2. Digital bodies¶
Research & Ideation¶
Ever had one of those moments where two completely different ideas just click? That’s what happened here. I found myself mesmerized by the beauty of butterfly wings their perfect, organic symmetry and thought, “How can I make this part of the human body?” The other half of my brain couldn’t let go of the female silhouette those soft, natural curves that are just as elegant. So, why not bring them together in one epic design? A little butterfly magic on top, with some human figure vibes on the bottom yes, please!
I wanted to explore repetition, where one shape no matter how simple could turn into something spectacular when repeated. Think of it like fashion, where a basic piece can become runway ready with the right twist. So, for both the upper and lower parts of the body, I worked with one shape, repeated a bunch of times until it formed something completely new and cohesive.
References & Inspiration¶
One of those "aha" moments where two seemingly different ideas just blend into something beautiful? That’s what happened with this project. On one side, I’ve always been drawn to the delicate, symmetrical perfection of butterfly wings. On the other, the natural, soft curves of the female form are just as captivating. So, I thought, why not mash them together and create something that’s both graceful and powerful?
The idea was simple: take two organic shapes and repeat them until they become a whole new structure. Think of it like taking a single stroke in a drawing and turning it into a complete artwork through repetition. That’s where the butterfly wings and the female silhouette came in two shapes, repeating in harmony.
Process and workflow¶
Now, let's talk about how this all came together from raw inspiration to a final, tangible model.
3D Scanning Myself¶
First off, I needed a body to work from and who better than myself? i scanned my own body to create a digital base, which allowed me to make sure the forms and shapes would fit onto an actual human frame (in this case, me!). my friend helped me out by doing a test scan.
We wanted to see how well the scanning process worked and whether I’d be able to get all the details I needed.
Finally, when the design was ready to be realized, I scanned the finished project too! Seeing it go from concept to digital scan, to a final model, was like watching the idea evolve step by step. The 3D scan was like my digital double and made the design process way more personal.
Symmetry in Motion: The Upper Body Unveiled¶
The upper body of the design draws inspiration from the fragile yet intricate beauty of butterfly wings.
Butterflies are nature's masters of symmetry, and I wanted to capture that harmony in my piece. The delicate, wing like shapes aren’t just there to look pretty they form a structure by repeating the same shape 10 times. Each wing flutters in place, connecting at a central point like a gear, which ties the whole design together.
Modeling Magic
The modeling process for this winged wonder was all about embracing that ethereal feel. I started by sketching out my ideas, letting the forms flow freely. Once I had the perfect wing shape.
it was time to make it 3D! have to say, this was my first time working with Fusion 360, and wow, what an experience! At first, I felt like I was stepping into unknown territory, but once I got the hang of it, it was so much fun. I discovered the polar pattern tool, which made my life a lot easier. Instead of modeling each wing separately, I modeled one perfect wing and then used the tool to replicate it in a circular pattern. Voila 10 wings, all identical and placed perfectly around the central gear.
The final structure is a celebration of nature’s patterns and balance, but with a twist of engineered precision that holds it all together
The repetition of these wings brings a sense of movement, even though they’re static It’s as if the entire upper part of the body is about to take flight light, airy, and free. What makes this so exciting is that from just one wing shape, something much larger and more complex emerges
The repetition of these wings brings a sense of movement, even though they’re static It’s as if the entire upper part of the body is about to take flight light, airy, and free. What makes this so exciting is that from just one wing shape, something much larger and more complex emerges
Tools¶
Rhino Rides Again
Once the 3D models were ready, I shifted to Rhino to prep the 2D flat files for laser cutting. This process felt smooth and intuitive, especially after getting the hang of Rhino’s precision. It was all about making sure my butterfly wings were laid out cleanly for the cutter to do its thing!
Laser Cutting Adventure
The moment of truth: watching the laser cutter in action! The laser sliced through the material with a precision that was almost hypnotic, turning my digital designs into physical pieces. Assembling the wings around the central gear brought the whole thing to life. I felt like I was crafting something delicate yet strong an upper body that looks ready to soar.
Once they were cut, I gently assembled them, connecting each piece to the central gear. With a flick of my wrist and a dash of glue, the upper body came together.
PICTURES / TIMELAPES
Curves in Motion: The Female Form¶
Lower body has that feeling of lightness and air, the lower body feels solid, graceful, and grounded like the steady elegance of a human figure in motion.
The concept is built around a single, smooth curve that’s repeated 10 times. The flow of the design mirrors the softness of the human body, yet the repeated shapes give it a mechanical, rhythmic quality. It’s like taking something organic and transforming it into a structured form, but without losing its natural grace.
The connection between these repeated curves is stabilized by two central joints, allowing the design to feel secure without losing its flow. The gears work almost like joints in a body connecting and moving everything while keeping the balance. This part of the design is all about bringing together fluidity and structure, making it a perfect contrast to the delicate wings above.
Modeling Magic
I went back into Fusion 360. Using the polar pattern tool again, I took one single, beautiful curve that mimics the female form and repeated it 10 times, just like I did for the wings. It was fascinating how a single curve could create such a strong, elegant shape when repeated and connected.
Tools
PICTURES / TIMELAPES
Laser Cutting Adventure
Once the design was locked in, it was time for the laser cutter to work its magic again. This time, it sliced through the curves with the same precision, but the feeling was different. These shapes felt more grounded, more substantial. As I assembled the lower body, the repeated curves created a rhythmic, flowing structure that looked both sturdy and graceful, like a sculpture in motion.
PICTURES / TIMELAPES
The Duality of Design¶
Together, the upper body and lower body create a harmony that’s simply irresistible! It’s a tale of two shapes one soaring high with butterfly wings, and the other rooted in the beauty of human form.
Each part plays its role, dancing around the other in a celebration of creativity, structure, and fun!
So here we have it: a whimsical upper body that flutters with joy, paired with a grounded lower body that stands strong.
This duo not only balances each other out but also showcases the beauty of contrast in design It’s like a design party where every element brings its unique flair to the table, and together, they create a stunning visual feast!
pictures
The Experience¶
I have to admit, working on this assignment felt like a blend of creativity and engineering. Each step, from the modeling in Fusion and Rhino to watching the laser cutter do its thing, gave me a deeper appreciation for both the artistic and technical sides of design. Fusion was new for me, but by the end of it, I felt like I had mastered a new tool in my creative toolbox. And Rhino? It was like an old friend helping me out with precision.
The whole process, from the butterfly inspired wings to the grounded curves, felt like a journey. It wasn’t just about creating something that looked good—it was about finding harmony between lightness and structure, creativity and technique.
Reflection: A Personal Design Evolution¶
Honestly, this assignment pushed me in all the right ways. It challenged my creativity, introduced me to new tools, and made me think about design from both an artistic and functional perspective. I came out of it feeling more confident in my skills and excited about the possibilities for future projects. Plus, there's something so satisfying about taking an idea from 3D modeling all the way through to laser cutting and assembly it’s like watching your imagination become reality.
upload the 3d models of MakeHuman, Final 3d modelled body, 3D Scans, etc
Videos
learn how to add video tutorials, inspirational videos and movies etc
From Vimeo
Sound Waves from George Gally (Radarboy) on Vimeo.
From Youtube
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Fabrication files¶
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum."
- Two images side-by-side
- Image reference
- Download reference
Links to reference files, PDF, booklets,
about your images..
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Remember to credit/reference all your images to their authors. Open source helps us create change faster together, but we all deserve recognition for what we make, design, think, develop.
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remember to resize and optimize all your images. You will run out of space and the more data, the more servers, the more cooling systems and energy wasted :) make a choice at every image :) This image is optimised in size with resolution 72 and passed through tinypng for final optimisation.
?? task "weekly assignment"
Check out the weekly assignment here or login to your NuEval progress and evaluation page.
about your images..delete the tip!!
1.Start Simple with Sketches Before jumping into complex joints, start with simple 2D sketches. Draw out the basic shapes of your joints—think circles for gears or rectangles for more mechanical connections. Keeping it simple at first helps ensure that everything aligns properly when you move into 3D.
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Use the Joint Tool for Precision Fusion 360 has a built-in Joint tool that’s your best friend when aligning and connecting components. You can use it to make sure parts like your butterfly wings or silhouette curves are connected just right. Experiment with different joint types (rigid, rotational, sliding, etc.) to see what fits your design’s needs.
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Work in Sections Break your design down into manageable parts. For example, if you’re creating a gear system or connection points between your upper and lower body, design each part separately and then use joints to assemble them. This method gives you more control and makes the process feel less overwhelming.
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Parametric Design is Key If you want flexibility, design your joints using parametric constraints. This means defining the dimensions or movement of your joints with parameters (like diameter, distance, or angle). This way, if you change one part of the design, your joint will automatically update to match, making your workflow smoother.
- Parametric Design is Key If you want flexibility, design your joints using parametric constraints. This means defining the dimensions or movement of your joints with parameters (like diameter, distance, or angle). This way, if you change one part of the design, your joint will automatically update to match, making your workflow smoother.
get inspired!
Check out and research alumni pages to betetr understand how to document and get inspired
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Head portion - Betiana Pavon - FabLab Bcn
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Artistic Slicing - Stephanie Vilayphiou - GreenLab
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Artistic intervention - Kae Nagano - FabLab Kamakura
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Exploration fabrication techniques - Hala Amer - FabLab Bcn
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Advanced - Grasshopper Slicing - Aslı Aydın Aksan - TextileLab Amsterdam
Add your fav alumni's pages as references
footnote fabrication files
Fabrication files are a necessary element for evaluation. You can add the fabrication files at the bottom of the page and simply link them as a footnote. This was your work stays organised and files will be all together at the bottom of the page. Footnotes are created using [ ^ 1 ] (without spaces, and referenced as you see at the last chapter of this page) You can reference the fabrication files to multiple places on your page as you see for footnote nr. 2 also present in the Gallery.
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File: 3d modelling of mannequin ↩
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File: Laser cut sheets ↩