This week, we started the first of our electives. I happened to be in the first group of the 3D elective, so for the next 5 weeks, I’ll be focusing on its project, which centers on taking a modern invention and recreating it in the aesthetic and functionality from an an older time period.
We started off with a 2-day group project, a condensed version of the final task. Me and my group did some research, and in the end, we came up with some drawn prototypes of Heelys made in Ancient Egypt; they were to be used by pharaohs and other upper-class members of society, and could be attached to animals to act as personal mini-chariots. Below is the Padlet board we made to showcase out ideas.
https://artslondon.padlet.org/ldelazzer0220201/veneyl3mceqmx1wq
Next, to get acquainted with Maya, we were tasked with recreating a LEGO man as accurately as possible. I had some difficulty, as I’m still new to 3D programs in general and I was already more used to Blender, but I managed to work it out in the end.
I’m happy with my final result: the legs in particular are very faithful to an actual LEGO character. I had to improvise with the arms, making them out of spheres and cylinders, and the hands are more wide than usual, but I’m relatively satisfied with my end product.
Finally, we had to come up with an object and time period to work on for the next month. In the end, I’ve decided to work on recreating a Sony Walkman in 18th-19th Century Switzerland. The reason I chose such a specific time period is because that’s when music boxes were invented: I think that incorporating them into my design could look really good, and I’m excited to explore that idea further.
Currently, I’m working on my 2 pages of research for tomorrow. I’m excited to continue working on this, and I hope I end up making something I’ll be prouder of than my work in the 3D rotation.