20/09/16 USE IT: 1 Design Development
Out of a list of three choices, Customisation, Function and Comfort to develop one of our ideas into I quickly chose comfort as I knew I favoured my blanket idea most and technically I could cover the basis of the design. I had to experiment how best to place the blanket for full coverage but that was easily attained through sketches and with the technically aspect I just imagined it like a measuring tape which can spin right back into its socket with a push of a button. Overall I really liked my final idea I thought it was simple but essential for travellers on the tube or a plane who want a blanket on the go which can be put away nice and quick but again I would say my drawing needs some work because even with the help of the template I would say my design could be clearer.
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22/09/16 BUILD IT: 1 Creating the Two Platonic Structures
Our group was very well organised as we immediately we split into two halves to make the octahedron and the icosahedron, placing people who were more comfortable with the simpler shape in one group and others who thought they could tackle the icosahedron in another. I picked the icosahedron because not many people were that eager to do it and I knew if there were instruction to follow I would be fine and through teamwork our group made our shape surprisingly quickly, there were mishaps along the way but were quickly fixed with communication and people sharing their skills about how best to tie the sticks together. Overall I was really impressed with our group for finishing this first step so quickly and glad I went out of my comfort zone to tackle the harder shape as I don't feel very confidant in the architectural aspect of art but with everyone working together it was more than manageable.
20/09/16 USE IT: 2 Brainstorming and Observing
After the introduction into the product context we were sent off to go and observe how people around us use chairs and to then brainstorm how their experience could be improved, at first I was a little stunted as to what to sketch and I thought every purpose on a chair surely has already been made but after a couple of minuets of pure observation I began to notice the minuscule details that are so often missed. One women was shivering slightly while sitting and drinking her drink so I began to develop the idea of a chair that incorporates a blanket, another person seemed to long for privacy so I developed on that concept; throughout this whole activity I learnt the power of observation and how it can lead to new idea and the fact that there can always be a new idea so not to be restricted by a design you think has been fully thought out, such as the chair. However I defiantly think I need to develop my drawing skills to convey a my ideas as I think mine were perhaps a bit unclear and chaotic.
22/09/16 BUILD IT: 2 Creating the Overall Structure
This was the most intense part of the process as it involved the entire group relying on one another as multiple hands were needed to keep different parts of the sculpture standing up and if one person slipped it could create catastrophic effects. Usually I like to work alone and at my own pace so this was a bit of a challenge for me but with every person needed to create our design I had to step up as we all had to work in unison if we wanted this to work. Our design also involved a great deal of balance and faith as by using the weight from the larger sticks we were aiming to both hold up one of our shapes and hang another; this took a lot of time, experimentation and good deal of spacial awareness to check that it would actually work but eventually we created a piece that I am really proud of.
20/09/16 USE IT: 3 The Prototype
Firstly I made my sketch model which was fiddly and new to me as I've never made a 2-D image of mine into a 3-D design but I found the end product extremely helpful as it gave a greater understand of how the finally product would actually look if I developed it further. If I did take this idea further I would change the colour of the blanket just so it could photography better as the white fabric on top of the white chair made it difficult to see the full effect the blanket would create but overall I found the sketch model extremely helpful.
The final prototype was a bit rushed due to the fact it was the end of class ans even though few people did manage to make a prototype I still wanted to make mine more realistic so I need to work on my time manage management because if I had more time I would of added colour and taken photos with a model demonstrating how the blanket would work .
22/09/16 BUILD IT: 3 Covering the Structure and Analyse
We then had to cover the structure to add depth to the piece and make it easier to sketch but even still I found the Sketch extremely difficult as with architectural drawings I felt like they had to be very precise and accurate which is not really my drawing style and I really struggled to fully convey our piece through sketches. Even after we analysed it and decided it would be some sort of garden ornament or used in a children's playground I still found it hard to convey with collage so even though I did enjoy the day and am extremely proud of our piece I do not think I suit architecture as it involves a lot of precision and accuracy.