Making blog
I wove the net of the Garbage Sea Sweeper using metal wire as well as nubs from the bottom of a plastic pop bottle. I liked the idea of incorporating plastic waste into the design itself and the plastic also allows us to see the skeleton of the sharky-fish. I imagine that the skeleton is mechanical and helps the creature to swim. I'm very excited to have completed this sculpture. Thanks to Luiza and Little Inventors for this opportunity. I had so much fun making the Garbage Sea Sweeper!
Initially I was going to create an entirely woven net, but I thought it might be interesting to incorporate some of the plastic waste itself into the sculpture. I cut the little nubs off the bottom of a pop bottle, poked holes in them with a tack, and then sewed wire braids around the outsides of them so that I can include them in the net of the Garbage Sea Sweeper.
The project is running towards the end. I have been doing the very final step, compositing a single scene into a sequence. In a motion graph animation, this is the most important part (in my personal view) as the transition is the most impressive part of it.
The hardest, but my favorite process to see the result over and over again that I have just made a smooth frame!
Finally, the day came to meet Benjamin.
We discussed many aspects about the conception of his wonderful idea, I was amazed since the concept creation had been so well thought out. It can be a great idea for the future and thus save our oceans, the way this object is thought is very clever.
Transforming waste into energy is the main objective of this device A.K.A ASP Déchets 0.1, with its seven legs each armed with several sensors to detect waste and locate it even 1 kilometer away is terrific and, on top of that combining with the idea of renewable energy which is actually used to move their tentacles is the perfect complement to close with a golden flourish.
I was so glad with Benjamin's reaction when he saw the littloe advances I had made for representing a bit of my job related to his idea and now it is the time to bring to life Benjamin’s idea !
I wanted a nice stand to support the cylindrical vessel. I used a piece of pine wood, made nice edges with a router and apply a couple of coats of varnish. I 3D printed two plastic saddles that will be used to support the vessel and a nameplate as well that a spray painted blue.
(English version below)
J'ai voulu ajouter des éléments décoratifs en ligne avec le dessin de Simon. J'ai donc fabriqué sur l'imprimante 3D un poste de pilotage pour le capitaine avec une ancre et une roue de pilotage, des poubelles et des sièges pour les figurines.
(Version française plus haut)
I wanted to add a few decorative elements that were in line with Simon's drawing. I made on the 3D printer a control desk for the captain with a small anchor, driving wheel, trash cans, etc.
Understanding the interactions of the spherical element, I decided to make an approach to the form from the first two-dimensional exploration which served as a fundamental axis to define hierarchies in possible definitions of sequences of use.
The clay modeling served as a bridge to connect and to appropriate definitive features of the form, as well as it also functioned as inspiration to move on to the next stage that sought to define formal features with the help of computer-aided three-dimensional construction tools.
The use of referential resources is quite useful, where I can appropriate formal gestures that serve to define features of the idea itself. appropriating the experimentation obtained in previous exercises and opening possibilities of defined exploration.
When I got the Benjamin’s idea it caught my eye at the very first moment.
I got so impressed about Benjamin’s skills at drawing, when I saw his drawing for the very first time, I felt the potential of his invention and conception without reading anything at all! That beautiful and expressed drawing was telling me a lot of details even when I have not read any word or explanation about his idea.
I have to say I found so clever to relate his invention with an octopus, it immediately starts telling me greater cognitive complexity and so many possibilities to think about having this super smart sea creature as a developing reference. I started feeling so many good things and, when I got to read his descriptions of what he has in his mind, it just draws a noticeably big smile in my face. I was like, I got it! This is the idea I was looking for and, of course I decided to make it real. I mean I wanted to develop his thought and his marvelous creation.
So, I started to do some sketches for representing what I kept from his idea and, also doing the process of translating my thoughts, exploring a little bit about form and function of this amazing machine that could be the saver for our oceans and the related environment.
With Linden's help, I designed the S.O.R. with bright colours that help signal other animals for danger! The eyes have dots around them that help scan other animals, it has a bag inside its belly to collect the trash and is a really good swimmer!
This is a small animation to show some really colourful fish that live under the sea, an example of many of the lives the S.O.R. is protecting!
I decided to draw a few crabs as the invasive species, they will be eating the sea weeds and disturbing other fish, so the S.O.R. will drive them away and restore balance!
This is a rough sketch of how the Sea Otter Robot will guide the vaquitas with a sign, helping them stay away from fish hooks and fishing nets!
This is part of the opening sequence, a sea made of cut out paper!
For a few weeks, I've been working on the concept designs, story boards planning for production of motion graphic animation, "Mernicorn". I decided to add a story that Mermicorn build a shelter for fish after it collect the particles of micro-plastic.
It is my interpretation of Mary's saying "recycles it into useful plastic. "
And yes! That's a collaborative concept with Mary!
For the character design, I borrowed the original color palette-white on body, red on tail, green on purse, and black on fin- and adjusted it into more pastel tone. I made roundy face and big eyes that could be seen in an animation for kids! I hope all people, parents and children enjoy my work.
(ENGLISH VERSION BELOW)
Avec comme but d'animer le modèle, j'ai conçu un circuit électronique pour contrôler les lumières (au dessus-du capitaine; lumière rouges et vertes de navigation), le scooper-convoyeur et les roues à auges pour faire avancer le bateau ainsi que pour les effets sonores (klaxon de bateau, bruit de machinerie, bruit de vagues).
Pour le "cerveau" du système de contrôle j'ai utilisé un microcontrôleur Arduino Nano; pour les différents sons, un petit module MP3 avec carte de mémoire et connecté à un petit haut-parleur. J'ai assemblé le tout sur un petit circuit imprimé.
(VERSION FRANÇAISE PLUS HAUT)
To provide animation to the model I designed an electronic circuit to control the lighting (above the captain, also green and red navigation lights), the scooper-conveyor, the paddle wheels and also to provide sound effects (sound of splashing water, boat horn, machinery noise).
The "brain" of the control circuit is an Arduino Nano; for the sound effects I used a miniature MP3 player with a memory card connected to a small speaker. I assembled the circuit on a small circuit board.
The Garbage Sea Sweeper's body is ready to go! Now all it needs is a net.
Within this work, I tried to capture how Luiza's drawing is cute but also a little scary. I think this Sharky-Fish looks cute but mischievous. I hope it looks scary enough to frieghten fish away while it collects garbage from the ocean.
I very carefully peeled off the tape covering the Garbage Sea Sweeper's eyes and teeth. I used a knife to cut around them first so that I wouldn't accidentally peel off paint with the tape.
I also added some paint on the hard to reach spots that were missed when spray painting.
I prepared the Garbage Sea Sweeper for painting by cover its eyes and teeth with tape.
I hung the sharky-fish with a wire through the holes in its fins. You can see my mess in the background!
I sprayed the sculpture with a coating of textured silver, followed by light spritzes of teal and dark blue to represent the colours in Luiza's drawing.
I needed to permanently fix the two tail segments together and to create a tie down for the Garbage Sea Sweeper's net.
I created tie downs for the net by drilling holes in the back of the head, and adding little "U" shaped wires into the head, fixing them in place with epoxy (super strong glue).
I tied the tail together by drilling a hole through each side and twisting them together with a wire.
Magic Sculpt is a little bit difficult to work with because it doesn't smooth that easily. I gave the sculpture a light sanding to get rid of textures and finger prints.
After my meeting with Luiza, I learned that the Garbage Sea Sweeper has metal teeth! I adjusted by painting the teeth copper and the mouth black. I chose to make the teeth copper because I plan on painting the sculpture silver and I want the teeth to stand out.
I painted the teeth in advance so I can build up with more Magic Sculpt around the mouth and won't have to try and work in tiny and awkward spaces later with paint. I know this looks messy, but since I know I'm adding more material, I don't have to be too precise with my painting.
I also added eyes! I ordered glass fish eyes from Nix Creations on Etsy. I needed to make some adjustments to add the red light to represent Luiza's camera eyes, so I scratched off some of the back of the eye and painted it red. It's subtle. Can you see it?