Project 3 // 3D Chess Set - Modelling and Rendering

Using the conceptual designs I had created in Rhino I was able to create a framework fairly easily for the models using circles, polylines, and sweeps. For some shapes I created spheres and trimmed them to how I needed them, or mirrored and rotated other parts. All in all, having the concepts in my workspace to manipulate and duplicate for different test versions was hugely helpful in finalizing their designs.

For example, I found out pretty quickly that I liked the queen design with a simple flat band and spheres affixed to its quarters. When I tried printing it however, I ran into some issues that caused the crown to warp and droop in weird places. 

Because this issue happened at the end of a two and a half hour print and only affected the top of the model I came to realize how much I would prefer being able to print out multiple versions of a piece quickly.

So I made them modular! Now when one of the head pieces, or base pieces doesn't work the way I want it to I don't have to scrap the whole model, I can just retry that piece.

I really started to appreciate having everything on one screen with this project.

I was originally going to hand carve the rubber stamps, but the work needed to be too precise and delicate for the materials that I had access to. I then found, through the recommendation of a few different people, a store in the city that sells a specific kind of rubber that is made to be laser cut by the machines we have access to, specifically for stamp making! And that would have been perfect, but I couldn't get myself to commit to the cost of the materials, and so I chose to work with what I had. Instead of hand carving, or laser cutting, I simply printed the stamps with the rest of the model. 

And here is the final render!

Now, if I had the time I would work on designing a board that could be printed as well. My final idea is to have a stack of paper affixed to a 3D printed board that can be played on like a regular chess board. When the game concludes the sheet that has been stamped can then be ripped off of the base. This paper can then be hung as a visual representation of the battle that happened on the board.