Assignment 1

Poster: (Overlapping text is interactive, transcript below).

Transcript:
I stumbled upon this image of a bismuth crystal when searching for interesting crystal patterns, and was immediately struck by the two contrasting patterns (The rectangular prisms and the bubbly deformations) and the way the apparent corruption of an otherwise very rigidly defined form could add a completely different layer of aesthetic attraction to it.
I later realised that this particular example is not exactly representative of the majority of bismuth crystals, which have less deformation and more sharp, geometric lines. I decided however to stick to the idea I had obtained from this original image, as it seemed more technically feasible and produced more unique forms.
I also quite like the effect of the light on both the sharp edges of the geometric component, and the curved forms of the growth-like elements, as it seems to create two contrasting textures from a single material, in a way reminiscent of topographical architecture.

I had a reasonably good idea how I would go about generating the forms in Grasshopper.  I created a group of boxes controlled by eight numerical parameters, then generated a series of spheres that intersected with the outer edge of the boxes, and subtracted them from said boxes.

The main barrier I encountered was that of computing power. The subtraction operation takes a significant amount of time for even a single combination, and this algorithm often called for eighty or more operations at once. There seemed to be a point where the operations ceased to behave correctly and no geometry was generated at all, which meant I couldn’t quite get the pitting level I was looking for.  However, thanks to some careful optimisation and use of customised modules, the final product was something I believe effectively represents the geometry of my original theme.

Grasshopper Definition:

Week 2 Work

I have chosen to use the bismuth crystal (The metallic object) as my theme.

Sources:
Instructions on how to make a bismuth crystal: http://www.amazingrust.com/Experiments/how_to/Bismuth_Crystals.html

Stephen Wolframs: "A new kind of science" , looking at crystal formation:
http://www.wolframscience.com/nksonline/page-993 (Specifically the Hopper Crystals section).

This guy sells grows and sells bismuth crystals, and has a reasonable amount of information and samples:
http://www.bismuthcrystal.com/index.html

Images:

This image demonstrates the potential for colouring patterns as well as physical ones.

This image shows the extreme end of the erosion and combination of the formed geometry and the natural elements.

The potential for a high level of geometric accuracy is displayed in this artificially grown crystal.

This shows the potential for iterations within the crystal through a few simple changes to variables.

Week 1 Tasks

This particular pattern combines a relatively basic fractal pattern and a seemingly random erosion-based pattern which appears to be in a quasi-parasitic relationship with the base geometry. I like the way it combines the sharp, solid prismic forms with the almost organic, pitted look of the eroded areas, it reminds me of overgrown/abandoned city scenes where previously totalitarian architecture has been transformed into something with a basis in nature and a more direct connection to the elements.

One of the things I enjoy in this image is the concept of weight as implied by something we consider to be weightless, i.e. the water droplets. They give the web a more complex curve, reminiscent of the weighting effect you see in NURBS curves. They also add an extra level of textural detail which appears to distort the original geometry.

Flocking is a relatively simple algorithm, but, in a similar way to a fractal, it can be used to create incredibly complex geometry. The idea that it is comprised of simple shapes, arranged via their relationship to their immediate neighbors, which results in such an intricately arranged total, summarizes for me the idea behind Grasshopper; taking a simple set of rules and creating highly detailed geometric forms.