My 3D Art Installation piece is the physical manifestation of this process. It is a companion to my Final Essay and attempts to evoke the nature and logic behind my writing. 

 

I began by generating the QR Code for this E-Portfolio through an online website, and from there I traced it in Adobe Illustrator, a vector graphic software program, those lines were then exported into a Rhino 5.0 file, another digital software and one I use often. The code was copied eight times and translated via Laser Cutters onto eight sheets of 1/4" clear acrylic. Each sheet is representative of an artifact in my essay, and each sheet has been selectively coded for that artifact. The pairings of such can be found on my main page as well as with the individual artifacts themselves.

 

As such, this sculptural piece is both an aesthetic object and a functional piece. When viewing it from the front one can experience the complete image, and use it to travel to my website via a QR code scanner app on any smart phone device. Beyond the full frontal view however, the piece is meant to be explored and experienced from the sides to better understand how the parts can make up the whole.

 

My approach to this portion of my project changed drastically as I moved from my developmental phases of theoretical though and transitioned into the more practical applications. 

 

My first challenge was ensuring that my QR code actually worked, once tested digitally I was assured that the code itself was fine. I then translated the code onto eight sheets of 1/4" acrylic on which I scored and rastered the lines of the code and the infill areas for each specific artifact.

 

However due to the subtle nature of the raster I changed tactics and decided to recut my pieces and spray-paint the key areas black instead. 

 

Once the sheets of acrylic were completed, I moved onto the creation of my base. I had decided upon a poured rockite (a concrete aggregate) base into which I would embed a series of brackets that would hold my sheets of acrylic. (Top Right)

 

However, after nearly 48 hours of dry time, the rockite refused to solidify completely. At the last minute I found a chunk of scrap cherry lumber in my desk and decided to adapt to my latest challenge and create a new base. (Bottom Right)

 

The result left me with a piece of cherry wood with slots carved out into which the sheets of acrylic sit. (Below)