Sticking my hand into the mystical pandora box, the magical (or not so…) word I received was mirror. My struggles through this project (i.e. the process) may be viewed here. After several weeks of struggling as slave to the foam, I tried to come up with a model that could include everything in one – be intricate in design, be a mix of other words from the pandora box, be able to be seen from all angles, all while using rectilinear volumes of different forms YET still have everything be symmetrical/centred due to the nature of my word. However, after about 398712 attempts at creating models and realising that it is impossible to achieve all of the above due to the restrictions of my word, I decided to go simple with the final look of the model, but have it actually achieve more than it seems to.
The main objective that I wanted to achieve through ‘mirror’ was to have the model be symmetrical from all its sides, since mirror indicates a reflection of the other.
Here are the pictures of my final model. I named it TARS, as it resembles the last standing robot from the movie Interstellar whom I grew quite attached to by the end of the 3-hour-long movie. Just like how attached I am to my model after finally completing it upon weeks of experimenting.
The real TARS:
3D SKETCH MODEL
*Photos may not be 100% accurate to life
*Provided are the lines of symmetry to avoid overlap in the 2D sketch analysis
2D SKETCH ANALYSIS
As mentioned, my main focus was to have the model be symmetrical from all its sides, or rather from as most sides as possible. As seen, with the use of the squared SD and the rotating D, the model is not only symmetrical from the front, back, left and right, but also from diagonal angles. That makes it already symmetrical from 8 sides with all blocks being visible.
When viewed from the top or bottom, I still focused on the property that the model remains symmetrical despite the SO being hidden from sight.
Possible improvements:
To enhance the idea of levitation by the SO, I could have used acrylic rods instead of chopsticks so that the transparency will allow a sense of floating of the dominant.
FUTURE APPLICATIONS
- A literal mirror
Given the word, I thought it would only be fitting if the final product turned out to be a literal mirror as well. A mirror that is mirrored from all views. Mirror-ception.
I decided to cover the rotatable dominant in reflective mirror paper to represent a real mirror and use wood for the subdominant base so that the model would be able to be stable and balance well. The wood also serves as an aesthetic design, hence the use of wooden chopsticks to match the aesthetic.
- Vanity Mirror
As such, the final model represents a rotatable mirror that can be placed on one’s vanity.
Here’s where things get more exciting with the mirror:
- Life-size Circus Mirror Installation
If magnified to life size, the model can also serve as a life-size art installation with circus mirrors, just for people’s entertainment.
i.e. Replacing the normal reflective surface with these mirrors:
- Mirror-ception Installation
If two installations are placed opposite each other, they reflect each other thus creating a mirror-ception installation, much like the mirror scene from Inception. This could be placed in an art exhibition.
Four of these installations can also be placed in the shape of a box so that it becomes a room that people can possibly enter in an art museum. It would be even better if every mirror had a different type of circus mirror, so the reflections reflect different reflections!
Here’s my tacky attempt at trying to photoshop it into a life size exhibition, I hope you get the idea:
To apply the rotating functionality, a full MAZE can be made with these life size models where people will have to rotate the mirrors to find their way out.
2. Futuristic Waiter
Inspired by space robot TARS who assisted the NASA team in their journey to outer-space, I figured that my model could become a futuristic robot waiter/waitress at food places when turned upside down.
The wooden block could act as the head, while the reflective surface here represents a digital screen where customers can see the menu and make their orders on.
Since it’s the future, the robot could be levitating around the place without the need for wheels. Furthermore, if the wooden chopsticks are replaced with a transparent material, the head could be levitating as well and would fit the futuristic aspect of this idea. Or… maybe the head will actually be able to levitate in the future.
3) Fondue Fountain
When upside down, the rotating function could also help serve the model as a rotating fondue fountain. I imagine that the falling chocolate will be aesthetically swirling in rounds due to the flat surface of the rotating dominant.
Rather hypnotising Final Model with really creative application choices Dion! 🙂 Not familiar with TARS… But 3 hrs long?!? Tell me the gist of the story next time… Is it anything like Iron Giant?
I’m not so familiar with Iron Giant, but Interstellar is really a must watch! It’s one of Christopher Nolan’s biggest hits and was what everyone was talking about when it first came out!! I was 4 years late to it and I regret… hahaha. It’s basically about Earth coming to an end and a team of explorers going through space/wormholes to try to save humanity :p Hands down the most mindblowing movie I’ve ever watched!