Weiler

Overview of
Recent Personal Work

Jennifer Weiler

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This webpage provides an overview of many of my recent projects.
It also includes links to more detailed explanations and background information.

Examples of student work from classes I have taught for graduate,
undergraduate, and high school students can be viewed here.

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3D printed Lithophanes

For this project, I created a system that translates the traditional ceramic and lighting technique of lithophanes into the medium of 3D printing. The software, toolkit, and fabrication pipeline have been published online through Instructibles.

Link to published Instructible

Link to conference presentation

Below: I created a software interface that allows people to easily create custom shaped lithophanes.
The program (Lithobox) allows users to build a 3D lithophane in 3 steps:

1) creating the sihouette of the 3D lithophane

2) adding outer or inner images to the surface of the lithophane

3) setting the intended size of the lithophane and exporting it as a 3D printable .obj file

Below: example lithophanes created with the software.

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Programmatically Generated Artwork

Computer programming is a big part of my artistic practice,
and I enjoy creating 2D images and animations based on algorithms.

Link to webpage about algorithmic paintings

Link to webpage about custom 2D animation rigs

Below: video of animation created programmatically using Processing.

Below: images generated using the HTML5 canvas element.

Below: a custom 2D puppet rigging system created using Processing.

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Metal

During my time at Arizona State University, I have had the oppurtunity
to work closely with the ASU foundry in order to cast 3D printed objects into metal.
The 3D prints were generated programmatically.

Link to my web page on metal casting techniques

Link to metal casting work presented at IEEE VISAP

Link to information about the Speculative Object show

Below: sculptures created from casting 3D prints into bronze.

Below: sculpture created from 3D models based on genetic data.
This work was a collaboration with biology student Kat Fowler and the ASU foundry.

Below: bronze sculpture created for the Speculative Object show, a collaboration between
ASU and William Paterson University

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Marble

Over the past few years, I have had the change to work with the Garfagnana Innovazione's Digital Stone Project in order to create marble sculptures based on 3D models. The finished sculptures are produced by a combination of automated machine carving and hand-held carving and sanding tools.

Link to Digital Stone Project website

Link to website describing 3D data visualization of sea ice extent for polar seas

Below: finished marble sculpture created from one of my 3D models.

Below: digital renderings of 3D models based on seasonal changes in sea ice data over the past 10 years.
This project was created in collaboration with Mary Bates Neubauer and Daisy Nolz of the ASU School of Art.

Below: finished marble sculptures created from the sea ice 3D models.
The sculptures were carved in collaboration with Garfagnana Innovazione.

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Food

While 3D printers have become more accessible, it is still relatively expensive and time consuming to generate 3D prints. In addition, the materials commonly available for 3D printing are limited to certain types of plastics. I wanted to explore the possibilities of broadening the affordability and material variety for making multiple models by using traditional mold-making with 3D printed sources. In this case, I used silicone molds to translate 3D printed designs into various types of food.

Link to further description of process and culinary research

Left: 2D image used to generate 3D model
Center-left: generated 3D model
Center-right: 3D print
Right: silicone mold created from 3D print

Below: example from study with culinary practitioners:
making vegetable wraps using silicone molds

Below: examples of different foods (egg and popsicle)

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Mycelium

Mycelium is the the white fibrous part of fungus, which has been embraced as a creative tool and making material in recent years. In my work, I have experimented with creating objects out of mycelium as a type of sustainable, biodegradable crafting.

Link to conference presentation

Below: images taken from workshop.
The mycelium mixture is added to flower and water and then shaped using molds.
The mycelium then grows into the shape of the mold over 5-10 days.