Containing Air, Exploring Structure

Containing Air, Exploring Structure:

Forms and their structural enclosures can be explored in a number of ways. This series investigates a simple form based on approximately one-half of a Lemniscate of Bernoulli curve, developed about 1694. A lemniscus is Latin for "a pendant ribbon", it is very similar to a common eight curve, except the loops are more elliptical. What is interesting is what forms emerge when a 2D curve is used as a 3D path for some shape as a section, such as a circle, an ellipse, a square, a rectangle, or a triangle. Further, what happens when that section is modified from one shape orientation or size to another shape orientation and size, as it progresses for start to finish along the curve. There are a number of ways to delineate the surface of the resultant form. For lightness, some sort of mesh structure would seem to be appropriate. In this first series of pieces, a diagonal grid is incorporated. At this scale, desktop, these forms could be thought of as Air Vases; containers to hold air, nothing at all.

These are algorithmically generated in a custom program written in AutoLISP in the ACAD platform.

Such a delicate mesh can only be fabricated using a high-resolution stereolithographic 3D printer; this could open a new and expanded designs that have a delicate and lacy structure that no other 3D printing can match.

See the series of preliminary sketches that were developed for these models at: http://bitartworks.com/airvase01/gallery01a.html

BitArtWorks is the studio and website for BitArt and Robert J. Krawczyk, with a focus on digital craftsmanship; the exploration, development and creation of digital art. [http://bitartworks.com/]

This piece is titled:
Containing Air: 101g12
2014, 5.25"w x 5.0"d x 7.75"h
Medium/Materials: Alumide, metallic plastic