Materials Explorations for Model-Making
Finding, testing, and making your own materials as both sustainable and healthier alternatives to traditional model-making materials is an area of exploration than can have sizeable impact. Below is a list of growing resources produced by institutions and organization that have demonstrated a vested interest in material alternatives.
- Biomaterials, Natural Pigments, and Fabrication by RISD Nature LabThe RISD Nature Lab provides recipes for materials they have honed as alternatives for models and protypes.
- The CHEMARTS Cookbook (follow link to download PDF)The CHEMARTS Cookbook gives both simple and more advanced ideas and recipes for hands-on experiments with wood-based materials. The book showcases the most interesting explorations focusing on raw materials that are processed either chemically or mechanically from trees or other plants: cellulose fibres, micro- or nano-structured fibrils, cellulose derivatives, lignin, bark and wood extractives. CHEMARTS is the long-term collaboration project of two Aalto University schools: the School of Chemical Engineering (CHEM) and the School of Arts, Design, and Architecture (ARTS)
- Healthier Model-Making Materials by ParsonsParsons' Healthy Materials Lab has produced a resource for healthier materials to consider in model making.
- RISD Nature Lab Bioplastic GuidebookIn natural metabolisms, sometimes referred to a g-i-y, or grow-it yourself, organisms make our materials, as is the case with kombucha leather or mushroom foams from introduced feedstocks. Created metabolisms use biologically derived ingredients to fabricate materials with lab equipment, such as starch-, gelatin- or agar- based bioplastics.