Quilling Inspired Chess Set:
TASK: To create a unique chess set
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN CATEGORY: Product Design
SKILLS USED: Ideation, Sketching, Fusion 360
TIMELINE: 4 Weeks
Week 1-2 : Ideation
Week 3-4 : Design Development and final product
Quilling, also known as paper filigree, is a form of art that involves the manipulation of paper in ways of folds, curls and bends to create various patterns. My mother has always been into quilling, as such it has a special place in my heart, and I decided to base my chess set around the same concept.
SKETCHES:
Starting off the project, I created quick thumbnail sketches to brainstorm and put out ideas. While creating these sketches I had no final idea in mind, this led to me focusing on creating a more diverse pool of ideas.
After creating 80 or so sketches, I felt drawn towards the idea of creating a chess set inspired by quilling
MODELS
Low Fidelity
My Low-Fidelity Models included paper models that gave a better understanding of how the quilling style would look on a chess piece.
High Fidelity
The High fidelity models were creating by recycling aluminum cans. The cans were cut from the top and bottom to produce a sheet that was then sanded to remove any previous color and branding. These sheets were then cut into thin pieces that could be rolled into various shapes that were then glued together to form my models.
FINAL MODELS
Much like my aluminum high fidelity models, my final pieces were made using strips of sheetmetal. These 1 cm wide strips were clamped onto a metal rod using a vice grip, which was then hammered along the circumference of the rod to create a ring. By creating rings on the same rod, I made a standardized shape for the various components of each piece. These pieces were then to be put together to form my chess pieces.
CAD RENDERS
Work in progress images
MODELS OF THE CHESS PIECES
BLACK CHESS BLOCKS
WHITE CHESS BLOCKS
CHESS BOARD PUT TOGETHER
PLACEMENT OF PIECES
FINAL RENDER SETUP
The pieces I envisioned, came out as I expected in my 3D renders. The quilling inspired chess set would not have a black and white side, instead pieces would be either made in copper or steel, imitating black and white respectively. The chess board itself would be deep and each square on top would have a X-shaped brace in steel or copper. This brace would serve two purposes, one, for aesthetics, and two, to act as a support for the pieces so that they never accidentally get knocked over or shift around. To balance out the chess board and to not look disproportionate I extended the sides an inch beyond the board on each side in black, perfectly framing the metals within.
RENDERS
