The goal for this project was to make a 3D object using two-dimensional cuts from a laser cut design. To make things a bit more challenging for myself, I decided to re-create an ocean wave with a perfect curl for surfing. I chose this for two reasons: 1) I enjoy a good challenge, and 2) To help motivate and inspire the next generation of students and creators. Prior to moving to Colorado I was living on the Garden Island of Kauai where my brother and his family reside. Life in paradise was great, however, the environment can lend itself to complacency as people get older, and I would like to provide an inspirational influence on my two teenage nieces living there. Hence the connection between the design concept and the overall purpose. To inspire creativity and motivational drive.
Starting with a side profile photo of a wave, I created twenty slices of a wave using Adobe Illustrator. Choosing to draw each slice individually gives the wave a more organic feel, especially with the precision of using a laser cutter. With two perpendicular splices on the bottom acting as a base for the twenty wave splices, the assembled wave "puzzle" very much mirrors what I have envisioned in my mind. And the ultimate goal was also met, as the keiki (kids) are in high school now each pursuing a STEM path.
