JJ and I was paired up for this assignment, where we have to make accessories. The accessories has to be link to our planar or mnemosyne scent structures!
Unfortunately we do not agree to each other scent. Therefore, we thought of memories of our own. Both of us always eat Mala Hotpot in school. We love the smell and taste of it. Therefore we decide to go for it.
Mala
Sudden Burst,Burning Sensation,Spicy,Excitement
Process
We came up with 2 different accessories, the head gear and the ring. Since Mala Hotpot is a Sichuan cuisine. We got inspiration from the ancient days emperor and empress.
Our idea is to show how our body will react after eating Mala. We use wood to show the exterior of how we are and we use copper wire to show what is happening inside us. The copper wire shows the burning burst of spicy that we cannot control. The wires are coming from different directions. And we use a gold colour sphere to represent our heart. The copper wires are piercing thru our heart.
We faced some difficulties when bending the wood, at first we wanted the wood to swirl up and the copper wires will be hiding inside. This is to represent how people see us. Like will not know how we are feeling inside after eating mala. However, it is almost impossible to create the swirl, the wood might break. Therefore we have to make some amendments. Instead of using swirl, we tapered the wood and place it in a upright position, to show the raising of spice level.
Improvement to be made
After our fashion runway, we were given some feedbacks. What we could do is to add in more copper wires to create a more intense ‘burst of spicy’ and we could create it in a way that it forms a plane.
Human Beings have five different ways of sensing the world around them. One of them is smell.
How do smells trigger such strong emotions and memories?
Some smells and aromas are much nicer than others. While there will also be smells that we dislike. For me, I dislike the smell of dairy products. Especially milk, it has a very strong smell and taste, which reminds me of baby’s vomit.
That complex emotion and memory can be triggered by a simple sensory cue.
Memories linked to smells are often stronger and more vivid. Studies have shown that they also tend to be memories of early life, before we were 10 years old.
We tend to remember a particular sensation, rather than a bunch of facts about something that happened.
Mnemonic Devices
Mnemonic devices are techniques a person can use to help them improve their ability to remember something. In other words, it’s a memory technique to help your brain better encode and recall important information. It’s a simple shortcut that helps us associate the information we want to remember with an image, a sentence, or a word.
Mnemonic devices are very old, with some dating back to ancient Greek times. Virtually everybody uses them, even if they don’t know their name. It’s simply a way of memorizing information so that it “sticks” within our brain longer and can be recalled more easily in the future.
An acronym is a word formed from the first letters or groups of letters in a name or phrase. An acrostic is a series of lines from which particular letters (such as the first letters of all lines) from a word or phrase. These can be used as mnemonic devices by taking the first letters of words or names that need to be remembered and developing an acronym or acrostic.
Some people have a hard time remembering the colors of the rainbow. However, a few simple memory tricks can help you better remember the colours. Try to remember the name of an imaginary person called Roy G. Biv. So we can easily remember the 7 colours, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
Nowadays, youngsters come up with our on acronyms. Such as ttyl. It helps us to communicate in our own terms. When we see such acronyms, our brain immediately tells us it means talk to you later.
Since young, we have been using this method to remember the number of days in the month.
Count the months on your knuckles and the grooves between your knuckles. Leave out your thumb knuckle. Every month that lands on a knuckle is 31 days, every month that lands on a groove between knuckles is 30 days (or 28 for February).
I like how they use texture to create a rough and harsh texture on the model. I actually prefer the suspended model. It allows people to use their own imagination, view from all angle. Compared to model with a base, it restrict us.
I think everyone that knows me well, will be aware that I love babies and kids. They just bring so much joy and happiness to people around them. I have a niece, I love her so much. When she was 6 months old, before entering poly, I took care of her for about 4 months. I always use Johnson’s baby wipes to clean her, so when she was younger she have a Johnson’s baby wet wipes smell. Now that she is bigger, she no longer have the smell, which I miss a lot. Whenever I see the wet wipes, it just reminds me of the happy memories.
My unpleasant scent is hair cream. Not that I dislike the smell. But it reminds me of when I was much younger. I shared the same room as my parents. My dad will put on hair cream, the smell of the hair cream is very strong. Whenever, I smell this smell, I know my dad is leaving for work. When I was young, I only want my parents to stay by my side. I do not understand will he have to work. Therefore, this smell gives me lots of unpleasant memory back then. Now that I have grown up, I understand that my dad works to support and give our family a better lifestyle.
Planes
Types of 2D & 3D Planes
There are 8 types of 2D and 3D planes. 2D planes consists of the straight axis, bend axis, curved axis and complex axis. For 2D planes, the planes is fixed into a rectangle box. While 3D planes consists of the curved, broken, twisted and grouped planes.
For the assignment, we are suppose to create a interesting composition using different width planes. We have to be aware of the Dominant, Sub-dominant and Subordinate, making sure that it stays consistent throughout.
Sketch Model 1
Sketch Model 2
Modify Sketch Model 1
Model 1
I have trypophobia, therefore I use holes to represent my unpleasant scent.. My pleasant scent is baby wet wipes, it is soft and fluffy, I tried use the soft and rounder edge to represent it.
However, the model is not that interesting as there is main focus. Everything is compact.
Model2
After doing the first model, I am not satisfied. Therefore I tried to improve on it. I felt that the second model is more interesting and have a focus point.
Modular Structure is a design approach that subdivides a system into smaller parts called modules or skids, that can be independently created and then used in different systems.
Modular design can be seen in certain buildings. Modular buildings can be added to or reduced in size by adding or removing certain components. This can be done without altering larger portions of the building. Modular buildings can also undergo changes in functionality using the same process of adding or removing components.
In architecture and structural engineering, a space frame or space structure is a riding, lightweight structure constructed from interlocking structs in a geometric pattern. Space frames can be used to span large areas with few interior supports.
Shell Lattice Structures
Large span timber gridshells are commonly constructed by initially laying out the main lath members flat in a regular square or rectangular lattice, and subsequently deforming this into the desired doubly curved form. This can be achieved by pushing the members up from the ground.
Examples of Modular Architecture
Habitat 67
in Montreal designed in the 1960’s by architect Moshe Safdie.It consists of prefab units that have be stacked in an ingeneous way. It was designed to integrate the variety and diversity of scattered private homes with the economics and density of a modern apartment building. The building was believed to illustrate the new lifestyle people would live in increasingly crowded cities around the world.
Honeycomb Apartment
This architecture is designed to mimic the rhythmic structure of honeycomb, the layout creates dynamic elevations and offers privacy to the neighboring owners.
Sounds Analysis
I used shapes to represent each sound. I felt that the tone bars creates a up and down tone. As for the wooden sticks and sand blocks, I felt that the 2 sound were very similar and the comes together. While the egg shaker is very soft.
Individual Moodbox
For my model, I choose to use a curved plane to represent the tone bars. I felt that the tone bars creates a up and down tone. Therefore I create a curve to represent the change in the tone. I use 2 wooden blocks to represent sand blocks and wooden sticks as both the sound comes together and it creates a very clear sound. Lastly for the egg shaker, I felt that the sound is slowly disappearing and fading away. Therefore I use a metal wire to represent it.
There is two task to this assignment. For the first task, we had to be in a group of maximum 4 person. We are to reinvent a history for someone whom we had lost touch. As for second task, it is a individual project. We had to make use of images shots that we took as a group to create a photo story with sound.
Plot
Our plot is about a girl and boy who are childhood friends since young. They communicate thru letters and would always meet at the park nearby, where all their memories are formed. However, over the years, the boy had to leave to go overseas. The girl anticipate for him letters, but she never ever receive them. Over the years, the girl moved on and have her own family. Then she receive a letter by the boy. She then realised the boy left her, not because he had to go overseas but he will suffering from illness and he doesn’t want her to suffer with him.
Process
While editing the images, we realised we had many missing images and scenes, therefore we had to change our story. We felt that the first shoot was lack of planning. We had many disconnections and the images do not bring out the emotions we are trying to convey. We didn’t use a tripod, so the images were some what not from the same angle.
Therefore our group agreed to reshoot.
The second time we shoot, we followed the story board closely. I felt that having a storyboard really helps a lot. It helps us plan and organise the story better.
Thankfully, the second time we shoot it turn out better. We had our things planned out. We went to various locations and had our props ready. Since this story is about childhood friends growing up together, we had to take the attire and surrounding into consideration too. We also confirm all the camera angle and lighting so that we will not face the same problem.
20 Images
We use a lot of wide angle shot to show what is happening at the surrounding. Then we zoom in into the subject, this is to show the emotions and main element in the photo.
We also made used of what we learn in class. Like the different perspectives and rule of thirds.
Inspiration
I got my inspiration from the film Memento. Memento is presented as two different sequences of scenes. A series of black and white to represent the past and a series of colour sequences to show the present.
Story
PRESENT – PAST – BACK TO PRESENT
The story starts and ends at the same location. I tried using two different colour schemes in my plot. Saturated colours for the present and desaturated colours for the past. It starts with the girl recalling back to the past, where they form all their memories together. The park is a place that connects them together. They always appear together at the park, however at the last scene it shows the girl sitting there alone. I want to show the loneliess and that the guy had left. I also made use of the leaf dropping scene to show that the boy had left. I also make use of black screens and fading effects between 2 different locations/ scenes to show the flash back memories and to show the passing of time.
Sound
I had no idea what sound to use. I went youtube to watch some still photo story to get inspirations.
0.00-0.12 I use peaceful and soft environmental sound.
0.12-0.30 I tried to add in the sound of ceiling fan and echo sound effect to show that she is a very small space. The sound is soft and not over powering. Then I use diegetic sound, for example the sound when the boy in sliding the letter into her house.
0.32-1.16 This is where all the happy memories are formed. There happier and lively environmental sound, such as birds chirping, wind and children playing. I also recorded the closing and opening of tin. At 1.16sec it ends with a loud bang. It is to show that the tin is being buried and to show that something bad is about the happen.
1.19- 1.33 This is where the boy left. The use go low pitch sound for the background, this is to create a tension and anticipation of what is happening next.
1.36-1.41 Instead of showing the man walking into the lift, I used a black screen with sound of the lift door opening. Like without even seeing whats going on. By the sound of it, we know where the boy is.
1.41-2.53 After the boy left her, I reduce the background sound, it is to create the loneliness effect and I only force a few sound to create the tension.
2.53-3.03 I use back the same background sound as the first scene to show that is a continuous of the first scene. However, I add the low pitch sound to create the mood of how the girl is feeling.
3.03-3.22 When she finally know the reason why the guy left, the sound of the background sound slowly fades away and become silent. It is to show peacefulness.
Reflection
I realised how difficult it was when I was editing the sound and images. It is really difficult to find the right sound to represent the mood I am trying to convey. End up I had to record some of the sounds. Such as the opening and closing of biscuit tin.
It was also the first time I tried using Lightroom and iMovie. I had no idea how and what to do. I ended up learning from youtube videos. I learn how to adjust the settings.
Overall, it is a good learning experience. I am pretty satisfy. I never thought I will be able to do it. Although it is not perfect, but I tried 😀
My interpretation: I emphasis on technologies, mainly mobile phone that is taking over our world. It has become a very important devices in our daily lifes. Since the main subject is the phone, the phone takes up most spaces in the composition and world takes up the least space. I duplicate a a few other phones to show that it is taking over the world. The use of phone call symbol acts as technology spreading out from the world.
Principle of Design: Repetition and Negative spaces
Key words: Human, World and Mess
My interpretation: What I want to show is the ‘Mess’ taking over the human world. Like they are controlling the humans. I chose to use octopus to represent the mess in this layout. I duplicate the design and I wanted the centre octopus to be the main subject, therefore I enlarge the size of it. I made use of the positive spaces as my background so that the main subject will stand out. I rotated the image 180 degree because I want to show the mess. When we first see this layout, our eyes will not visualise the octopus as an octopus because it was rotated. But after our brain processes then we will see it as an octopus.
Principle of Design: Symmetry, Contrast, Visual hierarchy
Key words: Tea and Time
My interpretation: I use teapot, tea and clock for my composition. Therefore I use several clocks and teapot from different directions to show no matter when and where there would be tea.
Principle of Design: Repetition and Golden Ratio
Key words: Reflection, Inside
My interpretation: I want to show the inner self of Mulan, being a girl but disgust herself as a man. From the quote, it seems like she wants to reveal her real identity yet she cannot. I use heart and eyes to represent her inner self. Roses were also used to represent her as a female. With a closer look, you could see a rose reflected in her eyes. The wire burb acts as a barrier that refrain her revealing her inner self.
The emotions that I get from the quote is sadness and pain. Therefore I added splash of blood at the background to add some texture to convey that emotion.
Principle of Design: Asymmetry, Contrast, Texture
Reflection
I felt that creating the layouts were the most challenging part of the assignment. I have trouble interpreting the key words, my layout and ideas are always too literal. However, I felt that the last few compositions, I started to be more imaginative and think out of the box.
I explore and tried out the different principle of design in the layouts. I tried creating a symmetry, asymmetry and positive and negative background for my designs. As I want to explore different design principle and see which suits the best for each design.
I learnt photoshop when I was in poly, however I though 1 gap year and I forgot some of the skills. This project helps to refresh those skills and allows me to apply the design principle. For my future assignments, I hope to be more creative and see things from different perspectives.
I documented my design process and silkscreen process.
My final compositons will be documented in another post!
Compositions
1. I am the king of the World - Titanic
The keywords that I extracted out is King and World.
For the first 2 compositions. I was being too literally the word king and world keep getting stuck in my head.
Then I came across this image. The mother is using her phone and the baby is placed on the floor. I thought it is ridiculous as technology is taking over the world.
Then thought about it and I felt that it is true that technology is taking over our lives. Everyone owns a phone. In the past, people communicate by sending letters or talking face to face. But in the current society, we no longer need to do that.
Even for myself, I feel weird not bringing my phone out when me. Therefore, for my third and final layout I want to show technology, mainly phones taking over the world.
This is the composition I worked on before my final.I use hand, phone, world and the dialling symbol. Since the technology is taking over the world, the main subject is the phone, hence it is the biggest and the world is the smallest.
2. The human world is a mess - Little Mermaid
The keywords that I extracted out is human, world and mess.
I use octopus to represent the mess. Like the human world is being taken over by animals. I want the focus to be on the octopus. After doing my first composition, I felt the design do not have a main subject. Everything seems too overpowering. Therefore, I tried to enlarge the size of the octopus and reduce the size of the human world. However, I still feel that the design is a bit too messy.
For my the third layout, I tried to duplicate the subjects. And I create a focus by enlarging the centre octopus. Showing octopus taking over the human world. I like this layout, but I felt that it do not show the mess as there are too much negative space.
3. It's always tea time - Alice in the Wonderland
The keywords that I extracted out is tea and time.
This is one of the quotes that I struggled with. I felt that my design is too literal and simple.
I use teapot and clock to represent the 2 keywords. I felt that there is too much postive spaces. What I could do, is try to duplicate the subjects and add in more textures.
4. When will my reflection show who I am inside - Mulan
The keywords that I extracted out is reflection and inside.
This is my favourite quote. Mulan is a girl but she have to disgust herself as a man. When I thought of the I thought of using roses to represent female. For my first layout, I place the rose outside of the heart and I felt that it does not show the inner self.
Therefore my second composition, I tried placing the roses in the heart it self and I use wire burb to warp around the heart. It is to show the inner self begin trap and she could not reveal her real identity as a female. And the rose in her eyes shows how much she wish to reveal her identity.
I really like this layout, but I feel that the design was too symmetrical and that I could as some texture and emotion to the background.
Silkscreen
I am very excited because the last time I did it was in poly. And I really enjoy it. However, what we did back then was slightly different.
After I have finalised with my final composition. The fun begins!
First, we had to print our design on 2 pieces of transparency. We each collected a silkscreen frame and a tote bag.
Then, we had to wash the frame to remove dusts. Next we have to coat our silkscreen with blue emulsion and put in the dryer until it drys.
Then we had to wash to off the unexposed part, I was so disappointed as my design got wash off and I had to redo another screen. I thought my design had many details and 18secs of exposing it not enough, so for my next screen I exposed it for 20secs. This time round everything got washed off. I was really worried as most of my classmates already had there screen exposed and I do not have time to redo another screen that day. I had to wait for the next week 🙁
I know I was behind time and I am also worried if the design got washed off again, I had to redo. So the next lesson, I came to class prepared and I quickly went to coat the screen with emulsion.
After many tries, I finally got what I wanted. I am glad the details did not got washed off.
This is what my screen looks like after washing off the unexposed parts.
Now we move on the even scarier part, the test prints. I am very afraid the details will not be seen.
For my first trial, I applied too much ink and pressure. By the third print, I got the hang of it. Im glad it turned out better than what I expected.
And now I am ready to print on my tote bag!
The prints came out slightly lighter than on paper. I think it is because the bag absorbs more ink. However it still turn out good!
Yeah! It was a success! Thank you to my lovely classmates that helped my out in the silkscreen! 😀
I showed my family the tote bag and my sister wanted one too. So then the next lesson, I bought a extra tote bag and I printed it for her the next lesson. I felt that this tote bag turn out better and the ink was dark. However, the proportion is bit off as the bag is too big and the design seems smaller.
After doing the first model, I am not satisfied. Therefore I tried to improve on it. I felt that the second model is more interesting and have a focus point.
I used shapes to represent each sound. I felt that the tone bars creates a up and down tone. As for the wooden sticks and sand blocks, I felt that the 2 sound were very similar and the comes together. While the egg shaker is very soft.
I know I was behind time and I am also worried if the design got washed off again, I had to redo. So the next lesson, I came to class prepared and I quickly went to coat the screen with emulsion.
