Planning, marking out, cutting, sanding….

Friday, 01 August 08

Today, I went to the workshop to cut the materials which I have marked out. Many people were using the machines and we need to queue up before we can use. So I spent the time to mark out the other materials while waiting.

After waited for a while, I managed to use the scroll saw and cut all the things I needed and used the sanding machines to sand off the excess parts after the cutting.

I brought home the materials and glued them up.

Making the frame……

Wednesday, 30 July 08


It is time to starts making our “Labyrinth” model. First, I start to make the frame. Our lecturer suggested us to make mitre joint for the frame. So, after marking out the 45 degrees on the edges of the timber, I used the sanding machine to sand off the unwanted parts and started to joint after sanding. I used PVA glue for the joining and left it to set for 15 mins to 30mins. I try to get clamps from our technician but there are only small G- clamp available, so I just left the joint to set without clamping it. The joint are not strong, so I consulted our tutor. He told me to used contact glue instead of PVA. Therefore, I decided to get contact glue first and complete the frame at home.

Soon, the time is up and our technician told us to pack up as the workshop is closing soon. After clearing up the workshop, we went back to the studio.

The 400mm x 400mm x 400mm frame:

Materials……

Monday, 28 July 08

After spending the weekend searching for materials, I manage to find two pieces of plywood in the store room. Therefore, I can use the two pieces of plywood to make my model.




















Today, I spent the time in studio to plan and make decision on the materials.

After lunch, my friend and I went off early to buy materials. We went to the place recommended by our tutor, Steve, to get the materials. I bought a sheet of A3 size transparent acrylic and the timbers which I cut wrongly last Friday.

Labyrinth......

Friday, 25 July 08

On Wednesday, our lecturer told us a new project will be launch today. In the morning, we were told to move to studio T523 for the briefing. We started off with a movie first. The movie is called “Labyrinth”. However, our lecturer pause the film in the middle of the movie. He told us that this movie is related to our next project- T3e: The Escher Experience / Labyrinth…..therefore we were given the handout and carry on with the briefing. The main task is to take our tessellation drawing and translate it into a 3D model, the Labyrinth. We need to construct a timber frame measuring 400mm by 400mm by 400mm then design the journey and craft the spaces of the Labyrinth within the cube using true materials. The next part is to transfer our 16 templates into 16 white tiles and assign colours to the first tile and apply the same colour scheme to the rest of the tiles.

After the briefing, we displayed our ZO cards models in studio T521 . We can either consult our lecturers or continue to watch the movie.
Therefore, my friends and I decided to watch the movie while waiting for consultation as a lot of my coursemates are consulting our lecturers during that period of time.

Finally, it’s our turn. Our lecturer gives us a lot of suggestions to improve our models and some points we need to take note of when we construct the models, such as the landing and how to create spaces within it.

Next, we went to collect the 16 tiles. We also need to pay $6.60 for our timber strip. We need these timber strips to construct the frame so we went to the workshop to cut it to size.

The 16 white tiles

Touching up our models….

Wednesday, 23 July 08

We carry on with our models making today. Therefore, we spent the time touching up our models and try out a second one when we have completed. Our tutors had given us some suggestions, so we were able to improve and add more elements to the models.

Before we end the lesson, we went to T523 to watch a video, which is about design elements. From this video we learnt about colours, textures and shapes. After the video, time is up too, therefore we went back to our own studio.

Two point perspective, rendering and making models…

Monday, 21 July 08

Today is our last drawing lesson of semester 1 and the lesson is about two point perspective. The plotting of two point perspective is less tedious than one point perspective. We need to have the eye level, left vanishing point and the right vanishing point in order to plot a two point perspective. In the exercise, we need to draw a two-point perspective view in our environment on the A3 drawing block then render the perspective with markers. We used different tones of grey copic markers to render. We were also reminded to pay attention to the lighting, shadow, materials and texture. So, we went to look for an area in the school to draw our two point perspective.

The copic markers and my drawing:

After the break, it is time for consultation. We consulted our lecturers in groups at different timing. Therefore, while waiting for our turn to consult, we can touch up our model. When it’s our turn, we need to bring all the three models we made for consultation. Our lecturers commented on it and go through different part of our models.

After the consultation, my group can move on to make the ZO cards models. So we start to plan and generate ideas for the ZO card model for the rest of the lesson.

T3d- Dimension…

Friday, 18 July 08

Today, we started by pinning up our 3 tessellation.

Next we were given the brief on the next project… T3d- dimension. What we need to do is that from the 3 tessellation exercises, pick our favourite ones and from there pick 4 out of the 16 tiled pattern. The 4 must be from the same row, they can be vertical or horizontal but not diagonal. Then we need to construct 4 frame cubes each measuring 100mm x 100mm x 100mm using satay sticks and translate the first tiled pattern into a 3D model in 1 of the constructed frame cubes. Each cube must get more intricate and complex.

For the last cube, by using the ZO cards weneed to use the fourth pattern and instead of just creating planes, we translate the planes into interior design elements such as wall, floor, ceiling, stairs.

Toning and patterning…..tessellation

Wednesday, 16 JULY 08

After I completed the colouring of the tessellation, I move on to the tone and pattern. I started on the pattern first. I decided to fill the shape with some 3D pattern, so I draw out a few and consulted my tutors. One of the tutor suggested a challenging pattern… Staircase. That is interesting. So, I try it out on A3 paper.

Before we end the day, there is a lecture about Thinking and Creativity. We need to be SENSITIVE ,be AWARE, INITIATIVE, EXPLORATIVE, CRITICAL and POSITIVE for creativity. The next part is about how we think. There are 4 types of thinking in our design process:
ANALYTICAL
SEQUENTIAL
INTERPERSONAL
IMAGINATIVE

Rendering… one point perspective

Monday, 14 July 08

We started off with a lecture on one point perspective rendering. From this lecture, we learnt that in order to make pictures attractive we must be sensitive to the light, shadow and texture (materials). The lecturer told us that a well constructed perspective + a well rendered perspective can tell a lot of story. Therefore, he wants us to really pay attention to the lighting, shadow, materials & texture when doing our rendering assignment. For the assignment, we need to use any method of our choice then observe & draw a one-point perspective of an area in our school on our A3 drawing block and render it with colour pencil.

Therefore, I went to the first floor of T5 and draw the corridor. Most of us cannot complete the rendering on time therefore we have to complete it at home and hand in next Monday. We were also reminded to buy the copic markers and bring it on next drawing lesson.





















After lunch, we continue on our tessellation project. I spent part of the time to decide and on the combination of the colour for my tessellation. I consulted my lecturers regarding the tessellation and they had given me many useful suggestion, therefore I know what to move on. Basically, we just spent the time on the tessellation project until the time up.

Continue our tessellation…..

Friday, 11 July 08

Today, we continue to do our tessellation. We consulted our tutor and try out different combinations to get the most interesting patterns. And finally, we completed our "Relativity" model.