Lesson 6: Applying Construction to Everyday Objects

8:58 PM, Friday January 5th 2024

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Hi there and thank you for reviewing my work!

This lesson was kinda hard, and I specifically struggled with S-curves both in the form intersections and object constructions (especially the last one). For the object construction I tried different approaches of splitting the curve into parts: enveloping and following along with specific points. I learned that in different cases one is a bit easier than the other, but I'm still not sure which is the preferred approach. For reconstructing the curve I used french curves, but this is my first time using them, so it didn't turn out great. I would like some advice on whether I should use them for the next lessons.

Thanks!

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9:58 PM, Monday January 8th 2024
edited at 10:00 PM, Jan 8th 2024

Jumping right in with your form intersections, overall you're doing really well. I did notice a few little hiccups, but they were honestly revolving around intersections that were themselves mindbenders, even for me. I made some notes here on the page, but from what I can see, you're demonstrating a solid understanding of the core mechanics of these intersections in the rest of your work. I will drop this diagram in as well, as I usually share it at this point, but I believe you already understand what's conveyed there.

Continuing onto your object constructions, you may have had a tough time with all this by your own reporting, but I don't believe that difficulty stemmed from a lack of understanding. I think it's very clear throughout your work that the difficulty simply came from the fact that you were fully willing to put your all into this, and take every construction as far as it could reasonably go. That takes time, that takes patience, and that takes care - all things that tend to manifest to us more as amorphous difficulty, if we aren't giving ourselves credit for what we're putting in.

For all that hard work, you have done a phenomenal job. Despite the admittedly haphazard delivery of the lesson material (which for the time being we'll continue to try to address through these critiques, at least until our overhaul can reach this lesson and beyond), you internalized every concept that was explained, and there is no where this is demonstrated more clearly than in your use of the orthographic plans. You allowed each object to establish just how far each orthographic plan would have to be taken, based on the specific elements that you wished to include in your construction. Each orthographic plan was established as a set of decisions, rather than simply arbitrary observations, and those decisions were transferred cleanly and specifically to your construction, one step at a time. With examples like this bucket, you were willing to go to lengths far greater than most - admittedly we do have a decent number of students who are as hardworking and resilient as you, but it is still fair to say that it exceeds what I expect just out of an attempt to be reasonable. You were very unreasonable in this, but in the best of ways.

I have no complaints whatsoever. You've done a fantastic job, and I hope to see the same when you tackle Lesson 7. For most I explain that Lesson 7 is essentially what you've done here, just way, way, way more complex - but in your case, I'm not sure that's true. In fact, you may find that Lesson 7 is similar in challenge to what you've done here, just with different subject matter - but I suppose you'll find out, and I have faith that no matter the task, you'll invest as much time and effort as you need to see it through to the best of your ability, as that is clearly what you have demonstrated here.

I'll go ahead and mark this lesson as complete. Keep up the fantastic work.

Edit: I realized that in my enthusiasm I missed your question - although I will need some clarification to that. Can you point out examples of each method? It's likely that the answer is that both are acceptable and that it comes down to whatever you are most comfortable with (since I'm not seeing anything wrong with any of your constructions), but if you can point to them specifically I'll be able to answer with more confidence. There's always a chance that there's something minute I may have missed that tips the scales in one direction or another.

Next Steps:

Feel free to move onto the 25 wheel challenge, which is a prerequisite for Lesson 7.

This critique marks this lesson as complete.
edited at 10:00 PM, Jan 8th 2024
10:36 AM, Tuesday January 9th 2024

Hi, thank you for the critique and getting back to my question.

Here are the examples that you've asked for.

The heart on the bucket (5b) I drew by connecting individual dots. It was easy to understand how to build the dots: you drew a heart on the front plane, and then projected it on the surface of the bucket (on the concentric circles). I could not possibly imagine all the curves in three dimension enveloping the heart on this curved surface. I feel like there would be too many of them and they would be a bit too complex to construct.

For the next object (6b, carabiner) I used enveloping lines to approximate the curves. The curves were in a single plane and it was relatively straight forward how to do it. I would not have brainpower to build individual dots to follow the curves, as there would have been just too many of them.

So I was wondering is it ok to use these methods interchangeably, depending on the situation, or is there a preferred method for this lesson and lesson 7?

7:57 PM, Tuesday January 9th 2024

I think I see what you mean. I believe the way you approached both is correct, although the latter approach is more in line with the instructions (the enveloping lines) rather than the points. When using the points, you technically treated other subdivision lines that were in the same area/connected to the dots in the way you used the enveloping lines, but if we were just given a series of dots to connect, if we didn't first actually connect them with straight edges, we'd be left estimating a lot in terms of the actual behaviour of our final lines. Having straight edges to work from allow us to focus more on how the structure is being rounded out - kind of like carving something from a block of wood, where it starts out very planar and straight, and is only smoothed out in key areas towards the end.

1:06 AM, Wednesday January 10th 2024

Ok, this makes sense. Thanks again!

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