Form using Linear Material

Our objective is to create a Form suggesting a surface or volume, using linear materials like MS strips (Mild Steel), SS strips (Stainless Steel), Polystyrene strips, paper strips etc.

Step 1: Selection of Keywords

Select a few keywords of your choice for instance Fluid, Curve, Direction, Intersecting, Consistent, Connected, Energetic, Integrated, Continuous, Acceleration or something along these lines.

I have chosen Acceleration and Fluid.

After the selection of keywords, do a brainstorming session on these words and put all your thoughts-random or solid on paper.

Step 2: Ideation

  

Put your thoughts on paper in the form of sketches.

They help to visualize better in 3D.

Step 3: Materials Required

1. Ivory Sheet, White Card Sheet

2.PP Sheet, Polystyrene sheet

3. Mild Steel Sheet (1mm), Stainless Steel Sheet (1mm)

4. Newsprint/ Copier sheets for sketching

5. Pencil, Sharpener, Cutter and extra blades, Steel Ruler, Scissors

6. Fevicol, Stapler, Hole Punch Machine, Eyelets, Araldite, Chloroform (For joining polystyrene sheets)

7. Glass Strip, MDF Board for base (2.5 mm).

Step 4: Explorations in Paper

     

Cut 1mm strips of White Card sheet and Ivory sheet and just explore keeping your keywords in mind. Some worthwhile explorations will come out.

After making 10- 15 explorations, choose the exploration which best conveys the meaning of the keyword. Try playing with it in different materials.

I have used 0.5 mm MS rod for an exploration and mounted it on an MDF board as base. In another, MS strips(1mm) in width have been mounted on a glass base and attached with Araldite. Similarly, Polystyrene strips have also been used to make a form.

Step 5: Finalized Explorations

After experimenting, narrow down to Maximum 4 explorations.

However, I'm not laying down any constraint. You can make as many as you want.

Step 6: Final Linear Form

   

The final linear form can be made using strips of mild steel. Their width is 1.75 mm.The form has been mounted with nails on an MDF base of dimensions - 15' x 8' x 2.5'.The height of the form is 12'.

The MDF base was covered with newspaper and the mid steel strips were painted after a coat of primer. The form has been made in white because the presence of colour may cloud our judgement about the appropriateness of form in a given context.

It is not necessary to make a form similar to this. This was just to give a basic idea of how to proceed in the case of making forms with Linear materials. Also, this activity might seem very artistic but if we associate any meaning with this form or assign a function to it, it will be categorized under DESIGN.