2. Digital Bodies#

Objectives#

from Fabricademy website:

“Use various softwares and mobile applications to obtain a body-figure
and a digital fabrication process to produce it”

A. References#

This week, I stayed pretty true to my original idea.
I wanted my mannequin to be more than a decoration, by having a function too. A simple function.
The idea of a lamp came from my initial brainstorm.
The actual design came later…

Victoria Modesta | Mannequin lamp by Aiden J Barry

“Exposure” Anthony Gormley | “The Rape of the Sabine Women” Urs Fischer | Me in Medellin, Colombia with Botero’s “Dog” sculpture

B. Design Process#

How do you create unity?#

What do you want to express artistically?#

What do you want to express functionally?#

Step 1: Download MakeHuman, Slicer, and Rhino softwares. Get introduced to the MakeHuman software.#

• We also tried 3D body scanning by using an Xbox Kinect + Scanect software
• It was great to learn and test out this technology, but it was too advanced for me at this point
• I decided to create my mannequin in MakeHuman

Part of the image output from Scanect

Step 2: Make mannequin in MakeHuman#

• Took my body measurements
• Input measurements and individual body features (gender, torso length, breast size, etc.)
• Prepared the file for export into Rhino (export as .obj)
• When you export the file, MakeHuman also automatically creates a “textures” folder. My textures folder had my mannequin’s eyes in it. I ignored this file since I did not require it.

Final human figure

Step 3: Import mannequin from MakeHuman into Rhino#

Step 4: Learn how to cut my mannequin in Rhino#

• Changed my mannequin body to “Rendered” for easier viewing
• Make cuts in “Front” view
• Created curved arm cuts (Commands: “Sphere”, “BooleanSplit”)
• Made straight cuts at the neck and thighs (Commands: “Line”, “MeshTrim”)

Complete mannequin imported from MakeHuman on left, and beginning to make cuts on mannequin on right

Testing out different ways to cut my mannequin

Final cut of mannequin bust

Step 5: “Project” my design onto mannequin in Rhino#

• Create a uniform hole pattern (Commands: “Circle”, “Copy”, “Move”, “Rotate”, “Mirror” and a lot of “ZS”)
• “Project” the pattern onto my mannequin
• For some reason a lot of my circles did not close once “projected”. I had to fix them - I had to close the circles first, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to create holes (Commands: “Polyline”, “Join”)
• Create holes in circles (Commands: “ExtrudeCrv”, “BooleanSplit”)

Initial hole pattern

Extruding the curves to make hollow holes

Final version in “Wireframe” view, rotated accurately in preparation to import into Slicer

Step 6: Import mannequin from Rhino into Slicer#

• Import file as .stl
• Customize your settings to reflect the dimensions of the laser cutter (1000x600)
• For “Object Size” click “Original Size” and “Uniform Scale”
• The Slicer construction type I chose was folded panels, as opposed to slices. This was a deliberate design choice in order to achieve the “lamp” effect of light coming through the holes.
• I had to adjust the design to achieve the smallest amount of pattern pieces as possible. To do this I played with the “vertex count”, “joint type” and redrew the vertices by hand until all my “red” pattern pieces (which indicate error) turned blue (which indicates a correct construction)
• Settings of “Material Size”: (units = mm, width = 600, height = 1000, thickness = 2.00). I did not have to input an “Offset” value, since my pattern was seamless.

Step 7: Revert mannequin back to how it was before (with no holes) and import it into Slicer again#

• I did not realize until this point, that I could not import my Rhino mannequin into Slicer to input the construction type, import this new version back into Rhino to add holes, and then re-import it into Slicer to slice it up.
• However, after talking to Clara I am fairly confident Slicer would not let me slice my initial Rhino mannequin if it had holes either.
• Thus I had to adapt my design.
• Instead I had to remove the uniform hole pattern, slice up the pattern pieces, and then once the 2D pattern pieces were imported into Rhino, I could cut the holes onto the individual pieces.

From many, many parts and sheets…

To fewer parts and sheets. The final mannequin design has 13 pattern pieces on 6 sheets.

Step 8: “Get Plans” for pattern pieces#

Pattern pieces will be exported to your computer as a zip file

Step 9: Import plans into Rhino#

• First you have to make your pattern flat. The Slicer file imports as a 3D file into Rhino and you need to transform it from a 3D file to a 2D file. Steps: select annotation, go to top view, make 2D, choose “Current CPlane” and delete the annotation layer. Select boundary, make 2D, and put on a different layer. Once your pattern is 2D, you must “Group” and “Join” each individual pattern piece.
• The only way I could achieve the “hole pattern” I wanted on my mannequin was by drawing the holes onto pattern pieces in Rhino.
• It was not possible to create a uniform pattern this way, as the pattern pieces were in 2D.
• Thherefore I could not achieve the exact look I wanted, but c’est la vie!
• What was possible was drawing the hole pattern, and copying and pasting it onto different pattern pieces.
• I was careful to only place the hole pattern on areas that were large enough, and removed all holes that landed on a red fold line.
• I also rotated and consolidated my pattern pieces, so that I was able to fit all pieces from 6 sheets down to 4.
• Draw a rectangle for the dimensions of the laser cutter (1000x600)

Step 10: Export the pattern to the laser cutter for printing#

• Clara assisted me with operating the Trotec laser printer (thanks Clara!)
• I uploaded the Rhino file to my Google Drive, and downloaded the file onto the lab computer that is connected to the Trotec.
• when you open the file in Rhino again, make sure you are on “Front” view.
• move the file to axis 0,0 and “Hide” the rectangle border, we don’t want the printer to cut this shape.
• “Print” command, which will enable the print screen (Trotec Job Central) to pop-up. Double click on your file, then click on the window screen to make sure it appears in the “Job Preview” window Adjust printer settings:
• Check “Properties” are correct (1000x600 and set to “Paper/Cardboard”)
• Check “Output Type” is “Vector”
• Check “Output Colour” is “Display”
• Check “Scale” is 1:1
• Selected “enhanced ordering” under “Plate” —> “Vector ordering”
• pPress “Connect” to connect the computer to the laser cutter

Now time to assemble!

Step 11: Assemble mannequin#

Materials:#

- clear one-sided tape#

- scissors#

- ruler#

- lamp#

Day 1: Assembled the base

Day 2: Torso and back constructed

Day 3: Shoulders, clavicle, and neck completed

Touch-ups were done a few days later. I reinforced open seams with more tape, cut a hole in the bottom of the left leg, and inserted a lamp.

Downloads#

- Slicer file
- Rhino file

C. Reflections on Digital Bodies Assignment#

Sustainability & Design Criteria#

The criteria for the mannequin competition:
[x] functional
[x] lightweight
[ ] easy to assemble
[x] artistic

My design met all but one of the criteria, and I believe it is a strong contender for the competition.

In addition to it being aestethically and functionally realized, it is also very low waste and cost.

This mannequin requires only a few, simple materials to construct. It can be easily assembled with tape by 2 individuals.

How were the objectives accomplished?#

We were introduced to various techniques for:

• 3D Scanning (Sense Scanner, Recap Photogrammetry)
• Software modeling (Rhino, MakeHuman, and Slicer)
• Laser cutting (Trotec laser printer)

Problems with assignment#

• Troubleshooting with Rhino and Slicer
  - when I imported my Rhino file into Slicer, the pattern (which is projected) didn’t appear
  - one of my 2D pattern pieces is red (indicating there’s a problem) once input into Rhino, even though on the overall model in Slicer it says it’s blue (correct).

• Learning curve of these programs took the majority of our time this week

• External factors and restrictions: lab machinery is closed on weekends, our professor being away, limited time with Clara

• Actual construction of mannequin was very tricky by one person. After Day 1, I could not tape it closed by myself and it was a 2-person job. I was not able to completely close all seams, so light comes through the seams as well as the hollow holes. However, I like this effect too.

Weekly schedule#

Tues, Oct 2
- Lecture on Digital Bodies by Anastasia
- Introduction to MyHuman by Clara

Wed, Oct 3
- Experiment with different types of scanning technology
- Introduction to Rhino
- Finish MyHuman model

Thurs, Oct 4
- Input MyHuman into Rhino
- Work with Rhino
- Input Rhino model into Slicer
- Attended Rhino 101 Tutorial

Fri, Oct 5
- Continue working with Slicer and Rhino - Attempt to print my mannequin

Sat, Oct 6 - DAY OFF

Sun, Oct 7
- Documentation

Mon, Oct 8
- Input Slicer model into laser cutter
- Assemble my mannequin

Tues, Oct 9
- Present mannequin to class

Lecture reflections#

“Digital Bodies” presented by Anastasia Pistofidou, Fabricademy Instructor
Lecture 2

Subject Matter:

• Birth of the 4th wave of clothing industry being Mass Customization
• The many, many different types of 2D and 3D softwares used in fashion industry
• Exploration of the human body as a subject of art, architecture, technology, and history

My Lecture Highlights:

• History of bespoke tailoring
  - classist, only people who could afford a tailor had higher quality clothing. You could tell by looking at the person what “class” they belonged to: their clothes told the story.
• The “sizing system” (S, M, L, XL) has only been around since the Industrial Revolution!
• The possible ways to develop an art concept about the human body. Specifically, I liked learning about examples of art/sculpture where certain body dimensions were exaggerated and as a result, produced a certain effect.
  For example, Michelangelo’s “David” sculpture. The artist intentionally made the hands and feet larger than normal to evoke feelings of power and strength.
  Playing with bodily dimensions also made me think of one of my favourite artists, Botero. He too, very obviously, plays with body dimensions. But instead of playing with body proportions, he plays with the body’s volume.
• Having these conversations helped guide me in developing/conceptualizing what I want my mannequin to say artistically.