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Lesson 2 - Sausage Ellipse degree

2:09 PM, Tuesday April 20th 2021

Hi team,

Could somebody elaborate on the degree of ellipses for the Organic Forms with Contour Lines.

On the example homework, I have noticed 3 scenarios:

  1. It starts with a higher degree ellipse, that degree gradually decreasing for the other ellipses until reaching the middle of the sausage,( where the smallest degree is) before it starts increasing again moving away from us

  2. It starts with a higher degree ellipse closer to us and decreases

  3. it starts with a lower degree ellipse closer to use and increases

I just don't get it, a have re-read the lessons a few times and understand the concept (shift in their degree as you run through the length of the form) - but I don't understand the logic on choosing how to systemically select how those ellipses increase or decrease.

Could somebody help?

Thanks

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2 users agree
3:26 PM, Tuesday April 20th 2021

I will have a go and this is just an opinion.

What you are starting with is a generic sausage shape with a centre line. What you are doing with the ellipses is pushing your interpretation of how that sausage is in 3d on to it. This will depend on whether you see it as receding, advancing or changing direction from your perspective. The same sausage could be interpreted different ways. So it's not a logic exercise, you are choosing how you wish it to look and to give it a convincing 3d form. I tend to stare at the form to see if I can intuit a certain 3d shape from it. If I stare long enough a shape always starts to suggest itself.

Hope this helps.

11:28 AM, Thursday April 22nd 2021

it does a lot - Thank you!

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