2D Concepts

Before exploring the tools, I wanted to quickly understand what’s possible with image editing.

Raster graphics: bit-mapped, dot-matrix pixel structure

Color Model: RGB (additive) used in digital displays, CMYK (subtractive) used for printing

Colour depth: number of bits per pixel, which can be from 2 - 48 bits. 24 bits is true colour, supporting ~16 million colours.

Colour channel: components of an image, e.g Red, Blue and Green channel in RGB

Alpha channel: used to indicate transparency

File formats

GIF:

8 bit palette from 16m colours

LZW lossless compression

Good for sharp-edged lines with limited colours e.g. logos, icons; but not for photos

Support for sub-images, which can be changed with time delays like frames to produce animation

Supports interlacing (progressive rendering from low-res to higer-res as image download proceeds)

PNG

Was developed to avoid the patent-issues in GIF’s use of LZW

Supports palette based 24-bit (RGB) or 32-bit (RGBA) images, grayscale images and full-colour non-palette based images

Lossless compression using DEFLATE algorithm

Good for logos / icons, not for photos

JPEG

lossy compression

great for photos, can compress 10:1 with little perceptible quality loss

supports interlaced progressive display

 As I belong to design background I could sketch my ideas for the final project kept easily and had finalized on the star shaped design for my final project Twinkle tricks

The drawing are done in the form of basic 2d sketches considering the element of Surprise. The design was then decided to be split in the following ways  so that a lego toy could be created  and can perform its activity radially. The sketches done accordingly to the concept and led to creating a magnetic lego

For  necessary dimensions and basic elements needed for the drawing I performed a small ergonomic study (particular of hands) for kids aged 4 to 8 yrs. Sketches of the final project for deriving the dimensions and creating the final form.

ABOUT CORELDRAW

CorelDraw is a vector design program that is compatible only on the Windows Operating System. It is recommended that you design outside of CorelDraw and import your design. CorelDraw is only a means to job setup and printing, please avoid designing with it. Our laser cutter computer is located directly to the right of the machine, you will find the software shortcut on the desktop on the computer, double click on it to openFor 2D modelling I used Corel Draw . I made a file for laser cutting a prototype of the above designs so that  I could test  my concept.

ABOUT INKSCAPE

Is a vector graphics editor. I installed it using apt.

I created this logo for twinkle tricks and by using drawing out the rest using simple primitives like

lines, rectangles and polygon tool. Here is a screenshot of the image being edited in inkscape.

The text tool allowed me to insert the name to the logo generated. I will use this for my final Project

3D Concepts

3D modeling: process of creating a mathematical representation of a physical body as a 3D surface.

Representation could be either as a:

Solid: based on the volume of the object. More realistic. Used in CAD, Constructive Solid Geometry, which involves boolean operations like union, intersection, difference.

Shell / boundary / surface: based on the surface of the object. Commonly used in games and films.

3D rendering: conversion of a 3D model into a 2D image.

Methods: wire-frames, ray tracing, etc.

Modeling process:

Polygonal mesh: points / vertices representing the surface of a body connected into non-overlapping polygons (often triangles).

Curves: using weighted control points to guide a curve e.g. NURBS

From the basics shape menu, can easily create any required geometric shape, solid or hollow and could generate the required complex form. the parameters of the shape appear while creating the object which could be adjusted like the required radius and height for the cylinder, side length for cube etc

Tinkercad has some amazing features where you could add or subtract different shaped together and to achieve that shape

the objects as required in the geometry specified by you

The most beautiful feature of TInkercad that I enjoyed was the availability of the connectors and the variations one can achieve in the software. This is super friendly and useful feature I found in the 3D software  saves time brilliantly

Adjust and check the connectors in all views to create good grip, connection etc

Tinkercad has many featured shape Generators with many in built designs which work like annotations in other software. They have parameters which could be varied and desired result be created

I choose something called Weave from the featured shape generator tool and created a solid weave pattern

By varying the weave parameters like row weaves, columns weaves, height, width the results could be manipulated as per

requirements.

One can easily download the file generated in tinkercad by downloading it in the given stl or obj

If a 2d is required SVG files could be generated

ABOUT RHINO

To begin with the 3D modelling in Rhino for my final project, the dimensions were calculated and star was drawn from the toolbar option of drawing polygons, the command window showed the setting you try before drawing like setting the length, Inscribed and others which could be modified and 2d drawing was made in the top view

The wing was drawn and using different layer it has colour coded to blue and hidden for the next task.

To create this star shaped files I used functions like Polygon tool, line drawing, rectangle tool, ExtrudeCrv, Shell, Boolean Difference, Offset to finish the modelling the central body

The two parts were then separately selected and exported to stl file format for 3d printing the parts. The wall thickness is around 3 mm and has a simple step type snap to lock the box.

CONCLUSIONS

Computer aided design always helped in the design, this week helped me know about many more softwares I was not aware of experienced some in the course and will learn more in the future. It is always good to understand the basics of 2D and 3D CAD to allow yourself to adapt to different software interface and create.

Found open source software replacement for corel which is Inkscape, GIMP for photoshop added to useful resources. Thanks to the great learning during Fabacademy.

DESIGN FILES

Laser_file_for_star_prototype

Star_Body

Star_Cap

Wing_Body

Wing_Cap