Following a meeting with Dr Paul Kelly of the chemistry
department at Loughborough University,
some possible avenues of exploration have emerged with the potential to help
enrich the ‘samey’ visual appearance of RP objects by applying a more dynamic surface
to them. These include thermochromic paint, with a view to further developing my
interest in chameleonic sculptures. Having the visual conduit in liquid form
would make it applicable to any surface, thereby liberating me from the planar nature
of the radiant Perspex used in the colour changing thermoformed sculptures
completed to date. (see below)
A second project could entail populating the surface of
rapid prototyped SLS sculptures with crystals. The idea being to counterbalance
the ordered geometry of the RP form with the random arrangement of crystals,
which in turn will be ‘perfect’. If the forms are capable of seeding crystals,
then a coherent, stable and strong surface may form. However, who knows, a bit
of a suck it and see experiment. The best kind really. A aqueous solution
heavily saturated with copper sulphate may provide the first test.
Abby Patterson a doctoral student in the Design
School, also kindly showed me the
3D scanner and some of her intriguing work with Grasshopper in Rhino.
Hopefully, in due course I’ll be able to scan some of the foam and plaster
studies; no doubt the foam squiggles will give it headache!