Simple Squares

This is your first introductory skills lesson with Adobe Illustrator and Laser Cutting/Engraving. You will cut squares for a cardboard box with one side open (five sides). The box will have an INSIDE volume of 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm = 1,000 cubic cm or 1 liter exactly.

Step-by-Step Making Instructions (pdf)

• Draw (vector cut) a 10 cm x 10 cm square
• Insert a favorite photo image of yourself centered in the square. Label with your name and the expression "10 x 10" - the dimensions of your square - underneath your image
• Confirm that the thickness of the cardboard we use is 3 mm. Now draw more squares that are 10 x 10 plus the thickness of the cardboard on one or more sides. Your artboard should have two artboards, 6 squares each (total of 12 squares) with the following configuration:
  • 10.0 cm x 10.0 cm (2) one with your image and name; and a second plain square
  • 10.0 cm x 10.3 cm (4)
  • 10.3 cm x 10.6 cm (4)
  • 10.6 cm x 10.6 cm (2)
• Label each of the ten plain squares with their dimensions

Now you are ready to save your file on a flash drive and print your square cut-outs on the laser cutter/engraver.

Assemble your pieces into a box with an open top using the square with your image on the front side of the box. Use masking tape to hold the pieces together. Note the sizes engraved on your pieces and their orientation (10.0 x 10.0 with image - front) for all five sides of your "perfect" box.

Take glam shots of your box with masking tape. Write a reflective web post with pictures of your Simple Squares taped box.

Scoring: 20 points total (for traditional summative grade)

1. Glam shots of your box (at least two on your web post) - 0, 5, 10
2. Web Reflection - 0, 5 or 10

• Describe the configuration of your box (dimensions of the front/back; sides; and bottom)
• Do the raster lines align with the cardboard edges of the adjoining sides of your box?
• Do your glam shots show what you are claiming?
• What was easy, what was difficult, how many retries until your were satisfied with the accuracy?
• If you have a Windows PC, you can load the Epilog Laser Print Driver and load your Adobe Illustrator Files directly from your PC while you are in the Fab Lab (Room 301) or my classroom (Room 311) - see Step-by-Step Instructions for loading the Epilog Laser Print Driver on your Windows PC