Sally Williams @ Fab Academy 2015

Started week by researching which of the 2D/3D programmes I would be able to install and run on my Macbook Pro (10.6.8).

Programmes that will NOT run on Macbook 10.6.8:

ANTIMONY
Antimony has been tested on Mac OS X 10.9.4 with homebrew already installed.  Will not run on 10.6.8.

RHINO
Downloaded Rhino (complete install version) for Mac 5.0. But this version is not installable 10.6.8 

GOOGLE SKETCH UP
Will not run on 10.6.8, it requires 10.7. or later.

Realising that Macbook Pro (2006) 10.6.8 is going to present problems with running some if not most programs.

Downloaded XQuartz and Inkscape (XQuartz was a requirement to run Inkscape).


INKSCAPE  (2D Vector drawing software) - will run on 10.6.8
 
Comments:
Note the software is very slow to run, especially for the first time and perhaps especially on my system. Being more familiar with Illustrator, I naturally found Inkscape to be awkward and the interface slightly unapproachable but with some perseverance I began to find my way around to make some basic vector drawings.
 


Appears to have good funtionality when it comes to creating files for Lasercutting.

Negative: Doesn't seem to have a very sophisticated airbrush facility, although you can make a brush out of an roughly drawn shape which has some interesting creative potential.

I liked the freeform Calligraphic ink tool. I used it to create the organic form shown below.



 



 For help with inkscape, www.inkscapeforum.com

ADOBE IDEAS
 
Positives:  Easy to use, useful layers, nice tools. Can import photo or image to have as base layer to trace. (Paper by 53 does not have this function).






Spent Sunday reflecting and developing new final project - a vertical indoor mobile garden. Having discussed with tutor, this project would enable me to include more of the learning modules than the glasses light device.



I have come up with the brand name Vertigro (© Sally Williams 8 Feb 2015). 




I used Inkscape to create a vector drawing of the logo.




MONDAY

At Fablab, waiting for slot at apple store for upgrade. To make most of time (unable to run 3D software on laptop), I worked on windows (windows first timer) at lab. Explored the functions of creating vector forms using INKSCAPE. Based this exploration on how I might use it to create forms and cut outs for Vertical Garden.

GOOGLE SKETCH UP
 
Explored modelling basics.  Looks ok for basic forms but don't feel like I have enough control when trying to generate more complicated forms. 



Exploring Google Sketchup to begin to conceive of possible forms for indoor garden. This began to open my eyes as to how 3D software could inform and influence outcomes.


It was a day into Week 3, before I could installed Rhino and Google Sketch up on my own laptop (now that I could run the programmes). Although I was not able to create very sophisticated forms it was clear that such programmes, especially Rhino is a very powerful tool to develop designs in 3D and with the luxury (being new to 3D) of seeing objects in situ and with 360 view options. This has the potential to really accelerate the design process, whilst also opening out further possibilities that may not otherwise be conceived or manifest.

Here follows a few images of that very basic initial exploration in Rhino and Google Sketch up. 



I really liked the simplicity with which you can turn the full 360º. It reveals what you might not have seen in your minds eye.

    
 
Downloads:
As the images contained on this page were drawn as basic software learning and not intended for any specific use, I only saved screen grabs (jpegs), apart from: calligraphic tool drawing
octoganal form drawing
 
 
However, to illustrate my learning of Solidworks (CAD software), I include a model I designed for 3D printing (week 5):
waterwheel2.SLDPRT