Artists in a makerspace

While the Sandbox Makerspace isn't an art studio there are many opportunities for artists to exercise their creativity and learn new things. Here are some suggestions for first projects and suggestions for tools and training.

How to Prepare for Your First Visit to Sandbox

Before using Sandbox all students must complete the Introduction and Safety Training module. We provide tool training on the university ELMS/Canvas learning management system.

Self Enrolling

Because this isn't a class for academic credit you can self-enroll. Once you're enrolled you don't have to re-enroll each semester. It's easy, it's free, and it's at https://ter.ps/Learn2Make.

Basic Training

Once you've enrolled, take our Introduction to Sandbox module (https://umd.instructure.com/courses/1274047/pages/introduction-to-sandbox). Additional, tool-specific training is available. Since you'll have to complete this training before using those tools, why not take a moment now to think about the tools you're interested in using (or learning to use) so you can complete those training modules in advance. Most training modules take less than 30 minutes to complete.

Suggested Makerspace Tools to Learn and Project Starters

Button making

Showcase your favorite cause or show off your creativity by making a button to wear all over campus.

Draw, paint, or print your image or message to fit inside a 2-1/4" circle. You can do this in advance or while visiting Sandbox. Use our button maker to convert your art into a wearable, pin-on button. Find out more about the button maker tool on this wiki page

No additional training is required to use this tool but be sure to read through the ABM tutorial here

Laser Cutting & Engraving

Laser Cutters are powerful tools that make it easy to execute precise cuts in a variety of materials such as thin plywood and acrylic sheet. Learning to use a laser is much less complicated than you might imagine. You can draw designs to be laser cut in Adobe Illustrator, a software package you may already be familiar with. No knowledge of complex Computer Aided Design (CAD) software is required.

If you have an idea for a laser-cut project be sure to complete our laser training course before coming to Sandbox. If you're unsure, you can skip the training and ask for a demonstration showing how a simple laser project goes from design concept in Adobe Illustrator to the finished design.

Our laser training module can be found at: https://umd.instructure.com/courses/1274047/pages/uls-laser-introduction?module_item_id=9702615

Electronics: Learn to Use an Arduino Microcontroller

Learn to use an Arduino Microcontroller, the board designed to make it easy for artists to incorporate electronic devices in projects. The Arduino project grew out of a Master’s thesis project by Hernando Barragán at the Interaction Design Institute Ivrea (IDII) in Italy in 2003. The objective of the thesis was to make it easy for artists and designers to work with electronics, by abstracting away the often complicated details of electronics so they can focus on their own objectives.

The full thesis document can be downloaded here: http://people.interactionivrea.org/h.barragan/thesis/thesis_low_res.pdf

Sandbox has an ELMS/Canvas training module that helps you learn Arduino basics using an online simulator. This simulator approach simplifies learning and allows you to gain confidence before actually wiring up circuit components in the real world. This course module can be found on or ELMS course: https://umd.instructure.com/courses/1274047/pages/arduino-getting-started?module_item_id=10740489

Electronics: Learn to Solder

If you already know a bit about electronics but want to go further by learning how to use a soldering station to assemble electronic components, then check out our course module that covers the basics of soldering. You can practice your soldering skills by assembling one of our project circuits.

https://umd.instructure.com/courses/1274047/pages/learn-to-solder-introduction?module_item_id=10374146

A Learn To Solder kit is available for you to practice your new solderring skills. Instructions for completing this kit may be found on this wiki page.