Bridging the Gaps 7

From reality to digital and back

As stated in the first blog, the aim of my Dirty Digital project has been to explore the sculptural interface between the digital and analogue, and to ascertain the consequences of repeatedly passing geometry from one realm to another. Access to equipment in Design school has enabled the digital scanning of real sculptures. 

Depending on line of sight vision, the scanner is unable to discern geometry where overhangs or undercuts obscures clear viewing. The result is a certain unpredictability in the form of the geometry the scanner can identify. In the case of the donught like form built up with expanding foam, it resulted in a hollow shelled out rendition, that resembles a stylised brain. To date, an attempt to print on a Z-corp failed, with a SLS nylon version to come. 

   

 A second attempt centred on a layered plywood form loosely based on a trefoil. The resulting scan again had surface deviation from the original, but not as much as in the previous example and in that sense was far less significant in terms of generating or affecting form generation. The resulting digital file was then manipulated with bend and twist deformers, resized and then outputted as an RP model on a Z-corp printer. This particular scanning process suggests that the most deviance in geometry occurs when the starting form has more complexity in its geometry; meaning the potential for more geometry to be lost or misread is greater.  

Wood Ply Original

 

3D Scan

Z-corp print