Sketching In 3D – Plasticine Modelling
Sketching In 3D Using Plasticine Modelling
Stuck
Sometimes we get stuck with developing our creative projects. Feeling that the result will be mediocre at best, we become disheartened. We all want to make awesome creations right?
I am currently developing forms for my latest art installation and book “How To Design An Imaginary City Using Maker Technologies” this is a follow up to my original book but this time using maker technologies, ie 3D printing, laser cutting etc. It is an exciting time for me! However, I also get stuck and want this final art piece to be amazing and not mediocre.
I would really recommend when you are stuck with an idea, go out and get some plasticine. It is cheap and easy to make shapes with. Whether your creative projects are 3D real life sculptures or Two dimensional ones. You just need to go and buy some plasticine. Sketching in 3D is a great “ideas generator”.
Once you have bought the plasticine, I would just say freestyle and improvise. Listen to some music, go with the flow. You will find that your ideas will then start to evolve.
plasticine modelling
Real Life Is Awesome
Although I do things digitally, I don’t want a “Second Life”, I want “Real Life”. Most things that I make in digital form these days will be made or combined with real life methods such as drawing and sculpture. A lot of my 3D models I make in 3dsMax or Blender will be 3d printed and become “Real Life”.
With every creative project I make, I often get stuck developing things in 2D traditional sketching and 3D graphics. When you make something, especially if you are going to make something in real life 3D, in many ways we should sketch in real life 3D too! The last few days, I was really mired in procrastination with my project. I had an idea for a form I wanted to develop for the main central “hub” of the city I was creating. So I decided to get some cheap plasticine have a “jam” session with it.
So after pushing, pulling, rolling the plasticine and even using vintage electrical capacitor components I evolved the original form that I had in mind that wasn’t inspiring me and broke through into making new shapes. This is an awesome moment when something like this happens. Have you experience moments like this too in your own creative projects?
Results Of The “Jam” Session
Check out the results of what I made. I am trying to convey the excitement and energy of a city through this work. As many of you know, I really like a technological retrofuturistic feel in latest works. I like to explore how we can regain our wonder of technology and the future…
tripod pod
So the first structure I was pleased with is a kind of tripod. I was meant to be designing a central hub of the imaginary city. Perhaps int he back of my mind, I was influenced by the 1960’s architectural concept magazine Archigram and its walking city concept! Imagine the possibilities of making a walking city model with an Arduino and maker technologies!
starpod
I like to think of this sketch above as an explosion. The outer pods could be giant units. Each one is a kind of city or city zone onto itself! This structure makes me thing that the city sculpture I am making could even be in space or even better floating in a kind of cyberspace! Looking at this once I made it, it reminds me a bit like the B of the Bang sculpture by Thomas Heatherwick.
plasticine art sketch
The plasticine sketch above is perhaps the one I like the most with regards to developing the form for the central hub of the imaginary city sculpture that I am making. I like the bulky main part that gives it a sense of toughness and durability while the small pods connected by the capacitors give it depth and 3d dimensionality.
After completing this model, I decided I want to develop this form and take it places in 3D graphics. It is a great thing that we able to do today. We can make things in real life, then input them into 3D graphics applications and visa versa.
So I took a series of photos and then captured the 3d mesh into the computer using the free application 123dCatch it imported a really rough model. That’s ok, something to work with…
Pod In 123D Catch
I will use this rough 3d model as a “proxy model”. In other words, I will make a new clean 3d model using this rough mesh as a guideline. I will look to then 3d print the clean model or models for the final imaginary city sculpture. Stay tuned to see this developing! You can sign up to my newsletter to get notification of this too!
You can see how rough the model is be using the interactive viewer below. Left click and hold on your mouse to orbit, revolve mouse wheel to zoom in and out.
Pod
by jamesfuture3d
on Sketchfab
Progression Is Magic
I’m pleased with the progress so far. This is the exciting thing about art and creative projects. One doesn’t know how the final piece will turn out. Where will the journey take me? Over the next few weeks, I will be publishing more blog posts about this journey. Its going to be exciting, I guarantee it. Sign up for my newsletter to get notification for when the Amazon book I am making that goes along wiht this project.
Meanwhile, check out my latest Vlog about my plasticine sketching too…
What You Can Do Now
Simple really, go out and buy some cheap plasticine. Have a general idea of a form that you want to create. Put on your favourite music and go from there! You should find that if you push things and dont give up, you will find inspiration and break through to new exciting ideas…
