Clay Kippen

Music Box Portrait

I’m really excited to share the Music Box Portrait with you. As you all know, I’m obsessed with analog photography (thats why many of my prototypes at SVA have been focused around cameras). This project is a 3D printed camera body that plays music and takes a picture when the user turns a crank. I even included some mirrored plexi so that you could check your hair before the big shoot.

Its a little absurd, but thats the point.

This particular iteration, “Version 2.0 ” is outfitted to work with a disposable camera.

Here is an early prototype made out of foam core and acrylic. I had a lot of fun in the early stages of development, figuring out how this would work. I felt a tad nostalgic for my architecture school days, making sketch models!

This photo shows the in-progress 3D print. I designed the parts in Solid Works with the help of some of my classmates. I’m a Rhino guy, what can I say? But Solid Works is a lot better for precise modeling and engineering. Yes, yes I actually calculated the gear ratios for this bad boy.

I had to saw off the handle for my little music box, but was able to attach the itty-bitty gear to it using acrylic glue. This photo shows – Nuts. Bolts. Prints. Music.

The finished product! Please check out my video.

Music Box Studio Portrait (Title in the Works)

Hi again! Come here often?

Here’s a video by Emess that is the inspiration for my final project, Music Box Portraiture. The simple forms, the complex engineering and the lovely sounds make for a delightful urban intervention. I love references to local architecture and site context, just brilliant!

Also, its nice when people show genuine emotion when they get their picture taken. I don’t know if you guys have seen this ad all around NYC, but what’s up with the face she’s making? It would be much better if she was just smiling.

Final Project – Photographic 3D Modeling

Right now we’re working on a 123D Catch workshop, and I’d like to continue my project into our Making Studio. Here’s the link to my Instructable.

Shown above is my Hand Scan. Essentially, I’m experimenting with alternative photography methods and the 123D Catch App. Since the workshop is ending this week, I’d like to keep working on this project so that I can generate some awesome three dimensional photographs!

This Domestic Bliss

Don’t let the drudgery of chores bring you down. Seize the Rad with This Domestic Bliss!

After weeks of fumbling around with various ideas, I decided to go with a design that I would actually use.

Here’s the preliminary sketch. Initially the skateboard was going to look like the interior of a vintage car with tassels and leather. The association with artifacts changed once I found a more suitable fabric!

Its a skateboard that doubles as…

An ironing board!

And a To-Do List flash light for the skater on the go!

Shred on my busy domesticated friends… Shred on!

Title photo credit to drowsySwords on Etsy.

Spiral Jetty Wallet

Hey yinz,

The form for my plush nightlight project is inspired by my favorite piece of land sculpture, Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty .

I love Robert Smithson’s work – he’s the real artist’s artist (he can write, draw, sculpt, etc). Not only is his work informed by the context of the site, but each piece is dictated by months of research, observation and documentation. His essay about Spiral Jetty is one of the most interesting and genuine things that I’ve read by any visual artist…

Anyway… enough compliments, this post is about me, me, me!

This sketch shows how I feel about Ugz, our favorite floppy, plush boot. Ah, kind of a one-liner, I’m not so into this idea.

Here I’m onto something – the Spiral Jetty Wallet! What if I make a five-foot long wallet that rolls up like a sleeping bag and LEDs illuminate when credit cards are inserted into the pockets?

I don’t really no the answer, but Im going to try it.

Lukasz Wierzbowski

Here’s one of my favorite fashion photographers who uses light, textile and hair for dramatic effects.

***I’m posting this in addition to my last post since Damon (who has good taste) also posted about Tron.***

Tron 1982 Classic

I love the sets and costumes from the original Tron released in 1982. The colors are absolutely amazing, and though the dialog is a little kitchy, it’s clear that the designers spent hours perfecting the visuals. If you haven’t seen this film, I highly recommend it. Plus its the perfect blend of light and textile.

Being Here, 2008

I immediately thought of Mark Garry’s, Being Here, when we talked about working with light and fabric in class. This site-specific piece consists of thousands of itty bitty colored threads strung throughout the gallery as means to guide the viewer through the space. The way the light hits the thread and creates a prism effect is unbelievably beautiful. I love that even thin pieces of thread can make boundaries in architecture.

How to Coat a Screen for Screen Printing

This tutorial describes the screen coating process in great detail. I would like to incorporate some of these concepts into our Instructable, because coating the screen properly is crucial to having a high quality print. If done incorrectly, the screen might have a lot of “pin holes,” meaning that ink will show up on the image in unwanted places.

Screen Printing 101 Tutorial

This tutorial by Ashley Hackshaw on Dharma Trading Post is great introduction to screen printing for those with little experience. I like how she explains the Speedball kit and shows that using photo emulsion is easier than it may seem. I think that her “screen sandwich” analogy is perfect for explaining the orientation of the transparency when exposing the image with natural light. The language is clear and direct – good tutorial!