The material course was something that I was looking forward to. Exploring material is something that I am very interested in as I enjoy working with my hands. However, due to my lack of experience and experimentation, I hesitate to experiment and gain experience. This course helped me to step out of my comfort zone and experience different materials.
Our exploration of joineries in nature was a real eye-opener. They were things that we notice on a daily basis but never stopped to analyse. They figure greatly in design as much of what we create is inspired by nature. Nature has evolved to be as efficient
Being able to work with the materials (plastic, clay, plaster of paris and wood) helped to form a better understanding of materials that I would not have gained from simply reading about them. The use of a material differs greatly from the words that "define" its properties.
We constructed a bridge out of plastic straws and pins that was able to support three stools and a laptop, which was approximately 5 kg. This activity showed us how to use simple constructs to create a stable structure. We also discovered that the most stable structure was the pyramid which we used extensively in the making of the bridge.
It was good to work with clay. My previous experiences with clay were at a young age and I learnt a lot from this. It was enjoyable working with such a pliable material though at times frustrating because the clay hardened or did not have the right water content. Water content seemed to be an important factor in all the materials that we covered in this course.
Our work with plaster of paris I found simultaneously fascinating and frustrating. Getting the right consistency proved to be a challenge that vexed all of us and we spent quite some time making sure the batches we made were just right. We made moulds of objects that we could cast repeatedly.
Based on six fundamental joineries in wood, we attempted to craft them with thin panels of wood. I found this activity to be helpful. As we were working I noticed how I had been seeing these joineries in furniture and in my surroundings without noticing it and could now apply it to my own work.
All in all, I enjoyed this course and thought it was a good start to the semester. I hope to continue to expand my understanding of materials and not be bound by hesitation and lack of experience. I have learnt a lot and have come to analyse more of my surroundings rather than merely seeing them and hopefully incorporating it into my future work.
No comments:
Post a Comment