Assignment: Voxel Model

Assigned: Thursday, September 11

Due: Thursday, September 18 @ class start

Assignment Description:
As a warm up exercise, and to start to familiarize ourselves with the very basics of Rhino, create a model using only 1x1 "voxels" (volumetric pixels) on the grid of the construction plane.  Your challenge is to create a representation of your summer (whatever that means to you!), and of course, to strive to create the GREATEST VOXEL MODEL EVER PRODUCED.  EVER.

Assignment Requirements:

1.) Create a 1x1 voxel in Rhino, and with grid snap enabled, use the alt+drag the gumball handles of your voxel to quickly clone copies of it

2.)  Create at least two materials to apply to your model in "render" view mode.

3.)  Use basic commands in Rhino to create a "representation" of your summer (or some aspect of it)
4.)  Save your model where you can access it next class (i.e. on your one drive or USB drive, google drive, etc)

5.) We will create our process blogs and fist blog post (documenting our voxel creations) together next week during class.

See examples of similar assignment submissions from previous semesters here.

Assignment: Castle 

Assigned: Thursday, September 18

Due: Wednesday, September 24 @ 11:59am (NOON)

Assignment Description:

Using Rhino's basic geometry, extrude, loft, revolve and move/copy/rotate tools, students will create an original model of a "castle". Students will then assign visual materials to their creation, and capture images as screen shots. These will be documented as a new post on each student's process blog.

Assignment Requirements:

1.) Using basic processes covered in class, create a 3D model of a castle in Rhino.

2.) Assign at least three (3) different materials to objects within your castle.

3.) Take at least three screen shots of your virtual object (from various perspectives.) (hint: imagine the view port as a camera - make it a beautiful shot!)
a.) On a Windows PC: Use Snipping Tool. Instruction here.
b.) On a Mac PC: Use OSX screen shot. Instructions here.

4.) Post these renders in a new post on your process blog, along with a brief (1-2 sentences max) description.

5.) We will continue to refine these concepts and designs in class next week.

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Exemplary student work from previous semesters (from a similar assignment):

F2017
F2018
F2019
F2020
F2021A
F2021B

Assignment: Castle 

Assigned: Thursday, September 25

Due: Wednesday, October 1 @ 11:59am (NOON)

Assignment Description

Refine your castle-object design, apply realistic materials and lighting, and produce 4–6 photorealistic renders that showcase your design from multiple perspectives. Use peer feedback from class to inform your refinements, and tell a more resolved visual story of your object.

Requirements

1. Design Refinement

   • Revisit your initial castle model.

   • Incorporate critiques from the Speed Dating session: strengthen weak areas, clarify intent, resolve structural or aesthetic concerns.

   • Consider scale, balance, silhouette, and surface articulation in your refinements.

2. Materials & Lighting 

   • Assign at least 3 distinct materials (e.g. stone, wood, metal, glass) to parts of the castle.

   • Pay attention to realistic material behavior: reflectivity, roughness, translucency, edge wear, etc.

   • Set up 2–3 lighting sources (e.g. directional sun/sky, fill light, rim/edge light).

   • Consider how shadows, highlights, and ambient occlusion will interact with your materials to reveal form.

3. Rendering & Presentation

   • Produce 4 to 6 final images (renders) of your refined castle object from different angles or with different lighting setups.

   • Use camera framing thoughtfully (close-ups, three-quarter views, detail shots).

   • At least one render must be a close-up detail (focusing on texture or a junction).

   • Export high resolution (e.g. 1920×1080 or higher).

   • Include your original castle model (before refinement) as a reference side-by-side (thumbnail or overlay) in your presentation.

4. Process Documentation & Reflection

   • On your process blog or course site, post:
     a) Screenshots of intermediate stages (wireframes, material previews, lighting tests).
     b) Short commentary (1 paragraph) about the critiques you applied, how materials and lighting evolved your design, and what you learned through iteration.

   • Include any challenges encountered (e.g. noise, texture seams, light leaks).

Assignment: President's Coaster: Idea Storm & Concept Sketching

Assigned: Thursday, October 2

Due: Wednesday, October 8 @ 11:59am (NOON)

Assignment Description

This project invites you to explore the idea of the coaster as a design object. A coaster is usually a flat, round thing that sits quietly under a cup — but what if it could be more? Could it be sculptural, playful, narrative, or even a little strange?

In this first stage, your goal is not to land on a “perfect” design right away, but to generate as many ideas as possible. Think wildly, think experimentally, and don’t be afraid to push past the obvious. What else could a coaster be, besides a circle under a cup?

Requirements

• 12+ concept sketches (quick thumbnails are fine). These should explore a wide range of ideas, materials, and forms.

• A short reflection (1–2 paragraphs) explaining which 2–3 concepts you’re most excited about and why.

• Optional extras: mood boards, collage experiments, or quick 3D doodles in paper, cardboard, or clay.
  
  

Creative Prompts to Push Your Thinking

Choose a few of these to guide your sketches:

• “Wrong Tool”: Imagine a coaster that completely fails at its function — what could it look like?

• “Scale Shift”: What happens if the coaster is the size of a rug, or the size of a coin?

• “Personality Coaster”: What would a coaster look like if it expressed joy, anger, calm, or chaos?

• “Living Object”: Could your coaster change over time, reveal something when wet, or interact with light or touch?

• “Institutional Storytelling”: How might a coaster embody AUArts or the President’s role?

• Material Remix: What if a coaster was made of fabric, mycelium, found objects, or unexpected composites?

• Narrative Layers: Could the coaster tell a story, reveal hidden messages, or connect with others to make a larger design?
  
  

Submission

• Upload your sketches and reflection as a new post on your process blog

• Bring your sketches to class for group discussion and feedback.

• NUMBER your sketches for easier reference during feedback.