CAD toys

I got two new toys to use with Rhino while I was in the US.  I got a Logitech G600 mouse with 14 extra buttons so I can program them with the commands I use most often.  Today is only about the 3rd time I have used it, so I'm still learning the buttons.  The button functions are what's on paper between the keyboard and the screen.  I like it so far, except for the cord.  It's been years since I have used a mouse with a cord.  I can't stand cords, I don't even know why they still make them with cords.

 I also got a 3d mouse, the Spacemouse Pro Wireless.  It is for moving the model around while you work.  The knob in the middle moves in all direction so you can move, rotate and zoom any way you want.  So you would work with the normal mouse in your right hand and the space mouse in your left hand.  It's much more difficult to use than I expected.  It's probably overkill for the simple CAD work I do, but I don't care. 

The space mouse can also be used with Google Earth to fly around.  It's pretty cool.  

 

I got them at the same time, set them both up and tried to work but it was too confused having an unfamiliar tool in each hand.  So I decided to put the space mouse away till I am more familiar with the new normal mouse. 

US trip

I got back from the US Sunday morning around 5:00 am.  My time in the US was mostly spent busy and tired.  I had big plans to make four lockpicks, but I didn't start on them till five days before I left.  That would normally be enough time, but two of the days I was in Iowa, and aside from all the other things I had to do (meeting friends, shopping) I still had jet lag and was tired by early evening. 

I roughed out four wood handles before I went to Iowa.  On my way to Iowa I thought about if it I really wanted to spend my last couple days trying to finish them all and decided to just finish one. 

I met a couple friends in Iowa, I also met my former professor from the University of Iowa, Chunghi Choo, who recently retired.  She taught the first metals classes I took (1996-1997) and was my teacher again in graduate school (2005-2006).  She probably had the most influence on my metal work. 

I'm planning on this being my last year in Korea.  I'm going to try to put more effort into learning CAD (also learning Korean and saving money) and try to put together a portfolio. 

winter travel

I have a lot of vacation time this winter, so I'll be visiting the US January 20th - 30th and Japan February 14th - 24th.  I'm not too excited about the trip to the US, but I'm glad to be going to Japan again.  Being able to travel easily in Asia is one of the things I like about living in Korea. 

2014 review

2014 flew by, I don't know what happened.  It was not exactly a fun year like my previous years in Korea, but I was mostly productive and don't feel the year was wasted. 

Last year I moved to Yongin and started working at a middle school.  It's much better than my previous school.  However the city is not better.  I was very close to Seoul in 2013, now I'm in kind of a rural area.  

 

This area isn't so bad though because I spent most of my free time doing CAD by myself, and much less time hanging out with friends.  I spent a lot of time doing ZBrush.  Much less time with Rhino.  I put Rhino on hold for several months so I could concentrate on ZBrush, and just started using Rhino again regularly in November.  Right now I can do a lot with Rhino, but still have a lot of limitations.  I also started learning Modo a little, but I think I am going to spend more time with Rhino before I spend anymore time with Modo. 

Since I am only doing CAD I don't have any new finished pieces, but I did have pieces I made years ago published at least twice in Art Jewelry magazine, and had two pieces published in a patina book.  

 

In April I finally started taking Korean classes in Seoul.  I took them till December.  I think I made a lot of progress till about September when I started feeling sick of it all.  Right now I'm completely unmotivated.  I think I will take a break from studying for most of January.

Last January I visited the US for about 2 weeks.  It was my first time back in almost 2 years.  In August I went to Japan for about 2 weeks.  I went to Yakushima, a place I have wanted to go for about 10 years.  I also went to Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara, all places I have been to before. 

I found out at the end if December that I can stay at my school another year.  I'm happy about that.  I am planning on this being my last year in Korea. 

One more year in Korea

Just what the title says.

new photo publication

I heard from my parents yesterday that they received the January 2015 issue of Art Jewelry which has a photo of my earrings.  I mentioned this in a post from July, but I had forgotten all about it, so it was like a surprise when I found out. 

CAD stuff

I've been working on CAD consistently since my last post.  Mostly ZBrush.  I really enjoy it but I've learned it well enough that I am trying to put more time in to learning Rhino now.  I have also started learning MODO a little.  It seems it will be really useful to use in conjunction with ZBrush. 

In September I got a Wacom Cintiq Companion for ZBrush.  I love it.  There's a couple things they could have done better, but overall it is great.  Working directly on the screen is much better than looking at the cursor on the screen while using the pen someplace else.  I rarely do any work at home, that's why I got the Companion rather than a normal Cintiq.

 

 I recently had  Shapeways, a 3D printing company, 3D print some things for me.  A couple waxes, some plastic pieces, and one steel piece.  My friend in the US is casting the waxes for me.  After they are done my parents are going to send everything to me.  These are the first things I have had 3D printed.  I have only seen the pictures my parents sent, but from what I have seen, I am not too impressed with the level of detail.

CAD process pics aren't very interesting, so I haven't felt much reason to post them. Here are some finished, or nearly finished designs I have done.  Most of these were primarily done in ZBrush.  Usually I make the basic shape in Rhino, then import the file to ZBrush to sculpt on it.

 Some pendants...

 I'm not sure this ring could actually be made in metal and keep all the detail.

 3 stone ring.

 

 Another pendant...

This last one is the only design here that I did completely in Rhino.