I was prompted to translate a digital model rendering into a physical 3D object to explore translation and materiality
This piece is a translation of a colorful I wanted to challenge myself and choose a demanding project while also exploring apparel design and the creation of garments. It is an exploration of material features: a translation of ideas. This garment looks like a mosaic and is reminiscent of textiles. The process included first measuring a base size for the poncho on paper, then cutting around the outline, collecting materials, parsing materials, grouping together materials based on color, delineating spaces for each color on the sketchbook and then on the actual piece. The big swatches of color make it seem a focused composition. The object of choice was a distorted collage, with zoomed-in parts and distortions in placement and orientation. Questions I would have include how to glue these without a glue gun? The flamboyant colors made me want to turn this into a garment. I had to fill a few gaps and use a slightly different or similar color, and some things get lost in translation, but I acknowledge that as part of the process. The diverse materiality and much bigger scale makes this piece effective in translating colors, materials, textures, ideas.
Process
(1) Quick ideation based on prompt and material choices — translating a digital image to a real-world material grouped to make a 3D form.
(2) I chose to translate these digital images to a physical model.
(3) Creating a material map to make a set of instructions for connecting each of the surfaces together.
(4) I discovered that I can explore surface materiality by arranging it into 3d form! How? With an apparel piece!
(5) I developed reference drawings and a material map for my piece: an apparel poncho.
(6) Exploring digital textures as materials. I learned that I can arrange trash by colors to emulate the design of the digital image.
(7) A smaller prototype with the the newly developed technique: arranging trash by color to build a material surface.
(8) Ergonomics of poncho using paper and measuring for reference.
(9) I wanted to challenge myself with an ambitious goal: to not waste a single cent on supplies other than glue and find all of the materials in the real world. Transforming surfaces, materials, textures in my environment to create a personalized apparel poncho. I went trash collecting!
(10) Arranging into colors and gluing pieces.
(11) Using visual references for the pattern and colors I needed to place.
(12) Textures coming along nicely!
(13) First look at my piece! Decided to wear it for maximum effect!
(14) Final Piece: A Translated Apparel Poncho.
Lessons:
- Learned how to develop ergonomics for apparel and leaving areas designed to fit comfortably
- Developed and researched materiality, textures, colors, surfaces, and form
- Explored the relationship between digital images and real-world materials
- Developed a proof-of concept prototype
- Challenged myself to find materials in the real-world, making the piece have a greater range of meaning, materials, components
- Created a dialogue in critique about the connections between different units, materials, textures, and sources
