Our 3rd Lesson For Term 4

My Layers

Our last lesson for me was something I very much enjoyed as I accomplished all my goals so that I will be ready for vacuum-forming next week. Really, all I have to do is cut out 5 more carriages by tracing the already completed 1-6 - this way the Ferris Wheel will look symmetrical. I have also decided to recut the centre piece as it is a side on view compared to the front view of the rest of the Ferris Wheel, this will make it more appealing and understandable to the eye. Last lesson I also decided to trace the sticker numbers 1 and 2 to make the number 12 onto cardboard. I then suck the two together to resolve my problem of not actually layering and just having everything even and on the same level. I have taken my clock and all materials that I have done so far home, so that I can finish cutting out my carriages and complete the same activity I did with the the number to the legs of the Ferris Wheel. I will also have a chance to redraw and cut out the centre piece, and sand back the edges of all my cardboard shapes - these are meant to look like sharp edges but this can be accomplished and done properly without the edges actually being sharp which will then effect the plastic when the mould/die being Vacuum-Formed. In our next DF lesson on Monday I will check with Mr Andrews that everything is good and no problems look evident before he Vacuum-Forms it. I will then take it home again to paint the plastic clock in many thin layers of paint. I am thinking that every carriage will be a different colour starting from yellow, orange and then red, through to pink then purple, blue and finishing with green.

My Clock

So far I am extremely happy with the progress I have made and look forward to when my clock is Vacuum-Formed.

Second Lesson - Term 4

Our second week back into the Term, and some people have already finished their clocks or are extremely close to that point. Initially this made me feel quite worried as I thought I was behind, but I realised many other people are at the same point as me or even behind - so I am thinking after I have completed my clock, I may be helping others. The lesson for me however was quite productive mentally and on my clock.

Last lesson I had managed to get through the first layer and made a plan to accomplish - well, plan ACCOMPLISHED! I was able to get my second and third layer completed this lesson and am now onto my fourth which is half-way off completion. I have also made sure to make all edges neat as I was cutting. My plan after the fourth is to go right through to the end with all layers then come back to the carrousel layer. I have two reasons for this:

1. So I can see how much room I have and how large or small they need to be, along with the 'pole' holding them onto the body of the Ferris Wheel.
AND...
2. They are the most time consuming and I would like to have everything else completed first - worst comes to worst (which I am 99.9% sure it won't) I will just have no carrousels which wont look as bad compared to not having as many layers on the body or no legs to 'hold the Ferris Wheel up off the ground'.

Half way through the lesson Mr Andrews showed us the process of Vacuum-Forming again as Lily had completed her clock. All was good until one of the middle pieces from her Frangipani became stuck into the plastic as she did not use the Hot Glue Gun - which is crucial. Lily then went away with her plastic ready to take home to paint, however she will have to come up with a way to make sure her mould or die doesn't break as that will not be complying against the criteria of DF for Grade 7's in 2012.

Afterwards, we went back to our bench and I just wanted to check up with Mr Andrews with my design. He thinks I am going pretty well however some of my layers drop down and are therefore not really creating a layer as there is a gap (this happens with the stilts or legs at the bottom of my Ferris Wheel). Mr Andrews said not to be too worried, but if I could fix it, I probably should. This would probably be my first major 'bump in the road', but a new task to do to improve my clock's look and overall grade.

Next lesson, my goal is to finish off all layers and then the following lesson go back to the 12 individual carrousels. This should therefore only take another two lessons or three maximum.

Thank you very much, and keep posted for next weeks blog!

First Lesson of Term Four

On Wednesday the 10th of October, 7K had our first DF lesson of the Term. This lesson, was quite important for me and my design process as I planned when I would like to accomplish certain parts of my clock, and some of my design elements changed.

When we arrived, I set straight into work - finishing off my first layer. Last Term I thought I had already done this, however leaving it and then coming back to look at this first layer I wasn't quite happy. So I simply sharpened a few edges (the cutting was a little dodgy on some Ferris Wheel spokes) and made sure to emphasise the fact that some spokes were of different sizes to others depending on the angle my Ferris Wheel has been set at. I was a little disappointed in myself for not cutting it out properly to start with, but after about five minutes of trying to cut that (extremely thick and hard) cardboard, I realised my hands must have been getting sore and tired.

Nevertheless, I made sure not to waste any time on starting and completing my second layer. During this time, I was also helping others carve their original piece of wood to the correct size. I was also helping others with cutting, glueing, tracing and giving the right advice. On a side comment this is where I would like to mention what I really enjoy about DF, we have a strict plan to follow, but we are still free to use what ever resources we would like and are able to help others whenever we feel necessary whilst doing our own work. Anyway, back to my clock...

Whilst doing my second layer I realised that I had sanded my original piece of MDF wood bad too far so my other layers would not fit once I added on the ferris Wheel Layers. You see, I was meant to have gaps for the spokes, but Mr Andrews told me that would take too long for the allocated time space. So I then went onto the idea of having my carrousels still on the main piece of wood but connecting them to the very top of the spokes. This would have worked if I hadn't sanded my base shape off too far, so now my idea is to have the carrousels on the side of the spokes and to paint the remanding spaces blue for the sky, this will also give the impression of the spokes.

Although my clock hit a little 'design stumble', I am actually quite glad of it, as I now have a better design which I am still extremely happy with. The end of the lesson for me was the spent tracing and cutting out my second layer, along with helping others with their clocks, as some still hadn't started their first layer, or were a little behind.

Next week, I am planning on doing my next few layers (I should get more done as they are smaller) before the carrousels. My plan is to do the carrousels last or all in one lesson along with the numbers, as their are twelve carrousels which are quite small and will be time consuming.

At this point, I feel extremely happy with how my clock is coming along so far, and absolutely cannot wait until the final version is completed!