Exercise 2
Abstract Forms
For our first formal exercise, we are prototyping elegant abstract forms. You will create three separate forms out of polystyrene foam (aka pink foam) using three distinct combinations of two power tools. You will need to refine the forms by hand sanding the surfaces and edges, but the goal is learn and highlight the capabilities of the tools while still creating simple elegant forms. Each of your final forms should fit in a bounding box that is roughly 2" x 2" x 8"
Tool Combinations
- Bandsaw and Spindle Sander
- Drill Press and Hotwire
- Lathe and Hotwire
You may use the belt/disk sanders to flatten or smooth surfaces, but they should not be used to generate forms. That is... the tools above should be the primary form-generating tools, and you should not simply grind away material with a sander. You may actually prefer to flatten surfaces by hand using sandpaper on a flat surface. The focus should be on the form not the surface texture. Therefore, you should smooth curved surfaces by hand with sandpaper, and you should also sharpen or soften edges by hand with sandpaper.
Process:
- We will start by searching the physical and virtual world for forms. These may be found in nature, in the built environment, in artwork, or online. You will share images with the rest of the class using Padlet.
- We will complete shop training
- Due to the volume of students relative to the number of tools, we will get into small groups so that each person has a chance to experiment with each of the three tools. At this stage we are merely getting comfortable with the safe use of the tool and its primary function/capability.
- Next, you will either sketch ideas in the studio (Section A) or start to experiment in the shop (Section B). During the following studio session the sections will switch, and so on...
- It is critical to keep your experiments (the pieces of foam) and document your results (take mobile phone photos of them)
- You will continue to refine your ideas into three forms using the combination of tools listed above.
- You will fill any tears or voids with spackle and finish the form with gray water-based latex paint
Deliverables:
- 3 sets of 3 (9) sketch models (unfinished foam)
- 3 sets of 15 (45) thumbnail sketches
- 3 final forms (surfaced, spackled, and painted gray)
- 3 accurate marker sketches of the final forms
- Photographs of all forms
- Scans of all sketches
- 3 sets of 15 (45) thumbnail sketches
- 3 final forms (surfaced, spackled, and painted gray)
- 3 accurate marker sketches of the final forms
- Photographs of all forms
- Scans of all sketches
