Soundwave Art Installation
I conceptualized, designed, and built a large-format, wall-mounted wood art installation from scratch, translating a digital soundwave into a physical piece using hand-selected materials and custom tooling solutions.
Process Overview
User-Centered Design:
The piece was created with specific dimensions (3’ x 6’) to meet space constraints, and the soundwave featured a meaningful phrase selected for emotional resonance—anchoring the work in user-centered principles.
Material Selection:
Chose Alder wood for its regional relevance (native to the Pacific Northwest), moderate weight (important for wall-mounting), and strong workability—balancing aesthetics, function, and material science.
Digital-to-Physical Translation:
- Captured and isolated audio using Audacity®.
- Exported soundwave as a scalable PNG using GIMP
- Converted to a full-size physical template using large-format printing
Tool Customization:
Designed and fabricated a custom zero-clearance insert and hold-down jig for the table saw using phenolic resin and a router to enable safe, consistent cutting of 1/8” wood strips—demonstrating tool adaptation and process optimization.
Staged Build Process:
- Glued and planed panels for the base
- Aligned thin strips over the template to form the waveform
- Used fast-setting adhesives, sanding, and sectional glue-ups to ensure precision and finish quality
Aesthetic Finishing:
- Applied layered gradient stain using MIXOL® pigments with denatured alcohol
- Sealed the piece with polycrylic, then hand-buffed with Scotch-Brite for a high-gloss finish
Skills Demonstrated:
- End-to-end project planning & execution
- Tool customization & hands-on problem-solving
- Strong visual communication & technical documentation
- Translating abstract digital inputs into high-fidelity physical output
- Focus on user/audience experience and design resonance
