This post is a celebration of building models and prototypes by hand. Each of these projects involve a substantial amount of work in 3D CAD, but physical prototyping was essential. Physical modeling is especially important with figurative work that involves texture.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9a170c_1f24a5495b5446c4805e2e42f37d5c30~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_332,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/9a170c_1f24a5495b5446c4805e2e42f37d5c30~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9a170c_46d64ff3cb6c4aac8198df854ffcb469~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_503,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/9a170c_46d64ff3cb6c4aac8198df854ffcb469~mv2.jpg)
This is a tiny kinetic model of an artpiece that involves human-driven motion, complex moving light effects, and sounds. We used a waterjet to cut the delicate steel lacework and I found a tiny gauge chain to make accurate kinetic components, using a laser cutting to cut gear teeth.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9a170c_0f84c7b372e341dc8ff73e13a11b1992~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_782,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/9a170c_0f84c7b372e341dc8ff73e13a11b1992~mv2.jpg)
Kinetic sculptures involving simultaneous reflection and transmission are difficult to simulate accurately, but lots of fun to explore with kinetic models.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9a170c_82838640b21e4be4be624163b414da5a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_489,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/9a170c_82838640b21e4be4be624163b414da5a~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9a170c_cb9084ae186641b78c979ebd7da0989f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_329,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/9a170c_cb9084ae186641b78c979ebd7da0989f~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9a170c_b2b1d691036e4636a66eb4d8c296f367~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_333,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/9a170c_b2b1d691036e4636a66eb4d8c296f367~mv2.jpg)
With these models, I was able to see how the wind moved the dichroic material manipulating the light.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9a170c_95cb0f3449774cacaf2ea486053289a0~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_490,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/9a170c_95cb0f3449774cacaf2ea486053289a0~mv2.jpg)
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