator.
Analog Composition- Perspective, Isometric and Orthographic
The analog process required using a 30 degree angled ruler. I had to pay more attention to creating straight measured lines, where as in the digital version, there were gridlines place to guide this process.
Assignment Iterations
Squares
For my first trial, I set out to create this iteration with a break in the lines. I wanted to create an illusive energy to portray the feelings I identified in A2- scale, proportion and the feeling of belonging.
The road block I hit with this idea was that I couldn’t find a good way to have 2 floating squares without creating more lines and destroying the integrity of the initial concept. I also was not able to reach the complexity I was hoping to achieve with this project. Considering obstacles and limitations with creating this simple form from only Bristol paper, I decided against making it my final composition.
Triangles
I used my 3D model prototype from the previous project to think about ways of portraying the energy of this iteration.
For this I used the net of a triangular pyramid. Since I had already constructed this to visualize for the previous project, I decided not to use this as my final piece.
Circles
I was very curious about creating a 3D sphere. I experimented with several different sizes and nets, using both paper and Bristol to test the flexibility of the materials. I concluded that it would be best to make individual sections and then glue them together at the end. There were two ways I could bend the paper- literally bend it, or make bends to get a geometric “circle”.
With this technique, I had to come to terms with the fact that I would be adding more “lines” to my initial composition. I realized that adding the bending lines didn’t compromise the integrity of the circular shape, and in-fact it made it more dynamic and esthetically pleasing. The complexity was working in my favor, so I continued to use the same net for the whole composition. It was really difficult to control the spread of the glue and to figure out where to stick the flaps.
Next I had to decide between intruding and extruding the swirls. I experimented with these shapes. I simply used the full sections and lay them out on a circular plane. My intention was to stick the plane on the semicircle and make coverings for the top to create a swirl tunnel. The problem with this arose when I was trying to figure out how to make the coverings, since the swirl’s hight differs at all points, it was virtually impossible for me to make it seamlessly with the limitations of the materials.
At this point I was struggling to imagine an alternative, I tried using smaller squares/triangles/polygons to make smaller coverings but it was not working out in the way I wanted. I decided that it was not the direction I wanted to go because there is a lot of room for error trying to construct a tunnel like twirl with the ups and downs.
So I went back to square one, the BASICS. I looked at my net and experimented with completing the sphere, perhaps I would be able to achieve the impression of lines in a simpler way than I initially intended.
I wanted to cover up the hole so that the viewer wouldn’t be able to see the tabs, glue marks and pencil marks on the inside of the piece. After trying a cone covering, I realized that it looked out of place and didn’t fit in right with the overall composition. Instead, I created another sphere with the same net used to create the first semi-sphere and placed it inside to create the circular covering impression.
Orthographic and Isometric views
I decided to do these drawing digitally. it was very challenging to accurately represent each and every line using straight edges. This is because the overall composition is made of both “curved”.
Reflection
Looking back at my process. If I was given more time to complete the assignment, I would have recreated the whole thing without dark marking on the inside. Even with the covering I could still see the tabs on the inside of the semi-sphere, so I would have created an inside circle or found a different solution to cover those up. I would also be more careful with the glue, maybe even use one that isn’t so messy.
This project really challenged my problem solving skills. I mostly learned to put Design Thinking into action- identifying alternative solutions and strategies that may not have been instantly apparent. This project forced me to follow the design process; from understanding the purpose of the assignment, defining the problem, ideating different possibilities, prototyping those ideas and to testing the final.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1- Create 8 full sections and 10 half sections, follow the dimensions on the net.
Step 2- Cut the outlines and streak the dotted lines, this is where the net bends. Be careful not to cut them all the way through.
Step 3- By gluing the tabs, glue 5 full sections together to create a semi-sphere.
Step 4- Use 5 half to make the first twirl. Attach each section one after the other. So the second section’s first tab is attached to the first section’s second tab.
Step 5- Then apply the same method to make the second twirl that is attached to the other side of the semi-sphere. They will over lap, one over the other.
Step 6- Using the last 3 full sections, glue them together.
Step 7- Insert that inside, making a spherical shape on the inside.
Step By Step Instruction Revision
