GOPA and SOIT STEAM Students visit WPU Power Arts Building

                 Above:  GOPA and SOIT STEAM students observe the 3 D printers with Dina Scacchetti

On Monday May 19, GOPA and SOIT the STEAM students who attended Professor Rees's presentation last week at Eastside High School LINK took a field trip to the Power Arts Building.  Also in attendance were Art Teachers, Marilyn Simon and Darryl Jones, WPU ART PIR Triada Samaras and Math and Science PIR Dina Scacchetti.  

 

Above:  Triada Samaras, Dina Scacchetti, and Marilyn Simon 

At the WPU Power Arts Building, the students were met by Professor Rees and two current WPU graduate art students, Brian Sandilands and Tyler Zeleny, as well as former graduate art student Geoff Flash who is also a New Jersey Public High School Art Teacher.

Above:  Geoff Flash, Marilyn Simon and Darryl Jones

Students first were introduced to a scanner technology that the graduate students used to scan the heads of each student into the computer.  This process was very interesting and students could track the progress of their scan visually on the computer monitor.

Above/Below:  Tyler Zeleny scans a STEAM student's head

 
Students then engaged with the MAC computers in the lab where Sculptris and other software are available to the WPU student users.  GOPA and SOIT students experimented with Sculptris, a three D digital sculpting software that produces striking results in a short time.




 

Above:  STEAM students experience Sculptris

After lunch Professor Rees took the students on a tour of the wall relief projects hanging in the halls outside of the computer lab done in Professor Rees' university art class. WPU graduate art student, Kelly Boguscz, shared several of her works with the students. This group of relief sculptures and their accompanying QR codes  provoked a thoughtful and critical dialogue by the STEAM students with Professor Rees.

 Above: Michael Rees, Marilyn Simon, and STEAM Students

Then the students returned to the computer lab where they found that the scans of their heads done earlier were available to them digitally for them to manipulate using three D modeling software.  Professor Rees demonstrated some possibilities using the software on a large screen in front of the students.

Above: Michael Rees demonstrates digital sculpting to STEAM students

Students had an inspiring time experimenting with the software options and inventing new possibilities for their 3-D portraits. They created a wide range of interesting and provocative art pieces. (See below.)

At the end of the day one of the scanned portraits from the morning was printed by the three D printer.  The rest of the students will receive their portraits next week when Professor Rees returns to Eastside High School. The STEAM students will continue working on these projects in Mr. Jones' and Mrs. Simon's STEAM classes.


Left:  Michael Rees and a STEAM student with the portrait created by the three D printer.