SLQ Wiki workshops:gettingstarted

AR Masks

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 11:10:04 +0000

AR Masks

Developed by Michelle Brown and Ellie Dumigan, 2024

In this workshop, you will learn how to turn a physical mask and using Procreate to animate and then transform it creating with Adobe Aero to create an augmented reality animation.

The workshop will focus on merging traditional art techniques with digital tools to bring your mask to life with interactive animations.

Workshop presentation

The AR Masks workshop has been created into a slide show for presentation and documentation purposes. Please feel free to download and use the guide and files as per our CC license in the footnote.

Some pages may link to other online workshops, tutorials or guides created at The Edge, you may require internet to connect and view links.

Public view - Slides

Admin view - Slides

Required Equipment

iPad and Apple Pencil (borrowable from The Edge)
Adobe Aero (available in the DML)
Paper, pen and scissors

Learn to ThreeDee with a FUNctional print - Self Paced Starter Project

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 17:38:35 +0000

Learn to ThreeDee with a FUNctional print - Self Paced Starter Project

This one’s a little different than the other Starter Projects because we are not going tell you what to make.

There’s a pile of knickknacks on Thingiverse and models on MyMiniFactory that you can download and print as a first 3D print. And yes it will be exciting standing there and watching it print out…

…but that doesn’t really do much to make the world a better place does it?

Is it just going to be another lump of plastic that is going to end up choking up the ocean or entering the food chain?

Trinkets like this are regularly called dust collectors. They usually don’t change anything, they don’t solve a problem or fill a gap. They just sit on a shelf getting in the way for a while till you get sick of looking at them and throw them away.

This is where Functional prints come in… and I think it’s the best way to learn to actually use a 3D printer. To learn the skills you need to productively use the machine and start solving little everyday problems you need to find a little every problem to solve.

When people ask me,

“Mick my good man what’s the most exciting thing you’ve ever made on a 3D printer?”

I probably end up boring the brains out of them.

They expect you to talk about printing out something cool like a prosthetic for a three-legged dog or a jet engine for a model boat but I talk about something very, very boring – a replacement foot for a café table leg (you know the little feet you screw up and down to adjust the height of individual legs and stabilise a table on uneven ground).

But I’m still excited about this print (probably 10 years later) because it was a quick, simple solution to a really annoying problem and especially when I didn’t have time to muck around.

It took me 5 minutes to design a foot that would go with some M6 bolts I already had, and 30 minutes to print out 6 copies on our 3D printer. A couple of squirts of black paint and voilà - problem solved.

I think the best thing was that it saved me the 30 min drive out to and back from Bunnings, where I was either going to get stung for an expensive replacement that probably wouldn’t match or… find out that they didn’t have anything suitable. More frustration.

And this is why I like the functional print. And why I think it’s the best way to learn the skills you need. It's often replacing a simple plastic part that’s broken or gone missing. Or filling that gap when you say to yourself “I wish I just had a little thingamajig to solve that problem”. And when it works you get that buzz, the satisfaction of doing something for yourself, a friend or family.

Check out the FunctionalPrint subreddit for the cool things other people have made.

And here my pick of the best 6.


Reddit - 3d printed Lanyard by u/TsunaSing	Reddit - Pool Skimmer u/sholder89	Cable Manager adapted from Thingiverse by u/21Goose21

Reddit - Lawn chair drink caddy by u/Skvli	Planter hooks by u/Noble69	Reddit - Shower head clip by u/Jesus_Died_LOL_84

Broke the Mop replacement by u/VaughnSC	Reddit - Popfilter by u/leonedott	Reddit - Xacto blade holder by u/Illustrious-Yard-871

So… getting started.

Page break for print

So... Your Mission if you Choose to accept it

Step 1

Have a look thru these and then have a look around your home, at what little plastic things need fixing with a little bracket or patching with a thingimajig. Or have a think about that annoying little thing you're always losing or struggling to get lined up and bring it and we’ll start making a 3D printed solution.

Step 2

Get yourself to Hack the Evening at the State Library on a thursday night (hardest part of the whole process cause you can't do it from the couch) Introduce yourself and we'll show you around.

Step 3

We'll talk about you project and make some measurements. Maybe make a basic drawing planning out how we are going solve your problem.

Step 4

Learn the basics of TinkerCad - Autodesk's free online Cad program. Like I said above its easy to learn all you need is:

be able to read a computer screen,
operate a mouse and
have some patience.

Theres a TinkerCAD tutorial here

In TinkerCad we'll go thru:

How to navigate the 3D space in the program
We'll show you how easy it is to create functional models using the geometric solids
how to dimension these solids using the ruler tool
how to layout these solids using the align and drag tools
how to how to combine these solids to create compound shapes and finally
how to export your model ready for printing.

Step 5

Learn how to prep your model for printing using the PrusaSlicer software:

Importing your model
working out the best way to orient it for printing.
Choosing your settings - resolution, infill, Support or no support
Saving you model as a printible Gcode file on the SD card.

Step 6

Learn how to use the actual printer:

selecting you job in the menus
getting the printer ready to print
And Go!

Laser cut key fob or cheeky pair of earrings - Self Paced Started Project

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 10:48:32 +0000

Laser cut key fob or cheeky pair of earrings - Self Paced Started Project

If you can draw what you want on a bit of paper (or find something online if you don’t want to draw), and again, if you can read a screen, use a mouse, we can teach you basic skills you need to layout and cut your design on one of our fancy Laser cutters Checkout these examples.

So… Your Mission if you Choose to accept it

Step 1

Get yourself to Hack the Evening at the State Library on a thursday night (hardest part of the whole process cause you can't do it from the couch) Introduce yourself and we'll show you around.

Step 2

We'll talk about you project and make some measurements. Find a nice simple image ( preferably black and white) on the internet (usually if you google your favourite animal/character/go to thing with “silhouette”you get a good result) or draw something with a fat black marker. It doesn't need to be super detailed its only going to be small.

Step 3

Download the image or take a photo with it your phone and open it in your favourite vector drawing program ( Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw or Inkscape is free and there's a tutorial here)

Step 4

Trace your image using the pen tool or Autotrace function

Step 5

Add some text* if you like or a border round the outside if you like( a border round the outside makes it easier during the weeding stage). *Remember if you write something you need to convert it from text to an outline before you cut it.

Vinyl Cutting for fun - Self Paced Started Project

anonymous@undisclosed.example.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 11:46:35 +0000

Vinyl Cutting for fun - Self Paced Started Project

Make a sticker for your laptop or smart phone. If you can read a screen, use a mouse and have a bit of patience, we can teach you the basic skills you need to layout, cut and apply a vinyl sign, just like the pros. Your first sticker is free. After that it's about $15/metre or you can bring in your own material. Checkout these examples.

So... Your Mission if you Choose to accept it

Step 1

Find a nice simple image ( preferably black and white) on the internet (usually if you google your favourite animal/character/go to thing with “silhouette”you get a good result) or draw something with a fat black marker.

Step 2

Download the image or take a photo of your drawing with your phone and open it in your favourite vector drawing program ( Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw or Inkscape which is free and there's a tutorial here)

Step 3

Trace your image using the pen tool or Autotrace function

Step 4

Add some text* if you like or a border round the outside if you like (a border round the outside makes it easier during the weeding stage).

*Remember if you write something you need to convert it from text to an outline before you cut it.

Step 5

Cut that Badboy. Instructions for doing this over here

Step 6

Weeding is the process of removing the unwanted parts (negative space) of the vinyl. Its the main reason frankly, you'd pay someone else to do this work because its the part that takes time and patience.

Its also the point of the process where you will be punished if you have been over ambitious with the scale of your project and will wreck your work if you rush. This is where we refer you to the first instruction in Step 1 “Find a nice simple image ”

I persisted with this Hokusai “Great Wave” with three tries and it eventually beat me when i finally go one applied but I'd stuck it on upside-down… i nearly cried.

Step 1 “Find a nice simple image ”

Hints for Weeding-

Use a weeding tool. It makes it a lot easier.
Work from the top right hand corner across and down. seems to work better.
Don't be afraid to make a few extra cuts with a utility knife to make the negative space bits that you are weeding small- more manageable.
Don't be afraid of cutting a second for spare parts if you lose some - its better than tearing your hair out.

Step 7

Apply some applicator tape to your vinyl

and prep your surface for application.

Step 8

Take a deep breath and apply your vinyl.