Over the last month the Art and Design department decided to host a series of creative development workshops where by staff could attend multiple sessions exploring various skills, techniques and equipment to expand their current skillet. These were delivered by the co-coordinators within our department who had agreed to put on some morning workshops. I attended Lazer cutting and 3D Scanning and Printing. I was interested in these particular pieces of equipment having the department purchasing both last year and not really having access to them until now. Lazer cutting has become a phenomenal piece of equipment to support model making, printmaking and packaging.
Set-up is incredibly simple using adobe illustrator and the machine itself is extremely easy to use with low maintenance and a whole host of different materials that can be etched or cut to tailor your design. 3D printing is a technology that I am fairly new to, that I had only really seen on art blogs until a recent micro exhibition I visited at the science museum. The 3D printer allows users to print a polymer plastic in a variety of colours piped like toothpaste to replicate a 3D object. Both workshops demonstrated the machines features, how to set-up files and I walked away with a miniature outcome from both, demonstrating my professional practice and new found knowledge.
It was great to have these workshops embedded within our department and for staff to get hands on with machinery and specialist equipment that is mainly controlled by the coordinators. I have already considered ways in which both can be brought into next academic year not only through the induction process but also into tailored projects and potential avenues for outcomes.
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| Examples of 3D printing and Lazer cutting |
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