ceramiskin

ceramiSKIN: digitalÊ clay

OVERVIEW

Prof. David Celento with Jennifer Wall, Brian Gillis, Nancy Cheng, Bill Taylor

David CelentoÕ s January 2011 ceramiSKIN workshops in Eugene and Portland, Oregon provided the opportunity to combine digital modeling with ceramic crafting. Students worked with a partner to develop components based on an Islamic pattern. They transformed a template file with Maya or Rhino software, maintaining connection points. Designs were digitally milled into damp plaster blocks that were used for press-molding. Pieces were then fired and optionally glazed. The workshop brought together participants from Univer-sity of Oregon Art, Product Design and Architecture programs with those from Oregon College of Arts and Crafts Ceramics. Jen Wall, Brian Gillis, John Leahy, Bill Taylor, Jim Koudelka and Nancy Cheng contributed to the workshop.

University of Oregon and Oregon College of Arts and Crafts

ceramiSKIN: digital clay

Roussa Cassel & Nicolaus Wright


The departure point of our exploration in this workshop was the trans-lation of ancient manual techniques of ceramic tile production through modern digital methodologies of automated fabrication. By attending to the specificities of the production of geometries in 3D modeling software we sought to translate the geometries and affects of islamic tiles into a contemporary modality. Formally, we sought to satisfy the figure/ground ambiguities of islamic tile patterns in our own tile set. We began with the geometric boundaries of islamic tile patterning as a base set of regulating lines. We then traced a set of tangent points from each boundary so as to ensure that the pattern of valley defining curves would maintain consistency across the entire field of tiles no matter how any one tile was oriented. This set of curves was used to define a z-deformation in the tile surface thus producing a datum surface traced across with an indentation of valleys that would struc-ture the field. The result is that the valleys meet at each seam creating a continuous and unique field pattern regardless of configuration.


boundary field


Roussa Cassel with Nico Wright


Recently, I attended a workshop through the University of Oregon led by David Celento, a registered architect and an Assistant Professor of Architecture at Penn State University. With degrees from Carnegie Mellon and Harvard GSD, his work focuses upon digital design and fabrication tools. Celento’s recent work at the European Ceramic Work Centre in the Netherlands involved developing ceramic tessellations that could be developed into climate-responsive architectural cladding.

Working in teams of two, workshop participants developed simple two dimensional designs from predefined geometric boundaries based on interlocking Islamic patterning, a simple star and dodecahedron. Using Maya, a 3D animation program,


we utilized the surface model-ing functions to develop a set of

curves and define the z-deformation in the tile surface thus producing a datum surface traced across with an indentation of valleys that would structure the field. The curves were derived from specific tangent points of each boundary so as to

ensure that the pattern of valley defining curves would maintain consistency across

the entire field of tiles no matter how any one tile was oriented. The designs were then transferred to precast plaster blocks using integrated CAM software for CNC machining.

Once the plaster blocks had been milled, the digital processes gave way to a process that was entirely haptic. We were able to create test tiles by press-molding clay and firing them at the Oregon College of Art and Craft, a private arts college and partner with the U of O on this workshop. The clear glaze exposes the differ-ent clay bodies and individual flaws of each tile, a result of the experimental and imperfect nature of the process. Ultimately the intent is to use industrial ceramic processes, like slip casting, that would allow for efficient and consistent manufacture of the tiles. With more rigorous production standards, the inconsis-tency and the prominence of the seams (a product of shrinkage across a solid clay piece) would be reduced, yielding an uninterrupted surface pattern that is infinitely expandable and almost without repetition.


Claire Alyea with Jeff Vincent


This collaboration was originally designed with the intent thatthe two forms would work in inverse but meet at a commonhorizon. For example, at each corner the two shapes would meet at 0.75”, but either side would be a valley or a ridge. Wechose to juxtapose naturalistic curves with precise angles to increase this contrast. In the end, this idea was perhaps too complex for our unsophisticated milling knowledge, the scale of the object, and our relative imprecision of tile thickness. Towards the end of the workshop, we found improvement in understanding modeling for CNC fabrication, the milling processand clay pressing techniques.


ceramiSKIN: digital clayProf. David Celento with Jennifer Wall, Brian Gillis, Nancy Cheng, Bill Taylor

In keeping with the required shape of the octogon, this projectplays with the concept of symmetry. The object has a symmetrical pattern in 2D, but its 3D topography is inversed from one side to the other. If folded in half, the tile would neatly fittogether.

Initial challenges in this project were mostly due to problems learning Maya, and after time I switched back to the more familiar Rhino format. It was interesting to see the processin RhinoCAM, but I didn’t understand the whole process,specifically tooling requirements (speeds, settings, etc.) thefirst time. Once I began pressing the clay in the mold, I encountered problems with the moisture content of the moldcreating too sticky a surface to release the clay. After I beganusing talcum powder, the quality of the tiles improved. Similarimprovements in tile quality came from understanding more about the process of pressing the clay through force, removing excess clay using wires and knives, and findinga way to remove the clay from the mold through surface tension.

Through this workshop I learned how to translate a virtual design into physical medium. I am more aware of how toolingaffects the visual appearance of the design, and how this canadd texture if desirable, but finer bits and stepover rates can minimize this effect.

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Claire Alyea with Jeff Vincent

ceramiSKIN: digital clayProf. David Celento with Jennifer Wall, Brian Gillis, Nancy Cheng, Bill Taylor

The strategy that Claire and I employed to develop our forms was to set parameters that would guide our design, split up to develop our designs individually under those parameters and then, hopefully, produce a field of tiles with a similar formal language. The parameters involved the height and intersection of ridges at specified point where the tiles edges met. The strategy didn’t produce quite the product that I thought it would but I think the tiles were a success none the less both individually and as a field.

I think the most challenging part of the process was the crash course in Maya. It was a very difficult program to jump into and put together a design in one day. However, David was obviously aware of this challenge and did a fantastic job of guiding everyone through.

All in all I think the experience of bringing a deign from digital form through computer controlled tooling and into a hand media was amazing. I hope to have the resources and opportunity to employ this type of mixed media in projects in the future.


Jeff Vincent with Claire Alyea


Geoff Sosebee with Max Taschek


ceramiSkin provided a great introduction to digital fabrication and its implications and uses in architectural practice. Hearing about what David Celento has been researching opened my eyes and mind to a digital world that I had been unable to study at the University of Oregon. Having a solid understanding of both Rhinoceros, Rhino-CAM and the milling machines, I was able to really understand the implications of what we were doing in the workshop allowing me to further question and explore the possibilities available through digital processes. I have since taken what I have learned and begun my own research into digital fabrication, joinery, and architecture; exploring different methods of surface milling as well as the possible uses o ceramics in architecture. Introduction to Maya was beneficial in that it added another program to my repertoire that I am comfort-able using, making me a stronger designer. Max and I started with the same concept of taking something small, our fingerprint, and making something large, but from that point we deviated from one another in the design of our tiles, choosing to explore our own interests within digital clay.



Max Taschek with Geoff Sosebee


Our design is an attempt to reconcile a unique attribute in a repetitious pattern. The tile designs were based on our respective thumb prints, the outlines of which were modeled and manipu-lated using Maya, in an attempt to create moments of seamless transition between two unique signatures (Geoff’s thumb print and mine). Indeed we found challenges in unifying our thumbprints through our modeling techniques and as a composition there is not as much cohesion as I think we had initially envisioned. Personally, I experienced a bit of a formal disconnect between the digitally modeled form and the milled plaster mold. Additionally, it was challenging to avoid getting carried away modeling geom-etries unattainable through the milling process. Though the project did not materialize the way it was preconceived, I feel the composition still speaks of a sort of “sameness in differences”, which is what was at the heart of the investigation.


I found the workshop to be a very

pleasurable experience. I was impressed with David’s

breath of knowledge and experience with ceramics

which opened more creative opportunities for me to

experiment with my tiles. I took a lot out of the

workshop, from learning the basics in Maya to

working with several types of clay and their

prproperties. However, what I found to be most

educational was the process of working from a two

dimensional sketch, to digitizing it in illustrator, then

sculpting it in Maya and bringing it into rhino for CNC

set up, to physically pounding clay into the mold and

releasing the tile from the mold, which as an

architecture student was the most challenging part

ofof the process. I am very comfortable working with

three dimensional modeling software and building

physical models out of bass wood and chip board

and my experience with clay is very minimal.

Learning several techniques to release the tile out of

the mold was what I had the most trouble with but

with the help of the art students, I was able to learn a

newnew medium which I am looking forward utilize with

my future architectural models. On that note, I also

appreciate the opportunity to work with students of

other professions. Interacting with product design

and art students made it possible for me to see how

they approach creative design solutions. Overall the

workshop was exciting and I took a lot from it. I am

denidenitely looking forward to be part of other

workshops in my time at University of Oregon.

Junior Carbajal


Dan Munger


After the �rst and second attempt at using Maya I decided that I would have better luck molding my ideas in Rhino 3D. My intentions were to create a geometric pin rose pattern that disappeared into itself. One of the challenges I ran in to was to get all the facets to look right, and for the star portion of the design, which is not shown here, to match up correctly. During the process of making the tiles them selves I learned that the tight points were not very conducive for the press forming process and that I needed to use a �ner clay like preclean in order for it to work well.



Dean Van


This course gave me the opportunity to use a new method in creating a mold from sketch to 3d program to CNC into a plaster mold. I wanted to create a design that took advantage of the precision of CNC and would great as a connector piece between other geometric tiles.



Andrew Lindley UO PD BFA PDX


The transformation from digital to physical was a fascinating process to watch. In product design we are always looking for way to pull our designs into the real world and this was an exciting new way to do this. The short time frame was also fun because there was no time to think. I could not allow myself to tinker and noodle any of the steps in the process. This spontina-ity led to a lot of rushed decisions that were interesting to see in the end. The results were quite rewarding.



Zach Rosato Maxwell with Adam Wilson


This workshop was very rewarding and exposed me to different methods and mediums of fabrication. Our goal was to create a piece which flowed My initial interest in this class was related to sculpture and form making by hand. What I was not expecting was to the highly technical methods which Celento went through in order to create a rather traditional piece. I found this very rewarding and even though we were not always crafting these pieces by hand, the relationship between the design idea and fabrication process remained very intament. This has changed the way in which I think about creating forms and has been a lasting and rewarding experience.



Adam Wilson with Zach Rosato


My intentions with this project were to have a better grasp of how the CNC works, and see the potential it can bring to archi-tecture. When the project was complete and my positive was cast I felt the product was not quite what I had intended. The translation from digital to physical what not quite what I had expected, dealing with scale and proportion. Moving on to

-ing of what the outcome may be. All in all the workshop was a great learning experience, and motivated me to do more with the technology we have at U of O.



Mike Dowty with Keenan Keeley


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For this project my partner and I deicded to create tiles that reflected the digital process that was used to create it. Using Rhinoceros 3D we designed a set of tiles with sharp faceted faces that when put together resemble a digitized mountain landscape. The process of CNC milling the mold was used in the aesthetic as well by centering the path tool on a single point in the center of the tile giving each tile a foal point and a more pronounced texture at the edges. Finally, the porcess of casting the tile with clay that was hand pressed gives each tile slight variations that make them unique giving character to a repeated digital design.


Keenan Keeley with Mike Dowty


My intention for participating in the workshop was to learn more about combining processes or ideas into a single project. Connecting CAD drawings, CNC milling, and ceramics into one project was interesting. Working with a partner on a tiling pattern that fit together was fun and entertaining. Getting surfaces to match up and align was challenging but rewording upon milling the molds and getting to press clay to make our tile forms. After they were fired tiling them together to see their pattern was much more dynamic than we had expected. The tool markings from the CNC mill left a nice detail that held praise to the process of how the tiles were created. From beginning of the computing faze through to the end when we placed the tiles in their pattern took a good deal of time. The entirety of the process took more time than we initially realized.


ceramiskin

Documents

university of oregon

oregon college of arts

oregon art

tile set

tile surface

brian gillis

nancy cheng

digital design