About

Welcome to Exploring Digital Sculpture!

This website showcases some of the research outcomes from students in VISA 3310: Sculpture 3 from the Fall 2023 semester and VISA 2320: Sculpture 2 from the Winter 2024 semester at Thompson Rivers University. 

Thompson Rivers University campuses are on the traditional lands of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc (Kamloops campus) and the T’exelc (Williams Lake campus) within Secwepemcúlucw, the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwépemc.

The intent of the assignment, “Exploring Digital Sculpture”, was to encourage students to explore sculpting in the digital realm without restricting them to a single approach or outcome. Students had the choice to digitally sculpt a 3D model in Virtual Reality (VR), digitally sculpt a 3D model using a 3D modeling program or app of their choice, hand sculpt an object and 3D scan it, or some combination of these methods. 

Students chose to respond to one of  the following conceptual prompts:

  1. Something you both love and hate
  2. Something you want but cannot have
  3. An alternative representation of yourself
  4. A concept for a monument or public sculpture
  5. A concept for a reliquary

The creation of digital sculptures using any of the described methods resulted in students having a 3D digital model that could be 3D printed, placed in VR, or set within a photograph.  In addition to the creation of their sculptures, students reflected on their research and learning process through presentations delivered to their peers and answered a set of questions at the conclusion of their projects.  

Through this project, students learned about approaches to the creation of 3D digital sculptures, various kinds of 3D digital file types and their applications, practicalities of 3D printing including print limitations, cost, size/time requirements, infill, print supports, and print failures, preparing files for viewing in VR and navigating VR, 3D digital file sizes and size requirements/limitations for various applications and modes of documenting, reflecting upon and sharing artistic research.

Research questions explored through this project include:

  • What approaches can students take to create digital sculptures?
  • What different outcomes will students have depending on their approach?
  • How can students self-direct their learning?
  • How can students support one another in their research, learning and creation?
  • What are different ways digital sculptures can be shared?
  • How can the research and learning process for digital sculpting be documented and disseminated?

This project was supported by the Office of the Vice President of Research’s Research Coach program with additional support from the TRU Library MakerSpace and the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching’s MakerSpace Faculty grant.

Team:

Twyla Exner, Assistant Teaching Professor  
Twyla Exner is an artist and educator inspired by the wonders of nature and the idea of electronic technologies gone awry.  She uses the materials and imagery of discarded electronic technologies as a departure toward wondrous and worrisome installations, sculptures and drawings that propose hybrids of technological structures and living organisms.  Twyla loves new-to-her mediums for art making through curiosity and play, learning alongside her students and working in wonder and in frustration as the possibilities of process-based creation unfold.

Adrian Romeo, Research Coach
Adrian Romeo is a fourth year Visual Arts student. She grew up in Clearwater B.C., a small town famous for being an entry way to The Wells Gray Provincial Park. Adrian’s favourite technology is the new Abode Substance Modeler software on the Makerspace desktops. As a visual artist who is used to working with her hands this software feels very accessible and intuitive.  Adrian has failed at many projects, most projects in fact! She believes one of the best ways to learn is to do, and that often means making mistakes when you’re new to a technology or technique. That’s a big part of art and a big part of learning. 

Geordie Stenner, Research Assistant
Geordie is a second year computer science student who comes to the Makerspace despite owning most of the equipment because of the terrific community. Geordie is also the president of film club, game development club and a member of the computer science club. Geordie was the first regular user of the Makerspace.

Stephanie Gountas, Curriculum Multimedia Developer