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2. Digital bodies

Inspiration & Ideation

I have always been fascinated by the movement of hands and arms in the world of art, in painting, sculpture and dance.

My photo: Musée Rodin (Paris), 2022 - Details of "La pietà" by Jago - My photo: "Canova" at GAM (Milano), 2019 - "The Three Ages of Woman" by Gustav Klimt Jacksonsart - "Ettore e Andromaca" by Giorgio de Chirico Google Arts - Pinterest image, unknown author (despite online research).

MAN AND WOMAN is a steel sculpture by Tamara Kvesitadze, representing two human figures (8 meters tall) approaching each other, meeting, embracing, and then moving away again. The work symbolizes love as a dynamic, ever-shifting experience in which two individuals move closer and away, yet remain connected.

credits:tamarakvesitadze.com/

My project started from the curiosity to explore how the embrace can be reinterpreted and designed through digital techniques. Initially I wanted to focus on the hands but while working on it I found the hug more fascinating, focusing on the upper part of the body.
At one point, I thought about adding some meaningful threads to the finished piece, but I realized I liked it just as it was.

Final result

final

"The Hug" - size: 36 x 29 x 38cm - material: 6mm cardboard

final_3

Workflow to get there

The process was divided into four main steps:

  1. Modelling a 3D figure

  2. From 3D to Laser-Ready Parts

  3. Laser cutting

  4. Assembling parts

1. Modelling a figure

Make Human

With the help of AI, I discovered that I could work on body movement, and even interactions between two bodies, starting in MakeHuman with specific parameters (explained in the box below) and then moving to Blender.

The important element is to set not only the pose but also the skeleton.

STEPS TO REPLICATE

  1. Create a neutral human

  2. Load a neutral pose

  3. In "Pose" tab, click on "Skeleton" and select "Game Engine". Depending on your project, the other formats should be enough.

  4. Export your model in "Filmbox .fbx" format to import it in Blender later

neutral nopose skeleton export

Blender

I used Blender to make the bodies meet and take on a shape similar to the embrace.
While experimenting with the tool, I decided to simulate a pose of two figures in the act of hugging, rather than the final position of the hug.

CHALLENGE: This process may seem complicated and lengthy. It took me about 3 hours since it was my first attempt and I had to do some research.
LESSON LEARNED: Now that I’ve designed and tested it myself, I’ll be able to work much faster and more efficiently in the future. Below a simplified summary!
STEPS TO REPLICATE

  1. Import model from "Make Human": File > Import

  2. Hide unnecessary lights/camera from "Outliner" panel on the right

  3. Add second character: in "Object mode", select the first human, click "Shift + D" to duplicate it. Rotate and place the new human in front of the first one to define the hug pose.

  4. Work on the pose: in "Outliner", your skeletons are named "game engine 01" "..02" or similar. Select the first one and change to "Pose mode" at the top of the page (shortcute: Ctrl + Tab)

  5. Play with arms, back, shoulders and hands to shape the first figure and replicate for the second one. Keep working in "Pose mode", click on the body portion you want to move and use commands G (grab) or R (rotate).

  6. When satisfied with the result, you can keep only "body mesh" in "Outliner" panel and hide "game engine". You can also merge the bodies by clicking Crtl + J (Join) or do it later, not mandatory.

  7. To cut the figures keeping only the busts, I use a cube. In "Object Mode", go to "add" and select it from "mesh" list. Place the cub in the bottom part of the bodies, adjust it using G.

  8. Use Boolean modifier for cutting: select character mesh > Modifier Properties > Boolean > Difference, select the cube as Object, click "Apply".

  9. Hide or delete the cube to keep only bust + arms.

  10. Scale the final figure if needed

  11. Play with "Decimal ratio" to simplify the figures, in case you don't need all hands details.

  12. Export your model: File > Export > Wavefront (.obj)

meeting pose boolean

final

Final result in Blender

View the 3D model here.

2. From 3D to Laser-Ready Parts

This step involved the conversion of the 3D model into 2D slices and the generation of patterns for laser cutting. I tested two different tools and proceeded with the second one.

Laser Slicer in Blender

This is an add-on that after downloading, can be set in "Preferences" and managed from the right panel. I tested it with 6mm thickness and saved it in a proper folder. Then I opened the output in Inkscape but unsatisfied with the results as not providing clear instructions for laser cutting.

slicerblender ink

Slicer for Fusion 360

This tool provides a more accurate laser cutter sheets. You can also decide slices' type and direction.

STEPS TO REPLICATE

  1. Import your obj model from Blender by "import" bottom

  2. In "Manufacturing setting", click on the pencil, to add the setting of the laser machine you are going to use. Select it before closing.

  3. In "Object Size", adjust item dimension

  4. In "Construction Technique" select "Stacked slice". Add a 90' angle in "Slice Direction".

  5. Review the cut layout in the right box and adjust it to stay in 5 pages (highly recommended!).

  6. Download you cut layout file in "Get plan". Select "PDF" as file type and "Export to My Computer". You are ready to print!

final_slicer

Laser cutter sheets: Download PDF

CHALLENGE: 230 pieces!
I was a little worried about the number and after talking to Capucine in the lab, we decided to print everything anyway. I figured if the activity was too complex, I could complete half or part of the figures. Also, many of the pieces were very small, since I was working with complex figures.

3. Laser cutting

In Textile Lab, we used a Trotec r400 laser cutter. I cut 4 cardboards by following below steps and managing some challenges.

Preliminary steps:

  • On Thursady, we made a first test on a small piece of cardboard with specific speed and power, result was good and we decided to cut my pieces on Friday.

  • As first thing on Friday, I had to cut the cardboard respecting the machine working dimension (1060x630 mm).

STEPS TO REPLICATE: Setting machine & cutting job

TURNING ON THE MACHINE

  1. Turn on the chiller (box behind the lasercut)

  2. Turn on the lasercut (small green button, press with thin screwdriver)

  3. Turn the power strip of the compressor (big red device)

  4. Place the material on the laser bed. In my case, cardboard.

  5. Insert the accessory to define the precise height of the worktop and raise the top to the correct position.

PREPARING THE CUTTING JOB

  1. Depending on the format, elaborate first your design in Ink/Illustrator. Once ready, send it to "Print" > Trotec/machine name.

  2. Use the focusing tool to ensure the drawing fits inside the cardboard (this is important when you cut it manually)

  3. Set speed and power of your cutting job. In my case: Cutting 100.00 power and 3.40 speed / engraving 50.00 power and 6.00 speed.

  4. When you are satisfied with settings, push "play" bottom. In case of mistakes, you can pause the job from the software tool or from the machine.

WHEN FINISHED, turn off the machine by replicating steps 1-3 in reverse.


machine cardb


CHALLENGE: when we cut the first table, the pieces didn’t come out perfectly. The cardboard I was using turned out slightly different from the test material, so we had to adjust the settings and redo the cut, which took about 20 extra minutes.
LESSON LEARNED: Next time, I’ll make sure the test material and final material match to save time and ensure smoother results. On a positive note, I still used some of the pieces of the bad sheet!

4. Assembling parts

assembling

I finished printing at 3pm on Friday, and that could only mean "assembly over the weekend!".

I started putting the pieces together on Friday evening, while enjoying a movie with Diana.

I continued during the weekend whenever I felt like it, treating the process as a kind of meditation. With glue and cardboard, it felt like returning to my childhood.

Although the task took time, I decided to continue with completing the entire model anyway.



CHALLENGE: Two figures meant more parts!
I liked the artistic cut I made in Fusion Slicer (stacked slices at 90°), but it meant trickier assembly and needed supports (I used books) to hold the arms in place while the glue dried.
LESSON LEARNED: Simplicity helps. I started without a clear idea of the process and challenged myself with a complex design. Even so, the experience was enjoyable and full of learning, and that’s what really matters!

3D Prototypes

Final model

The Hug by martinamuroni on Sketchfab

3D-Scanning

An alternative way to obtain the 3D model was to scan a person or an object using an Xbox Kinect.
I tested this process once I had completed the model shown above. Capucine had previously explained to me that details like the hands are difficult to manage with this solution and I had already enjoyed working with Blender.

STEPS TO REPLICATE

  1. Connect Xbox Kinect to the computer

  2. Use Skanect tool as scanning software in "Start new scan" select the scene (body or object), the folder to save the result and click "Start"

  3. Place the object or person to be scanned 1m from the Kinect

  4. Start scanning, by circling the person or object with the Kinect. If you miss any part, I would have holes in the result.

  5. In "Process" tab you can define some settings for your results, e.g. simplify the geometry.

  6. Once you are satisfied with the result, save it as 3D object (.stl or .obj)

3D-test by martinamuroni on Sketchfab

Note: you see a hole on my head because we didn't scan that part :)

Tools