Though the Laser
Cutter, 3D-Printer, and CNC Milling Machine are now becoming the hottest trend
in Model Making, an architecture student should know their way around the shop
and also how to use the right materials and tools, and able to make physical models
out of cardboard and glue. Marrying all old and new technologies in model
making will give you an advantage in showcasing your design intent.
Suck at modelling? The only way to get better is by practicing again and again, making mistakes and learning from them to gain proficiency. Model making takes experience and practice. So don’t be afraid of the studio or avoid using it. I regretfully only fell in love using it in my final years, and it’s a great place to work on creating stellar models. The studio culture is also different and unique, you can learn from your peers on how to use the materials and equipment available to you. There were always times when I`d be getting help from a friend to hold this piece in place as I glue or nail a piece down, or asking help from a technician if I did not know how to use a machine.
Initial Considerations in
Modeling:
· Process or
Final? Is your physical model a sketch model for design exploration or
study, or is it a presentation model for your review? This is going to
determine level of quality and effort if you will be presenting a crude and
dirty draft or a clean final model which is more precise.
· Your model is an
abstractions of your design intent- Just like drawing, depending on the scale
of your model there is only so much detail you can put depending on its size.
Think about your design intent and what you are trying to convey with your
model. You have to gauge as a student when you draw or model what is the
appropriate level of detail to show in your time constraints and what is asked
of you.
· Give yourself
AMPLE time (if possible, try a draft model ahead of time). You do not want
to be in a position of building something that won’t stand up, or be left with
a mistake at the last minute. You do not want to end up with a
crappy model that has dirty cuts and glue bits showing for your review.
· Seek help from
your wood shop and digital fabrication technicians as needed.Talk to them and
always ask for help when you do not know how to work that equipment or create a
particular piece. Nice well crafted models are given lots of time, attention,
and effort.
· Have a
plan. You need to have some idea of how you would like to build your
model, how it will look like, how to assemble it, and how it will stand
structurally. Sketch, draw up how you will make your model.
· Some tips to
avoid some blunders:
o When gluing bits
and pieces, don’t apply glue directly from the bottle. Just squirt a bit onto
some scrap cardboard and use a stick or thin strip of cardboard to apply glue
to your pieces.
o Have a damp
cloth to wipe away any excess glue.
o Know your materials
- some materials are strong and durable for models, some are fragile and might
break down easily.
o Some pieces
don’t stick well or properly – cardboard on foam.
o Some materials
don’t work well being laminated with glue.
o Have a plan and
even a scaled drawing of your model to reference from or use when cutting your
pieces to size.
o Graphite paper
is valuable in tracing down topographic lines or model pieces to size.
o Sketch out how
you plan to assemble the model. How will it structurally support.
o Be creative! (I
remember a friend using a coke can to represent metal flashing in her corner
detail model)
o Have your
dimensions/measurements ahead of time before heading to the shop. Take into
account nominal thicknesses of the material available to you. You might have to
deviate your model from the actual drawings.
o Be gentle with
your exacto knife - Score a couple of times and don't cut through in one go.
When using an Exacto knife on cardboard or foam core, score a few times to get
your piece and don’t apply a full pressure to get your piece in one cut (it’s
gonna look dirty)
o use a metal edge
ruler when cutting with an exacto knife and NEVER with your scales and T-square
(In high school, I saw too many warped and worn down engineering scales and
T-squares)
o Always have a
backing mat when you cut! With it you won’t scratch your desk. Without it, your
knife can lose direction as you cut!
o Forget the
crappy glue you have been used to in Elementary in High School or Middle
School. Say Hello to Weld-Bond and wood glue...and a little super glue
o DO NOT use a
glue gun, tape for your presentation models. Final Presentation Models need to
be clean.
o Use glue gun,
tape if it’s for a process model...and only if you CAN really hide it from your
final model. Sketch models can be sloppy. that includes cutting pieces up too.
What other tips would you suggest
for Making Models? Have a model blunder story to tell? Please comment and
share!
