Week 16 — Wildcard Week

Overview

Wildcard Week asks us to use a process that was not covered in other assignments. I chose bio-material sheet making. This was different from the laser cutting, 3D printing, electronics, and programming work I had done before.

My theme was Re-Cycle & Re-Circle. I wanted to use material waste as part of the visual result, so I added tea waste and coffee grounds into the sheets. The final material was not perfectly clean, but the bubbles, particles, stains, and uneven edges made it more interesting.

Assignment

Assignment requirement

The assignment was to design and produce something with a digital process, using a process not covered in another assignment. The work also needed enough documentation so another person could reproduce it.

My interpretation

I focused on materials / synthesis / bio-material sheet making. The digital part was the leaf template and the use of a digital scale to control the recipe.

Concept

Re-Cycle & Re-Circle

I started from the idea of circular material use. Tea waste and coffee grounds were not hidden. I kept them visible in the sheets so the material could show traces of recycling.

I used a leaf-like shape for the final pieces. It connects the material experiment with nature, growth, decay, and circular design.

Materials

Making Process

1. Soaking the gelatin sheets

I first soaked the gelatin sheets in water. This made them soft and easier to dissolve during heating.

2. Measuring sodium alginate

I measured the sodium alginate with a digital scale. This batch was about 3.2 g.

3. Mixing the material

I mixed the softened gelatin, water, glycerin, sodium alginate, calcium chloride, and pigment. I stirred the mixture before heating.

4. Heating

I heated the mixture until the gelatin dissolved. Some batches boiled, so many bubbles appeared. Later, these bubbles became part of the dried sheet texture.

5. Adding color

I used green and coffee-colored pigment. Because I added different amounts of pigment, the sheets had different color depths.

6. Adding tea waste and coffee grounds

After pouring the liquid into containers, I added tea waste and coffee grounds to some samples. These materials created visible particles and uneven organic textures.

7. Drying

I left the sheets to dry naturally. During drying, the sheets shrank, wrinkled, and formed bubbles. I kept these marks because they showed how the material behaved.

8. Cutting the dried sheets

After the sheets dried, I cut them with scissors. I did not use the laser cutter because the material could melt, burn, or curl.

Results

Material samples

The final sheets looked quite different from each other. The color, thickness, and added residue changed the transparency and texture.

Sunlight Transparency Tests

I held the dried sheets against sunlight. This made the bubbles, particles, and cloudy areas easier to see.

Reference and Help

I did not invent this gelatin-based sheet method by myself. The basic idea came from biomaterial examples in class and lab discussions. I also discussed the material direction with my instructor.

Before making my samples, I watched one YouTube video to check if the process was possible. The video showed a gelatin-based bioplastic recipe, including soaking, heating, casting, drying, and removing the sheet from the mold.

Some materials in the video were not the same as the materials I had in the lab. So I used the available materials and adjusted the recipe during my own tests.

Reproduction Guide

This recipe is a starting point. I adjusted pigment by eye, so the final color can be changed depending on the batch.

Soak gelatin sheets
        ↓
Measure sodium alginate
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Mix water, gelatin, glycerin, sodium alginate, calcium chloride, and pigment
        ↓
Heat and stir
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Pour into a flat container
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Add tea waste or coffee grounds
        ↓
Let the sheet dry
        ↓
Cut the dried sheet
        ↓
Test under sunlight

How This Meets the Assignment

Problems and Solutions

What I Learned

I learned that material making is not as predictable as 3D printing or laser cutting. Small changes in pigment, heating, and drying can change the result a lot.

I also found that some imperfections were useful. Bubbles, stains, and particles made the sheets feel more natural and more connected to the recycling theme.

If I continue this experiment, I want to make a better mold, record the ratios more carefully, and test whether the leaf pieces can be punched or stitched together.

AI Use Statement

I used ChatGPT to help organize and rewrite the English text for this Week 16 page. ChatGPT helped me make the documentation clearer and connect the writing with my process photos.

The project idea, material selection, recipe tests, heating, casting, drying, cutting, and observations are my own work. I checked and edited the text before publishing it.