Art & Technology - 3D Printing - Design & Function

For my 3D modeling/printing project, I created a pinhole camera that is the correct size for holding a 3.5 x 4 instant film.  I made the design fairly simple, and was surprised at how much work it actually was to get all the measurements correct and line up all the parts.  I am not a 3 dimensional artist typically, so this is sort of out of my wheelhouse.  However, the program Tinkercad.com made it fairly simple and easy to figure out without too much...tinkering (pun intended).  I did run into a few snags, I wasn't sure why my 3D model was showing up so large on the workspace, but it seemed that any kinks or quirks were easily solved.  I didn't get a chance to actually print my design, so I would love to see if it actually works.  I left a slot open on the top to insert the piece of instant film, and I left a tiny pinhole (about .24 mm) open in the front at the center of the circular tube that is basically there for decoration.  Those would need to be covered with some black photographic tape to block out the light.  Pinhole cameras are pretty simple in their design, but take some finagling to figure out the correct measurements and time for a good exposure.  

As a teacher, I wanted to create something that would be relatively simple for students to create, but put their own twist on.  I also was interested in making an artistic tool that could be used to create more art in the future.  I really love the idea of functional art in general, and the function to create more art is even better.  Creating something from scratch using the technology we have today really redefines the way we are making art in the classroom.  I feel that these tools can really take art into a new level that marries the separated worlds of learning.  This type of project really has elements of STEAM - science, technology, engineering, art and math.  With pinhole cameras, that can also include elements of narrative and visual storytelling.  It is truly a new world we are living in and the art classroom, I feel, should be the basis of all aspects of education.

Art & Technology - Little Bits Project

My project for our Little Bits unit was what I call the "Late Night Study Hat."  I used several Little Bits parts that were available through our school to create a hat you can wear at night to read using the lights on the side, and also gives you a forehead massage in case you get too stressed out. There are two switches at the top, one for the lights, which is an on/off switch, and one for the vibration, which is a slider switch to vary the level of power of the massage tool.  The whole thing is operated by a 9 volt battery.  In the images below, you can see my process of planning and assembly.  I did not hide the battery for the final project because I did not want to permanently fix the contraption into the hat since we had to return the Little Bits to the school.  However, if I was going to make it for future use, I would have tucked in the battery so it wasn't visible, and maybe added a zipper feature so you can change it as necessary.

Using Little Bits was one of my favorite projects in the class. I feel that it makes creation of functional art very accessible, as they are easy to use and hard to "get wrong", since they only click together magnetically.  I could see using these in any level of classroom, from elementary to high school and beyond.  I really enjoyed being able to create alongside my fellow students as well.  It was inspiring to see what others were creating and it was a great way to work collaboratively, which I think is important for students to learn how to do.  It also incorporates creativity, as I had to basically invent a new item that used the Little Bits we had on hand.  I could see having Little Bits in an art classroom in a maker space or as a project that augments or even modifies the curriculum.  I could also combine Little Bits with art making, changing projects from ones that are purely visual to ones that incorporate sound and motion and even function! 

My drawn plan for my Little Bits project