Research
ISM: Futurism-
At first I was unsure about what futurism was exactly, however I thought it had something to do with the future, or how we visualise it being like. My group and I decided on a few practical inventions: self diving cars, flying cars, robots, teleportation, rockets and spaceships, life on other planets, more advanced technology, etc
We also thought about the design of these inventions: rounded, clean edged, silver, angular, shiny, clean, white, clinical, reflective, etc
MATERIAL: Air-
We thought about how air is used as a material in everyday life, and where it is used: planes, paper airplanes, hairdryer (hot air and cold air), bubble wrap, hot air balloon, fan, bubbles, gas masks, weather (i.e. tornados, hurricanes, wind), toxic gas, blimp, smoke, air bags etc
PROCESS: Fold-
We wanted to think about folding in a broader sense, and so used the words, fold, bend, double and crease. This made it much easier to think of every possible way in which objects can 'fold' and gives us an insight into the way they do. We looked at: origami (paper folding), wrapping a present, Paddington Bridge (how it curls up), normal bridges, windows, folds within a fan (concertina fold), accordion, books, glasses, bags, etc
COMBINING ALL:
- folded metal gas mask - stops you from breathing in other impurities
- flying accordion car - stretches to desired size in order to fit specific number of people
- inflatable, self moving bag - inflated by surrounding air, can carry any weight
When I got home this afternoon I decided to research the words and find their exact meaning so that I had more of an understanding for my project:
FUTURISM
/ˈfjuːtʃərɪz(ə)m/
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concern with events and trends of the future, or which anticipate the future.
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an artistic movement begun in Italy in 1909, which strongly rejected traditional forms and embraced the energy and dynamism of modern technology. Launched by Filippo Marinetti, it had effectively ended by 1918 but was widely influential, particularly in Russia on figures such as Malevich and Mayakovsky.noun: Futurism
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AIR
/ɛː/
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2.an impression of a quality or manner given by someone or something."she answered with a faint air of boredom"
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1.express (an opinion or grievance) publicly."a meeting in which long-standing grievances were aired"
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2.BRITISHexpose (a room) to the open air in order to ventilate it."the window sashes were lifted regularly to air the room"
FOLD
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cover or wrap something in (a soft or flexible material)."a bag was folded around the book"
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1.a form or shape produced by the gentle draping of a loose, full garment or piece of cloth."the fabric fell in soft folds"
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2.BRITISHa slight hill or hollow in the ground."the house lay in a fold of the hills"
Looking at these covers about Futurism and Russian Futurism, I am intrigued by the use of colour and stark lines and shapes. It makes me think that the future is going to be very clean cut, and that it shows signs of explosive colour and images.
LOOKING AT MY CLASSMATES WORK:
The most engaging idea was the Head Air Bag. She used the words: air, knot, sensualism. I found it to be the most engaging as it had a practical sense to it, the idea that a person would wear this constantly was really interesting. I thought that the fantasy, head airbag was a really good idea for elderly people, or anyone susceptible to falling over/hitting their heads and could be used for medical purposes.
I also saw a Ribbon Fan. He used the words: air, suspend, utopianism. I thought that this was a really interesting and understandable idea. it was very practical and easy to set up. The student thought about the location that he would've wanted this to be in, and he really thought about who it would appeal to as a target audience. The ribbons would act as streamers and could come in any colour to fit the occasion. For example, I suggested that it could be used for gender reveals or baby showers. He also considered the material it was made from and how it related to all 3 words.
The idea that I was drawn to most was the Air Cutter. He used the words: air, cut and futurism. This invention was very simple, and the student used the words literally, yet produced a very clever and interesting proposal. He stated that the invention could be used in an Army basecamp, where it would be easy for the persons hair to. be blown off in one go. He also thought about having a production line, and so having a place that would catch the hair that was blown off. When asked he said that the hair collected could be used for wigs or other uses.
All three of my classmates showed the scale, which their inventions would be, compared to everyday life, i.e. a chair, stage, person.
Reflection
DAY 1: Generating Ideas
Today we were given our first project brief: Ideas Factory, where we had to combine three terms to design a proposal. My group were given the words: Air, Fold and Futurism.
My group and I began by focusing on each term individually, and we all agreed that as a material air could easily be manipulated or contained. We discussed different types of air and how it can be altered, such as by smoke and pollution. We looked at different folding techniques and how various folded objects could affect air and then explored the art movement Futurism, with a particular emphasis on technology and modern life.
By using the concept of folded air we were able to create objects which had a futuristic appeal. As a group we felt strongly that in the future the air will be contaminated, so we came up with various different designs incorporating folding techniques. I wanted to focus on finding different ways of living without being exposed to the air, including oxygen masks/helmets. I also thought about how air can be harmful (tornados/hurricanes), and thought that the use of bubble wrap could act as an ironic protection against the harmful effects of natural disasters.
From looking at other students work, I found the most engaging idea was the 'Air Cutter.' The idea stemmed from the words: air, cut and futurism. Its purpose was to cut peoples hair by blowing air onto it, which would be particularly useful in the Army. I also found the 'Head AirBag' to be an easy idea to understand, which was created from the words: air, cut and utopia. Its function is to serve as a fantasy living helmet, which could be used for the elderly or anyone susceptible to falling over and hitting their head.
DAY 2: Visualisation
After learning how media can affect visualisation, I noticed that it was necessary to focus on texture, colour and material. We began the day by doing some quick drawing responses to an item we brought in. I chose straws and decided to focus on using colour in all 4 images. The first image we were told to create was a factual representation of the object, focusing on the shape. I used the orange and blue pens to represent the actual colours of the straws. However, I found that if I had used a more subtle medium I would’ve been able to achieve a much more realistic representation, showing the light reflections and shadows. Next we were told to show the object in an expressive way, explaining how it made us feel. As you can blow into or suck air through the straw I thought it were best to use fast pen strokes to show the speed at which you can use it. I used marker pens and tape to give the object an abstract feel. I focused on the bend in the straw for the detailed/close up image. I decided to use masking tape as my medium as it gave the same rough texture of the folds inside. I found that this medium produced a realistic approach to the object, and allows the audience to get a sense of the texture, without knowing what the object is.
Lastly, we used photographs of a location so we could contextualise our ideas. It helped illustrate who the target audience is, and where/when it could be used. It allowed me to visualise the size and shape of my idea in a broad context.
To be able to visualise ‘impossible’ ideas, i learnt that it is important to ignore the thought of them as being realistic and usable in everyday life. It is important to also think about the endless possibilities and not be tied down by the thought of materials/time/space.
DAY 3: Self Directed Study
Today I focused on the design of the bag, and how it would move, inflate and fly. Below is a prototype, explaining briefly how the bag would expand and a very simplified design.
DAY 4: Final Day
The pitch allowed me to think about the various materials that I could use to make the bag, and how that choice could affect the visualisation of my product. The pitch allowed me to think about the target market and who the product would be best suited; I came to the conclusion that almost anyone could use the bag for a number of different reasons. Whether that’s traveling/moving, shopping or even everyday use.
After listening to the feedback I got I realised that I needed to think more about how the product can travel around and not get ‘lost.’ I created the idea that the bag had a sense of GPS and sensors according to the owner. I was also asked what would happen if someone tried to ‘steal’ the bag, and so I invented the idea that the bag would give out an alarm and would have an ‘anti-theft mechanism’.
Looking back at how the project began, I was really unsure about how to take any of my ideas further at the beginning. However, I feel as tho I have created a much more interesting and understandable outcome than I first thought. After talking to the tutors and the students I was able to finalise my idea and think of all the possible scenarios that could happen with it and how to over come them.
If I had to do the project again I would want to be more open to ideas at the beginning as I felt as though I was very rigid, trying to create a usable product. The project brief was to generate ideas, even if they were impossible in this day and age, as they wanted us to focus on researching, developing ideas and experimenting with different materials and processes.