Creative play through using the laser cutting machine

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Today I decided to explore the laser cutting machine as I really wanted to explore letter type through wood in a modular way. I had an idea in mind to make my own wood type and explore different ways I can illustrate the Hebrew letter Alef, then explore further through the print medium of letterpress. 


Before attending my time slot with the laser cutter, I decided to research online to see if there were any tutorials or ways around making wood type in a less complicated way. I discovered via YouTube a video seen below, which allowed me to visualise how they worked with wood to create the wood type in stages using the laser cutter to cut/ etch the overall shape of the letter type. I found myself wondering how am I going to archive this??


Jim Callans. (2019, March 17). Laser Cutting Wood Type [Video]. 
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkyWTYCQFXE


At this point I found myself wondering, is it doable for me to create a typeface? I then remembered when I did my BA major project, in which I explored the laser cutting machine and how well this method of cutting shapes out worked best for my research instead of the etching feature. So I felt somewhat confident in exploring this method again. I found myself using the cut-through feature again on Ethos, which is the software used to cut out your designs and vector images that once were illustrator files. 


Here we see an example below that shows photos taken of the initial stages of cutting some of my designs out. At first, there were issues trying to cut out the first shape seen on the left image, this was due to the laser sensor having dust clog it up so I needed assistance from the technicians to resolve this problem so that I could continue the cut of the shapes.


After the issue was resolved, I found myself back in the swing of things using the machine and cutting out my shapes according to their original vector designs. I really like how well these shapes have turned out, as they address another design to illustrate this method of wood type in a modular way. I feel that the tactility that you get from just holding these geometric shapes, automatically makes you want to play with them and explore further. 


Photo showing the exploration using the laser cutter (Jones, 2023)





Photo showing the exploration using the laser cutter
 (Jones, 2023)



I was excited to be making physical things again after I had taken some time out from researching online and dealing with personal commitments. I feel there is something rather holistic with my methodology so far with the use of practice-based research and I feel it is important to me to be able to visualise my development and see ideas forming from creating things. 



Video showing the exploration using the laser cutter (Jones, 2023) 




Below are further outcomes from this recent workshop in exploring the laser cutting machine.
I actually found myself really enjoying seeing my different designs coming to life from sketchbook to screen to then a physical object. This allowed me to see materiality working within my own practice-based principles connoting a constructivist mindset at times. Making physical things become part of the experience within my practice has shown me how materiality is in fact part of my own methodology and how it has been prevalent throughout my work within my BA and now seeing it more in my MA.


Images show photos taken from the laser cutting workshop (Jones, 2023).


Through the tactile experience of physically touching the component pieces, I was able to make sense of my designs and complete letter types. This workshop allowed me to investigate the design and its overall function as both a modular wood type and a fully functioning letter typeface. I am excited to see where my practice-based research will take me next.



Video showing the exploration using the laser cutter
 (Jones, 2023)



A video showing the exploration using the laser cutter was also recorded and uploaded to Instagram. This documentation will allow me to look back and evaluate the success of my research. The link for this can be found below.

https://www.instagram.com/jordan_create/



Video showing the exploration using the laser cutter
 (Jones, 2023)




My thoughts

This was a successful workshop for me, as it got me to explore yet another form of material. The process of making a wood typeface isn't easy and clearly, I didn't achieve the best result in making the wood type, as it was meant to be etched into the wood and made type high. However, this journey of making has allowed me to continue exploring materiality in an engaging and informative way using different materials to show meaning towards a tactile response. This workshop has proven that I do have the confidence to explore different things and make mistakes but, it doesn't go to waste as the wood type will still be used to explore with next in the letterpress studio. 


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