Assignments
Principles and practices
- Model (raster, vector, 2D, 3D, render, animate, simulate) a possible final project.
- Compress your files and post a description on your repo.
The idea from sketches
I conceptualize the idea of the lightstick as one of my drawings like a tree. I choose this drawing because I could explore with the elements of a tree such as a stem, some branches or even petals. So, for this week I started from my hand drawings and sketches, make them 2D as vectors and then tried to make a first 3D idea of how it can transform in a project.
2D VECTOR: ILLUSTRATOR
I first imported the black and white drawing and then make them "Image Trace" to keep just the borders as vectors. I choose the black and white logo option to keep the borders.
Then with the Magic Wand Tool I selected the white background and erase this vectors to just keep the black drawings.
To keep just the select area I wanted I just erase the vectors.
And finally I changed the vector color from fill to just the traces.
With this first vectors I tried to make a volume in 3D first in Rhinoceros. However then I choose to make it parametric with grasshopper so I could change parameters in the following weeks assignments.
3D: RHINOCEROS + GRASSHOPPER
To start I just imported some lines of the vectors. I just keep like 3 axis for the tree. Then I added some points to refer where I wanted the tree to grow in petals. Then in grasshopper I created a curve of multiple selection to have the 3 main in the same parameter, and then 3 class of points to have a variety of petals.
Grsshopper parameters changing
Then I adjust the parameters to have the volume I expected. Such as the stem and branches. With the Kink angle I could have 3 iterations of this base. And then for the shperes I could change position of the base points and also the radius to have different sizes.
ANIMATION: BLENDER
I wanted to try to do some animations since to express the idea of this sculpture as a lightstick I had to simulate the color change and lightning that I do not like how it looks in rhino. So I move to Blender . For which I made two tests because I had the 3d model of the tree idea but still I make some fun and imagine a lightstick to try too.
First I saw some tutorials here to understand the interface and then move in to try.
At first I didn't understand that there are two important modes: Edit and Object.
All the options change in between both. Also some important shortcuts are Scale, Rotate, and Fill.
I’m still not sure about the materials of the parts of the lightstick, that is why I kept it all the same.
To assign the materials it has to be in Object mode. For the replaceable logo I tried to make it acrilic. For the star I want it to be traslucid but soft. And the handle needs to be less traslucid still. So I made some variations in alpha and difusse settings for the material.
INKSCAPE interfaz and the result
To make the lights I had to separate each with different settings. For the logo I imagine some tiny leds that I can adjust for each logo and connect to the star. This had less strengh than theothers. Then the handle has another type of emmision light. But to really visualize the glare in Blender 4.3 I had to search and go to the Compositing nodetree just as grasshopper. To activate this in render visualization and adjust its intensity related to the alpha settings.
Animation keyframes
To simulate the changing color an intensity of the light I mark as much as keyframes i wanted the color to change. With (I) you add a keyframe by clicking in the setting to change. In this case in the strengh and color of the light. Then I exported it as .mp4 and add the music in adobe premiere.
UPDATE
Some highlights from the ai results
I tried asking AI how to manage all my ideas and if it is alredy done. It said they were cool improvements for this model and that I can add modes of changing colors for the leds not only with the beats of the music but with the frecuency. Also It told me how to codified it in Phyton and propose to add a charging bank to the handle so my phone never runs out of battery.
However when talking about the form, the AI did not recognice my vector drawing as a base for the description I gave. The handle was never part of the star and the background in a concert was ignored. But I liked the effect of the lights it gave so I will try to achieve that in my design.
UPDATE