3D Make It takes art to another dimension
The 3D Make It class offers students the chance to take trips to virtual reality labs and Leonardo’s Basement.
February 22, 2019
For the past three years, there has been a class titled “3D Make It,” which has taught students how to use various machines and how to create real 3D art. The class has the goal to experiment with different types of materials and new tools.
Art teacher Ms. Rahn teaches the 3D Make It class, which is one of two art classes at BSM that uses real like 3D forms of art. The class was created three years ago by a teacher name Mr. Walton, who had a background in fabrication. Mr. Walton would create exhibit displays for various museums, which gave him the skills to help set up the class and has been growing ever since. “The class really has been evolving,” said Ms. Rahn
An average day in the class is very free-flowing and extremely hands on. Students have a chance to work on their own and get to use their own ideas to create what they want as long as it pertains to the task at hand. The students use various machines to create, including a 3D printer, a vinyl cutter, and a laser cutter; all of which have a very specific purpose. “I try to introduce these products to the students so that they can eventually use them on their own in the future,” said Rahn.
Aside from in-class work Ms. Rahn and her students have a fair amount of field trips. The class attends virtual reality labs about three times and Leonardo’s Basement, which is one of the oldest and largest maker spaces in the country. “It helps kids experience art in different ways then what they’re used to,” Rahn said.
Students are currently working on large inflatable sculptures, similar to the ones you see in peoples’ yards during holidays. The students cut out material and tape it together to create the shape they want and then eventually blow it up to around the size of a teacher’s desk. To work through troubleshooting the students are using plastics bags and duct tape to get used to the idea. Aside from the inflatable sculptures, students have already created chess pieces and next they plan on creating non-traditional drawings.
Along with this class, the Art Department is introducing a new class called Product Design which is a crossover class to teach kids to make art with different, unfamiliar mediums. The class will also work on developing skills such as problem-solving and medium transition.
