Output details

Digitally Interpreting Traditional Folk Crafts

The necessity of computer-based design, preservation and interpretation of traditional folk craft designs is validated by the decreasing number of masters, fading technologies, and crafts losing economic ground.

Originality

We present a novel long-term applied research project on the development of a mathematical basis, software tools, and technology for application of desktop or personal fabrication using compact, cheap, and environmentally friendly fabrication devices, including '3D printers', in traditional crafts.

Significance

We illustrate the properties of this new modeling and fabrication system using several practical case studies involving the digital capture of traditional objects and craft patterns, which we also reuse in modern designs. The test application areas for the development are traditional crafts from different cultural backgrounds, namely Japanese lacquer ware and Norwegian carvings. Our project includes modelling existing artefacts, Web presentations of the models, automation of the models fabrication, and the experimental manufacturing of new designs and forms. The cultural heritage preservation requires that objects persist throughout time to continue to communicate an intended meaning. As our results show, inexpensive desktop fabri¬cation equipment with the appropriate soft¬ware can help people preserve and support existing craft techniques and create new design and fab¬rication approaches.

Rigour

Our approach is build on the rigorously developed mathematical platform of constructive modelling with real functions rather than on ad hoc solutions with polygonal meshes. This approach is supported by the developed Application Programming Interface.