Spring 2026
5 weeks
Family of Form: Chess Set
Project Goals
Develop a chess set while for the average chess player, exploring family of form and legibility of symbols. Include two common pieces to unify the set.
Skills Used
Prototyping
3D Modeling
Sketching
Inspiration
Elegant and slender forms with cutouts, organic curves and architectural features along the sides of bodies.
Design Iterations
Render Development
Through rendering color and material options were explored, leading to the teal and metal. the first rendered version of the set had top symbols that were too flat and blocky, especially compare to the full bodies of the pieces. To solve this the tops became rounded as well, creating a much more balanced piece.
Model Making
After the renders were made, simple 3d models were printed out.
The second round of 3d printed models had separated parts to represent the different materials.
In order to make the common part of each piece, an RTV casting process was utilized including making a mold from a 3d print, which resin was then poured into.
