Papercraft Prototypes

For the Papercraft project I had been toying with the idea of text and movement. I was heavily inspired by Li Hongbo's moveable sculptures as previously mentioned, but also Ben Skinner. Ben is a Vancouver based artist who is well known for his bizarre use of materials and witty, thought-evoking text pieces. I have been working on some of my own pieces involving text and I thought the application of this concept to paper craft would have an interesting outcome.

My idea for this project was to apply movement and text to an object I use everyday. I prototyped an  iPhone which expands and contracts. The centre part, which allows this model to move, is folded text. When you open the phone you can read the message, and when you close it, it sits flat like a regular iPhone. I protoyped two models, the first was a basic cutout to form the idea physically. The second I crafted in Rhino, then cut out. I changed my text to be shorter so I could focus on the design of the model and perfecting the method of movement.

Even though I got close, the letters still didn't fold perfectly to sit inside the shape of the phone. I also didn't use the make2D command in Rhino, so I have lines across my design. However, I believe that if I was to tweak the way the letters folded down, my design would perform as envisioned.

Digital Samples - Papercraft

Using Rhino I created 10 different unique forms. I unfolded each form, providing a 2D template which could further be printed on paper and constructed physically. While creating my forms, I was trying to explore possible solutions to allow movement in a paper object. As I was heavily inspired by Li Hongbo's moveable paper sculptures, experimenting digitally allowed me to briefly test how I could manipulate paper in this way. Most of my shapes don't represent a specific object, all explorations into how the relationship between shapes potentially create a physical fluctuation.

I struggled heavily with unfolding triangles at first. Rotate3D works differently with an odd sided shape. However, the more I practiced, the easier this challenge became. I also found that creating objects without curves was more difficult than originally perceived. There was a strong use of creative and critical thinking when making these forms, as you are not just building, but also disassembling into a 2D template.

This was my first unfolded object. It was just a practice run to use the commands properly and get an idea for what the most logical way of unfolding is.

This was my first attempt at unfolding an odd sided shape. I was also experimenting visually with what shapes could collapse or retract.

Sides with square-like shapes unfolded easier than I was experiencing with triangles. However these objects become static and too stable for what I am looking for. 

I tried making this object out of triangles, but I ended up with curves and got extremely frustrated so I changed the sides to a more basic shape that wouldn't result in curves.

This was a straight up fail at a faceted form. I should have created smaller triangles in the corners so PlanarSrf would work properly.

This model was inspired by a paper lantern. I wanted to investigate movement in its simplest form. In this model you could create an expansion and contraction after being re-created physically.

While creating this model I wanted to see if you could create a movement in only certain sections of an object, while the rest remains whole. 

This was my most successful unfolded object. I wanted to try a challenging model with lots of triangles. I also believe this model could demonstrate a basic form of movement.

This model was inspired by Chinese finger traps. Although the movement is simple when collapsed, it creates an interesting retraction and catches your finger. I think starting with a base model like this, I could create something similar.

I like the idea of a takeout box, as it involves movement to assemble and disassemble. However it serves a purpose when constructed. This was my thought process behind creating this object. Although it creates a usable box while constructed, de-constructed it is really quite unique and requires movement from the user and the box.

Paper: A New Medium

Papercraft is the art of creating a three-dimensional object or sculpture using paper as the medium. Papercraft is a diverse and unique form of craft, as it involves actively cutting and glueing paper to create a certain form. Although it sometimes requires bending and folding, it is not to be mistaken for origami. This type of craft is commonly associated with "Pepakura", a Japanese term for a specific type of paper craft resulting in hollow three-dimensional paper objects. Pepakura is directly linked to 3D modelling, the most prevalent source being video game model reconstruction.  Many different types of software are available to help aid in the construction of paper models and objects, a few examples being Rhino 3D, Blender and Adobe Illustrator. By using computer software for 3D paper design, the designer has complete control over the creation of the form digitally, allowing it to be broken down into a flat 2D template which is easier to cut from.

Many artists have been using paper craft in their work, wether it be a traditional use of the craft or a completely new style exclusive to the artist themselves.  Beijing based artist, book designer and editor, Li Hongbo is best known for his interpretation of the honeycomb technique widely used in China for paper gourd making.  By crafting paper in this way he is able to create sculptures that expand, contract and retract in an exquisite fashion. His classical, figurative sculptures are widely recognized for their bizarre movement, as the thin layers of paper lay so flat it is hard to believe paper is able to be manipulated in this way.

Li explains that his infatuation with paper came when he was publishing books. When it came to design, paper played an important role. Characteristics, style and durability of the paper were considered in the publishing process, which helped him recognize how versatile paper can be as a medium. By using the honeycomb technique, Hongbo is able to change the formal qualities of paper. His sculptures are flat when resting but when provoked, they become large and slinky-like. However, this technique is extremely time consuming. Each layer of paper is hand painted with glue and stuck together, totalling in a stack of over 20,000 sheets of paper for a life-sized sculpture, head to toe. Even though the bonding of the paper is important, the initial design is crucial. Li considers the depth, width, mass and centre of every sculpture. He explains that due to the flexibility of the sculpture, the centre becomes the most essential as it will tip over if its remotely off.

Li Hongbo uses an electric saw to sculpt the figures, making highly realistic figures or replicas of historical pieces. The movement created though his process is extremely deceiving visually. Along with stunning the viewer with his unique work, Hongbo contrasts traditional aesthetic with a surprising motion. He reflects on influences of folk traditions in China, as well as playing on the pre-conceived perceptions of this material, allowing paper to become its own visual language.

I am extremely inspired by Li Hongbo, as his craft is indescribable. The way he manipulates this material to respond to human touch in such an informal way is something I have never experienced before. Further,  his work resonates with me as my work is also figurative, and contrasts traditional aesthetics. He maneuvers paper beyond its usual boundaries, allowing it to become a tangible and distinct medium to sculpt with. Li connects traditional notions of sculpture and design with a very unusual material, which can be difficult. I'm blown away at the incredible movement of his sculptures, and the sheer amount of time required to achieve such an effect.  I believe Li Hongbo is a very important and pivotal paper craft sculptor, contrasting contemporary with traditional in an extremely bizarre and unique style.

Refining Design - "A Fruit is President"

After group discussion and self evaluation, I picked "A Fruit is President" for my final refined design. I had a difficult time picking between my designs, however Trump was a favourite from the get go and really speaks to remix culture.

During our group discussion I received feedback on quite a few designs, including "Minion of Aphrodite" and "Undressing after a long day." They concluded that a lot of my designs illustrated the themes of mash up and juxtaposition, narrowing it down to the Donald Trump and Minion Goddess  as the most powerful. Although "Minion of Aphrodite" was relatable to many - due to a mutual dislike of minions, I decided that Trump involved humour, juxtaposition and a healthy dose of pop culture, making it the most effective design.

I used three objects for this design, Donald Trump's head, a low poly banana and an object called "Legs for Fruit" (which has become my all time favourite thing I have found on Thingiverse.)

Mashing my object in Meshmixer I found to be more difficult, most likely due to my inexperience on this software. I didn't have a lot of facial structure and stacking multiple objects was frustrating. I tried to use the sculpting tools to recreate some facial features that are recognizable to Trump, however he ended up looking not as much like the real deal.

After mashing the original objects together into one object, I added lights, colour and produced a higher quality render of my object using Rhino.

I believe this object is critically thought-evoking when in relation to politics in pop culture, more specifically, it acts as a critique on who we, as a society choose to put in control. Remix culture is the act of reframing an original narrative or idea, and bringing forth a product that induces a new perspective on the material and initial context.  Here I have juxtaposed a fruit and the American President, which not only reflects the sheer stupidity of a man with the power to start world war, but also reflects back at our culture. Through combining a previously existing concept of calling someone a fruit (or a sissy), with a political, and controversial figure, I have produced my own contemporary view of Donald Trump. Remix culture gives an artist the ability through music, objects, or art to comment on modern issues and cultural politics, which is vital to our disputed society.