Hitbox Final Report Part 2

For this project, my timeline has changed from the original timeline I had.

Due to the mishap with my paint discussed last week, the final assembly was delayed by a lot. Now, I am leaving the electronics work to the future, potentially before or after expo. I do intend on getting this system functional, but that is for later. Those parts are unrelated to the aesthetic of the project, which was what I wanted to accomplish before Expo. In the future, I will be printing the box for my electronics as well as wiring the electronics.

The process of creating this hitbox began with deciding what album I wanted to use. In the end, I chose Boston’s self-titled album, Boston. A song from this album, Peace of Mind, is what I largely attribute as being what made me as interested in music as I am now. This album cover is very distinct, and I wanted to do it justice with my project.

The next step was to figure out the measurements. I measured the distances between my fingers, determining how best to space the buttons. There were two types of buttons, 24 mm and 30 mm. Combining these measurements with the spacing of my fingers, I ended up with the following drawing:

This was then used to make the following part:

This was then laser cut into acrylic.

To assemble, both sheets are screwed together with a painted paper sheet between them. The buttons used have screws, which is what have been used so far.

Painting the paper was a different process. Originally, I had intended to paint directly onto the acrylic sheets, but the paint I had was not compatible with the acrylic. Instead, I painted a sheet of watercolor paper, placing that between the acrylic sheets.

Put together, the acrylic actually helps with the color blending of the painting, adding a shiny, glossier finish.

I am quite happy with how this has turned out, although I have some improvements that I would want to make. As I am a digital artist, I have considered making an album cover digitally and then printing that out. This will allow me to make designs both faster, better, and more accurate. I also made some mistakes with the painting. I do not have experience in painting, so the color blending of the background is off compared to what was intended. That said, I do like the way it looks, as it now has a more handmade look.

I will be adding functionality in the coming weeks, but for now, I think I have accomplished in making the aesthetic I desired.