This workshop was a lot of fun, since I have never done anything like this before. I enjoyed making both the model of my own house and the transformative one. I feel the skills I learnt are useful and I think I can definitely make much better models now than I could before. Skills such accuracy of measurement s and precision of cuts, as well as care in assembly are valuable to know and have. I can definitely see myself using them in future model making and I think my future models can only be better because practice makes perfect. Even this was evident in these two models because I could see as I cut bits out for the buildings, my cuts for windows and doors got more precise as I went, probable because of the repetitive nature of the model making.
I would definitely keep the two models of I made from this workshop because I am quite proud of my efforts and think they look quite cool.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Transformative Model
This is my transformative model that I created in response to the original card model. Here I decided to use the transformative actions of partially destroying, and selective removal. I partially destroyed the model by burning the balsa wood to make it look like the building had been on fire. I tried to have some logical path to the burning, such that the fire started in the front of the top apartment, and the flames have then propagated down to engulf the lower parts of the building.
I decided it was better to craft each part of the model first, then burn it and then assemble it, rather than burning the entire thing at once. This is because I would have been so devastated if the whole thing just went up in fire and disintegrated into a pile of ashes. Hence the first option was a better choice. To get each of the parts to burn right I had to douse them in turps and then set them on fire. I found that if I just used a match to light them the fire would just eat away the balsa, leaving big chunks missing, but if I used the turps the fire would burn on top of the wood and blacken it. I had to make sure I controlled the burning so I didn’t set anything I didn’t want to on fire, like my house, so I had a bucket of water handy and did the burning on the concrete driveway. I also decided that I should burn the roof, which was core fluting, this turned out not to be a good idea, as it is plastic, hence some dangerous gases were given off and I felt pretty sick after doing it, I may also now get cancer too.
With assembling the model I decided to focus on the architectural space in the building, giving the more sense to the narrative of the fire, such that this blaze has ravaged the building, destroying the facade and exposing the structural elements.
I added structural elements such as beams to the space between the floors and left this open at both ends so that it could be seen. I also used a sought of organic mesh which I added between the layers of the external walls which looked as if it were some sought of wire frame that the building was supported by. I also decided to add elements to the roof such as rafters to hold it up.
The most difficult part for me in this model was the assembly, because I found once I burnt the balsa wood, there wasn’t much of a surface to glue on so I was required to hold each piece in place and wait for the glue to dry. If I was too make this model again I think I would redo the base that the model sat on and incorporate it into the model more, I would also like to explore the selective removal process more, I think that I could have shown more parts of the building such as the interior spaces better.
I decided it was better to craft each part of the model first, then burn it and then assemble it, rather than burning the entire thing at once. This is because I would have been so devastated if the whole thing just went up in fire and disintegrated into a pile of ashes. Hence the first option was a better choice. To get each of the parts to burn right I had to douse them in turps and then set them on fire. I found that if I just used a match to light them the fire would just eat away the balsa, leaving big chunks missing, but if I used the turps the fire would burn on top of the wood and blacken it. I had to make sure I controlled the burning so I didn’t set anything I didn’t want to on fire, like my house, so I had a bucket of water handy and did the burning on the concrete driveway. I also decided that I should burn the roof, which was core fluting, this turned out not to be a good idea, as it is plastic, hence some dangerous gases were given off and I felt pretty sick after doing it, I may also now get cancer too.
With assembling the model I decided to focus on the architectural space in the building, giving the more sense to the narrative of the fire, such that this blaze has ravaged the building, destroying the facade and exposing the structural elements.
I added structural elements such as beams to the space between the floors and left this open at both ends so that it could be seen. I also used a sought of organic mesh which I added between the layers of the external walls which looked as if it were some sought of wire frame that the building was supported by. I also decided to add elements to the roof such as rafters to hold it up.
The most difficult part for me in this model was the assembly, because I found once I burnt the balsa wood, there wasn’t much of a surface to glue on so I was required to hold each piece in place and wait for the glue to dry. If I was too make this model again I think I would redo the base that the model sat on and incorporate it into the model more, I would also like to explore the selective removal process more, I think that I could have shown more parts of the building such as the interior spaces better.
Model My House
This is the model of my house which I created out of white card; the scale is 1:50. I am quite proud of my effort and the fact that it turned out do well. To make this I got a copy of the house plans to save me time by not having to physically measure the building. I started by creating the external walls and creating the cavity in between them. In then proceeded to make the internal walls and the second storey floor as well as the first floor ceiling and the space in between.
Next I made the internal walls for both upstairs and downstairs, although I didn’t actually need to make the downstairs walls because you couldn’t see them in the end, I think they helped to support the second floor, and made the model stronger.
Finally I needed to create the roof, which I found to be the most difficult part. This was difficult because firstly I needed to calculate the shape of each of the parts of the roof, by using 3D trigonometry. Secondly it was difficult because the angled sections did not provide a good gluing surface, which caused the roof to want to fall apart if I didn’t hold it in place, even with a support frame being used.
If I was to remake this model I think I would be more accurate in my measurements and cuts, because I found as I tried to assemble it that a few things did not line up perfectly, and required a bit off effort to get them adjoin. Also I think I would be a lot more cleaner with my work because once I got glue on the card it tended not to come off easily, and if I wet the card to remove the glue, I would disintegrate if I wet it too much.
Next I made the internal walls for both upstairs and downstairs, although I didn’t actually need to make the downstairs walls because you couldn’t see them in the end, I think they helped to support the second floor, and made the model stronger.
Finally I needed to create the roof, which I found to be the most difficult part. This was difficult because firstly I needed to calculate the shape of each of the parts of the roof, by using 3D trigonometry. Secondly it was difficult because the angled sections did not provide a good gluing surface, which caused the roof to want to fall apart if I didn’t hold it in place, even with a support frame being used.
If I was to remake this model I think I would be more accurate in my measurements and cuts, because I found as I tried to assemble it that a few things did not line up perfectly, and required a bit off effort to get them adjoin. Also I think I would be a lot more cleaner with my work because once I got glue on the card it tended not to come off easily, and if I wet the card to remove the glue, I would disintegrate if I wet it too much.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Modelling Workshop
These are my 80mm by 80mm cubes made out of card, one is made from individual squares cut out and glued together; whilst the other is made from a net that has been scored and then folded up to make a cube. Also here is the replica of a glue bottle that I made with James using the techniquies of scoring and stacking.
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