Cut pieces for a prototype/materials test. My palette is determined by transparent colored vinyl. For better or worse, it’s mostly available in super bright (often fluorescent) colors.

The test worked great so I drafted a cut list for the full scale project. Working with vinyl is a lot like making a sewing pattern, and sewing is a lot like woodwork. You come up with plans and dimensions, then adjust for overlaps.

The sculpture has multiple parts, and is made by layering four different patterns 30 times, so there’s a lot of pieces to be cut. I got them sorted with a spreadsheet and good old tallying.

Whew! After a day of cutting, over 500 pieces are ready for assembly. My cutting mats and straight-edge ruler are a bit further along on their lifespans after today.

A tentative exhibition design with sculptures represented in vinyl scraps. Even with digital tools, there’s nothing like moving scaled cutouts around a floor plan. (I learned how from my dad, when I was around seven. We were about to move houses, and he had drawn floorplans in ballpoint pen on graph paper, indicating closets with a charming coat hanger icon. We cut out tiny rectangles to stand for pieces of furniture, and tested out arrangements.)