I've been bumping back and forth between subject matter and what really interests me. As a youngster, I used to play ping pong on my lunch break. I no longer have the ability to play with home court advantage, but I can still make some people shut their eyes in humiliation.
After playing and understanding the sport for such a long period of time, I began to think about the loops created when spin is applied to the ball, the point of view to which the ball is being seen in motion, and the field of depth that the ball consumes as it progresses and recedes over the table. If you look at a ball from a side angle being thrown forward it will create a partial loop after one bounce. This linear structure will be the basis of straight stroke. When a ball is thrown against the wall at an angle is retains it's linear structure, now with angles added. When the ball is given spin and thrown through space, it creates a curvilinear structure that will be the basis for curved letter forms. I am going to find different letter forms created by one, two or possibly three volleys while adding depth. The ball's depth will be shown as an increase in size when close and it will decrease in size as it recedes through space. I have a few sketches that I will scan later if it doesn't make sense.
Here are some examples of a ping pong ball being hit through space and the shapes that it creates. I am going to be examining other types of recreational games that include a small balls, such as billiards, pinball, foosball etc. More studies to come.
Wouldn't it be cool if you wrote on the ping pong balls or put a typeface on the balls and then hit them a certain way and take photos of the different speeds and angles their hit at? I bet it transforms the letters a very interesting way. Just an idea.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that is a very interesting idea. Hmmmm. I'm trying to think of a way I can record the flight pattern.
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