Abstract
In traditional woven structures, longitudinal warp yarns are held in tension on a frame while transverse weft yarns are drawn through them. This arrangement secures the threads; how-ever, it also fixes them to one geometrical plane. Manipulation of the warp threads has the potential to enable a more flexible shaping of woven structures, enabling generation of freeform textile architectures. However, established textile notation methods and the im-plicit nature of a craftsperson’s knowledge restrict the availability of craft-led techniques of thread manipulation within cross-disciplinary undertakings. To address this, shape gram-mars are proposed as means for the systematization and dissemination of those tech-niques and the associated tacit knowledge. This paper follows iterative cycles of contextual analysis and creative practice, which facilitate the continual refinement of a design proto-type. Firstly, archival materials and drawings of thread manipulations were analyzed and described in terms of the spatial relations between individual components. A phase of hand-making allowed for implementation of those findings into a weaving prac-tice, which generated new understanding of possible structural arrangements. These were reviewed and codified according to the principles of shape grammar theory, and a prelimi-nary weaving grammar was formulated. Finally, the grammar was translated into the digital environment of Shape Machine, a Rhino plug-in for computing with shapes. Implementa-tion of the grammar was used to verify and improve the framework by highlighting design qualities which were not previously considered. The new findings were reflected on, and the framework updated to include parameters deemed most relevant to the current stages of its development. This paper presents and reflects on the roles of prototyping in the con-text of exploring a novel approach to textile design through a craft-led research inquiry. Concepts of experiential and new knowledge are considered, together with methods of their application, explication, and translation into discreet communicable actions. Conse-quently, the study serves as an example of a successful implementation of craft practice within design research.
Keywords
Craft; Textiles; Computation; Shape grammars
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/eksig2023.121
Citation
Orynek, S.(2023) Prototyping a novel visual computation framework for craft-led textile design, in Silvia Ferraris, Valentina Rognoli, Nithikul Nimkulrat (eds.), EKSIG 2023: From Abstractness to Concreteness – experiential knowledge and the role of prototypes in design research, 19–20 June 2023, Milan, Italy. https://doi.org/10.21606/eksig2023.121
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Prototyping a novel visual computation framework for craft-led textile design
In traditional woven structures, longitudinal warp yarns are held in tension on a frame while transverse weft yarns are drawn through them. This arrangement secures the threads; how-ever, it also fixes them to one geometrical plane. Manipulation of the warp threads has the potential to enable a more flexible shaping of woven structures, enabling generation of freeform textile architectures. However, established textile notation methods and the im-plicit nature of a craftsperson’s knowledge restrict the availability of craft-led techniques of thread manipulation within cross-disciplinary undertakings. To address this, shape gram-mars are proposed as means for the systematization and dissemination of those tech-niques and the associated tacit knowledge. This paper follows iterative cycles of contextual analysis and creative practice, which facilitate the continual refinement of a design proto-type. Firstly, archival materials and drawings of thread manipulations were analyzed and described in terms of the spatial relations between individual components. A phase of hand-making allowed for implementation of those findings into a weaving prac-tice, which generated new understanding of possible structural arrangements. These were reviewed and codified according to the principles of shape grammar theory, and a prelimi-nary weaving grammar was formulated. Finally, the grammar was translated into the digital environment of Shape Machine, a Rhino plug-in for computing with shapes. Implementa-tion of the grammar was used to verify and improve the framework by highlighting design qualities which were not previously considered. The new findings were reflected on, and the framework updated to include parameters deemed most relevant to the current stages of its development. This paper presents and reflects on the roles of prototyping in the con-text of exploring a novel approach to textile design through a craft-led research inquiry. Concepts of experiential and new knowledge are considered, together with methods of their application, explication, and translation into discreet communicable actions. Conse-quently, the study serves as an example of a successful implementation of craft practice within design research.