by Jeffrey Putney | Feb 11, 2015 | Fab Academy
This week we’re learning CAD programs. Which I’m choosing to believe stands for Computed ADorableness. Goals for this weeks: Try out some new 2D and 3D CAD tools. Model something I might like to create. Background I once made a fox plush doll version of myself to send away with a friend who was moving out of town. I really liked how it came out so I’ve decided I will try using some 2D and 3D design tools to sketch out a new plush doll pattern based on my cat and model it. This way I can also use the 2D sketch as a laser cutting pattern for cutting the felt which should save a huge portion of the construction time. (To the right is the original “Little Fox Jeff” I’m using as a reference) 2D Sketching I decided to go with illustrator for my 2D even though I’m sure InkScape would have been just as easy. Next I pulled out all the pieces what would need be laser cut and seperated them by color. Here is the 2D file. 3D Modeling Next I wanted to get an idea of what the finished doll would look like so I decided to give blender a try and follow some character creation tutorials where you start with a sketch of your model and extrude out a 3D model based on it. Then there was a few hours of pushing points around the screen and learning to light and shade things. But I think I got what I was looking for. The next step is probably applying the hand stitch details from...
by Jeffrey Putney | Feb 4, 2015 | Fab Academy
I’m starting Fab Academy Thanks to a generous opportunity from from the CU Community Fab Lab I was able to join the 2015 Fab Academy class. To summarize the Fab Academy’s description of itself: The Fab Academy is a 5 month program offered every year that aims to teach specific technical skills which are particularly relevant to Fab Labs and digital fabrication centers around the world. Fab Academy provides familiarity with technical options and capabilities, hands-on experience, and direction for further study. Fab Academy works off a distributed educational model in which each participating Fab Lab is part of a global Fab Lab / Fab Academy network. Students view and participate in global lectures broadcasted from MIT every week. The lectures are recorded and available to students throughout the semester. In addition to the lectures students have access to local digital fabrication equipment and personal help with projects from instructors and peers. Some of the topics covered include: digital fabrication principles and practices, computer-aided design, manufacturing, and modeling, computer-controlled cutting, electronics design and production, computer-controlled machining, embedded programming, 3D molding and casting, collaborative technical development and project management, 3D scanning and printing, sensors, actuators, and displays, interface and application programming, embedded networking and communications, machine design, digital fabrication applications and implications, invention, intellectual property, and business models, digital fabrication project development Assignments for this week: Decide on a potential final project idea. Create my first Fab Academy blog post. Learn the basics of using Mercurial. First Thoughts on a Final Project All the things! So I actually have no thoughts on a final project yet. But would like for it to be awesome. So I’ll just keep this video here for motivation: And I realize that’s barely a...
by Jeffrey Putney | Feb 1, 2015 | Fab Academy
I’ve just started my first week at in the 2015 Fab Academy class.It’s taught at Fab Labs around the world and once a week we join a large video conference so that in theory we can all come together and share experiences. I’m taking the course at my favorite little Champaign Urbana Community Fab Lab and our local group is being led by the awesome Mercedes Mane. The class describes itself as a Digital Fabrication Program that provides advanced digital fabrication instruction for students through an unique, hands-on curriculum and access to technological tools and resources. So in theory I’ll be learning all the most common fabrication techniques found in Fab Labs around the world and doing hands on projects each week so show some arbitrary level of competence in each field. There is also a semester long project I’ll need to complete that should integrate multiple fabrication techniques into one project. What this project will be I’ve yet to decide. We also have to keep an ongoing blog about that tracks our progress and projects each week. You can find my blog and the rest of our local groups here: Jeffrey Putney Virginia Mccreary Jessica Nelson Gabriel Ewing Colten Jackson But their system for managing their webspace seems insane and apparently breaks a lot… so I’ll also be reposting all my updates here with the Fab Academy category as well...
