Tim Kent: Spring Quarter Post 3. Advanced Digital Sculpture 450 Final works!

For my last post, I wanted to dedicate it to the final pictures of pieces once finished.

The last image is of a 'painting' I created using left over wood. I played around with a lot of tests to come up with the design and this was my favorite.

For more work and info on my artwork, check out my artist website : www.timkentart.com

Tim Kent

Tim Kent: Spring Quarter Post 2. Advanced Digital Sculpture 450

Picking up from post 1, after the wood was laminated together, I sent them to the laser cutter to have the slices cut.

I sliced it vertically, with the plane going from front to back. This allowed me to have a larger surface areas of slices to ultimately utilize the grain and geometric quality of the laminated wood.

Here is a picture of all the pieces cut, and taped up ready to be stained. The tape is to protect the wood from the stain and poly urethane, because wood glue only bonds raw wood surfaces to other raw wood.

Here is a picture of the aluminum strips I created to wrap around the edges of the wood. I marked out the width of the wood, and cut the strips on a stomp sheer.

The next step was to attach the aluminum sides. I did this by two applications. First I used Loctitie professional super glue to adhere the aluminum to the wood, and then they were secured in plain with stainless steel screws.

Using nail clippers, I cut the edges off, and tension from the screws was enough to hold them down.

Lastly, here are two pictures of the layers being glued together, after a few coats of natural finish stain by Minwax, and a few Polycrylic urethane coats:

As you can see from the photos, a core system was set up to insure all slices line up, but the holes were left off of the front and back layer so they would not be visible.

For more work and info on my artwork, check out my artist website: www.timkentart.com

Tim Kent

Tim Kent: Spring Quarter Post 1. Advanced Digital Sculpture 450

I am picking up this quarter where I left off last. In Sculpture 250 I really enjoyed learning about 3D Scanning, and serial slicing. This quarter, I started by refining a form I utilized last quarter. Here is the picture of the 3D foam Maquette from laster quarter(left), compared to the maquette I carved this quarter(right):

The intention was to refine the form, and make it more organic, asymmetrical and dynamic. 

The next part of the process was 3D scanning, then setting up the file to get laser cut.

During this time, I played around with layering different exotic and domestic woods together. I was a little dusty on planing, and glueing up wood, so I wanted to do some tests before I started on the pieces I would be creating to laser cut. Here is an example of a test piece:

The 4 layers of wood shown are Oak, Poplar, Poplar, then Redheart.

I was initially wanting to create the whole sculpture out of solid exotic woods, but upon researching the workability and toxicity of each species available, I found that to not be the best idea. I problem solved a lot until I found the best way to incorporate accents of exotic wood that would be easy/friendly to work with.

Here I have laminated Pine with Redheart:

Lastly, here is two final layers of laminated, planed, wood that were ready to be laser cut! The woods used are poplar, redheart, and pine.

For more work, including painting, sculptures, and mixed media, check out my artist website : www.timkentart.com

Tim Kent 

Tim Kent: Winter Quarter Post 3

     For the final I brought in a project I created from serial slicing, and one I created with the pepakura method. As mentioned before, I tried to bondo the chip board model, and it was taking an unpractical amount of time to sand it to the consistency I wanted. Processor Scott introduce me to Aqua Resin, which I used on E flute cardboard instead. The E flute model was much stronger and easier to work with than chip board. It took generous amounts of wet media without warping, which was nice. after a few layers, it was very structural. I sanded in between coats to keep brush work and build up in creases as minimal as I could. Here is a picture of the cardboard before and after Aqua Resin. I plan to and it flat and give it an industrial looking finish by dry brushing graphite over 3M Super 77 spray adhesive.

     This is the finished result of a Serial Slice project. I layered Plywood with masonite in order to contrast the colors. I used a belt sander, grinder, die0grinder, and orbital sander in order to give it its final shape. I finished the wood using Minwax Spray polyurethane only, and wet sanded in-between coats.  For such cheap material, I was really impressed with the results! I am excited to continue exploring this technique in Advanced digital sculpture class next quarter.

     For fun on my own I created another laser engraved image of the 3D model I scanned into the computer.  I start by doing a contour, and then finding an angle I like in perspective and using the draw2d command to capture it. However, this time I used the contour command around a polygonal version of it, which created a more geometric line quality. The 300lb water color paper used gives it a nice quality feel. 

     More images of the work posted here, as well as other art mediums including painting, mixed media, and replicas, can be found on my artist website: www.timkentart.com

Tim Kent

Cedrick Wiley: Hand modeling to 3d modeling process

Hand sculpted a humanoid figure. With modeling clay the dots are for preparation for the 3d scan. The registration dots are to align during the 3d scanning and editing process because of the multiple scan.

The next image is of the scanned sculpture. The program it was placed in was for altering and correcting any issue the 3d scanner may have missed.

The following image is in preparation Pepakura. It is necessary to lower polygon count in the 3d software. The image is less complex and flatter intentionally to make the use of Pepakura effective.
   

I was not pleased with the resolution and dimensions. I was becoming more familiar with the 3d software so I was confident enough that I could get a better structure and still take advantage of Pepakura's software.

I 

I was more comfortable spending time constructing a model without a scan. Hoping for a better result.I was pleased with the direction the model was going in for preparation for Pepakura I attempted to lower the polygons. I was unsuccessful the model did not allow me to lower the polygonal faces. Which didnt allow me to use it in Pepakura.

I attempted a few other models. Due to time restraints I used the Pepakura model for the original model scan. Below this is the proper way and what a Pepakura flattening of a 3d file looks like.

Serial slicing 

A completed Pepakura shape

http://thewileystyle.com/

More art

Tim Kent: Winter Quarter Post 2

     Continuing from my first post, this is the finished serial slice project I created: 

     On my own, I created a file in rhino, and pulled it into Keyshot to render the surface and lighting for a sapphire look:

     I also started another serial slice project, but this time I layered plywood and hardboard . I'm currently in the process of sculpting and finishing the project:

     Currently I'm working on another sculpture based off of the first laser scan using the Pepakura technique. This allows me to work larger and lighter. The model was condensed from 30,000 poly surfaces to just over 60. The model was unfolded, and laser cut in chip-board. I then folded it back to get this 2 foot piece:

     I tried to finish the project using bondo, which was a bad idea. So I am starting over on it. But it had issues coming together on the first try anyway, so it will be much better the second time.

More work, including sculptures and paintings, can be viewed on my website: www.timkentart.com

Tim Kent

Tim Kent : Winter Quarter Post 1

     This is a sculpture I designed a few years ago, and originally carved in plaster. Since then, the 2D drawing has been a basis for my sculptural work. This is to say, all my sculptures are a transformation from the original 2D paper drawing. I was excited to be able to take this practice into the 3D world. Using the 3D scanner, I was able to trace a foam maquette into the computer, and after a few hours of cleaning up the file, it was ready to be played with in Rhino. I am excited to now be able to morph the form dimensionally, rather than being confined to the limitations of 2D rendering. 

     One of the first things I did in Rhino was learn how to contour the form. This was a fundamental step for learning how to Serial slice an object. One I had a contour drawing of the sculpture, I went into the perspective mode of Rhino and used the command "draw 2d". This created a drawing of the contours in the prospect I was looking at it. I was then able to laser engrave this image using the laser cutter.

     Finally, I got my pieces back from the laser cutter, and it was time to put them together. Here you can see that process. In my following post I will show some more completed works. Digital applications of sculpture has been really interesting so far and a nice break from oil painting. I am excited to see how it will influence my art.

More of my work, including oil painting, drawing, sculpture, mixed media, and replicas can be viewed on my website: www.timkentart.com

Tim Kent

Here are a front and 3/4 view of the finished CNC print that I've done of a Native American. The next step is to lasercut a map of Native American territory post 'trail of tears' era.

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- CJ Miller