As mentioned in my Main project plan and inspiration post, I have initiated my work on building an anamorphic sculpture. The main function of this sculpture is to act as a model to cast shadows from two views. The dynamic aspect of the project requirements will be met with the anamorphic design of the sculpture. It will cast one shadow when illuminated from the front view of the model. And another shadow when illuminated from the side view.
I plan to 3D print this sculpture, but the final model will need a lot of iterations before creating the final 3D file on CAD. The main constraint I will be facing is deciding on the shape and structure of both the shadows cast and modifying the sculpture in accordance to these shadows. A lot of iterations ahead.

My initial vision is to have one shadow depict a silhouette of a skyline. This will be achieved by having straight sharp edges on the side facing the light. The dome can be made by bending the cardboard around a cylinder and supported with a sturdy wire. My main concern is going to be the setup for the second shadow, which will be seen when light is projected from the side. I have been working on different visualization and modelling methods to come up with an appropriate design. I would like to include a more curvy shadow in the side profile to compliment the edgy shadow in the front view. This is where the iterative trial and error method begins. So, to successfully finish the project on time, I will have to start early so as to have enough time to reiterate this procedure and get a desirable sculpture and shadows.

I have already procured the light sources for my project. I already had one headlamp lying around. It is bright enough and is small in size for me to be able to adjust it on the sculpture with respect to its distance and angle form the sculpture. The primary light source is going to be a camping flash light. I really want to use this particular flashlight because of the color and aesthetic it has. I intend to have the sculpture have a similar aesthetic. Apart from these, I have ordered sheets of cardboard to start the iteration procedure to finalize my sculpture profile.

Once I have the profile, I’ll be converting the physical model into a CAD and print this CAD preferably on an SLA printer to get the desired effect. Once I have my model, I’ll be painting it and adding feature for the sculpture to have a certain aesthetic.

Link to my presentation: Click here

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