6. Computational Couture¶
The objectives¶
Great! This week I will be able to imitate Iris Van Herpen!
Images: left Pinterest, right Iris Van Herpen's website
I discovered his work at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris last year, which was a great shock. The exhibition was sublime, and I became very interested in the research process presented. This curiosity led me to wonder how the specific techniques and expertise of artisans, such as Julia's work, contributed to collaborations with artists and ultimately achieved such fine, surprising precision.
Disillusion, I can't... follow me to understand why...
I’m going to need a lot of humor to get through the week!
Research & Ideation¶
Images from Pinterest, Photographies B&W from Karl Blossfeldt (1865-1935)
It’s so easy to find images of designers for inspiration. For example, in nature, a shell or an alga can inspire geometric forms and serve as a starting point for design ideas. Nature is an infinite source of inspiration...
I think we must first understand the tools' logic. Technical constraints obviously influence the form. Creativity is constrained. That’s why I prefer to approach this subject through Blender.
One must face the obvious, I must first confront the beast BLENDER again.
Tools¶
First steps¶
I first reviewed the entire lesson 1. I was quite satisfied with myself; I understood everything 100%, so it seemed to me that I was going on the right track.
I was immediately confronted with my reality: my base was not enough to create a slightly more complex volume directly in Blender from scratch.
So I decided to start from a hyper-simple volume: a sphere. So I created a sphere with the Bolian tool, removed the lower part, closed the shape with Control F, and extruded the base with E. Then I created a set of half-spheres of different sizes.
After having created the volume, I tried to align all elements on Z. I tried to join all elements and use Bolian, but a few elements disappeared. So I aligned all of them manually. I knew it should be done like that!
The result looked nice, but the volume had many empty faces I couldn’t repair.
First deception, I had to think even more simply…
Second try¶
Having not recorded enough versions of the file without applying ‘bolian’, and being sure to have missed something, I recommended creating a sphere, removing the faces from bottom X, closing volume F, and extruding the shape. I didn’t apply ‘Bolian’.
First 3D printer¶
My first valid test was ready; I wanted to concretize this step by printing in 3D on my ANYCUBIC i3 MEGA printer, which I have had in the cellar for 10 years. It was necessary to clean it first and test the PTA I had left, but it broke easily. I had to buy a standard light blue PTA filament from a shop next to my house.
I also ordered a FLEX filament from ANYCUBIX, but unfortunately, I have to change a few parts on my 3D printer first —the extruder and the head are too loose.
I print my second volume in PTA home.
??? info 'Settings are very simple'
3D slicer : [PRUSA Slicer 2.9.3 ](https://www.prusa3d.com/fr/page/prusaslicer_424/)
Printer: Anycubix MEGA
Preferences: default + No shirt and add support automatically
Filament: Generic PTA
Textile: cotton voile
Improvment
The cotton veil is woven too tightly, the material of the filament does not pass through it.
Third steps, First geometry Nodes¶
Since shapes with an applied 'Bolian' do not work, I quickly create a shape from a cube. This new form allows me to test the Géométric nodes. I am taking over the settings proposed by Nico. I don’t yet have the skills to do it all by myself, so I replace the monkey with this star by sticking it in the list. I'm abble to work on preferences, it's changing the design. 2
The result works, but the shape is banal, and this form does not exploit the qualities of this type of production.
Last shape…¶
Test in FLEX¶
I started working quickly on large-format prints, but I noticed that it is necessary to return to simpler, smaller elements to improve 3D prints on textiles. That’s what I should have done before starting 3D printing. So I tested 4 flattened cubes of different thicknesses.
I notice 2 things: the first layer and the fabric are invisible. Therefore, at least 2 layers must be added to the shape. The FLEX filament is very difficult to print on small, separate elements, so the predefined parameters need to be improved. I searched on the internet and found some very interesting articles in French; I summarized them in Mistral in English.
Recommended Starting Profile for TPU 95A (MISTRAL AI)
- Setting/Value
- Retraction: length 1 mm
- Retraction: speed 15 mm/s
- Print speed: 30 mm/s
- Nozzle temperature: 215°C
- Bed temperature: 35°C
- Extrusion multiplier: 1.05
- Avoid crossing perimeters: Enabled
- Z-hop when retracted: Disabled
Preparing the jacket¶
There you will see the craziest moment of the week!
I tested creating a jacket using MakeHuman character in Blender. I create it; I cut off its head, bottom, arms —everything is fine. I wanted to find a look closer to a simple jacket, with much less volume at the chest level, and a wider fit. I undertook to sculpt my model with the tools at the bottom. I roughly recreated a more adequate volume.
A visualized mesh and… my jacket is completely deformed —there's no sense! 1
After going back to Object mode, add the preview meshes. It looks better, but the mesh density is not what I wanted at all.
I abandoned my Human…
Final results¶
Stars¶
Despite the lack of research in my form, I tested the Geometric nodes from Blender to Plusa Slider and, miracle, it works. Why? Surely my previous shapes were not properly built...
Here is my test with PLA on my ANYCUBICS with the basic PLA filament wrap-around. I just reduced the skirt. My final model for printing is stars with regular geometric nodes. Slicer: Prusa Slicer 3D Printer: Anycubix i3 MEGA (doesn't accept FLEX) Filament: PLA Fabric: Polyester filet Settings: Generic PLA More: 1 pause after the first layer. Put off the shirt by hand, Put the fabric and resume. Improvements: Add about 0.5 mm at the bottom for the first layer and the fabric.
The STL model 2 was obtained by Blender
Print with file 3 was created using Prusa Slider
Pills¶
My final model for printing is flat pills with crazy geometric nodes. Slicer: Prusa Slicer 3D Printer: Anycubix i3 MEGA (doesn't accept FLEX) Filament: PLA Fabric: Polyester filet Settings: Generic PLA More: 1 pause after the first layer. Put off the shirt by hand, Put the fabric and resume. Improvements:
The STL model 4 was obtained by Blender
Print with file 4 was created using Prusa Slider
Fabrication files¶
Images and drawings: Annabel Fournier unless otherwise stated