Virtual M2 interim journal submission (Jaime and Deluca)

Virtual Environments 2013Semester02

Module02. Interim Submission Jaime Lee & Deluca Lawson-Matthew

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT.

The design on the left is one of our initial sketch designs which is based on the inflatable material system, inspired by an arm floatie.

The design is achieved by incorporating repetition and mirroring.

The idea behind the design is the symbolic meaning of a barrier that human create to trap their feelings in emotions to themselves.

This design is then developed using dry trees in winter as the inspiration, where branches are stuck out from the initial design. These branches are to emphazise the space and privacy human desires when they feel that their personal space is invaded. The process and effect of branching out are created by inflation.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT.

PRECEDENT I. PERSONAL SPACE.

Whilst working on my materials system assessment that led me to focus on a profile and section approach to personal space and systems, I was struck by a simple yet powerful idea.

Everyone associates different dinosaurs with different levels of aggression and contrasting ‘personalities’. For example the Stegosaurus is commonly seen as the big friendly dinosaur. The Teradactyal on the other hand was always seen to be aggressive and not very approachable. For the material systems assignment I had to buy a toy that was constructed by some sort of profile and sectioning. I bought myself a ‘Stegosaurus Wood Kit’. Whilst constructing the toy, thoughts began to tumble in my head. Thoughts like; do the smoother and rounder edges of the Stegosaurus’ body give a perceivable image of its gentle nature? Obviously the pieces are round and smooth due to prevent safety mishaps from occurring whilst constructing the toy; nevertheless it gave inspiration to an idea.

This led to me to begin thinking of that maybe I could incorporate the profile and section pieces of the toy to create personal space I the form of a suit for a user. The thought that stuck with me was; how could different attachments to the construction (suit) give different perceptions to outsiders? Could sharper – less approachable attachments, suggest that the mood of the user is aggressive and less approachable, like a Teradactyal? Could round pieces suggest the more gentile nature/mood of the user, similar to a Stegosaurus?

Could a horseshoe like attachment suggest the inviting nature of the user?

These pieces would be interchangeable, with the user being able to insert different attachments according to their emotional response to different situations and environments. The different attachments would also be used in a more inconsistent manner to invite outsiders to different areas of the body.

PRECEDENT II. EMOTION.

As we began to move through the paces of forming more refined ideas as to how we should move forward with our design, we started to discuss the idea of emotional space and how people perceive other people through the way they portray their emotions physically. We pondered in the thought trying to find a way conceal this physical showing of emotion through the design of our second skin.

Something that portrays a similar sense of concealment is the face of Vendetta, which is commonly used in today’s cyber world by the group of loosely associated hackers called Anonymous. The Vendetta mask hides all facial expression, as does any facial mask, however this particular mask gives observers a feeling that the face or mind behind it has something to conceal. It could very well be that they do have something, worth knowing to conceal, though it maybe also be that the person behind this mask has nothing to hide but fear, anguish or another emotional response to secrete.

There are particular aspects of this mask, which help to give it a particular sense of concealment. Firstly the large and bold smile that stretches across the mask gives observers reason to believe that there is something to conceal behind the mask. Secondly, the basic and contrasting colours of black and white help to convey a neutral emotional response. This is because the colours of black and white don’t convey a particular emotional response as apposed to a red-based colour that might convey a sense of anger or frustration or yellow that might convey the emotion of joy.

These two factors are something that we will readily aim to incorporate into our design. A sense of neutrality will only help us to create a second skin that will conceal any sign of emotion that would be portrayed physically through facial expression.

PRECEDENT III. EFFECTS.

This piece of clothing is found on a website called Obsessed With Skulls, it features several garments designed by Manon Kundig that have incorporated the inflatable material system in the designs. This garment in particular has caught my attention because of its eye on the model’s head. I think this is a great precedent example for our second skin project due to a number of reasons.

Precedent Study

Firstly, the garment has used inflation as the main body, in other words, it’s not only some part of it that’s inflatable but the whole piece (body and head piece), including the decorating spikes that are extended from the main part of the garment.

This piece of clothing is found on a websit called obsessed with skulls, it featured sev garments designed by Manon Kundig that incorporated the inflatable material system the designs. This garment in particular has caught my attention because of its eye on model’s head. I think this is a great preced example for my second skin project due to number of reasons: Firstly the garment has used inflation as th main body, in other words, it’s not only so part of it that’s inflatable but the whole pi (body and head piece), including the deco spikes that are extended from the main pa the garment. Secondly I think this piece represents the idea of personal space extr accurately, as according to the readings in previous weeks, individuals would want pe space and privacy and would consequently ‘push’ people away, this is depicted throug spikes sticking out the body piece and the enormous eyeball worn on the head would people away, make people maintain a part distance from the person who’s wearing th garment. I think this design is simple and c successfully send an accurate and easy-tounderstand message to the audiences. Thi design would also act as a reminder for m always keep things simple and that a seco does not have to be a one piece garment, can be separated in order to give out a cle message and idea if needed.

Secondly I think this piece represent the idea of personal space extremely accurately, as according to the readings in the previous weeks, individuals would want personal space and privacy and would consequently ‘push’ people away, this is depicted through the spikes sticking out of the body piece and the enormous eyeball worn on the head would scare people away, make people maintain a particular distance from the person who’s wearing the garment. I think this design is simple and can successfully send an accurate and easy-to-understand message to the audiences. This design would also act as a reminder for me to always keep things simple and that a second skin does not have to be a one piece garment, but can be separated in order to give out a clearer message and idea if needed. h"p://obsessedwithskulls.com/blog/2012/11/inflatable;skull;clothing;by; manon;kundig.html#.Uh3RKb9pt3YD

FURTHER DESIGN DEVELOPMENT. DESIGN_01.

TOP IMAGE - The sharp edges gives a slightly aggressive feel. Thus potentially altering how observers may observe the emotional response of the user.

- Corrugated material makes it difficult for observers to gather a perception of the user.

LOWER IMAGE - The hollow shape will aid the user to be mobile whilst using the product.

Also easier to construct with shallow and hollow circumference.

30mm thick circumference.

- Dark colours helps to emphasize the neutrality that design will promote.

FURTHER DESIGN DEVELOPMENT. DESIGN_01.

IMAGE_RIGHT The symmetrical shape of the design helps to create another level of disillusion for observes, further concealing the user’s facial emotions.

IMAGE_LEFT The symmetrical shape of the design helps to create another level of disillusion for observes, further concealing the user’s facial emotions.

FURTHER DESIGN DEVELOPMENT. DESIGN_02.`

IMAGE_RIGHT This design began to unfold after we decided that design 1 was too complex. The rough edges of design 1 along with its rather large surface area proved to be running against the grain of what we had in mind - that being a more minimalistic and neutral design.

IMAGE_LEFT This design holds fast to the idea of maintaining a high level of neutrality in order to conceal the facial expressions and emotions of the user. However it differs from design 1 due to its’ more curvature and minimalistic surface.

FURTHER DESIGN DEVELOPMENT. DESIGN_02.

IMAGE_RIGHT The design when placed upon the digitalized model appears to be quite futuristic, due to its minimalistic design characteristics.

The ring like shape, would much like design 1, give full range of motion to the user whilst still hiding there facial expression and emotion

IMAGE_LEFT This design, despite not showing precise detail in this perspective drawing, would house the material system of Section and Profile.

The top and bottom 30mm wide circumferences of the shape would hold fast the corrugated material that stands between as the main shape of the design.

FURTHER DESIGN DEVELOPMENT. DESIGN_03FINAL

As we began to refine our ideas, with regards to our previous sketches, precedents and developing ideas, a realistic solution to our idea of concealing emotion to onlookers became very apparent.

The precedent study that addressed the issue of personal space through a clothing design by Manon Kundig in conjunction with the ideas sparked by the mask of Vendetta, we began to form a spherical design.

The spherical design over-emphasised the idea of not letting observers to comprehend the facial emotions of the user within the design.

It would eliminate, not only conceal facial emotion of the user from the front, sides and rear, but it would also allow the user to conceal their emotions from above.

Obviously this is an over-exaggeration of the necessity to conceal emotion, nevertheless it also aids to the appeal of the design as a whole.

FURTHER DESIGN DEVELOPMENT. DESIGN_03FINAL.

The ‘rice paddy farmer’ design not only achieves it’s design purpose, but it also fulfils the needs of the profile and section material system; as can be seen in the perspective drawing.

PROTOTYPE PROCESS

PROTOTYPE FINAL

After the prototyping process, there are several things that our group should be aware and make a note of in the next step of our design process.

1) More accurate measurements of a typical person’s head should be obtained in order to create a better fitted model 2) Must consider the structure of the vertical supports (spines) situatied internally of the model as they are the main structural supprort of the circular layers. Our group would like to insert more layers in in order to extensively cover the emotions of the wearer, making audiences more difficult to see the facial expressions of the wearer.

3) Prototype look rather plain and dull. It would be a good idea to incorporate more materials in the model in order to add more effects and texture to the final product. Example of materials would be mesh, lace etc.