Documentation
The two datasets I used for my sculpture were:
The total of declared disasters in America from 1998-2008
[data gathered from this site]
and the percentage of murder (of the total of crimes) n America from 1997-2008.
[data gathered from this site]
I found that the graphs both the same general shape, however, when lining them up against each other, the graphs didn’t match time wise. A dip which occurred in the murder graph in 1999, occurred in the disaster graph in 2000. A peak in the murder graph in 2003, occurred in 2004 in the disaster graph.
Even though the graphs did have similar trends, the most interesting point about the two was that the results were occurring a year apart. When there was a rise in murder rates in 2003, the amount of disasters also rose, but in 2004. When murder rates dropped in 2004, they also dropped in the disaster graph, but in 2005. From this, along with the general idea of karma, I drew a conclusion that bad deeds don’t go unpunished and that the consequences actually manifest themselves a year later.
The main idea I wanted to portray with my model was the idea that the consequences of your actions “follow” you. I wanted to have the representation of one graph seem like it was “chasing” the other.
I decided to use the double helix as the basis of the design for my model. I used the double helix because of what it stands for: the basis of “physical” life; much like the idea behind my karma theme but instead focusing more on the “spiritual” basis of life (what goes around, comes around). I thought it would be interesting to use a concrete visualisation to represent something a little more abstract, but through the use of actual facts. Also, playing with the idea that the helix needs both the strands, karma needs both the actions and the consequence behind the theory. I intended for this concept to be portrayed by allowing users to not only see the full model together, but be able to pull it apart and examine the individual strands, but come to the understanding that they need to come together so that the model is “whole”.
A double helix is comprised of two parallel strands being twisted. Thus, using this concept, I mapped my data. The lines of the two graphs where placed parallel to each other and they were twisted up (to represent time). I was wary not to twist too much as it would distort the data.
The rods were added to represent the years. The bottom of disaster graph was cut and the top of the murder graph was cut to show that one occurs first, and then the other follows (hence why there are eight rods, the top and bottom had to be removed). I hadn’t decided on the colours yet, but just applied them to help me visualise.
At this point, I was worried about how my model was going to stand, as it clearly couldn’t have by itself. I came up with two solutions (but didn’t follow through).
The yellow rods were to be removable, so that the model can be taken apart and then easily put back together.
After my talk with Gabe, I realised (even though I did have initial fears) that my model would be to thin and fragile and thus, not durable enough to be held by users. He suggested having something like this:
Users would be able to move the rods and manipulate the strands, which were to be made of a flexible material. I thought it was an interesting idea (which is why I modelled it) but I came to realise that the strands were my data, and I would lose the “chasing” idea I wanted to portray if users could just move the strands to their liking.
A talk with Steph lead me to this:
To suspend the model in a frame so that users won’t have to handle it, but still allow them to connect the two strands by inserting rods through them.
I was happy with this idea and so continued to fix up my model. As my model was to have many holes in it, Gabe suggested that I fatten up the areas around the holes so that they weren’t too fragile. It left me with something like this:
As I was going to use the 3D printer, I needed to export to rhino and save it as an *.stl file. This was where problems occurred. Exporting what I had into rhino (as an *.obj file) caused all the holes to break (unfortunately I didn’t get a screenshot because it was the last thing on my mind). What I mean by this was that they weren’t perfect circles and were very jagged (they didn’t look good). To fix this problem, I tried making the holes square, thinking it would produce something nicer as they were straight lines. It didn’t work as well either (it was better but still didn’t work), so I decided (due to time constraints) to print the model as a whole. I was worried that if I did print out the strands individually and they crumbled, I wouldn’t have time to make fix it or make something new.
Ultimately, I would’ve liked to been able to experiment with using perspex as a material. That is, cutting it out with the laser cutter and then bending it into shape by heating it.
With some help from Mandy, I was able to successfully export my maya file into rhino by changing it to a *.dxf file instead. From there, it was checked by Gabe, saved as an *.stl file and ready for printing.
Picking up my model the next day was no problem; getting it home was when the trouble started.
A little piece had broken off when they took it out of the printer, but it didn’t worry me. On the way home however, somebody bumped into me and this caused my model to snap into a few pieces.
Obviously, I went straight to superglue. My first few attempts seemed to be failing as the model just seemed to be absorbing the glue.
However, I soon realised that I had to hold the pieces together for longer than I had expected and wait for the glue to dry and set so that the pieces would stay together. My model eventually came together but the glue stains were visible.
I then applied primer to my model as I intended to paint it. This covered up the glue stains well.
I decided to use red to represent murder because of connotations of the colour (blood, danger etc) and black for disasters (mourning, tragedy etc). The rods were to be half of each colour to show that both needed to be there for a proper connection to be made.
I then started on my frame. I decided to use 9x9mm wooden beams. I didn’t want them to be too think in case it overshadowed the model and I didn’t want them to be too thin that it wouldn’t be able to stand by itself.
It took me a while to figure out how to assemble the frame, but I eventually came up with this. As my model was no longer separable, the rods I bought weren’t going to be used, so I thought I could use them in the frame. As I don’t have a lot of cutting tools at home, it would’ve been hard for me to create joins in the wood. This way, I just needed to drill holes and use the rods to connect them.
To suspend my model, I thought to use fishing line. However, when I tried it, the line was too flimsy and hard to tighten. My model needed to be secured, because if it were to swing around, it may get damaged. To overcome this, I decided to use wire. The wire was strong and sturdy and kept the model in place. I was able to turn the model on its side as well, which introduced another way of reading the model. The supporting rods of the frame were positioned in those particular ways so that the wire which was threaded through was in line with where it was tied (the ends of the strands were cut, thus unevenness).
I wasn’t sure how I was going to label my sculpture, as it was too small to label through the 3D printer. I settled on stencilling. Both labels are colour coded to match the corresponding strand. The different strands both faced different faces, so I used remaining wood to create a label. These were just cut out pieces of wood to fit into the slot of the corresponding face of the strand. The time axis was written with both colours, just like the rods, which it is labelling.
And I ended up with this.
The total of declared disasters in America from 1998-2008
[data gathered from this site]
and the percentage of murder (of the total of crimes) n America from 1997-2008.
[data gathered from this site]
I found that the graphs both the same general shape, however, when lining them up against each other, the graphs didn’t match time wise. A dip which occurred in the murder graph in 1999, occurred in the disaster graph in 2000. A peak in the murder graph in 2003, occurred in 2004 in the disaster graph.
Even though the graphs did have similar trends, the most interesting point about the two was that the results were occurring a year apart. When there was a rise in murder rates in 2003, the amount of disasters also rose, but in 2004. When murder rates dropped in 2004, they also dropped in the disaster graph, but in 2005. From this, along with the general idea of karma, I drew a conclusion that bad deeds don’t go unpunished and that the consequences actually manifest themselves a year later.
The main idea I wanted to portray with my model was the idea that the consequences of your actions “follow” you. I wanted to have the representation of one graph seem like it was “chasing” the other.
I decided to use the double helix as the basis of the design for my model. I used the double helix because of what it stands for: the basis of “physical” life; much like the idea behind my karma theme but instead focusing more on the “spiritual” basis of life (what goes around, comes around). I thought it would be interesting to use a concrete visualisation to represent something a little more abstract, but through the use of actual facts. Also, playing with the idea that the helix needs both the strands, karma needs both the actions and the consequence behind the theory. I intended for this concept to be portrayed by allowing users to not only see the full model together, but be able to pull it apart and examine the individual strands, but come to the understanding that they need to come together so that the model is “whole”.
A double helix is comprised of two parallel strands being twisted. Thus, using this concept, I mapped my data. The lines of the two graphs where placed parallel to each other and they were twisted up (to represent time). I was wary not to twist too much as it would distort the data.
The rods were added to represent the years. The bottom of disaster graph was cut and the top of the murder graph was cut to show that one occurs first, and then the other follows (hence why there are eight rods, the top and bottom had to be removed). I hadn’t decided on the colours yet, but just applied them to help me visualise.
At this point, I was worried about how my model was going to stand, as it clearly couldn’t have by itself. I came up with two solutions (but didn’t follow through).
The yellow rods were to be removable, so that the model can be taken apart and then easily put back together.
After my talk with Gabe, I realised (even though I did have initial fears) that my model would be to thin and fragile and thus, not durable enough to be held by users. He suggested having something like this:
Users would be able to move the rods and manipulate the strands, which were to be made of a flexible material. I thought it was an interesting idea (which is why I modelled it) but I came to realise that the strands were my data, and I would lose the “chasing” idea I wanted to portray if users could just move the strands to their liking.
A talk with Steph lead me to this:
To suspend the model in a frame so that users won’t have to handle it, but still allow them to connect the two strands by inserting rods through them.
I was happy with this idea and so continued to fix up my model. As my model was to have many holes in it, Gabe suggested that I fatten up the areas around the holes so that they weren’t too fragile. It left me with something like this:
As I was going to use the 3D printer, I needed to export to rhino and save it as an *.stl file. This was where problems occurred. Exporting what I had into rhino (as an *.obj file) caused all the holes to break (unfortunately I didn’t get a screenshot because it was the last thing on my mind). What I mean by this was that they weren’t perfect circles and were very jagged (they didn’t look good). To fix this problem, I tried making the holes square, thinking it would produce something nicer as they were straight lines. It didn’t work as well either (it was better but still didn’t work), so I decided (due to time constraints) to print the model as a whole. I was worried that if I did print out the strands individually and they crumbled, I wouldn’t have time to make fix it or make something new.
Ultimately, I would’ve liked to been able to experiment with using perspex as a material. That is, cutting it out with the laser cutter and then bending it into shape by heating it.
With some help from Mandy, I was able to successfully export my maya file into rhino by changing it to a *.dxf file instead. From there, it was checked by Gabe, saved as an *.stl file and ready for printing.
Picking up my model the next day was no problem; getting it home was when the trouble started.
A little piece had broken off when they took it out of the printer, but it didn’t worry me. On the way home however, somebody bumped into me and this caused my model to snap into a few pieces.
Obviously, I went straight to superglue. My first few attempts seemed to be failing as the model just seemed to be absorbing the glue.
However, I soon realised that I had to hold the pieces together for longer than I had expected and wait for the glue to dry and set so that the pieces would stay together. My model eventually came together but the glue stains were visible.
I then applied primer to my model as I intended to paint it. This covered up the glue stains well.
I decided to use red to represent murder because of connotations of the colour (blood, danger etc) and black for disasters (mourning, tragedy etc). The rods were to be half of each colour to show that both needed to be there for a proper connection to be made.
I then started on my frame. I decided to use 9x9mm wooden beams. I didn’t want them to be too think in case it overshadowed the model and I didn’t want them to be too thin that it wouldn’t be able to stand by itself.
It took me a while to figure out how to assemble the frame, but I eventually came up with this. As my model was no longer separable, the rods I bought weren’t going to be used, so I thought I could use them in the frame. As I don’t have a lot of cutting tools at home, it would’ve been hard for me to create joins in the wood. This way, I just needed to drill holes and use the rods to connect them.
To suspend my model, I thought to use fishing line. However, when I tried it, the line was too flimsy and hard to tighten. My model needed to be secured, because if it were to swing around, it may get damaged. To overcome this, I decided to use wire. The wire was strong and sturdy and kept the model in place. I was able to turn the model on its side as well, which introduced another way of reading the model. The supporting rods of the frame were positioned in those particular ways so that the wire which was threaded through was in line with where it was tied (the ends of the strands were cut, thus unevenness).
I wasn’t sure how I was going to label my sculpture, as it was too small to label through the 3D printer. I settled on stencilling. Both labels are colour coded to match the corresponding strand. The different strands both faced different faces, so I used remaining wood to create a label. These were just cut out pieces of wood to fit into the slot of the corresponding face of the strand. The time axis was written with both colours, just like the rods, which it is labelling.
And I ended up with this.
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