Lonely Laboratory Seeks Exciting Experiments

The Material Knowledge Laboratory has been a little lonely of late; it lives to answer creative questions but is not being asked.

So, dear reader, I am asking YOU, what creative avenue would you like to see explored next? What could be valuable and applicable to your own practice and/or arts education delivery? Is there an issue or subject matter that you could benefit from reading about here? Would a crit be of use? Would a conversation about managing the balance between personal desires to be creatively fulfilled and the practical necessity of paying the bills be advantageous?! (ALWAYS!)

The Material Knowledge Laboratory is poised and ready to accept all and any creative questions and challenges! Send your comments and suggestions via this blog, by email; andrea_taylor_1@hotmail.com or even by post! (Address below headed Material Knowledge c/o Andrea Taylor) but PLEASE whatever you do send them as it's not nice to see a grown laboratory cry.

While you muse over what to request of the MK Lab, please read on for the findings and results of November's experiments. This session's work took on October's design a modular chair challenge and played with it.
 

I started with 4 triangular elements from last month's geodesic dome exercise. 1 flat, 1 with 1 side folded, 1 with 2 sides folded and 1 with all three sides folded.

 

 

 

Using split pins to secure the cardboard modules, this multi-functional stool or side table was constructed using 1 triangle with all three sides folded and 3 triangles with 2 sides folded. 3 legs is a good number for furniture because it's more stable and not prone to the wobble which can occur with it's 4 legged counterparts.

 



 

Duplicates of this design are stackable, making them easier to store. As a sustainable designer-maker, I always use the Ecodesign model that considers; Material Extraction , Production, Distribution, Use and Disposal.

 

 

 

This matching chair was made using 2 triangles (back and back leg) with all 3 sides folded and 3 triangles with 2 sides folded. All of the designs produced were a result of essentially sketching in 3D, this freedom allows ideas to form and be acted upon quickly, showing which are worth pursuing to the next phase of the design process. I would be inclined to build a scale model next, then full size prototype and then actual piece, reflecting and acting with the materials and using a sketchbook all the way through to and beyond completion.

 

 

After over an hour of playing with straight edges, I thought it would be nice to introduce a curve into the mix and imagined how luxurious sinking back into this chair would feel with comforting support for my legs. This recliner is composed of 6 triangles and a curve.

 

 

I also liked the way this functional object looked from all angles. Form follows function and if you're lucky you have an object that is both a pleasure to look at and to use.

 

 

 So there we have it, with a little time and imagination the challenge was met and not just a chair but the beginnings of a whole range of furniture was created.

 

Whilst building the objects, I thought about the concept behind them too. It could be interesting to produce the modules and have some basic designs but that really a consumer could engage with this on a whole new flat-pack level, not just reproducing but inventing their own combinations and then sharing them online.

 

The modules could be made from a sustainable material (e.g. recycled cardboard - could the packaging and the product be one and the same? - or sustainable ply), producing modules with straight edges decreases the amount of waste and a limited type of modules means less production set-up, flat pack articles are more eco-friendly to transport because they are more space efficient. If a module got broken or damaged, it could be replaced with another, making the item repairable and adaptable. At the end of the products life, as no matter how well made or loved an object is, nothing lasts forever, the modules could be dismantled and either re-used, recycled or allowed to bio-degrade back into the grand design.

 

 

The next Material Knowledge session will be on Monday 03rd December, 6-8pm, The Art Studio, Level 2, St Luke's Community Centre, London, EC1V 8AJ. With Christmas hurtling it's way towards us at an alarming rate there will be a festive crafts theme so please feel free to bring any items that may come in useful (and some booze and nibbles!)

  

For those interested in exploring cardboard furniture further I recommend www.foldschool.com

 







 







Plucky Bucky

October's Material Knowledge session continued exploring modular structures and was inspired by one of the most famous modular structure designs - the Geodesic Dome

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geodesic_dome

A geodesic dome is usually made up of a number of triangle shaped modules that are not all the same. These triangles can be a frame with a membrane placed over the top or solid. An example is the Epcot (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) Centre housed within the Walt Disney theme park complex, Florida USA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epcot_Centre

This invention is usually accredited to the design legend Buckminster Fuller (Bucky) as it was his modified design on an earlier version that was granted a US patent and popularised.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckminster_Fuller

After several personal disaster's Buckminster abandoned the mantra of his upbringing "Never mind what you think. Listen. We are trying to teach you!" (1) and committed his life's work to the benefit of all humanity through a process of personal observation and experimentation. Learning most from his mistakes and funding his work through spontaneous offers from interested parties, he never promoted or sold his ideas or allowed others to do so. He believed that if a genuine need for his inventions existed they would be integrated into human affairs by evolution. If no need existed, he would conclude that what he had invented must be the wrong thing and try again. 

With the awareness that not all of the triangles should be the same for a geodesic dome, we cut and started to attach triangle modules made out of cardboard to observe what happens if they are. Making and attaching our modules was quite a labour intensive process, with only two of us working on this project in a 2hr time limit.

However in this time we learned that the structure had more flexibility with the joints on the outside and is more rigid with the joints on the inside. This observation could be applied to suit the need of a particular project. As the structure grew, it became obvious that the double sided tape being used was not strong enough to hold it, so wanting to carry on building with these modules next month,  I recommend using split pins on both ends of the edge for a stronger bond. The advantage of these is that you can dismantle the structure afterwards and use the modules and pins to build another shape. 

Different shapes start to suggest themselves and a chair like structure appeared, however this would need more design work in order to make it function better as well as be aesthetically pleasing. A challenge for November! With good design, form (or aesthetics) should always follow function. This is because for something to really work for us style, however important or desirable, is not enough.

So we may not have built a geodesic dome but we did learn through observation and experimentation, or reflection in action, basic principles that could inform more complex and longer projects in the future. This wasn't our intended outcome but still a very positive one that embraces both Buckminster Fuller's and the Material Knowledge ethos.

There are many geodesic dome projects shown on youtube including a posting by Playground Science that shows how to make a geodesic dome from newspaper.

The next Material Knowledge session will be on Monday 5th November 6-8pm in the Art Studio, Level 2, St Luke's Community Centre, London, EC1V 8AJ

1. R. Buckminster Fuller, Critical Path, Hutchinson, 1981, page 123.

Modular Structures

The Autumn Material Knowledge term started on Monday 10th September by exploring modular building. This is an easy way to construct quickly and can utilise multiples of existing and found objects or you can create your own.

When browsing for materials for this session I was immediately drawn  to some contrasting blocks of plasticine. My inner child squealed with delight at the prospect of handling this wonderful material again and my artist educator agreed that this was a practical choice that could be applied to a broad range of projects, ages and abilities. This childhood classic allows a tactile 3D experience with minimal mess and comes in a great range of colours showing the movement of the makers hand embedded in the object.

I rolled 21 white balls and 21 black balls to begin with and using cocktail sticks to join them together started assembling. I recommend using a board so that projects can be easily transported to safe storage. I had no fixed idea of what I was going to make when the basic framework of a chair appeared.

I could easily take this idea  and explore designing a whole range of modular furniture for practical use. Flat-pack furniture need not reside at the lower end of consumer design as there are many things to celebrate including interaction, interchangeability and the eco-friendly way that it is transported using minimal space for packaging. However this quickly evolved into a small scale sculptural piece.

Apparently a very similar technique using marshmallows and dried spaghetti sticks is used in schools to see who can build the tallest tower in design classes!

I am very glad to say that we had our first community centre user join us for this session who, along with one of our artist educators looked a duplicating a modular paper origami design.

Working alongside each other, our centre user and artist educator learned how to make the individual components with one sticking to a replica of the original and the other scaling up the project with the idea of producing a collaborative piece of work with a class of approximately 30 primary school children.

By using modular units and a bigger scale, collaboration is built into the technique and a large piece of work can be produced. There is also a positive message of each individuals contributuion being important to create a greater whole being taught and experienced.

This session is directly informing this artist educator in helping to devise and practice sessions for the classroom which is one of the core reasons for it taking place.

Another of our artist educators was inspired by a found object to figure out how it may have been constructed and with a good deal of concentration and experimentation produced a very pleasing prototype by the end of the class.

The next session will take place on Monday 08th October 6-8pm @ St Luke's Art Studio, Level 2, 90 Central Street, EC1V 8AJ.

We will be continuing with the Modular Structures theme so please bring cardboard, paper and/or collected found units such as bottle tops with you for use.

Alternatively, if you wish to work on a personal project in this social and informal environment then please feel free to bring your own activity and a mind to share.

From Sheet To Form

July's session began an exploration from 2D to 3D forms and was inspired by the brilliant and gorgeous book 'Folding Techniques For Designers, From Sheet To Form' by Paul Jackson.

As is the custom for Material Knowledge experiments, the materials were kept very minimal so that the focus was on the form.

What can be achieved with the ubiquitous white A4 sheet of paper with a little time and imagination?

We kicked off with a simple exercise in learning how to fold an equally proportioned concertina from any size sheet of paper without having to use a ruler...

• Fold your sheet of portrait oriented paper in half, unfold
• Fold both edges to the centre line, unfold
• Fold the bottom edge of the paper to the top crease, turn sheet around and repeat, unfold
• Fold the bottom edge of the paper to the first crease, turn sheet around and repeat, unfold
• Mark alternate creases beginning with the first
• Fold the bottom edge of the paper to all 4 marks in turn, turn sheet around and repeat
• You should now have a sheet of paper that has been equally divided into 16 sections. This can easily be folded into a neat and precise concertina or folded further into 32 or 64 equal sections or manipulated in other ways to create interesting forms.

This exercise gives a renewed appreciation for the simplest of materials such as our plain A4 sheet of paper. Through creativity it became beautiful and sculptural, capable of supporting quite heavy loads, inspiration for new and more 3D shapes, duplicated for modular construction, cut for even strips of paper or cut in other ways to create new shapes.

To make a cylinder, cut one section off and glue one end of the concertina to another. Try selective gluing of sections to make pleats. Try other materials, paper could be a first step prototype.

We discussed alternative fixing techniques as listed below:

• Glue
• Slotting
• Stitching
• Paper Clips
• Stapling
• Tape
• Pins - split and regular
• Cocktail sticks
• Layering / Laminating
• Folds
• Tabs

We also discussed how this exercise could be translated into an educational workshop, identifying possible challenges and applications. Dexterity came top of the list, at what age can children manage this task? Perhaps if they were primary school age working in pairs or groups would be better so that tasks can be allocated to different members? Or working on a larger scale making it is less fiddly for little fingers and creating a sculptural piece? Maybe each team could make one or several sections of a modular whole?

Everyone felt that it could be a fun and useful activity for a range of age groups and abilities as long as the instructions are tailored to the group and paced correctly. The concertina is a good starting point and a few other techniques could be demonstrated to inspire exploration.

Other project ideas included:

• Mobiles
• Jewellery
• Architectural models of a city
• Folding images
• Geometry and maths
• Using colour
• Structural exercises: how much weight can your design take?!
• Build the tallest tower
• Decorating your own 2D paper and then making something 3D from it
• Never-ending book
• Set Design
• Story Telling
• Paper games e.g. fortune teller
• Modular sculpture

The next session will be on Monday 10th September 6-8pm @ St Luke's Craft Studio, Level 2 , 90 Central Street, EC1V 8AJ.

We will be continuing with the 3D theme so please bring cardboard, paper and/or collected found units such as bottle tops with you for modular construction. Alternatively if you wish to work on a personal project in this social and informal environment then please feel free to bring your own activity and a mind to share. If you're unable to attend our event why not organise your own at home? All you need is a creative activity, some tea and biscuits (I really can't stress enough how important these elements are) and to invite some friends and family round to learn, make and share together.







Lino & Mono Printing

 

Our Material Knowledge exploration of printmaking ended on Monday 11th June with a quick look at 2 other simple printmaking techniques.

I particularly enjoyed lino cutting which is an enjoyable process in itself. The cut is then inked up and used to make prints. These prints can be works of art or used to print your own bespoke cards, envelopes, tags, notebooks and wrapping paper. I will definitely be taking some time over the Summer to develop my lino printing skills with the intention of creating some hand-made gifts and unique wrapping paper for a more personal (and economical) touch.



We attained some reasonable results with ready mixed paint and paint brushes but for best results use print block ink on glass (or stiff plastic) with a roller.

Along with countless inspirational images on the web and YouTube demonstrations, a useful lino cutting instruction sheet for workshops can be found at:

http://wwwlawrence.co.uk/Lino.pdf

For monoprinting see:

http://artcare.salisbury.nhs.uk/Documents/Resource_docs/monoprinting.pdf

This is a more direct method than lino or screen printing, useful for artists who are more comfortable with spontaneous drawing and painting. It is more important to have the correct medium for this as fine lines and details were obliterated when the paper was placed on top using both ready mixed and acrylic paint, oil paint worked best in experiments but comes with the problem of needing white spirit for cleaning equipment and fumes.

Conversation naturally flows at these informal sessions (especially when lubricated by tea and biscuits) and the importance for artists (and everyone else) to make some time to play and share thoughts, ideas and information was expressed again as it has been countless times since the School for Artist Educators began. So give yourself 'permission to play' and come along to our Material Knowledge session on:

Monday 02nd July @ St Luke's Art & Craft Studio, Level 2, 90 Central Street, EC1V 8AJ, London. Suggested donation £1

When we will begin looking at working in 3D. Please bring cardboard, a stanley or craft knife and scissors. Alternatively if you wish to work on a personal project in this social and informal environment then please feel free to bring along your own activity and a mind to skill-share. If you are unable to attend our event, why not organise your own? All you need is some space, a creative activity, some tea and biscuits (I really can't stress enough the importance of these elements) and to invite some friends and family to learn, create and share together.





Screenprinting DIY Style Continued

April's Material Knowledge session explored printmaking further. Without either daylight or the investment of a UV set-up, the photosensitive technique of burning screens proved a little tricky for our late Winter evening class.

For those who wish to explore this further, there are 2 main methods to choose from:

1) Drawing Fluid

This is a more direct approach than using the photosensitive method

Better for beginners

Easier to facilitate a workshop with

The amount of detail depends on the skill of the artist

The screen can be quite easily washed for re-use with less hazardous chemicals used

A positive image is created so what you see is what you get

2) Photosensitive Emulsion

A high contrast image needs to be prepared

Suitable for those more experienced

Difficult to facilitate a workshop without a specialist set-up with UV bulbs or good sunlight

There is potential for greater detail

More hazardous chemicals are required for production and washing

A negative image is produced so how this translates needs to be considered

However, we continued experimenting with the materials to hand with a sense of freedom that our inexpensive equipment gave.

It was found that the finer the gauze material, the finer detail could be achieved with some lovely crisp lines being produced using a silk scarf over a wooden frame as a screen.

It is also possible to print onto textiles quite easily using the same method for paper with acrylic paint mixed with a textile medium. You can blend the paint to any colour you choose, as normal, adding the textile medium afterwards at an easily remembered ratio of 1 part paint : 1 part medium or in simpler terms, equal amounts.

Stencils need to be cut from a thin sheet to avoid paint or ink leaking underneath and using an acetate sheet spray mounted onto the screen gives more durability.



Limitations Unlimited - A Creative Starter

To introduce the new Cubitt Artist Educator recruits, this month's session saw a return of the Limitations Unlimited theme from December (see previous blog post).

For the first hour of our session we played with another pile of random materials that had been gathered from the debris of a recent Education Studio refurbishment. However this time a brief for making a self-portrait was set.

It was fascinating to witness the variety of responses to the task and materials and with a brief description, on completion, from all participants about their work and thought processes we all learned a lot more about each other (and had a bit of a giggle too).

Creative starters like this exercise are really useful in facilitating the transition from passive learner to active creator.

The second hour focused on the idea of Creative Starters and working in small groups of three the Artist Educators generated as many activities, games and questions as time allowed which were then shared with the group.

Some examples include:

* Using a viewfinder, look around the room for a composition and draw it.

* In groups, recreate/model yourselves into works of art from a selection of images.

* Ask the question "What is art?".

Many more ideas were generated and the next step is to take the notes from this session and together create a 52 card deck of Creative Starter Cards that all Artist Educators can use as a resource.

The next Material Knowledge session will be on Monday 16th April 6-8.30pm in the Arts and Crafts room of St Luke's Community Centre, 90 Central Street, EC1V 8AJ

Tools of The Trade

Due to popular demand this month's Material Knowledge session started an exploration into print-making.

Just how simple (and cheap) is it to make your own screens for printing at home?

It turns out VERY!

Of course you could go out and buy all of the equipment you need to get you started but where is the fun in that?! Not only is it more economical to make your own but there is also something special about using tools you have created yourself that allows a deeper understanding of the processes you're engaging with.

There are many great sites with instructions to get you started but this session followed the advice from http://www.instructables.com/id/Screen-Printing%3A-Cheap,-Dirty,-and-At-Home/

We didn't have access to any photosensitive materials so made the screens as instructed with wooden frames and gauzy material and used acrylic paints with paper stencils to great effect.

The following are some of the things we learned from our first session:

*DO NOT use MDF frames as they are too tough to staple.

*Thin paper is good for stencils but has a short life span and bleeds when overused (although this can be quite a good effect in itself)

*Maybe stencils made from acrylic sheets would work and last longer?

*Cardboard worked very well as a squeegee and different cardboard's gave particular effects.

*Different fabrics for the screen gave particular effects with a wider weave leaving a nice textural detail.

*The screen worked better with acrylic paints after a few uses when it became properly saturated with colour.

*Layers of stencils and colours work well and offers an almost limitless opportunity for exploration.

*Small batches can easily be produced; these can be made into limited edition prints or cards for example.

*Printing is a lot of fun with quick results so is a great technique to work with in educational settings with the right preparation.

The next Material Knowledge session will be at Cubitt Education Studio on Monday 5th March 6-8pm.

We'll be continuing with our screen printing experiments and looking into photosensitive screen printing.

A great organisation and link for print lovers is http://www.printclublondon.com/ with studios in Dalston and Brick Lane.