BRIEF
In this project, the objective is to produce precise 1:1 scale duplicates of intricate footwear items utilizing white triplex cardboard. These duplicates are expected to accurately mirror the footwear's design and construction, highlighting specific features such as fabric seams, ventilation perforations, shoelaces, buttons, mesh, and material thickness. The primary goal of the project is to demonstrate the capacity to replicate complex footwear designs using non-traditional materials and methods, thereby showcasing creativity, skill, and a meticulous eye for detail.
Task 1 – Full Shoe
I've been tasked with creating an exact 1:1 scale replica of my chosen footwear item using only white triplex board. The footwear item I've selected should be a sneaker or a similarly complex shoe; basic shoes like slops or plakkies won't suffice for this project.
To meet the requirements, I must include visible details such as fabric split lines, vent holes, lacing, buttons, mesh, material thickness (padding), and any other pertinent features. It's important to note that I cannot use drawing instruments to add detail; I'll rely solely on cutting, creasing, gluing, and laminating the triplex cardboard.
The finished triplex cardboard item should remain in its raw state, without any painting or coloration. My objective is to faithfully replicate the design and structure of my chosen footwear item using only white triplex board.
MAKING
In the process of replicating my shoe with triplex cardboard, I began by mapping out the shoe's design on paper and cutting out stencils. These stencils were then placed onto the triplex, providing clear guidelines for where to start cutting. After meticulously cutting out multiple shapes and forms, I was finally able to commence the assembly process. Piece by piece, I stuck everything together, ultimately revealing a 1:1 scale replica of the shoe crafted from triplex cardboard.
Task 2 – Section
To create a section through my chosen footwear item, I'll use white triplex board. This section will reveal both the interior and exterior aspects of the shoe, highlighting various details such as fabric split lines, vent holes, lacing, buttons, mesh, and material thickness (padding), without the use of any drawing instruments. The final triplex cardboard item will be in its raw state, without any painting or coloration, but I'll be able to cut, crease, glue, and laminate the triplex board as needed to accurately represent the shoe's interior and exterior features.
MAKING
In my journey to replicate my shoe using triplex cardboard, I began by outlining the shoe's design on paper and crafting stencils for precisely one half of the shoe. These stencils served as my guide when I placed them onto the triplex, helping me to determine where to initiate the cutting process. After carefully cutting out multiple shapes and forms, I was finally ready to commence the assembly. Piece by piece, I attached them together, ultimately revealing an exact half of a 1:1 scale replica of the shoe crafted from triplex cardboard.
Task 3 – Mould
To create a representation of one half (section) of my chosen footwear item imprinted in a specified tooling block, I will use white triplex board. The representation will be from the "male" side of the selected footwear.
The tooling block should be larger than the overall size of the part by approximately more than 50mm. This block will represent the solid steel block from which one side of the mold would be cut. To envision this concept, think of pressing your item halfway into a square block of soft clay—what would it look like?
The final cardboard item will be in its raw state, without any painting or coloration. However, I may cut, crease, glue, and laminate the triplex board as needed to create an accurate representation of one half of the footwear item imprinted in the specified tooling block.
MAKING
In crafting this representation, I exclusively used raw triplex board without any painting or colouring. My process began with mapping out the shoe using paper and creating stencils for precisely one half of the shoe. These stencils provided clear guidelines when placed onto the triplex, facilitating the cutting of various shapes and forms.
This representation was derived from the "male" side of the selected footwear. The tooling block intentionally exceeded the overall size of the part by more than 50mm, resembling a solid steel block used for mould carving. To visualize, think of it as pressing the footwear halfway into a square block of soft clay.
Project Reflection
This project challenged me to create an exact 1:1 scale replica of a complex footwear item using only white triplex board. The chosen shoe had to be intricate, with visible details like fabric split lines, vent holes, lacing, buttons, mesh, and material thickness faithfully replicated through cutting, creasing, gluing, and laminating techniques. I maintained the raw state of the finished triplex cardboard item without painting or coloration.
To achieve this, I began by mapping the shoe's design on paper, creating stencils for one half of the shoe. These stencils served as precise cutting guides for the triplex board. Piece by piece, I assembled them to form the 1:1 scale replica.
In another part of the project, I created a section of the footwear item, emphasizing interior and exterior details. This involved meticulous work on white triplex board without any drawing instruments, focusing on features like fabric split lines, vent holes, lacing, buttons, and material thickness.
I also crafted a representation of one half of the footwear item in a specified tooling block, keeping the raw triplex board more than 50mm larger than the part's size. This block mirrored the "male" side of the footwear item, resembling the concept of pressing the item halfway into soft clay.
Throughout the project, I gained valuable hands-on experience in precision and material handling, ultimately providing a deeper understanding of design intricacies.
