#taction2d

(better photos)

I originally wanted to create a much longer print book, using embossing that went more literally into the word taction and cultural associations. I shifted to doing a quilted book because that was the medium I had done the most work into so far.

These are sketches designing the patterns to represent each touch receptor. I did research into how they look and the different types of touch and pressure they sense. I brought these into illustrator to clean them up and see them with text overlayed. Many of these patterns ended up being too detailed to accomplish at this scale on the sewing machine.

This is a 5 page tactile book exploring the different touch receptors in your hand. Each page is one of the major receptors, giving a basic description, the name in braille and plain text and has a quilted pattern representing a facet of the receptor, like the shape of the cell or the kind of touch they pick up.

Make a list of items you’d like to discuss with the group:

I'm going to focus on the 3D first then have that inform my 4D. The reflective piece will be the last

I want to connect with the rapid prototyping centre and possibly 3D print something

I'm also interested in connecting with printmaking, I could blind emboss something and I want to see if I could use one of their presses

I anticipate 4D will be the most difficult, because I think it'll be difficult to make a cohesive piece that has so many moving parts and dimensions to it

Given my topic I've already found 2D difficult, since It's hard to make something 2D that still revolves around touch. I think what I've made falls more into 3D

My failures so far have been time management and having time to iterate. I found it hard to pick an idea and stick to it, especially since this class is so free-form

For my 2D project I'm shifting to doing a fabric book breaking down how taction works from the to touch definition. Since the 2D project is meant to be an explainer of the definition. I originally wanted to create a booklet that explained the etymology of the word alongside, history, sayings, cultural ideas and the science behind touch. But thought it would be better (and more time efficient) to focus on one aspect.

I found an article explaining how receptors in the skin that sense external touch, Mechanoreceptors, work and the major types of Mechanoreceptors. I want to create a book that visualises these receptors and the tactile sensations that they sense. The book will be hand shaped and quilted using the free quilting method I tested. I want to turn science communication into something artful that connects with people better. I also want to include braille translations for the text, I can use french knot hand stitches or beads to do this.

Types of Mechanoreceptors and visualisation ideas

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10895/

Meissner corpuscles

Detect fine touch, discriminative touch and low frequency vibrations

This is what detects 2 point discrimination tests (tests that measure sensitivity in skin, uses 2 small sharp points)

Egg shaped with a mesh overtop

Could be visualised as small details, beading, sharp objects embellishing. Incorporate oval/egg shapes into stitching pattern

Pacinian corpuscles

Receptors for deep pressure and vibration

tightly grouped in hands and feet

oval shaped with layers

Could be visualized by showing the layered oval shapes in stitching and by physically making the page heavy (use sand? heavy fabrics?)

Ruffini's corpuscles

Not well understood

Located deep in the skin

senses skin stretching and movement, finger positions

Could be visualised with ruching, pulled fabric or silk stitched to mimic stretched skin. Include images of hands in different positions stitched. Have stitching inspired by branching shape

Merkel's disks

Senses gentle touch and tactile discrimination

more located in fingertips and lips

detects shapes, edges and rough textures

Could be visualised with stitching similar to the disks shapes, include different or rough fabric embellishments (velvet?)

Concerns I have with this approach

Looking too eclectic and not unified. Solution: have stitching through out, reoccuring embellishments, monochromatic or all white with coloured stitching

Time!! Solution: Aim to get the designing and stitching done for friday. Further embellishing can be done later. Prioritize this above all other school work

Right now my plan for the 2D project is to make a poster sized quilt. These are material tests to try out free motion quilting and test different stuffings. The top swatch uses 3 layers of felt and the bottom swatch uses stuffing. I prefer the texture of the stuffing but found the felt easier to work with. I used the tutorial linked below to get the wood grain for the top swatch.

This was also my first time using a sewing machine since I was a kid! Took a minute to get used to it but I managed to do my second swatch pretty quickly.

My idea behind this project is to build off the idea of the connection/contact definition of taction, along with the comforting tactile aspects of home. Quilts are comforting, respersent community built through craft and the material provides this really nice haptic feedback (squish).

I want to do something with the phrase "keep in touch", since I like how that plays with both definitions. Recently I've been really thinking about community and how we try to keep our connections even as we change as people. It's easy to become detached from ourselves and the people who ground us.

I've found websites saying that keep in touch originates from 18th cent. military drills needing soldiers to actually be touching. I haven't found any reputable sources confirming this but I like the visual of people actually being clustered and close together. This kind of shared mentality from proximity.