I wanted to enhance the narrative experience in a non traditional way. My normal process when I return to a writing piece is to re-read, revise, then edit. However, with this story I wanted to add another dimension.
I describe the point system I created as the subconscious narrative. It helps contain crucial ideas that run through my process of thinking. If I were to incorporate inebriation in a traditional way it would be something like this:
You had a drink.
You had another drink.
You start to feel the alcohol fumes escape through your nose.
The outlines of people start to look fuzzy.
You have another drink.
Your muscles start to relax and words slip out of your mouth.
The way I incorporated it in Twine was as environmental factors. It was changing how the reader interacted with the space. When you have enough to drink, your vision becomes a little blurry and you can see that. When you drink certain drinks you get knocked on your ass and the text starts to move, creating an affect that physically takes you longer to read and more disorientating.
The world rules also proved challenging to debug, but also created unique pathways. Most of the intoxication and karma based hidden paths kind of revealed themselves in their own way. Selecting a number that would satisfy one situation was all i needed. In doing so, I created other potential ways to achieve the same result and also pathways that would not work.
I had plenty of fun with the CSS after getting the hang of it. Twine also needs to update some of the version changes as plenty of these guides are six years old.
Presentation Slide Link
I've fixed some bugs and added two potential endings since the presentation.
I also wrote in some more scenes to the other story arcs.
Twine html file
12.12.2019
12.04.2019
11.29.2019
N a n o g e n m o
Nanogenmo: 50,000 words of computer generated text.
This is my second time writing this post. Blogger has a nice auto-save feature, which has cursed me into writing this all over again. Also, I'm still using Blogger, which I started 10 years ago.
So again....
Academic papers were painful. The length requirements made me cringe and procrastinate until I floated through the halls of school like a maple leaf passed its prime. One day, during my sophomore year in high school my lit teacher was passing back our assignments. When she dropped mine off at my desk, she sternly proclaimed I increased the font size to make my text appear longer. To my defense, I only changed the size of the punctuation marks but I was ignorant to the fact it would alter the spacing as well.
The next year, I took a creative writing class because it had an allure to it. All the quirky, down-to-earth teachers taught classes like that and I wanted an environment where I could explore. At the time I was actively rebelling against my parents urge to pursue computers as it makes "good money and I'll have a stable future". I took the computer courses to make them happy and creative courses because I enjoyed them. You could say my introduction to coding, design, and expression started to bud then.
After many years in dabbling in the driest of computer courses and the eccentric arts I've arrived here. A course that seems familiar but there is still a learning curve. It took me over week to find something I could mash together through a computer to crank out a novel. The length requirement started to rekindle both fond and traumatic memories of school. I decided to use my past works as creative food.
Python is a programming language I wanted to become familiar with next. After being able to flex my personal perspective into JavaScript and C++ it felt like the next logical step. I re-watched part 1 of the Jupiter Notebook tutorial over and over until it sunk in.
Starting with setting global variables I tweaked the example code to:
line = int(random.randrange (4) + 2)
It's simple, but learning where to put the int prefix was an accomplishment for learning the syntax.
I wanted to use this variable to create variation in how many words there would be in each line. So rather than it being only 3 or 4 words per line, the randomness could induce a better rhythmic quality. I tried using the variable in a for loop and it to worked in the 'selected' field. However, when I put it in the range to accurately make 50,000 words it drew an error requiring an integer. This is when I made the variable into an int.
for i in range (50,000/line):
It drew the same error. I was getting remainders with my random line generation of 3's and 4's. I wanted 3 and 4 word lines because it looked better than other number combinations.
I conceded and went with 4 words per line to make the math easier for me.
This text is generated from my fiction works written back in 2008-09.
Nanogenmo
This is my second time writing this post. Blogger has a nice auto-save feature, which has cursed me into writing this all over again. Also, I'm still using Blogger, which I started 10 years ago.
So again....
Academic papers were painful. The length requirements made me cringe and procrastinate until I floated through the halls of school like a maple leaf passed its prime. One day, during my sophomore year in high school my lit teacher was passing back our assignments. When she dropped mine off at my desk, she sternly proclaimed I increased the font size to make my text appear longer. To my defense, I only changed the size of the punctuation marks but I was ignorant to the fact it would alter the spacing as well.
The next year, I took a creative writing class because it had an allure to it. All the quirky, down-to-earth teachers taught classes like that and I wanted an environment where I could explore. At the time I was actively rebelling against my parents urge to pursue computers as it makes "good money and I'll have a stable future". I took the computer courses to make them happy and creative courses because I enjoyed them. You could say my introduction to coding, design, and expression started to bud then.
After many years in dabbling in the driest of computer courses and the eccentric arts I've arrived here. A course that seems familiar but there is still a learning curve. It took me over week to find something I could mash together through a computer to crank out a novel. The length requirement started to rekindle both fond and traumatic memories of school. I decided to use my past works as creative food.
Python is a programming language I wanted to become familiar with next. After being able to flex my personal perspective into JavaScript and C++ it felt like the next logical step. I re-watched part 1 of the Jupiter Notebook tutorial over and over until it sunk in.
Starting with setting global variables I tweaked the example code to:
line = int(random.randrange (4) + 2)
It's simple, but learning where to put the int prefix was an accomplishment for learning the syntax.
I wanted to use this variable to create variation in how many words there would be in each line. So rather than it being only 3 or 4 words per line, the randomness could induce a better rhythmic quality. I tried using the variable in a for loop and it to worked in the 'selected' field. However, when I put it in the range to accurately make 50,000 words it drew an error requiring an integer. This is when I made the variable into an int.
for i in range (50,000/line):
It drew the same error. I was getting remainders with my random line generation of 3's and 4's. I wanted 3 and 4 word lines because it looked better than other number combinations.
I conceded and went with 4 words per line to make the math easier for me.
This text is generated from my fiction works written back in 2008-09.
Nanogenmo
11.11.2019
Lab 2
Going off of sequenced effects. I wanted something you can hit hard, like a drum pad. I build up layers of felt to give a more structural integrity. Once I put the Velostat in, I don't think the conductive thread was prominent enough to create a circuit and made the circuit even harder to activate. I ended up removing the Velostat because I liked feel of the switch without. I think it'd be good as a "stomp" sensor for your foot. Maybe a punch sensor? I could rework the Velostat to give an "impact velocity" value.
Lab 1
This was my first intro into building soft circuits. I wanted to play with the structure and design to see what different interactions I can create.
Battery and LED demo:
To play more with the structure, I wanted to create a sequence that would play/activate something every-time the circuit was complete. Here is my multi-meter ping composition.
Battery and LED demo:
To play more with the structure, I wanted to create a sequence that would play/activate something every-time the circuit was complete. Here is my multi-meter ping composition.
Touch Interface
For my interface I wanted to create give a musical aesthetic associated with the controls. Ideally this would be used in a serial interface with a midi program such as Ableton.
This would be the virtual bass. By selecting the bass clef you activate the instrument, and there would be notes that would correspond with midi notes on a musical staff.
The bass clef was really responsive.
I found out later that the LEDs were wired inverse of each other. So only one goes on depending on how it is wired. This is good for debugging the polarity. The velostat was a variable resistor so the LED brightness can be controlled as way of haptic feedback. Maybe can be used for setting tempo or rhythm.
The second switch was troublesome. I'm not sure if it was the connection or the arduino but it wouldn't register off easily once it was turned on. I checked for shorts and the multimeter wouldn't beep, rather it would show the resistance go lower. Even after rebuilding the contact points and making them smaller so they wouldn't short I still had some issues.
11.07.2019
11.05.2019
Commentary
[i didn’t realize how much I rely on spellcheck till I put the code into a word doc. It’s surprisingly sad.]
[A monster is a creature in the outside. //breaks code]
[A mirror is in the Bedroom. //doesn't make sense because i turned exercise verbs into nouns]
[Looking is an action applying to one touchable thing. Understand "look[something]" as looking. // applying to one touchable thing, breaks code]
[How would I create a condition that you have to carry out all three exercises before you go bald?]
[How can I put a marker in after you complete all 3 exercises that "a year has passed of you doing these exercises everyday" ?]
[Report looking:
say "You look in the [the noun]. You have [if work out]you've trained so hard you went bald![else] a beautiful head of hair[end if]." ]
[error console says, "violence isn't the answer to this one" is this program being coy?]
[This programming language is not like traditional writing and it's not like coding. It is a weird syntax in between that. I've had countless compilation errors for small spelling and grammar mistakes. The error console feels condescending. I enjoy the possibilities but this not agreeing with me like a day old burrito that is difficult to digest. I wanted to re-create a mundane, absurdist superhero story but it turned into a regurgitated mess staining my brain tissue. I need to take a saline nasal spray and fill my entire head cavity. As the dark matter painfully drips slowly from my face holes I will try to suppress a nightmarish sleep tonight.]
Twining
Visual programming is a nice, but I still have an aversion to Max and TouchDesigner interfaces. Perhaps it was all the academic brainstorm formats that haunt me. The time of my life when I had to do my homework because my parents will be happy if I get good grades and will know if I Photoshop them to look better.
Twine was nice because of the immediate gratification. You write a story point and it's there. You can add on or it can stand on its own. In the previous sketch, I mentioned it changed the way I thought. I've always found dialogue to be the easiest thing to write. Scenes are not always held responsible to carry the weight of a narrative. It's like banter with an old friend after a few beers on an empty stomach. Twine enforced a rule-set to connect scenes. If I can have any form of organization that promotes clarity in my work i'm a happy banana.
There is a draw to structuring my work. I usually go by feeling and it is much harder to organize feelings since they are so unstable. Also, I noticed in writing this way, I was able to move the story faster. Once you finish a container, you can leave that idea there rather than re-working it to a soggy page of eraser marks.
Twine html doc
Twine was nice because of the immediate gratification. You write a story point and it's there. You can add on or it can stand on its own. In the previous sketch, I mentioned it changed the way I thought. I've always found dialogue to be the easiest thing to write. Scenes are not always held responsible to carry the weight of a narrative. It's like banter with an old friend after a few beers on an empty stomach. Twine enforced a rule-set to connect scenes. If I can have any form of organization that promotes clarity in my work i'm a happy banana.
There is a draw to structuring my work. I usually go by feeling and it is much harder to organize feelings since they are so unstable. Also, I noticed in writing this way, I was able to move the story faster. Once you finish a container, you can leave that idea there rather than re-working it to a soggy page of eraser marks.
Twine html doc
Generate me
Tracery Generated Story - Sketch #1
This was my first experience of programming generative text. It encouraged thinking in a modular way –like a puzzle but each piece had multiple functions.
The form or structure had to be hardcoded unless you really wanted to tweak your brain with the code. This structure did not promote new ideas of narrative arcs but new outfits for the story to live in.
I enjoyed how the code told its own story of the narrator. It was a new way to look at the language instead of the usual, linear sentence structure. The thought process and the organization methods are unique to each person in our class. It was fun to see the internal dialogue between human and computer during class presentations.
10.17.2019
Action cycles of nature
I poked my head outside for a breath of fresh air. As soon as I opened the door a big mosquito flew right to me and instinctively I had to kill it. After a few stomps on the ground I vanquished the nuisance. I forgot which of the many mosquito articles I've read but they said evolutionary if each human being kills enough mosquitoes in their lifetimes then eventually mosquitoes will evolve to avoid human beings.
Anyway, shortly after, a big moth ran into my face. The second one of the evening. Perhaps the same one. As watched it flutter around the porch light in disarray it got caught in a spider web. And I've never seen such a big insect caught in one of those webs before. Well actually, I saw a dead stink bug in one earlier today but they move slower than grass grows. So, I saw the moth struggling and the spider came down but it was too lively to do anything. The spider kept climbing down and I was wondering why it wouldn't wait until the moth was tired. I stared longer into the porch light at this exchange happening between two creatures. The spider would go down and it looked like it was flaying its arms trying to grab hold of the moth. As I looked closer it was actually tossing web on it trying to immobilize it further. I saw ball of web collecting by the moths feet. It was then I said "oh you're fucked". It was beautiful. An interaction I saw within moments of stepping foot outside. A tiny event relative to the universe. These events are happening everywhere even if we don't notice. There is always a big dance everything is constantly participating in.
It's cold though. I don't need to film it. It happens all the time, right?
I thought about how I could incorporate the Gen-space lab for projects in this class. However, it reminded me of my first job out of college. I was cleaning a cancer research lab overnight. There was a cool feeling working there. I had to wear these body suit to clean the inoculation room and had to call-in when there was waste in the red bio bags. But this was also the job that was so exhausting that I ran out of gas on the drive home –twice.
I want to pursue more observation and be present with my current surroundings, rather than the isolation of a lab. Reading these articles and being enveloped in bio has made me too aware of every detail that goes into how humans support themselves. Everything is far off balance.
If I can create tangible experiences that translates even some of the small things I have been starting to observe more it would feel fulfilling to me. I want to be more of a vehicle that inspires people to investigate further and if that means seeking out a lab then that would be great! If it means "oh god we are doomed as a human race," then a message is still conveyed.
Like in the p5 sketch I presented in class, I want to emulate a type of balance and show how certain actions will make it collapse or have the opposite effect of the original intent.
I could have saved that moth from that web. I thought long about it. I'm usually the guy who finds insects indoors and catches them to release outside. Usually saying, "be free, live your best life." But I didn't want to do that here. To see how hard the spider was working to eat and survive. It was this dance that would ultimately come full circle that I didn't want to disrupt.
Also, moths eat my wool clothes.
Anyway, shortly after, a big moth ran into my face. The second one of the evening. Perhaps the same one. As watched it flutter around the porch light in disarray it got caught in a spider web. And I've never seen such a big insect caught in one of those webs before. Well actually, I saw a dead stink bug in one earlier today but they move slower than grass grows. So, I saw the moth struggling and the spider came down but it was too lively to do anything. The spider kept climbing down and I was wondering why it wouldn't wait until the moth was tired. I stared longer into the porch light at this exchange happening between two creatures. The spider would go down and it looked like it was flaying its arms trying to grab hold of the moth. As I looked closer it was actually tossing web on it trying to immobilize it further. I saw ball of web collecting by the moths feet. It was then I said "oh you're fucked". It was beautiful. An interaction I saw within moments of stepping foot outside. A tiny event relative to the universe. These events are happening everywhere even if we don't notice. There is always a big dance everything is constantly participating in.
It's cold though. I don't need to film it. It happens all the time, right?
I thought about how I could incorporate the Gen-space lab for projects in this class. However, it reminded me of my first job out of college. I was cleaning a cancer research lab overnight. There was a cool feeling working there. I had to wear these body suit to clean the inoculation room and had to call-in when there was waste in the red bio bags. But this was also the job that was so exhausting that I ran out of gas on the drive home –twice.
I want to pursue more observation and be present with my current surroundings, rather than the isolation of a lab. Reading these articles and being enveloped in bio has made me too aware of every detail that goes into how humans support themselves. Everything is far off balance.
If I can create tangible experiences that translates even some of the small things I have been starting to observe more it would feel fulfilling to me. I want to be more of a vehicle that inspires people to investigate further and if that means seeking out a lab then that would be great! If it means "oh god we are doomed as a human race," then a message is still conveyed.
Like in the p5 sketch I presented in class, I want to emulate a type of balance and show how certain actions will make it collapse or have the opposite effect of the original intent.
I could have saved that moth from that web. I thought long about it. I'm usually the guy who finds insects indoors and catches them to release outside. Usually saying, "be free, live your best life." But I didn't want to do that here. To see how hard the spider was working to eat and survive. It was this dance that would ultimately come full circle that I didn't want to disrupt.
Also, moths eat my wool clothes.
9.25.2019
semi being
In vitro semi being with a functional purpose sounds pretty stale. Not to brandish off the words chosen in some of these articles but in "Synthetic Aesthetics" the ideas of art and future progress made with design concepts fell flat to me. Where is the synergy between life and grown meat and muscle tissue? I can see the point of how wasteful it is to cultivate a complex multi cellular living organism, how does creating a "muscle" actuator compare to a design perspective. That seems like a chemistry viewpoint, breaking down substances and reconstructing simple compounds to do specific tasks. You are using living growing parts but without the brain and the guts of the rest that make up it. I think that cut and paste theory is a flaw that I keep seeing over and over again. These processes may seem simple to edit under intense magnification, but muscle tissues (lets say in the human body) are related to our ecosystem. Do we keep tampering or not?
This is where many fields overlap and my brain starts to overlap. I'm currently fighting a cold. I don't know what my body looks like on the inside but it is affecting everything, even if it's subtle. I had a conversation with a friend earlier (and this is where I digress) and she mentioned she knew people who believed that sickness was all in your mind. I think your brain is a very weak element in fighting your bodies ailments. It's more of an audience member for an immersive film... And this is where I digress farther into a rabbit hole.
I had a concussion last spring break. I woke up, went to the bathroom, walked back to my room and passed out on my face. The moments of recovery were the most confusing. My brain was jostled around much like I was in that punk show the other night. I was slow. I had a hard time concentrating, bright lights made me puke, people told me my brain can be bleeding, doctors told me I should go to the ER. But as walking towards the ER a week later trying to make logic out of everyones words, I paused outside of a brownstone and felt something say "this isn't right". And it was in this moment my body felt like...."let me debug your code man." My body's voice might be a stoner nerd.
Anyway, I booked an appointment with a Neurologist in 3 weeks.
And.
I was fine. I was healing from a concussion but everything my body was telling me was the right thing to do (which was the opposite of the popular opinion). The neurologist told me I knew my body well. Hell, I even got a couple free MRI scans for participating in a research study of first time concussion patients –where my brain looked fine. My mom also said I was fine when I spoke over the phone, but that's some mom super power that hasn't been defined in biology (yet?).
As I dive closer and closer into these ideas of synthetic biology. The more the issues of morality and human intervention, and all these counterpoints, counter arguments, and complexities emerge.
Is this a topic that is destined to increase in social complexity?
This is where many fields overlap and my brain starts to overlap. I'm currently fighting a cold. I don't know what my body looks like on the inside but it is affecting everything, even if it's subtle. I had a conversation with a friend earlier (and this is where I digress) and she mentioned she knew people who believed that sickness was all in your mind. I think your brain is a very weak element in fighting your bodies ailments. It's more of an audience member for an immersive film... And this is where I digress farther into a rabbit hole.
I had a concussion last spring break. I woke up, went to the bathroom, walked back to my room and passed out on my face. The moments of recovery were the most confusing. My brain was jostled around much like I was in that punk show the other night. I was slow. I had a hard time concentrating, bright lights made me puke, people told me my brain can be bleeding, doctors told me I should go to the ER. But as walking towards the ER a week later trying to make logic out of everyones words, I paused outside of a brownstone and felt something say "this isn't right". And it was in this moment my body felt like...."let me debug your code man." My body's voice might be a stoner nerd.
Anyway, I booked an appointment with a Neurologist in 3 weeks.
And.
I was fine. I was healing from a concussion but everything my body was telling me was the right thing to do (which was the opposite of the popular opinion). The neurologist told me I knew my body well. Hell, I even got a couple free MRI scans for participating in a research study of first time concussion patients –where my brain looked fine. My mom also said I was fine when I spoke over the phone, but that's some mom super power that hasn't been defined in biology (yet?).
As I dive closer and closer into these ideas of synthetic biology. The more the issues of morality and human intervention, and all these counterpoints, counter arguments, and complexities emerge.
Is this a topic that is destined to increase in social complexity?
Franko-Punk
The ideas of biohacking, diverging from nature, and the unknown result. It is a controversial area. It is a human topic dealing with human nature itself. But the metaphors I found most interesting was the punk rock idea of a genre. Living as outcasts from the mainstream. It is a form of expression that not everyone understands.
My teenage years were filled with a wandering sense of identity. Not truly knowing which group to belong to, what friends are really my friends, should I act "white" or "asian", and what I should be pursuing in life. I felt like I was mimicking other people's ideas and aspirations because I was not secure with what I wanted.
What I became attracted to were the punk kids in high-school. They were intimidating to others so no one bothered them, they didn't care what others thought so nobody got the satisfaction of picking on them, and they fell prey to bad habits but were honest about their issues. That honesty prevailed even with the everyday troubles they also lived though.
They welcomed you –whoever you were. You didn't have to wear the same clothes or act a certain way to be a part of the group. It felt safer than any other high school cliques. We used to hang out before homeroom at the end of the hallway, looking like a bunch of delinquents sitting on the floor against the wall. It was a casual meeting place to meet and say hi each day. One day, one of the girls came around and grabbed my butt, saying "you have such a nice butt." It became her way of saying hey what's up. The raging hormones never opposed. Another day, a guy wanted to split a couple painkillers with me (I was too scared too so he shrugged and took both then threw up a few classes later).
Anyway, where I digress is where I see this social connection between these people expressing themselves in biology. You share a bond that is positive, reassuring, and welcoming. However, sometimes people vomit during 3rd period because they don't know the limits of their bodies.
I went to a ska-punk concert last week. And ska punk is a genre that started and ended mostly in the 90's. So the band was older. The audience had kids. Hell, even I felt old. But the songs still drive the same energy, the beer is still being spilt on everyone, and the guitar riffs make you move the same way. We crowd-surfed children on a giant pizza inflatable during the concert with the upmost care and precision. Appearances can be deceiving, right? If we can open peoples eyes like that, I believe biology can flourish like the giant pizza delivering a delicate human life above the crowd of sweaty, dancing/moshing/skanking, concertgoers.
My teenage years were filled with a wandering sense of identity. Not truly knowing which group to belong to, what friends are really my friends, should I act "white" or "asian", and what I should be pursuing in life. I felt like I was mimicking other people's ideas and aspirations because I was not secure with what I wanted.
What I became attracted to were the punk kids in high-school. They were intimidating to others so no one bothered them, they didn't care what others thought so nobody got the satisfaction of picking on them, and they fell prey to bad habits but were honest about their issues. That honesty prevailed even with the everyday troubles they also lived though.
They welcomed you –whoever you were. You didn't have to wear the same clothes or act a certain way to be a part of the group. It felt safer than any other high school cliques. We used to hang out before homeroom at the end of the hallway, looking like a bunch of delinquents sitting on the floor against the wall. It was a casual meeting place to meet and say hi each day. One day, one of the girls came around and grabbed my butt, saying "you have such a nice butt." It became her way of saying hey what's up. The raging hormones never opposed. Another day, a guy wanted to split a couple painkillers with me (I was too scared too so he shrugged and took both then threw up a few classes later).
Anyway, where I digress is where I see this social connection between these people expressing themselves in biology. You share a bond that is positive, reassuring, and welcoming. However, sometimes people vomit during 3rd period because they don't know the limits of their bodies.
I went to a ska-punk concert last week. And ska punk is a genre that started and ended mostly in the 90's. So the band was older. The audience had kids. Hell, even I felt old. But the songs still drive the same energy, the beer is still being spilt on everyone, and the guitar riffs make you move the same way. We crowd-surfed children on a giant pizza inflatable during the concert with the upmost care and precision. Appearances can be deceiving, right? If we can open peoples eyes like that, I believe biology can flourish like the giant pizza delivering a delicate human life above the crowd of sweaty, dancing/moshing/skanking, concertgoers.
5.05.2019
4.16.2019
Gone with a Flash
4/16 5:07 AM
A slow motion capture of lightning flashes during an early morning storm. During the brightest flash you can really see the contrast of surfaces. The white faced apartments bounce the light off creating harsh contrasts with the black window frames. The brown apartments absorb the color more. You can really see the energy being exerted and diminish quickly from the light source. I wonder what the color temperature of lightning is?
I tried different camera settings on the iPhone and but it didn't capture the other moments of the storm, including a long horizontal lightning bolt across the sky (would have been so nice).
Also, notice the strobing effect of the back porch light to the left. Caused by the high frame-rate capture.
4.10.2019
Dancing Shadows
March 21 4:21 pm
Here is a video I took post-concussion resting on the beach. I was under a palm tree and saw interesting movement in the corner of my eye. I was originally looking up towards the sky towards the palm leaves itself. But here the shadows moving across the uneven pockets of sand create a dancing like movement that I found soothing. The shadows lines are articulate and sharp due to a cloudless sky and the directness of the sun. I've been fond of the shadows created by light lately. The duality of how light cannot exist without dark. Light not only illuminates, it can divide the space around it.
3.14.2019
A Sexy Post
I decided that before I jump more into the world of 3D that I wanted to explore how the material itself reacts. I still had some extra wood left over from my last wood turning assignment so I turned that, and let it sit in the back of my mind until I could think of a design.
Inspiration/ideas:
Champagne flutes, dainty, curves, turning knots, the color of cedar after oiled, working the wood-grain
Too long for a chuck only unfortunately. But I don't know how to use the bowl gouge anyway.
The rough areas that I wanted to alter.
Decided to go with more sweeping curves to really get some bend in the wood grain
Shaping the top. Was imagining a flower bud, tulip or rose.
Finally form while spinning right before sanding.
I applied two coats of cutting board oil I had laying in my kitchen cabinet when I used to cook all the time, once upon a time. It really brought out the red of the wood. I don't think I'll apply wax over this.
Troubles and learning points:
The longer the piece of wood the more measures need to go into securing it. My wood shifted while on the chuck so I had to re-round it a few times. The upside to that, is that it probably changed the angle of attack on the wood grain. Which if you look how the knot was warped in the photos, It kind of looks like the wild storm on Jupiter. I fell in love with that portion. Next step, driftwood from outer space!
I wanted to try and hollow out the top but without the experience and the shape/size of the wood I quickly scrapped the idea.
This type of wood, i'm still thinking it's cedar until I'm proved wrong, chips easy especially getting to thinner curves. I started sharpening the tools more often and increasing the speed which helped a lot. Especially when carving through the knots.
I also wish I turned the base more before I took it off the lathe. But when you've lost yourself to the lathe for 6-8 hours (who knows what time it was) it was done. I have already re-rounded it 3 times.
Could I have done this on the 4-axis? Sure, but I wanted to gain more of the familiarity with working with the wood and creating these shapes by hand. I did, and after using more of the lathe chisels I'm exploring which ones I like and can use to achieve the visions I have.
And finally here is my video blooper:
Inspiration/ideas:
Champagne flutes, dainty, curves, turning knots, the color of cedar after oiled, working the wood-grain
I applied two coats of cutting board oil I had laying in my kitchen cabinet when I used to cook all the time, once upon a time. It really brought out the red of the wood. I don't think I'll apply wax over this.
Troubles and learning points:
The longer the piece of wood the more measures need to go into securing it. My wood shifted while on the chuck so I had to re-round it a few times. The upside to that, is that it probably changed the angle of attack on the wood grain. Which if you look how the knot was warped in the photos, It kind of looks like the wild storm on Jupiter. I fell in love with that portion. Next step, driftwood from outer space!
I wanted to try and hollow out the top but without the experience and the shape/size of the wood I quickly scrapped the idea.
This type of wood, i'm still thinking it's cedar until I'm proved wrong, chips easy especially getting to thinner curves. I started sharpening the tools more often and increasing the speed which helped a lot. Especially when carving through the knots.
I also wish I turned the base more before I took it off the lathe. But when you've lost yourself to the lathe for 6-8 hours (who knows what time it was) it was done. I have already re-rounded it 3 times.
Could I have done this on the 4-axis? Sure, but I wanted to gain more of the familiarity with working with the wood and creating these shapes by hand. I did, and after using more of the lathe chisels I'm exploring which ones I like and can use to achieve the visions I have.
And finally here is my video blooper:
3.13.2019
Arrow of light
I had a few goals in mind when thinking of a light fixture:
Brass
Lens
After ordering parts it turns out they forgot my lens order completely, leaving me to improvise on my original design. It probably saved me some headache of fabricating a way to mount the lens, however, I had to start the diffusion design over again.
Until I got to that point I decided to build the rest of the lamp. I know I wanted it to hang elegantly in the air so I mounted steel cables on it.
Bulb selection was interesting and daunting. I've always liked the look of halogen bulbs, but then quickly realized that it would burn up most of my diffusion options (literally). So I tested a few LED bulbs and found one with quite a nice fade!
I machined a couple of holes (don't listen to the sound unless you're into that kind of thing)
Then, I bent the brass tubes I bought and soldered the ends to create the familiar lamp harp shape. Still not knowing what type of shade i'd place over it.
Finally, I found some unused patterned paper at home that I thought would look nice with the gold tones of the brass.
Side note: don't use gorilla glue that has lost its cap long ago, it will never dry and gunk up your hands.
Finished product and video:
Final thoughts:
It was nice to combine different knowledges I had to create something. While ITP gives you the appetite to constantly perfect and strive for the ideal imagination of a project. I also never created a lamp before. So there is that!
Brass
Lens
After ordering parts it turns out they forgot my lens order completely, leaving me to improvise on my original design. It probably saved me some headache of fabricating a way to mount the lens, however, I had to start the diffusion design over again.
Until I got to that point I decided to build the rest of the lamp. I know I wanted it to hang elegantly in the air so I mounted steel cables on it.
Bulb selection was interesting and daunting. I've always liked the look of halogen bulbs, but then quickly realized that it would burn up most of my diffusion options (literally). So I tested a few LED bulbs and found one with quite a nice fade!
I machined a couple of holes (don't listen to the sound unless you're into that kind of thing)
Then, I bent the brass tubes I bought and soldered the ends to create the familiar lamp harp shape. Still not knowing what type of shade i'd place over it.
Finally, I found some unused patterned paper at home that I thought would look nice with the gold tones of the brass.
Side note: don't use gorilla glue that has lost its cap long ago, it will never dry and gunk up your hands.
Finished product and video:
Final thoughts:
It was nice to combine different knowledges I had to create something. While ITP gives you the appetite to constantly perfect and strive for the ideal imagination of a project. I also never created a lamp before. So there is that!
3.06.2019
2.27.2019
My office time elapse
8:00AM-11:30AM Time Elapse
Here is a shot of the ceiling above my desk at my office.
The most noticeable thing to my eye is the balance between the exterior light and the interior light. It was bright outside but when a cloud would pass you can see the light from the right side of the pipes appear to creep over. When the cloud was out of the way of the sun it looks like the left side overtakes the right. So it is the contrast of luminosity that is dictating which light takes the scene.
The outdoor light is rather cool compared to the warmer yellow of the interior light. Also, since this is an east facing window, after about 10am or so the brightness from the left starts to vanish as the sun is higher in the sky than the window, so ambient light is received rather than direct.
2.18.2019
Heavy Metal
The smell of oil reminds me of working on cars back in jersey. The intricate machined bits underneath the hood all spinning and whirring in unison. A mechanical marvel, even if it isn't the most efficient mechanism created. The turn of the metal lathe reminded me of all the the pulleys rotating through the timing belt.
The metal lathe, final impressions? Fun machine, this one is a little "out of tune" so to say but it was able to accomplish this little top hat nicely. I was a little startled when my aluminum block fell off the chuck somehow. I tightened that thing pretty hard, you can still see the indents on the final piece. I've seen worse, so no trauma here. I also like standing to the side of the machine instead of head on. It feels more natural when spinning the "wheels" and I can get a more consistent speed. Also, I'm out of the pathway of any rogue bits of aluminum.
The metal lathe, final impressions? Fun machine, this one is a little "out of tune" so to say but it was able to accomplish this little top hat nicely. I was a little startled when my aluminum block fell off the chuck somehow. I tightened that thing pretty hard, you can still see the indents on the final piece. I've seen worse, so no trauma here. I also like standing to the side of the machine instead of head on. It feels more natural when spinning the "wheels" and I can get a more consistent speed. Also, I'm out of the pathway of any rogue bits of aluminum.
2.14.2019
Early Morning Sun: Week 2
Early Morning Shot taken at 7:00 AM
The sun is just starting to peak though the buildings. You can see there silhouettes against the Barclay center. The Barclay center is reflective enough to capture the light, but the architecture gives lots of texture to the incoming light.
I even like how the red stoplight is orientated right in the opening of the buildings creating a harmony of red/orange and the contrasting dot of green sits nicely in there too.
There is a subtle tint on the blue/grey buildings in the background, giving a nice soft appearance. The cloudy skies make warmer colors pop out even more, such as the yellow of the bus, or the dull glow of an older headlamp from the car in the foreground.
Candle Vigil
A flame is as complex as it is simple. What I did like about a candle lights behavior is the dimming of a weak ember and the burst of a flame kissed with oxygen.
Once I found a way to emulate that, I went on to experiment with diffusion and different materials.
I found a bottle discarded on the table and filled it varying amounts of fluid, adding some salt to give it a cloudiness. It was a fun idea, but didn't really give the result I wanted.
I went back to my giant spool of fiber optic, and decided to twist it around into a spiral. It gave a unique way to separate the light, similar to what other's in class did turning the acrylic tubes, but I lost the fiber optic "path" because the light would bend so much it wouldn't reach the other end of the string. Which kind of defeated the perk of using it. But wouldn't it be cool it create crackling sparks and embers from a flame? That'd be some intense candle.
I went back to my tried and true paper diffused method. I have a lot of paper materials laying around from past projects so I always love to re-use the leftovers.
The height of the tube allowed the colors to fade away nicely and it cut the sharp lines created from the LEDs beaming. Also it hid the on/off of certain LEDs pretty well. Where it was fun programing different light loops, I had more fun constructing elaborate diffusers because you get the benefit of an appealing structure, while also controlling the light in a unique way that is hard to replicate through code (but I wouldn't say impossible). I think a good balance of both is needed, but I will also lean heavier on the diffusion, just because I really enjoy it.
Once I found a way to emulate that, I went on to experiment with diffusion and different materials.
I went back to my tried and true paper diffused method. I have a lot of paper materials laying around from past projects so I always love to re-use the leftovers.
The height of the tube allowed the colors to fade away nicely and it cut the sharp lines created from the LEDs beaming. Also it hid the on/off of certain LEDs pretty well. Where it was fun programing different light loops, I had more fun constructing elaborate diffusers because you get the benefit of an appealing structure, while also controlling the light in a unique way that is hard to replicate through code (but I wouldn't say impossible). I think a good balance of both is needed, but I will also lean heavier on the diffusion, just because I really enjoy it.
2.13.2019
Hammer Time
I was thinking of a fantastical hammer, that would be impractical to wield. The challenge this week was sourcing large enough blocks of wood to create a big enough hammer head. I was hoping to find some wood around the sidewalks during my walking routes. I did find a set of nice oak sofa legs, but they were too small and tapered for this project.
Tuesday is usually my most productive day since I don't have classes and I'm nearby school. It was snowing a mixture of snow and gross. I recalled in my memory that one of the Blick stores by Canal st. had these large wood blanks when looking for supplies for my final last semester but, to my disappointment their stock had changed (or my brain). So I stepped out and Googled "wood supply" and came across a building supply store a few blocks away.
I walked inside the warehouse of building materials, wall-to-wall with plywood and pressure treated wood. It was the kind of environment that reminded me of the lumbar yards my dad used to take me on his various supply runs for projects. This one was more compact, Chinatown style. Anyway, I came upon two decent sizes of wood, looked like cedar, discarded by the table saw. Perfect, I grabbed them and went up to the counter and asked.
"Hi...Can I just take these?"
"oh no, you have to pay."
"But they are just scrap left over by the table saw over there."
"No, still have to pay for everything here."
A pause.
"How much?"
"Five dollars"
I paid the man and he included one of those generic bags usually associated with take-out food. I hopped on my way through the snow excited I found something to turn.
The lathe was open! Yes!
The fresh wood I bought from China Town smelt wonderful as it pelted me like the exit of a wood chipper.
The only drawback of using the wood lathe when assignments due is that there is a queue of people behind you. While some are calm and polite, others may have an encompassing stress, constantly asking when you are done. Every time I stepped out to have a drink of water or wash some of the dust off every pore of my body, I was asked if I was finished or told how I can turn faster if I use this chisel (which was totally the wrong way to use that type of chisel, you can tell by it's shape). Then while I was turning someone goes behind my back without asking to turn on the vacuum for the band saw. They were students I have never seen before, much younger, being loosely accompanied by a 2nd year. I don't know where they came from but the shop became crowded with lost looks. The air of the shop changed into a nervous taint and I had to take a break while they were exclaiming how big the pieces of wood they were cutting were. I will not get into how the chisels were before I used them, but they were burnt black and misshapen.
(I needed to get that out)
Anyway, how I longed for an environment to match the nature of turning. This was not the setting I wanted to work and it turned to a rush job. My holes of my hammer head are all offset but I had to step away.
Next time, when there is more time, I want to re-do the hammer head with the other block of wood I have. I want to rework this project, or at least create one in a better environment. The handle feels in great in my hand, and I'm proud of that. I also want to buy my own chisel and keep it far from anyone but myself.
But I still love that moment of smelling the fresh cut wood. It was so fragrant and intoxicating.
Tuesday is usually my most productive day since I don't have classes and I'm nearby school. It was snowing a mixture of snow and gross. I recalled in my memory that one of the Blick stores by Canal st. had these large wood blanks when looking for supplies for my final last semester but, to my disappointment their stock had changed (or my brain). So I stepped out and Googled "wood supply" and came across a building supply store a few blocks away.
I walked inside the warehouse of building materials, wall-to-wall with plywood and pressure treated wood. It was the kind of environment that reminded me of the lumbar yards my dad used to take me on his various supply runs for projects. This one was more compact, Chinatown style. Anyway, I came upon two decent sizes of wood, looked like cedar, discarded by the table saw. Perfect, I grabbed them and went up to the counter and asked.
"Hi...Can I just take these?"
"oh no, you have to pay."
"But they are just scrap left over by the table saw over there."
"No, still have to pay for everything here."
A pause.
"How much?"
"Five dollars"
I paid the man and he included one of those generic bags usually associated with take-out food. I hopped on my way through the snow excited I found something to turn.
The lathe was open! Yes!
The fresh wood I bought from China Town smelt wonderful as it pelted me like the exit of a wood chipper.
~
(I needed to get that out)
Anyway, how I longed for an environment to match the nature of turning. This was not the setting I wanted to work and it turned to a rush job. My holes of my hammer head are all offset but I had to step away.
Next time, when there is more time, I want to re-do the hammer head with the other block of wood I have. I want to rework this project, or at least create one in a better environment. The handle feels in great in my hand, and I'm proud of that. I also want to buy my own chisel and keep it far from anyone but myself.
But I still love that moment of smelling the fresh cut wood. It was so fragrant and intoxicating.
2.06.2019
LED Fade
This weeks assignment was to create an LED fade that can be interrupted.
Using materials around the floor I planned to create a flower night light.
Some fiber optic cable I bought last semester but never used.
Arduino with a HIGH and LOW state switch along with the LED light source for the flower.
Testing ways to use the fiber optic cable.
Construction of the diffuser petals, created from different opacities of paper. The thicker weight paper was used as a base to focus the light and give structure. Then the lighter opacity paper was built off of that. YG in the back hard at work.
Difficult to capture the LED in this environment, but this video shows when the user activates the switch, the fade will accelerate the speed fading up/down. When the user's hand comes off the switch, the fade will resume the default speed at the same point it left off.
Here is the default fade being run in a darker room.
Using materials around the floor I planned to create a flower night light.
Here is the default fade being run in a darker room.
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