E-Portfolio

Here’s link to the e-portfolio page.

book

This is the final products of my book projects.

This is another closing state the book can be. It’s similar to traditional book form but the flexibility of the triangles adds interest to the form.

There are many ways to display the book due to the flexibility of the joints.

This is one of the closing state the book can be. This book can be on a coffee table as a sculpture/ decoration.

This is from the top of the book where four side join. The text was screen printed on. Because the contend is not essential for this project, I used two different color on top of each other to create an illusion.

Time Management

It’s been a week that I went to sleep at 5a.m. I think I need to get better at time managing. Everything seems to take longer than I thought it would. I stayed up a whole night for sewing two pieces of fabric together. That shouldn’t have happened if I planned on it before hand or if I am better at sewing.

For next semester, I will start using a planner to keep track of all the projects that are going on the same time. At the same time, hopefully I will be more crafty so that it won’t take as long to just make a cut. Also, I will have to be more focused when I work. Clean my desk and put away my phone so that there will be no distractions.

Time management is a lesson everybody has to learn sooner or later. I guess I will start here.

Happy Accident or Tragic Accident

All through a design process, there are so many things that can go wrong. For example, I wanted to use the fabric lab so I brought needle and thread and it turned out I needed a orientation to be able to work in there. I waited a day later to get the orientation,  materials and get the key because there is only one copy. Finally I got into the shop, the needle keep hitting the fabric guide. The teacher was gone and nobody could help me. I went screen printing the back of my book but there was a drop of paint on the table, which stained what was the front of my book.  When I make the screen, the light machine was broken. When we go print, the printer is out of ink. T here are so many possibilities that anything can go wrong.

My understanding of the solution is to be better at time management and be able to foresee what’s gonna happen and be prepared for them.

Sewing–Textile lab + Joanna’s

Today I went to Joanna’s to get supply to sew in the lab. There are a huge collection of sewing stuff. Luckily, I got help from the worker there and got all the necessaries. Since there is only one key to get in, I waited for the key holder to come to studio. Finally around 11p.m. I went to the lab and started sewing. First, I went to find the manual, all the pictures are blurry and confusing, so I did my best to understand them and wind the machine. Then I got a spare piece of fabric and start practicing. The seam seems fine but not as good as I expected so I thought it was because my skill. I practice little more like how to turn fabric around the corner etc. When I actually start sewing, the thread keep escaping from the needle so I have to thread it every 3 seconds. All the sudden, the needle break in half because it hit the cloth guide. Then I switch to a new machine(threading read manuals etc ) It break again. I ran out of needle so I had to leave. Sewing mechine are really hard to work with but I believe that the more experience you have the better it will be. But overall , it was still a fun experience because I did learn a lot. In the end, end up sewing by hand.

Textile lab

Since my book include a lot of sewing and I can’t sew, I decided to use the textile lab to sew my book together. Then I realized that I would need an orientation to operate the machines. After I contact the teacher and told her about my project, we went down to the lab together. There are 6 machines, 2 for sewing straight lines, four for both straight and curve. I haven’t used a sewing machines before so I wrote down how to put in the bobbin in, how to wind the upper and lower thread, when I should iron etc. Based on my design, the best way to do it would be sew a long pocket first and then sew small triangles into place. I will go to Joana’s to get supply and start sewing tomorrow

Screen printing

For our last project of the semester, we were assigned to design a new form of book.  For my specific project, I have decided to use fabric as my material. In order to fulfill the prompt of the project, I have to screen print the contend of the book onto the fabric.

We did a screen printing project this semester but we didn’t make the screen. After learning from other experienced peers, I thought I figured out how to make it work. I poured emulsion onto the screen and pulled over the screen then stored it in the dark closet . One hour later, I took it out to go through the light machine. I put transparency on the bottom and screen on top. 30 secs later, I went to rinse the blocked part emulsion off. Then the whole screen is getting washed off. Then I found out parts that I did wrong: 1. leave the vacuum on while the light shines. 2.  rinse gently. 3.put more emulsion on(thicker layer)

With these lesions learned,  I tried again. I put more emulsion on, ,left in the closet for a longer time, left the vacuum on and I rinsed the screen nice and gentle. The whole screen was fun and the words showed up clearly but there are many parts that break out.  I tried to screen print on my sketch book and it came out horrible. Also, the paragraph are too close which makes it hard to print one at  a time.

Screen printing is so much fun but frustrating at the same time. I am going to do my tried try now !

Value of models.

Today, I was flipping through “101 things you learn in architecture school”.  One page caught my attention, it says:”learn through your models.” I always use models as physical tools to show my ideas. There are so much more to them. The process of creating one can always be inspiring. The similarity and difference between the models can lead to a realization. Models can tell a lot about one person’s work. I have been making a new form of book, which include a lot of brain storming and model making. In my mind, fabric with wooden dowels would be perfect materials but after I did my model, they wouldn’t work at all. I am going to actually make more physical models of my ideas instead of thinking about them. Models have a important role and big value.

Core 77–Bicycles for the city

This is an awesome website: core 77 about industrial design. There are many great ideas. I learned a lot about what industrial design is and what they do. “Bike made for better cities” caught my attention. There are detailed information about why they are designing this and how they made their decisions. The goal of the project is to make daily biking more joyful and remove the barrier for people who tempted to bike in the city. Basically, two industrial designers love to bike. At the same time, because they live in the city, there are issues that they realize and want to change them like the headlight of the bike. As a biker, one wouldn’t want to turn on and off the bike light as they go to a grocery store. Also, bike lights can be easily stolen in the city. So they designed their own lights. The light they came up with can be slide on to the bike under the seat which is safe and easy. It came with a long battery life and simple charger. The light beam is really strong so that it keep the biker safe at night. Here are some pictures:

Sparse Bicycle lights

click here for more information

Industrial design–Slot Sofa

Today I found this website called “Industrial Design Served”. Within the website, there are many new designs and improvements and viewer can decide weather they would appreciate the design or not.  One of the projects really interests me. It’s called a slot sofa. Its a combination of sofa, coffee table and ottoman. It looks really easy to use and super convenient. I think it’s a good design because when I see it, I wish I can get it in my home sometime.