Making the Artifact

Due to the time set for stage two I decided to make a replica of the Kaishu stool. I like the flat surfaces as they will be ideal for different printing techniques and give lots of options when it comes to the design. The plan is to produce multiple boxes, each with a slightly different darkness theme. For instance, one could the based on True Blood and another a Clockwork Orange. I will create collective look by using a style similar to B-movie posters and Stuart Kolakosic's Illustrations.

The first thing to do was to design the template for the stool/table.  to stop people reproducing and profiting on the stool design, there does not seem to be any templates online. So I used photos taken from most angles and set to work replicating it on Adobe illustrator. This was more time-consuming than first thought as getting the measurements and symmetry perfect was vital to the stool working.

Original pencil sketch of the basic box shape before scanning into Illustrator. Some of the pencil lines have then cleaned up as I originally planned to vectorise my sketch.

   After scanning it into Illustrator, I used the pen tool to go over my scanned pencil lines and with the help of grids and guides was able to create symmetrical and parallel lines.  I did try to vectorise my pencil lines, but the result was wavy and would have resulted in the box not working and a rough result. 

Final vector ready for laser cutter.

Once I was happy with the final template vector,  I decided to make a prototype. This was to make sure that my measurements were correct and the slats and holes were in right the place. I used cardboard for my model. I was very pleased with how went together and used it to workout the size of the final artifact. 

MAKING THE STOOL/TABLE

First job was to choose the material. I had my heart set on a wood with a grain so with the guidance and help of the technician in the workshop, opted for 3.6mm Plywood. This would give me the desired finish and should be easy work for the laser cutter. One of my biggest issue with this project was getting time on the laser cutter. Due to it popularity it gets booked up very quickly, which doesn't then allow for many mistakes or test runs. Below are photos from my first laser cutter slot. 

Unfortunately due to a bow in the ply the cutting was not successful and did not cut all the way through the wood. In some places it was so bad that with the help of the woodwork technician we had to re-cut it with a bow saw. This has resulted in a slightly uneven edge. Also this has made the necessary second cutting needed to doubling up the wood thickness too time-consuming. This all meant that it was back to the drawing board regarding what material to use. The plan is to use something flatter which can be cut first time.