Second batch of 3D printed products to be: check

And.... I'm done with the crazy for batch no. 2. Whew. The list of items to design went quickly from twelve to six by eliminating all new rings and improved versions of batch no. 1 for now. They give me too much work since rings need to be designed in different sizes, and wanting to print them in stainless steel makes them a bit on the chunky size due to material design requirements.

And after that the number went down from six to five, to four, to three, to two completed items and two proof of concepts. Ah, deadlines and priority shifts. Luckily I am my own boss in this, so I can just decide I need to spend more time on an item before I want it ordered. No need to waste money. And I'm cheating on my own schedule anyway... I already started working on daily use products instead of just jewelry, while those take up more time because they need to fit into their context of use (apart from just looking pretty, like jewelry).

Next batch will probably be a big one, since I now I already have several items near completion. Now all I need to do is stay on track and DO NOT DIVERGE. One of my more serious challenges, ugh.

Talking about challenges: for creating aesthetically pleasing shapes, I started using a more iterative process. For me, coming up with 'function' is never a problem, but 'form' usually is. I somehow managed to get through my Industrial Design education without gaining much experience in the field of aesthetics, which is a big handicap now as I just don't feel like I'm really having a grasp on the process. J. suggested I use a more iterative process by just making dozens of versions of the same item, all with minor changes, in one file; then pick one or more, and again make several versions. Instead of trying to adapt and perfect one version, which I was doing before. I did, and see:

Man, so much work. But it does progress faster than when I'm just looking at the screen, sighing because I don't know what else to make of it.

Other projects this week: I baked a 'vlaai', a type of local pie from Limburg (in the south of the Netherlands). Because I needed to do some, uh, 'design research'. Yeah, that's what is was. And I liked the taste of that research, sure do.

A leftover egg white was quickly turned into 'kokosmakronen', a sort of coconut macaroons. Jummy.

And whenever I remembered my evening computer curfew, I worked on embroidering this book travel bag. I love me some not having to think in the evenings while keeping my hands busy.

Oh, and I almost forgot to add a photo of my first batch of products! Voila!

With many thanks to J., the resident photographer with his eternal patience with me and his awesome skills with camera's and flashlights ;).

If you want to see the items in more detail, you can take a look at my website!