For this assignment you will design and model a simple vase or bottle using the Loft feature. It is recommended that you model the object as a solid, and then use the Shell feature to hollow it out and open up the top.

The only requirement is that some portion of the model use a Loft feature to blend two or more profiles together. I recommend looking at western and ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement) vases for influence if you decide to model a vase. Alternately for a bottle, try looking to liquor bottles for some creative influence.

This assignment is a rare case in which it may not necessarily be best to work from a detailed hand sketch before moving into SolidWorks. Instead, try experimenting with the Loft feature and see where it leads you. If you have trouble getting your lofts to work, your design may be too ambitious. Lofting is a complex topic, and the intent of this assignment is to provide a gentle introduction. We will get to more complex lofts later on. 

Due: April 5

Ancient Peruvian Stirrup-Spout Vessel

This is a typical ceramic vessel from the Andes region of South America, ca. 12th-5th century BC. The handle/spout design is called a "stirrup spout" due to its similarity to a horseback rider's stirrups. This model provides yet more opportunity to practice revolves and sweeps. This particular piece is part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. You can see a picture of it here. For this exercise we're only interested in the basic shape, not the surface details.

Since the vessel is hollow with an opening at the top, the best approach will be to model the whole thing as a single solid body and then use the Shell feature to hollow it out. I used a wall thickness of 3mm, which seemed to work well. On the Shell feature screen, you can select the top face under "Faces to Remove" to keep the top open. Alternatively, you can use Extruded Cut or Revolved Cut to make an opening after the Shell. Note that the entire interior of the vessel should be connected, such that liquid in the bottom can be poured out the top opening; see the section view in the images above.

I'm not providing any drawings for this one, just an eDrawings file. I highly recommend saving the image on the website above and using it as a Sketch Picture guide for the Front plane of your model. The artifact is approximately 8.5 inches high, so scale the picture accordingly.

Finally, when modeling this myself based on the website picture, I realized that the stirrup (loop) part of the handle/spout most likely has an oval (elliptical) profile, rather than circular. If you try it with a circular profile, you'll probably find that the top spout is too big to fit on the handle part. You can see what I mean in the eDrawings file. 

Two of the video tutorials cover the Shell feature, and may be helpful when working on this model.

• Peruvian vessel (eDrawing , website link)

Due: March 22 

Note: This assignment will also be due on iLearn by Sat, April 5. Upload your SolidWorks Part (.SLDPRT) file.

This will be a multi-stage assignment in which you design and render a table or floor lamp. The first step will be to sketch out your design in traditional media, creating orthographics that can then be scanned in as Sketch Pictures in SolidWorks. Next, create a model f your design using the tools we have learned so far. Think about the materials used to make your lamp (metals, woods, plastics, translucent materials, etc.) To make the rendering process easier in the next part of this project, try to design your SolidWorks part so that each body is made from only one material. Ensure that your lamp model is at a scale that would make sense in the real world.

Since we have covered the bottom-up modeling method using assemblies, you may choose to model this project as a multi-part assembly instead of as a single part. The choice is up to you. 

The next part of this project will be to create PhotoWorks renderings of your lamp, but it's not necessary to do this just yet.

Initial Model Due to iLearn: Mar 22

NOTE: Upload an eDrawings file (.EPRT if your lamp is a Part, .EASM if your lamp is an Assembly) to iLearn by the beginning of class at 10:10 am to increase your participation grade for the course. I will review some of the uploads onscreen during class.

Part two of the Writing Instrument assignment will be to create a series of PhotoWorks renderings of your design. Please follow these set-up instructions carefully:

1. Open your model and go to PhotoWorks | Options. On the Illumination tab, uncheck Enable Indirect Illumination. Click Apply and then Close to exit the PWx Options dialog.
2. In the Feature Manager, delete the default Directional1 and Directional2 lights.
3. In PhotoWorks | Scene, select Plain White from the Backgrounds -> Plain folder on the left. Click Apply and then Close.
4. Make sure that the default Ambient light is turned off in PhotoWorks.

Following the instructions above will get you into a clean, basic rendering environment. After you've done that:

• Set up at least two or three lights to illuminate your model. I recommend using Spot lights in a Key, Fill, and Rim setup as we discussed in class. Remember to check "Lock to Model" in each light's properties so that it moves with the model when you rotate it.
• Set up one or more Cameras directed at the model.
• Assign PhotoWorks materials to the various parts of your model. Remember that it's best to assign materials by Solid Bodies when possible. Note that highly reflective materials may be tricky in this setup, since it's a pure white environment.

Do some low-quality test renderings to your screen to check your setup, and then do at least five final renderings using high anti-aliasing and Render to File. Experiment with different camera angles, materials, and lighting setups. Render to JPEG files of at least 800x600 pixels. All of your renderings should be from a Camera view.

Due: March 15 NOTE: Upload your best rendering to iLearn by 9:10 am. We will look at these renderings during class.