The proposal:

During the years that I have been teaching sculpture, I have never found a text that could adequately visualize three-dimensional forms and their design relationships. Our understanding of a three-dimensional object can never be complete with only one viewpoint. A single view can be very deceptive. For example, a circle from a distance could be a sphere, a cone, a cylinder or a flat circle. To understand three-dimensional forms one must have many viewpoints for the mind to piece together the total identity of the object. Most texts no matter how good cannot afford to use every view of a form. The cost of printing images often cannot include the impact that color choice will have upon the form. Such texts are limiting for students who have never worked three-dimensionally. I find that in explaining the terms and principles to my students that I must resort to physical objects to define these relationships. They understand the written definitions in the text, but they do not understand the implications of how a form can change with a change in viewpoint or direction. Even with real world objects one cannot visualize variations of the form. To do so would require too many objects to store. Also, real world forms cannot be made to penetrate other forms without weeks of manipulation of the materials. By using computer generated forms and putting the design principles in action via the video format one can easily demonstrate each principle clearly and succinctly. Cause and effect of changing relationships between forms can be demonstrated in real space and viewed from all sides. What would normally take an entire semester to demonstrate physically should take only 30 minutes to an hour in the computer.

What I plan to create is a web site that any student could access that would demonstrate the basic three-dimensional design principles with each principle animated. This would be an interactive tutorial and students could practice manipulating a variety of forms and relationships. I have developed a short demo of this project that defines the axes. I showed this demo to a student who could only give me a written definition of the transverse axis, but could not use that definition in any meaningful way. This student was no different from the majority of my students who are intelligent and creative, but have had no experience in designing three-dimensional forms. After viewing the demo the student experienced the "light bulb effect". He could clearly see the cause and effect of different types of forms in a variety of positions on the transverse axis. His confidence and use of design principles greatly improved. What I found most important was that his consideration of other design variables increased as well. By this, I mean he was able to design the form from all viewpoints rather than developing the form by using only a front and side view. Also, by using the computer and a three-dimensional modeling software program he could radically increase the number of design solutions, thus, increasing his design skills exponentially.

The areas that I would like to cover in this web site include the following concepts:

The three primary directions

The basic views

The Elements of 3-Dimensional Design

Technical requirements:

This project will be developed using Authorware and Infini-D software on a Powermac 8600AV computer with an 8MB VRAM video card, plus 96MB RAM, a 3-D graphics accelerator card, and 4 gigabyte harddrive. Hardware needs include the use of a flat image scanner, a slide scanner, and access to a server for storage. Other software that may be used to enhance and capture images will include Adobe Photoshop 4.0, Fractal Painter, Poser, and Macromedia Director. All of this equipment is available to faculty in the faculty computer lab. Also, my office computer is the 8600AV powermac described above and most of the software I already own. The only purchase required would be the Authorware software and a zip drive.

Institutional Support:

Institutional support has already been in place at Southwestern University with the installation of the faculty computer lab in the new Olin Building. At present, I introduce three dimensional modeling with Infini-D in my sculpture courses and Adobe Photoshop 4.0 in my photography classes. The University has several computer labs available to students for integrating the use of particular software into their course work. Also students who bring their own computers can be wired to the network directly from their dorm rooms.

Integration of the Project into the curriculum:

This project will be used in all of my sculpture courses and will be made available for use by any ACS affiliate. I intend for this project to be useful for any course that uses three dimensional modeling design principles. This could include areas such as design, architecture, sculpture, industrial design, painting, drawing, and art history. The project as designed now should be well under way by the end of the first summer session (summer 1998) and should only take some time the following summer (summer 1999) to refine the product. I intend to introduce the tutorial in the fall of 1998 to my sculpture courses. I will monitor and evaluate the student response during the 1998 school year and then refine the tutorial in the summer of 1999 as needed. I have already created a preview and have found the student response to be positive.

Mechanism for Assessment:

This tutorial should facilitate the student's understanding of three-dimensional design terms and principles in virtual space. This tutorial is intended to give all students majors and non-majors in art useful knowledge in designing three-dimensional forms. Students should develop a greater understanding of the effects of their design on the viewer or user. I will use an evaluation form that will seek to assess the students' response to the tutorial and it's effectiveness.