Recently in Laser Category
this came out of my laser class this evening -
what do you call it when one is so entranced by watching the laser cut a raster job?
rasterbation
what do you call it when one is so entranced by watching the laser cut a raster job?
rasterbation
cereal box etched with a laser. the image is a rectangle filled with a gradient that goes dark to light (left to right in the top three pics - right to left in the bottom three pics).
love the laser halftone pattern on top of the color printed halftone in the last image.
closer:
closest:
and the inked side:
closer:
closest:
love the laser halftone pattern on top of the color printed halftone in the last image.
closer:
closest:
and the inked side:
closer:
closest:
Vanessa Schnatmeier finds gorgeous beauty in old, tossed pieces of ... cardboard. applying a scrollwork design to it via the laser cutter, she coaxed out this gorgeous shape that creates intriguing light reflections as it is tilted.
you can reach Vanessa at vanessa -at- moocow -dawt- com.
I ran into Kurt Schaefer again with a piece of wood that was a tad more charred than if it had come off one of our lasers.
he explained, "yeah, I had this xy-table from 15 years ago and I've been switching out heads on it. decided to try and make myself a laser."
"so you bought a tube and attached it..." I knee-jerkily suggested.
"no, it's the cheapest laser around. I attached a magnifying glass to the head. and I use the sun."
"see here, I thought the break in the first 'e' was from the sun moving by the time it got back to the start. to test that, I did another 'e' a little slower and the gap turned out larger."
he explained, "yeah, I had this xy-table from 15 years ago and I've been switching out heads on it. decided to try and make myself a laser."
"so you bought a tube and attached it..." I knee-jerkily suggested.
"no, it's the cheapest laser around. I attached a magnifying glass to the head. and I use the sun."
"see here, I thought the break in the first 'e' was from the sun moving by the time it got back to the start. to test that, I did another 'e' a little slower and the gap turned out larger."
as he left, he mumbled something about gathering sun motion charts based on earth location and factoring compensation into his code.
someone told me recently about his latest onerous odorous laser etching experience.
when he laser etched a pair of jeans he'd been wearing for a while, he realized he should've washed them first. I thought maybe the mud and dirt he had gathered reacted funny or burned. or maybe the culprit was residual sizing left on if these hadn't been washed yet.
with only these remote possibilities in my mind, I looked at him quizzically, waiting for his explanation.
"body odor," he replied.
I'm glad I wasn't there.
when he laser etched a pair of jeans he'd been wearing for a while, he realized he should've washed them first. I thought maybe the mud and dirt he had gathered reacted funny or burned. or maybe the culprit was residual sizing left on if these hadn't been washed yet.
with only these remote possibilities in my mind, I looked at him quizzically, waiting for his explanation.
"body odor," he replied.
I'm glad I wasn't there.
I was gettin' kinda tired of always sending the same old speed and power settings to this machine so I added etch-a-sketch knobs, a joystick, and a sewing foot pedal.
well, not just ANY machine. a Laser Cutter. I totally resonate with Vanessa's sentiments. I have been known to swoon over this machine while teaching class.
Kurt Schaefer created these gorgeous lanterns using the laser cutter at TechShop. moved us all into a drooling mess. he used one of those led lights that flickers irregularly like a candle.
he's always coming up with so clever, unusual, and beautiful items. I asked him what inspired him to make these. a pastry box, he said. ok then.
he made a bunch for his mother's 70th birthday celebration. oh mom, how lucky you are!
he's always coming up with so clever, unusual, and beautiful items. I asked him what inspired him to make these. a pastry box, he said. ok then.
he made a bunch for his mother's 70th birthday celebration. oh mom, how lucky you are!
read his interesting story about how he constructed them here.
a little extra note about Kurt - for Halloween last year, his 3-year old son asked to be a brain with scary eyeballs - and flames! what did dad do? dad came to TechShop and sewed a costume that looked like a brain with scary eyeballs and flames. ah, genetics.
several fun loving couples joined me in my first adult themed valentine laser class last night at TechShop.I ran the laser while they worked together to decide which shapes and messages to cut or etch out of chocolate or red acrylic. each left with a number of personalized pieces for themselves and to share with friends.
left: she was smiling big for a number of reasons - she just got accepted to go for her PhD in the realm of relationships and sexuality. yay for her!
you can join us next week as your last chance to prepare for Valentine's Day 2009 - adult themed or not.
