Printable Objects

This is some pretty cool technology. Make something on the computer, and print it out. I'm sure you know how to print a document, but did you know you can also print an object?

I made this quick test cube in Rhino and had it printed out. The point of this little cube was to experiment with the printer's capacity for detail and to test the strength of the material. 

My digital model in Rhino

The finished product, printed out in some special mixture of plaster.

3D printers create tangible objects from a digital .STL file by building the material up layer by layer, which is why my cube has that surface texture. This process is called "rapid prototyping," it's newly available to the public (more or less) and it's opening new frontiers in object design, production, and innovation. Check out Shapeways for printer outsourcing and information.

All my digital models and renderings can be seen in my portfolio, all built and rendered in Rhino.

Green Valor

Just in time for Earth Day, I finished my 3D project on "Hype." I figured that the green movement is getting boat loads of hype these days, so I'll do something with that. I was thinking about wartime propaganda, which brought me to WWII medals. So, I decided to design a brooch medal for green-minded commuting cyclists. To honor their valor in the face of traffic and distance. It will have an environmentally friendly green ribbon, and it features a bike gear in the center. Thanks, bikers!

(Facebook readers, click here to see the videos!)

This 3D digital object will be printed out (in 3D), through Shapeways.

This is how it works:

And my final product should look like:

Rendered using Flamingo in Rhino.

As an additional project stipulation, we were required to upload our product and process onto a slideshow in Second Life. I've never used the program before, and I can't say I'm its biggest fan, but it has some interesting features. We are collaborating with an arts college in England, and we will all meet for an international critique in Second Life. Its sort of like a visual chat room where we can host presentations. Towson University has its own island in the digital world, search "Towson Innovation Lab" to teleport there. If you're not entirely sure what Second Life is, watch this:



Well, if it's a school requirement, I guess I'll play along. It's pretty funny hearing teachers say "Ok well email me your information in first life and I'll send you the materials in Second Life." ...Sorry Jan!


In MY second life, I am batgirl.
"Savvy Rumble"

Gimmie your L$.

People keep telling me that Second Life is the new big thing- its the new form of marketing, e-commerce, communications, and distribution. They said the same thing about blogging.

Life Hack, Part Deux

After receiving several complimentary and encouraging emails from across the US regarding my previous post "Life Hack", I thought I'd take some time to elaborate on my own system of organizing creative thoughts and projects. As a full time student, full time dreamer, and part time employee, I constantly have at least six projects working simultaneously. How do I keep my sanity? Years of trial and error.

Everyone masters their own efficiency through a thousand different variables, and the most challenging element of organization is figuring out what system works best for you. Do you need to have everything labeled? Tabs? Post-its? Color coded pens? Graphs? Flow charts? Lists upon lists (or at times, lists OF other lists)- Luckily, we've got technology available to us to help.

There are lots of apps to help you keep your head on straight- I've been using the Astrid to-do list on my Droid, which links up with Remember The Milk. Great for micromanaging and remembering deadlines. The Droid also synchs with Gmail and Google Calendar, which is very helpful for appointments and such.

But what about project productivity?

When I was a freshman, I carried three books with me at all times: a planner, a sketchbook, and a journal. That was such a hassle. I needed to consolidate. I tried to merge the journal (mostly for songwriting, things to remember, ideas to explore later) and the sketchbook. I bought a book I liked (texture is IMMENSELY important to me for some reason. The pages have to feel good, or I'll never use it.) and sectioned it off: Music, Art, Write, Sing, Draw, Misc., and Index.

It worked, briefly. The biggest issue was that many of my ideas are overlapping- I could never figure out which tab I wrote something under. A little too organized for me. Index, however, was something I liked. I numbered the pages of the book and cataloged my subjects in the back. Great for finding lost ideas in old sketchbooks.

...

On to attempt #2: The handmade planner.

This is an attempt to combine the journal and planner books.

Step 1: Get a nice ruled pocket Moleskine. Sturdy enough to last a long time. Even features a pocket in the back for business cards and what not.

Step 2: Draw the planner portion in. I included margins on the right for footnotes, like the arrow symbol which indicates a reference page. "See Page 15"

Step 3: After the planner portion is filled, number the remaining pages for references. So, if I can't fit all the info I need in the planner's boxes, I can foreword that info to the back of the book. This includes phone numbers, addresses, lists (always date them), and things to remember like song names and artists to investigate later.

Step 4: Index! Be sure to include an index so you can easily find those odds and ends that go missing in your reference pages.

As for big projects, I've got a dry erase board above my workbench divided into squares. Each square features the title of the project, its deadline, the materials I still need to buy, and the next few steps of production. It's a great visual method to keep things in order.

...

Hopefully this info will help you figure out your own system of organization! Feel free to email me your questions and comments, ->SavannaLeighArt@gmail.com<-

Life Hack

Upon examining my planner, I've just now realized how many projects I'm actually currently working on. (I nearly forgot my own birthday too, thank god it's in my planner as well) I need a better system of productivity. For a brief period of my summer, I became obsessed with productivity and this new indie movement of "life hacking," that is, tweaking the details of your daily life to maximize output. Most of this starts with the internet- There are thousands of little apps that will run your life for you (especially if you're a Mac user), but I'm a little too old fashioned. I need things in ink on paper. I have a calendar in my bag instead of in my phone.

The problem is, I've never found a planner that works well for me- so I made my own. It's a hacked Moleskine. I know they're super trendy, but honestly I keep using that brand because they don't catch on fire as easily as paper planners. Rouge sparks beware.

The problem I'm running into now is visual space. I think I need to see all of my thoughts laid out at once, so I can more easily delegate priorities and tasks. I'm gonna put them all on my wall. Each project will get its own page featuring its title, its deadline, and the steps and materials needed to complete it. Here's a start, if you're curious about all the ideas I've accumulated:

• Teddy Bear- Rhino 3D Digital Model.
• "Vertigo"- Single point perspective drawing in charcoal and graphite.
• "Mercy Me"- Newest song in the works (think Man Man meets Andrew Bird)
• Ponoko Sales- I need to get my Etsy shop off its feet, selling these.
• "TransBat"- Fiberglass sculpture investigating masculinity and normative gender identity.
• "Blind as a Bat"- Fiberglass sculpture investigating the blindness of Lady Justice.
• Spiral Papers- Hundreds of little paper spirals being made for future site specific. installation art.
• Transmodern Festival: Pedestrian Service Exquisite- Writing a proposal for my participation in April.
• Steel Candle Holder- Still needs to be polished and waxed.
• Business Cards- Need printing and customization. I'm running low.
• "Lil' Dickies"- A multiples based installation project in clay.
• 3D Drawing- As investigated here.. needs to be finished.
• 5 Page Analysis on Hitchcock's "North by Northwest," "39 Steps," and "Saboteur."
• Editing video for Tim McFadden in exchange for studio time.
• Working with Shelly Blake-Plock on his upcoming album.

Oh, and laundry. Lots of that to do too.

Tea Infuser

This sketch is just for the basic form and functionality of the object- The actual design is based on Cambodian Buddhist architecture. When considering possible designs, I started thinking about green tea and its Asian tradition, which made me start looking at ceremony, which made me look at temples, and I liked Cambodian the best.

The dish and lip are sterling silver. The dish is hand forged out of a flat sheet. The lid is zebra wood from Africa, and the handle is walnut. It'll all be sealed to be food safe.

You wanna lock me out of the studio for a whole weekend?? I'll bring it home. Yeah, that's a jeweler's bench pin drilled onto my desk. Hello, 4am

Soooo many hours of work in this little thing. Not having a camera (besides my cellphone) is really starting to suck.

Laser Cut Tea Lights

Just got them back from the factory, and I couldn't be more pleased! These are cut out of hardboard. There are two separate pieces that slide together in the middle, creating a cross that the candle sits on.

Want one??

You can choose from hardboard (pictured), blonde bamboo, and an assortment of colored plastic.

Email me at SavannaLeighArt@gmail.com if you are interested!

Copper Cuff Bracelet

Would you wear one of these?

Mustache, Coral, Jellyfish

Zeke Concept

They're calling me "the anchor" for this project at Towson. Fingers crossed- I nailed the interview, hopefully I'll get the internship residency in Rhode Island this summer.

mixed heritage

john waters meets mexico

to be a low relief, molded and cast in plaster (or maybe fiberglass...)

i'll soon upload a color master

EDIT:

....i just noticed that i have a rather bloody finger in that image. i blame the Bondo.