Monday, October 10, 2016

ATEC 6389 Week 1 (Vic Simon)

Weeks 1-3 - 3D Modeling

Week 1 Blog                                                                                   

Task: Create two 3D object models, one “in the round” and the other “in relief” that can be used to create 3D prints, and as models for other various digital fabrication versions over the course of the semester

Process: 3D Modeling, Digital Sculpting

Tools: Autodesk Mudbox

Confession #1 – This is my first attempt ever at the ubiquitous communication phenomenon known as Blogging. It is an important skill for all Artists, Technologists & Emerging Communication specialists, and I’m gratitude for this opportunity to try my hand at this on-line form of Storytelling.

Confession #2 – I am backfilling/writing these first eight Blogs three days before my Midterm project presentation. I have been negligent in NOT creating these on a weekly basis over the first half of the semester.

To be honest, I have been so overwhelmed with my new foray & experience into the digital & plastics arts, and the (new to me) whole studio practice pedagogy, that I have been putting 100% of all my time & energy into just keeping up with my Brave New World adventure into ScottWorld!

However, I have been collecting photos and notes, and will do my best to backfill the first half of this semester’s experience through these eight weekly PostBlogs.

Just a little summary recap of my preparation for this course. Over the summer, I thoroughly read the three books that ProfScott recommended to me. These included Elements of Design by Rowena Reed Kostelow and the two Nicholas Roukes’ “Synectics” Series, Art Synectics and Design Synectics.


   

I also studied the digital sculpture tool, Autodesk Mudbox for the 3 weeks prior to course. I completed both the Lynda.com courses on Mudbox - Mudbox 2016 & Mudbox 2013 courses.

The first class consisted of Professor Scott showing a survey of his life’s artistic work, an overview of t/his ATEC 6389 Digital Fabrication course. He strongly, verbally expressed his pedagogy for his expectations of his students’ Studio Practice. Put in TheWork! Basically, using the vernacular of Ken Wilber’s amazing Integral Theory, WakeCleanGrowShowUP!

The key takeaway major theme from the class introduction was the repeated phrase by Professor Scott - “Material Performativity”.

After that first night, I was BOTH energized and scared to death. Given my extremely limited exposure to the plastic arts in my lifetime, I imagined I was woefully under equipped to succeed in the challenge of trying to survive my initial ScottWorld experience. I deeply felt I was in over my head (but, not my heart!)

In the remainder of that week, I watched ALL the coursework resources including Prof Scott’s curated tutorials on Mudbox and the five incredible, amazing Philippe Faraut Sculpture Videos. The extensive eleven video tutorials seemed like ten hours of video!

Professor Scott is in the top 99 percentile in his preparation of coursework guidance for his students on e-Learning! His tremendous time and effort in curating his generous offering of coursework resources is matched by few professors. His students, including moi, simply CANNOT claim we weren’t aware of what was expected and how to accomplish the tasks. Even a newbie like myself had guidance about what was expected, I just didn’t have any confidence in my unknown (and untested) artistic talents? Could I bring forth the creative acts that all the tutorials tried to elicit. That would be my ongoing ‘central question’ in my exploratory foray into ScottWorld.

With those pathetic, (but real) fears and apprehensions aside, the vision driving me forward into the uncertain unknown of my artistic capacities is the overwhelming motivation to become a tiny part of what Professor Scott is building at ATEC.

That embodied vision, that strange attractor, is the northeast bottom corner of this CreATEC haven (bottom left corner), is the construction of the future home of the ATEC ‘3D Studio’, i.e., ScottWorld!

I want (need!!!!!) to be part of this CreATEC space !!!!!!!!


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