Concave Hexadecagon -- Rotated

This artwork is part of a larger series that involves concepts of perceptive resolution. This work is 23" across and is constructed of 9 alternating layers of Aluminum Composite Material (ACM, at 3mm thick) and PVC foam panel (1/2" thick). There are 4 layers of RGB LED strips (WS2812B 30 per meter) that project their light across each of the internal layers of the artwork. The LEDs are controlled with a Teensy 3.1 (PJRC.com) and a micro SD card which stores digital imagery (this can be any digital imagery, but certain details and color palettes work better than others). The digital imagery is abstracted along the axis of time to produce a gentle, constant color changing palette. The controller is incorporated into one of the layers. The Layers are designed in Adobe Illustrator and cut on a CNC router (CAMaster Stinger II).

The cutout shapes are concave hexadecagons accented by small groups of circles. Each layer cutout is scaled by a fixed amount and rotated 3 degrees. The outer perimeter of the artwork is shaped by quadrilateral hyperbolas whose asymptotes are orthogonal about the center of the work. The rear edge of each cutout is chamfered to give the illusion of thinness. 

This image sequence depicts some assembly steps for the artwork. The front face is adhered with a slow cure epoxy to allow time for proper alignment. It also eliminates the need for visible screws on the front of the artwork. Originally I tried to cut the LED layers from nested elements to save on material waste. This led to very difficult assembly, so I went back to whole shapes. This was an important lesson. The cost-savings on materials was negated by the labor of assembly.

This artwork explores the limits of human perception by enlarging what I think a 'unit of perception' might look like. Super sharp edges and brilliant color juxtaposition overwhelm the brain's ability to perceive depth and motion. 

To see more of my work in this area, please visit
http://craigdorety.com/light_objects.html