2. Digital Bodies - Memory Lane

Concept and Inspiration

This week’s task was to create a representation of the human body.

For me, the human body is a canvas of emotions, complexities, and experiences. We face loss and destruction in ways that our minds cannot fully comprehend, often leaving us with fragmented pieces of our identities.

Memory Lane is my tribute to visualizing loss—whether it’s the loss of a loved one or the loss of parts of ourselves as we move through life.

The slashes in the project represent the emotional and personal destruction we endure.

I took inspiration from Lucio Fontana, who was known for slashing paper in his artwork. I felt an alignment with his approach, so I physically slashed a piece of paper, incorporating the same Memory Lane elements.

The irregularity of the slashes added depth, going beyond simple straight lines and representing the unpredictability of loss.

Workflow

Physical Experimentation:

I started by taking a knife and slashing a piece of paper to replicate the emotional fragmentation I wanted to express physically.

I took a photo of this paper and used it as the foundation for the project.

Digitalization:

I imported the photo into Adobe Illustrator to digitize the slashed pattern. The irregular lines captured the emotional depth and chaos I aimed to represent.

3D Body Creation in MakeHuman:

Using MakeHuman, I created a human body model, adjusting parameters like age, weight, and muscle mass to represent the form I wanted to work with.

3D Modifications in Rhino:

I imported the body into Rhino and cut the model to focus on the upper part of the body (head, shoulders, and chest). This was my first time working with 3D software, and I learned essential skills in modifying and manipulating 3D objects.

First, I imported the mesh from MakeHuman into rhino.

Then I splith the upper part of the body through adding a Plane and then used the command Meshsplit

then I converted the mesh into a NURB through command MeshtoNURB

Then I was left with an open Polysurface. so I closed it with the Cap command

I imported my pattern to Rhino then used the Explod command then Join command, then Extrudecrv to create surfaces for the curves

After that I used boolean difference to subtract the pattern from the body and achieve the slashed body look!

Preparing for Laser Cutting with Slicer by Fusion:

I then imported the model into Slicer by Fusion to prepare it for laser cutting, ensuring that the final output would work within the constraints of the laser cutter.

The Cutting Process

I learned how to use the laser cutting machine, how to do the focus, experiment with materials, thicknesses and so forth. I must say it looks easy but it takes alot of time and percision.

Also, I learnt how to a lot of nesting and optimize the space as much as we can

Tools Used:

Tools:

MakeHuman – For creating the initial 3D body.

Adobe Illustrator – For digitizing the slashed paper pattern.

Rhino – For 3D modifications and cutting the body.

Slicer by Fusion – For preparing the model for laser cutting.