plinth
Doktor Overcomma 
The crane summoned to lift the granite "Bob" head onto the invisible plinth has suffered a failure.
#plinth #failure
SplinesClassic #IonicCapital #Tectonic Surfaces Plan
We already made the 8 unit tall #fillet at the bottom of the #capital a part of the #shaft in https://pixelfed.social/p/Splines/791794072490907090. So, excluding that, the remainder of the capital is 14 parts or 112 units tall, for the bottom half of which we use the #revolve operation (like the #columnBase and #columnShaft), and for the top half we use the #extrude operation (like the #pedestal, #entablature, and #plinth).
Starting at the bottom, we have an #astragal that is 2 parts or 16 units tall and has the same profile as a #reed and #torus, falling in between the two in terms of size. The arc AD is shown in gray because it is an invisible #virtualSurface that envelops the decorations like #eggsAndDarts on the #ovolo. This is the measurement that is given in #Scarlata's #PracticalArchitecture, but it makes no mention of the #decorative and #tectonic surfaces. Arc BC with a radius of 4 parts or 32 units is the tectonic surface on which the Ovolo decorations rest. Such decorations have a variable or uneven surface which may not exceed 1 part or 8 units.
Points E and F mark the horizontal tangent or maxima of the second spiral and the first (outermost) spiral, respectively. The gap between them is exactly 4 parts or 32 units. GH is the profile for the vertical side surface on which part of the #ribbon and #braid lie flat, protruding exactly 6 units to coincide with the invisible virtual flat surface through EF.
The #cymaReversa is 2 parts or 16 units tall and 1.5 parts or 12 units wide. It starts 4 units to the right of F and stops 4 units short of the top fillet, which is one part or 8 units tall and 20 parts or 160 units from the #columnAxis.
Of the 4 parts or 32 units between G and H, the lower 3 parts or 24 units are part of the #voluteChannel groove and the top 1 part or 8 units is a fillet that follows the curve of the #volute and progressively gets narrower until it converges with the #eye of the volute.
We already made the 8 unit tall #fillet at the bottom of the #capital a part of the #shaft in https://pixelfed.social/p/Splines/791794072490907090. So, excluding that, the remainder of the capital is 14 parts or 112 units tall, for the bottom half of which we use the #revolve operation (like the #columnBase and #columnShaft), and for the top half we use the #extrude operation (like the #pedestal, #entablature, and #plinth).
Starting at the bottom, we have an #astragal that is 2 parts or 16 units tall and has the same profile as a #reed and #torus, falling in between the two in terms of size. The arc AD is shown in gray because it is an invisible #virtualSurface that envelops the decorations like #eggsAndDarts on the #ovolo. This is the measurement that is given in #Scarlata's #PracticalArchitecture, but it makes no mention of the #decorative and #tectonic surfaces. Arc BC with a radius of 4 parts or 32 units is the tectonic surface on which the Ovolo decorations rest. Such decorations have a variable or uneven surface which may not exceed 1 part or 8 units.
Points E and F mark the horizontal tangent or maxima of the second spiral and the first (outermost) spiral, respectively. The gap between them is exactly 4 parts or 32 units. GH is the profile for the vertical side surface on which part of the #ribbon and #braid lie flat, protruding exactly 6 units to coincide with the invisible virtual flat surface through EF.
The #cymaReversa is 2 parts or 16 units tall and 1.5 parts or 12 units wide. It starts 4 units to the right of F and stops 4 units short of the top fillet, which is one part or 8 units tall and 20 parts or 160 units from the #columnAxis.
Of the 4 parts or 32 units between G and H, the lower 3 parts or 24 units are part of the #voluteChannel groove and the top 1 part or 8 units is a fillet that follows the curve of the #volute and progressively gets narrower until it converges with the #eye of the volute.
Splines (@[email protected])
The bottom 1/3 of the #columnShaft for an #IonicColumn is a perfect cylinder. So the line below point B is a straight line. In https://pixelfed.social/p/Splines/791723063470910081, we blended the bottom end of the 60° arc and the top end of the long interpolated curve between points J and K. Now blend the bottom end of the interpolated curve and the top end of the straight line between points B and C to obtain the 3rd and final #NURBS segment for the #primaryProfileCurve of the shaft. Just like there's a #cavetto and #fillet near the #neck of the shaft, there is a fillet and cavetto near the foot of the shaft. However, there is a subtle difference between the two. The cavetto near the neck is tangential to the blended #NURBS curve that is not a straight line. The profile curve for the cavetto near the foot is tangential to a straight line. There is a special name for a cavetto that is tangential to a straight line or flat surface, like the two cavetto moldings in the #dado of the #pedestal. It's called a #conge. Another alternate name for the cavetto molding is #cove, which is evocative of "cave" because of its concave profile curve. Above the neck is a fillet 8 units tall and an #astragal 16 units tall that #Scarlata puts in braces in the column shaft section within his tables of #VignolaProportions, with a note saying they are not counted as part of the shaft but are accounted for as part of the #capital. I decided to include the top fillet as part of the shaft and keep the astragal with the capital. It does not change the design or alter the proportions in any way, but the inclusion of the fillet makes it more practical for #3DPrinting and #CNCMilling of the neck. This concludes the profile curve for the shaft with a height of 291 parts or 2328 units + 8 for fillet. The column shaft is tapered in the upper 2/3 due to #entasis whose purpose is to make optical corrections to the shape of the column which, without correction, appeared concave near the top.
#IonicColumn #VignolaBase and #AtticBase #CAD Plans
Both #Vignola base and #Attic base have the same square footprint of 400 units x 400 units. The #plinth for both is 48 units (6 parts, or µ/3) tall, and the total height for both is 144 units (18 parts, or exactly µ). As such, they are easily interchangeable.
In the Vignola variant, we start at the plinth with a #fillet 2 units tall and a classic #scotia 18 units tall gouging out part of the fillet.
Then there is another fillet 2 units tall, followed by two #reeds, each 8 units tall, followed by another classic scotia as described above.
This is followed by yet another fillet 2 units tall and topped off with a #torus 40 units tall. A Torus is the same as a reed, except larger. When we reach the neck of the shaft, we will see another molding called #Astragal which has the same profile as reed and torus, but sits in the middle in size. Think of reed, astragal, and torus as small, medium, and large of the same profile.
The modern Attic variant is more elegant with fewer moldings. It also gives the impression of more heft for more stately columns. It starts at the plinth with a torus 36 units tall, followed by a fillet 4 units tall, followed by a modern scotia 24 units tall, followed by another fillet 4 units tall, and topped off with another torus 28 units tall.
As in the construction of #IonicEntablature [https://pixelfed.social/p/Splines/791013152244518907], split the construction of the #columnBase into two steps.
Just as we extruded #dentils separately, we extrude the plinth separately. First draw a square 400x400 in the top view. Then extrude the square 48 units in the front view.
For the rest of the base, we need a new 3D operation — #revolve around an axis. Instead of extruding the #primaryProfileCurve, we revolve it around the #columnAxis, and cap the #planarHoles on both ends before performing a #booleanUnion with the plinth. Finally check edges of the solid for #nakedEdges and #nonManifoldEdges.
Both #Vignola base and #Attic base have the same square footprint of 400 units x 400 units. The #plinth for both is 48 units (6 parts, or µ/3) tall, and the total height for both is 144 units (18 parts, or exactly µ). As such, they are easily interchangeable.
In the Vignola variant, we start at the plinth with a #fillet 2 units tall and a classic #scotia 18 units tall gouging out part of the fillet.
Then there is another fillet 2 units tall, followed by two #reeds, each 8 units tall, followed by another classic scotia as described above.
This is followed by yet another fillet 2 units tall and topped off with a #torus 40 units tall. A Torus is the same as a reed, except larger. When we reach the neck of the shaft, we will see another molding called #Astragal which has the same profile as reed and torus, but sits in the middle in size. Think of reed, astragal, and torus as small, medium, and large of the same profile.
The modern Attic variant is more elegant with fewer moldings. It also gives the impression of more heft for more stately columns. It starts at the plinth with a torus 36 units tall, followed by a fillet 4 units tall, followed by a modern scotia 24 units tall, followed by another fillet 4 units tall, and topped off with another torus 28 units tall.
As in the construction of #IonicEntablature [https://pixelfed.social/p/Splines/791013152244518907], split the construction of the #columnBase into two steps.
Just as we extruded #dentils separately, we extrude the plinth separately. First draw a square 400x400 in the top view. Then extrude the square 48 units in the front view.
For the rest of the base, we need a new 3D operation — #revolve around an axis. Instead of extruding the #primaryProfileCurve, we revolve it around the #columnAxis, and cap the #planarHoles on both ends before performing a #booleanUnion with the plinth. Finally check edges of the solid for #nakedEdges and #nonManifoldEdges.
Splines (@[email protected])
This sketch shows the arrangement of #dentils in the classic variation of the #IonicEntablature. It shows the full layout, but most of the top is obscured by the top portion of the #cornice. Only the outside square shapes are actually visible. Each #dentil has a square "footprint" that is 4 parts by 4 parts (32*32 units) and is 6 parts (48 units) tall. The spacing between each dentil is 2 parts (16 units). Dentils project 4 parts (or 32 units) from the face of the #fascia on which they rest. Each face of the fascia has 7 dentils with the middle dentil laterally centered and directly in front of the column axis. The 2 side dentils are on side faces, and that is apparent in the darker shading in the sketch at https://pixelfed.social/i/web/post/790782316675150160. Take the time to reconcile this with the numbers listed in #Scarlata's #PracticalArchitecture. The 3D reconstruction from the #primaryProfileCurves is very similar to that of the #IonicPedestal, with #extrusion, #mitering, #joining, and #capping planar holes as described in https://pixelfed.social/i/web/post/790645054230337543 — just set the dentils aside, for now. Once you have capped the #planarHoles to get a solid, analyze the edges of the solid in the #CAD program for #nakedEdges and #nonManifoldEdges. Then, extrude the dentils outline (in the top view) to a height of 48 units (in the front view). Now perform a #booleanUnion of the two solid shapes to get the complete #entablature. Finally, check the edges of the solid in the #CAD program AGAIN for #nakedEdges and #nonManifoldEdges. With this, we have finished two of the three main components of the #IonicOrder. There's a modern version of the Ionic entablature with #modillions, which I will describe later. Next, we move on to the biggest, most conspicuous part of the order — the #IonicColumn.
This shows the detailed measurements of the top and bottom portions of the #IonicPedestal. For macro-level measurements, see https://pixelfed.social/p/Splines/790571135473463588
Each of the blue curve segments (lines and arcs) that are marked with a yellow bubble is the #profileCurve for a #molding whose name is inside the bubble.
Starting at the bottom, we have a #plinth, a #fillet, a #cymaRecta, and a #reed as part of the #basement of an Ionic pedestal.
Next up, we have a #fillet and a #cavetto at the bottom of the #dado, and another cavetto and fillet at the top of the dado.
Moving higher up, a reed, an #ovolo, a #corona, a #cymaReversa, and a final fillet top off the cap of the pedestal.
They are called profile curves because each is the outline or silhouette of a 3D molding as seen from one side or in a cross section. In the case of a pedestal, these curves can be used directly to recreate the 3D shape of the pedestal. For this reason and in this case, I call them #primaryProfileCurves.
This is not always the case. For more complex shapes, such as the #scroll surface of an #IonicCapital shown in https://pixelfed.social/p/Splines/789956327130679640, the profile curves recovered by #reverseEngineering the image scans in #Vignola's book cannot be used directly to sweep the scroll surface because the scroll shape is not cylindrical. Like the inside of a rose, the scroll surface follows the outlines of spiral #volutes in the front and back, neither of which are circular. So, additional steps are necessary to derive the curves that we can actually use to reconstruct the surface.
In the case of the scroll surface, the derivation of these curves is not trivial and not obvious, but it is not difficult to understand, and no math is involved. There are multiple sets of curves, and each successive set is derived from a previous set. I call them secondary, tertiary, and quaternary curves.
For now, we stick with the primary profile curves for the pedestal.
Each of the blue curve segments (lines and arcs) that are marked with a yellow bubble is the #profileCurve for a #molding whose name is inside the bubble.
Starting at the bottom, we have a #plinth, a #fillet, a #cymaRecta, and a #reed as part of the #basement of an Ionic pedestal.
Next up, we have a #fillet and a #cavetto at the bottom of the #dado, and another cavetto and fillet at the top of the dado.
Moving higher up, a reed, an #ovolo, a #corona, a #cymaReversa, and a final fillet top off the cap of the pedestal.
They are called profile curves because each is the outline or silhouette of a 3D molding as seen from one side or in a cross section. In the case of a pedestal, these curves can be used directly to recreate the 3D shape of the pedestal. For this reason and in this case, I call them #primaryProfileCurves.
This is not always the case. For more complex shapes, such as the #scroll surface of an #IonicCapital shown in https://pixelfed.social/p/Splines/789956327130679640, the profile curves recovered by #reverseEngineering the image scans in #Vignola's book cannot be used directly to sweep the scroll surface because the scroll shape is not cylindrical. Like the inside of a rose, the scroll surface follows the outlines of spiral #volutes in the front and back, neither of which are circular. So, additional steps are necessary to derive the curves that we can actually use to reconstruct the surface.
In the case of the scroll surface, the derivation of these curves is not trivial and not obvious, but it is not difficult to understand, and no math is involved. There are multiple sets of curves, and each successive set is derived from a previous set. I call them secondary, tertiary, and quaternary curves.
For now, we stick with the primary profile curves for the pedestal.
Splines (@[email protected])
This shows macro-level measurements for the #IonicPedestal. The key to #effectiveModeling is to simplify a complex shape into elementary components. Sometimes, this involves mentally flattening and reducing 3D shapes to 2D shapes, extracting elementary curves from them, and then recreating the 3D shapes from the extracted 2D curves. This is not always easy for organic shapes (which can still be approximated by Bézier curves). I extracted the #primaryCurves for the #IonicScroll surface in https://pixelfed.social/p/Splines/789956327130679640 after a lengthy trial-and-error process that involved #curveFitting images from #Vignola’s book, #RegolaArchitettura. I had to reverse engineer the details because the measurements have either been lost, or are locked away in some library. Web search yields no details on these measurements. Fortunately, for geometrical shapes like pedestals, this is very easy. Because of its square footprint, mentally slicing it through the middle from top to bottom, it is easy to “see” the outline. Another way to think about #curveExtraction is to shine an imaginary bright light on an object from behind in a dark room to reveal its silhouette. For the pedestal, even this silhouette or outline can be further reduced because the shape is symmetrical about the #columnAxis. With this realization, we only need to focus on one half of the outline, and methodically proceed from bottom to top, marking every kink and inflection point on the outline. Fortunately, the other authoritative book, #Scarlata’s #PracticalArchitecture, I mentioned in my introductory post already documents #VignolaProportions in tabular form. So we can skip everything else and go directly to that. Total height of #IonicPedestal is 864 units (108 parts, or 6*µ) of which the #PedestalBasement and #PedestalCap are each 72 units (9 parts, or µ/2) and the #Dado is 720 units (90 parts, or µ*5) tall.
Alankar⬆️ #IonicPedestal #3DModeling #ProfileCurves
Bottom-right portion of profile curves for Ionic Pedestal. Details in Alt text.
Starting from bottom, the #plinth, #fillet, #CymaRecta, and #reed belong to the #Basement.
The fillet and #cavetto (circular arc) above those belong to the #Dado.
The cyma recta is 40 units wide and 24 tall. So the arcs for that are cut from ellipses.
A refined variation of cyma recta uses half turn of a helix instead of 2 elliptical arcs and will be presented later.
Jenny MathiassonRemember Tofor, the #Vanuatu #slitgong I treated a while ago? Well here he is, standing up in his home! ❤️
The talented team at Out of the Blue Fabrications made him this stunning #plinth in oak for him to safely stand in.
He looks pretty chuffed. I know I am!
#conservation #WorldCultures #anthropology #collections #throwbackthursday
Kara Finance
HapaxiaPlinth's SFML extension can now resize SFML images!
You can resize any portion of an image to any size.
There are also a few options depending on the type of method used to resize.
https://github.com/Hapaxia/Plinth/commit/f5a36384e2e6b5fb7f9e1948b8847c3a39d796a6
A Fool And His Fuji