Paper Cut

Years: 2022-2023
Collaborators: Amy Traylor and Leah Buechley
Publications
Amy Traylor, Ruby Ta, Alyssa Johnson, and Leah Buechley, PaperCut: A Craft-Centered Approach to Digital Fabrication Using Cut Paper as a Design Medium. Upcoming in the Proceedings of the ACM Conference on Creativity and Fabrication in Education (FabLearn ’23). Best short paper award.

Software

Paper Cut is custom software that uses cut paper to create forms and textures for 3D printed objects, see above. To use our software, a user first cuts a vessel silhouette from a piece of white paper. The silhouette is then scanned or photographed against a black background. The image is uploaded into the software as a “Form.” Then a user creates a texture for her vessel by cutting paper in shades of gray. This image is uploaded as a “Texture”.

The user chooses one form and one texture, then presses the “REDRAW” button. When the user is satisfied with their vessel, they press the “SAVE” button. Saving creates a gcode file that can be sent to a 3D printer. The software can accommodate different 3D printers and different materials including clay and PLA.

Printed Forms

The forms below were generated by participants in workshops held at our lab.