11 Jan 2017
My client is Alyssa.
The following are the things I learnt about my client and her expectations:
– Functionality 60% Aesthetics 40%
– Loves black, white and navy blue
– Likes reading e-books. Any kind of genres/books.
– Major: Product Design, was from Industrial Design in Poly
– Likes huskies
– Loves textures eg wood, but cannot stand holes
– Hates fishes, although other seafood is okay
– Nothing girly – no frilly things
– Fiercely independent
RESEARCH
Value of gifts
“Do you give something that the person likes or something that you feel represents the person?”
- Social norms of presents(How do you give a present?):
– With a cardBased on a research in Romania about gifting (Social Norms and Gift Behavior: Theory and Evidence from Romania):
– our results suggest that the overall predominant gift motive among Romanian households is a norm of reciprocity
– norms of both impure altruism and reciprocity tend to be important
– Parents may give to their children out of love and affection, or one may help a person in a bad situation out of compassion or empathy. However, this is not the whole picture. In everyday life there are many situations where gift giving is rather a result of fulfilling some social norms and customs. Imagine a wedding; no one shows up empty-handed, since it is usually a social norm to bring a gift. Also imagine a neighborhood where neighbors help each other with different tasks. Then there is a social norm to contribute, and no one wants to appear less generous than others. In such a reciprocal network, a person is more inclined to give to those who have been generous. (https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/4735/6/gupea_2077_4735_6.pdf)
Based on research on women and how they gift (The Perfect Present: Gift Giving and Gender Norms):
– “to make a gift of something to someone is to make a present of some part of oneself…” – Marcel Mauss, a sociologist of gift exchange and its social meaning
– “the gift” as a piece of oneself, a sort of biography” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
– homemade presents (often “comfort foods” like jams, cookies or cakes) might be seen as expressions of intimacy that don’t need to be embellished with bright wrapping in the way mass-produced objects do
(https://www.icrw.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/The-Perfect-Present-Gift-Giving-and-Gender-Norms-pdf.pdf)
2. Cultural contexts affecting presents
A. Superstitions
—> Chinese culture
– Clocks: translated as 送钟 (sòng zhōng), which sounds just like the words for being at a funeral ritual, 送终 (sòng zhōng). It also symbolizes time passing by or even running out
– Green hats: implying that the wearer’s partner is being unfaithful to them
—> Thai culture
– Perfume: giving perfume to your partner could make your love lessen like the scent of the perfume that is fade away over time
– Comb: comparing the relationship to the teeth of a comb, you don’t want to go apart like the comb’s teeth
– Brooch: a beautiful accessory but Thai believe that giving a brooch is like stabbing that person’s heart, creating pain and argument
B. Method of wrapping
—> Japanese culture
– furoshiki, a reusable wrapping cloth
– many prominent department stores in Japan will complementary gift, no matter the shape or size
C. Method of giving
—> Japanese culture
– gift is wrapped
– to give with two hands (and receive with two hands)
– be humble about the quality of your gift
D. Receiving
—> Japanese culture
– refuse gifts a couple of times before accepting it. Up to three times is the custom
Idea #1
She likes reading e-books. So I thought of doing a ebook cover. This cover would have the textured prints that hopefully she will like.
Idea #2
or a hardcopy cover. In a sense, I’d like to introduce to her a really lovely world of paper books. Understandably, technology can do everything faster and easier today. However, I personally feel that the joy of owning a hardcopy book and being able to smell the pages is very precious. Hence I was thinking of making a drawing book/notebook with quotes from famous books on every other page. I would bind the book myself. The exterior would have a cover with a textured print design.
Idea #3
Reading on long hours on the kindle(e-book) or any hardcopy book is not good for the eyes. I thought that a little plant nearby could be “refreshing to the eyes”. It would also double up as a decorative piece on the table or a new hobby. For this plant, I was thinking of something of low maintenance. This way it won’t be too much of a hassle for it to not be enjoyable and that it won’t die so easily. I was thinking of using airplants. Maybe they would come with some decorative pot.
Method of presenting it
I’m not sure about other people, but as a giver myself, I always insist on writing the receiver’s name on a small card, with a line (such as Happy Birthday ___ !), some times adding a message and ending with my name(maybe, maybe not).
For me it is very important to do so as it adds the element of personal touch. I feel that handwriting is a very personal thing, whereby you put your soul/emotion/thoughts into the writing. Hence it symbolizes what I truly wish for someone. I feel that even with the convenience of typing something or emailing, it loses the meaning due to convenience.
18 Jan 2017
During consultation, prof listened to our ideas. To help facilitate us, he gave us 3 words or phrases to research on. This serves to either help guide us further. The 3 keywords may be able to connect or it may not. My powerpoint slides presentation of my research is as follows.
25 Jan 2017
Terrarium ideas and consult:
I decided to use the theme of Harry Potter since my client says she’s okay with any book and I double checked with her regarding this and she was fine.
One element that I feel is very prominent in the HP series is the Deathly Hallows symbol. It consists of the triangle – invisibility cloak, circle – resurrection stone, and the vertical line – elder wand. I felt that I should try to incorporate these into my terrarium design.
I thought that I could get/make a triangular shaped terrarium structure. This would represent the triangle in the symbol. I went to find them on carousell. I was thinking of representing the circle in the symbol by just literally putting a circle inside for my Harry Potter miniature polymer clay figurine to sit on. Not quite sure if I should leave it as a circle or mask it as some tree’s branches growing in that rough shape. The Potter mini figurine would be holding a wand, as if he’s waving it to represent the elder wand. I got inspired by the presentations that week and decided to include a “levitating” element – a small stone will have a magnet fixed underneath it and another magnet on the ground of the terrarium such that they repel each other and the stone will float. It also ties in with the magic aspect of HP series.
During consult, Prof Peter felt that the idea was too clear. He didn’t like the blatant use of Harry Potter(in the form of a figurine), rather than having an imagery there. Prof suggested a novelty gift. He really liked the levitating idea. So perhaps something like a wand for the person to wave, then the object will move accordingly. It is meant for the user to feel powerful and wizard/witch-like when you need/like to.
I WAS LIKE OMG HELP GOD SAVE ME. How to do that!
homework: thinking of how to make it work(mechanism) and research
Some ideas I came up with:
1. Robotics shit okay I thought about this for verrryyyy long. I really don’t know where to start or have any idea how to do this.
2. Lazy Susan – a rotating stand or tray that is placed on the table
this would give me the movement needed. I was thinking of propping it up vertically against a made mini wall. However the movement is restricted to only a rather circular manner – so what if the user just does a up and down movement with the wand, it would be a little weird if the object continues to go in circles. Also, I don’t know how to program it to start turning and stop turning.
3. 3D Zoetrope – illusion of motion by displaying a sequence of drawings or photographs or 3D mini sculptures in this case
It’s an interesting concept for me, but I feel that it may be hard to execute. Similarly, the connect between wand user and zoetrope isn’t strong as how do you make the zoetrope stop at the same time when the wand stops waving? I would also need to get a fast/strong enough motored(?) wheel and flashing lights for the effect to take place.
4. Simple Pulley System
I was thinking of fishing wires attached to the butt end of the wand. The string will be placed in separate groves. Think of how puppets work. So by pulling in a certain direction, the object by right should move accordingly as certain strings are tugged more than others.
1 Feb 2017
I decided to go with the simple pulley system as my gift’s mechanism. I feel that I’m most comfortable with that, hopefully my common sense and primary school science knowledge doesn’t fail me!
So this is my sketch of the model I’m going to make.
As you can see, if the wand is pulled towards the right, the object will move towards the left. Likewise, if the wand is pulled towards the left, the object will move towards the right. When the wand is lifted up, the object will also move up. Hence when you move the wand in a circular clockwise manner, the object by right should move in the same way, except that there would be a small time lag.
Research on wand designs
I think one thing about the craze surrounding wands is the intricate features each wand has that makes it so individualistic and special. The thing that makes people go Wah so pretty leh! Furthermore, apart from the physical designs, each wand is supposedly made of a different materials such as phoenix feather, dragon scale etc.
I’m thinking about what my client says she likes as an influence on how the design is going to be like. I picked the keywords “love textures, especially wood” and “loves black, white and navy blue colours”
Wood textures
How I decide to present my gift
Originally, I felt like just putting it in a giant box like how we would normally gift it to people. From my experience of giving Christmas gifts, I would try to wrap it up in wrapping paper. Personally not a fan of wrapping paper as it’s very environmentally wasteful and expensive. I only do it to conform to social norms. I would try to wrap it in a rectangular manner where possible, if I couldn’t immediately do that, I would think of getting a box, put the item in and wrap that instead. However, for this present, my box would need to be huge.
Also, I had this thought that I could do something magic related. I thought of covering the gift in a black cloth like how magicians always do while their performing their trick. So what I think I’ll do is that I’ll present the gift under the cloth, say some magic word and lift up the cloth, as if it’s a mini magic show.
-. -. -.
As I was trudging through the night, I realized I was getting majorly stuck. I did went back into the 3D room but no one was in, door locked so I can’t use the acrylic cutter. … After cca at night I started on it again. I first cut finish my other plastic that I was gonna make into things as part of the overall box structure. I then found out this plastic is formidable. Nothing could make it stick together. I tried super glue, white glue, uhu glue, hot glue gun, plastic solvent. They all couldn’t work. That’s some intense plastic I found in the 3D room dump. So I basically wasted hours of planning, measuring and cutting. I tried to move on by burning holes in my acrylic sheet. I used thumbtack and blowtorch. Super smelly and smoky. (at least the smoke alarm in hall didnt go off) The process took way too long and it left black holes which defeated my purpose of using clear acrylic (or plastic) as I wanted to simulate the invisibility aspect.
SO I DECIDED TO CHANGE MY PROJECT AT 3AM.
I decided to continue with the levitating idea. After much thinking, decided to do something that’s still interactive, giving the receiver an experience. I chose to make an origami rose that is red on the outside and black on the inside. I chose a rose as I did not know her before hand and I felt that she is a very soft spoken, gentle, nice girl. However, since I just met her, I don’t really know what’s she really like, hence in some senses, she’s a mystery. Therefore, the black inner colour of the rose. I pick origami as a means as I feel that there’s a very personal touch to it, as I took very long to ensure I got the folds right, and also that I’m making something from just a flat piece of nothingness. I purposely picked a design that would be closed at first and could be open later to show a blooming flower. To levitate the flower, I wanted to use stockings for the invisible threads they have. However I couldn’t find stockings at such an hour so I spent my time, picking at dental floss for the individual fibers. I attached it inside the flower. I drape the floss at the side of the box and stuck them to my fingers. For me, the presentation aspect would be very important here as I chose it to be something interactive in nature. I felt that it would be good to get Alyssa to open up the box herself. Then I would say the harry potter spell – wingardium leviosa. As I do so, the flower moves from the bottom of the box upwards and at the same time, opens into a flower.
*Disclaimer, after opening a few times, it doesn’t quite close up into a tighter shape anymore. Hence what you see in the videos, the flower already looks quite open at the start is not true. I flattened it again before presenting it to Alyssa.