Theme: Beauty
The first theme I decided to look into was beauty and so I began researching designers such a Jelana Bulajic and Saul Leiter. However, I then took a completely different direction and looked at the theme travel after being inspired by Saul Leiter's photography involving everyday people on transport making their way around the city. Since then I have continued to explore the theme of travel for my unit 7 project.
Jelana Bulajic at The Saatchi Gallery
Ljubica
2012 Mixed media on canvas 270 x 200 cm
Grozda
2014 Acrylic polymer emulsion, marble dust, ground granite, ground limestone, kaolin,
graphite, charcoal 320 x 237 cm
Alise Lange
2013 Mixed media on linen on MDF 29.7 x 21cm
I think that these portraits portray great emotion and expression which is what I was drawn too. I also love the intense detail they possess which I believe adds to the beauty of these women and evokes feelings in the audience.
Lisa Eldridge: Face Paint
I chose to look at this book because the focus is on the history of make-up and how it has changed throughout time in different societies.
I found it really interesting how the book was split up into sections through colour. For example the first section is titled 'Red' and it contains women through out history who wore red. It also explained some of the connotation of why they wore red, for example in Chinese and Indian culture red is traditionally symbolic of happiness which is why it typically worn at weddings. However, it also has connotations of danger which is why red pain was used in tribes to highlight parts of their faces and bodies.
Mr Beck's Underground Map
'the very idea of a 45- and 90- degree schematic treatment was thought to be revolutionary...'
Ken Garland (1994). Mr Beck's Underground Map. Harrow: Capital Transport Publishing. 17.
The London Transport Museum
This tube map for the London underground changes from the night tube to the day tube depending on the angles in which the viewer is stood.
Kings Cross Station
I noticed that most people travelling carried minimum of two bags, and often
used their suitcase as a rest for their other bags.
(my own photos)
The Bauhaus
This is a movement I am particularly interested in because it consists of a group of extremely influential designers, such as Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, who still remain iconic almost 100 years later. I love the ethos of the movement, which consisted of great design values such as 'less is more' and 'form follows function' which I believe creates beautifully simple yet sophisticated and timeless pieces. Within this movement also set themselves limitations when designing, for instance, colour and pattern are kept to a minimum, as well as mixing materials. This is because they prioritise the function one the form.
Bauhaus 1919-1933, Taschen
Marcel Breuer: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe:
Both are two hugely influential designers who were part of the Bauhaus Movement. I have decided to focus on these two designers particularly because I really like their chair designs.
We Built This City
'Secret London'
Josie Shenoy
http://www.webuilt-thiscity.com/blog/
In this store there were lots map prints. Most of them added interest by using illustrations and colour to create a narrative for their map. For instance, this one is a map to celebrate Record Store Day.
Eco Packaging Design
Bean Bags - Geo Organics
Boxed Water
Chocolates Mercat La Boquerua
AAA Tripkit. Family Roadtrip Kit
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60BAG.com
Biodegradable carrier bags made out of flax-viscose non-woven fabric
Cavallum
The wine box can also be used as a table lamp, promoting sustainability through reducing, reusing and recycling
360 Paper Water Bottle
Replaces plastic water bottles
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Abellan, M. (2012). Eco Packaging Design. Barcelona: Instituto Monsa de Ediciones. 192.
Food packaging in KX fast food shops
Starbucks Coffee:
Pret A Manger:
Marks & Spencer:
Leon:
Paper folding in Packaging
Otília Erdélyi
Universal Packaging System,Patrick Sung
T, Maria Milagros Rodriguez Bouroncle
http://designspiration.net/search/saves/?q=packaging
Folding Techniques for Designers From Sheet to Form, Paul Jackson
Roll Box
Corner Gather
Alexander Macdonald-Buchanan
A New Way With Clay exhibition
House&Garden Article
Keep Cup Reuse HQ
This is a great design because it is reusable, unlike most of the water bottles we use. The KeepCup is a sustainable product because 'over one year (it), when compared to the disposable cups, reduces landfill by at least 99%.'
The MemoBottle
This compact water bottle is really good for travelling with as it takes up minimal space with its flat pack design.
Biodegradable
'product design student Ari Jónsson has combined red algae powder with water to create a biodegradable bottle'
MoMA - The Anti Bottle
This water bottle design reminded me of the Capri-Sun packaging, however, this is a reusable bottle.
Edible Water Bottle made from Alge
'When the frozen water is introduced, the calcium solution causes the outer layer of water to form a thin, flexible skin. The result is a package that is, "simple, resistant, hygienic, biodegradable and even edible," the designers said in a statement.'
Further Materials Exploration
I looked into resin because it can be easily cast and tends to have a transparent finish with a fast drying time. Although, it is mot malleable, which is the most important characteristics of my bottle and so it would't be appropriate.
EM310PA CLEAR RESIN 1KG + CATALYST (CR10029)
A silicone would be more suitable because it an elastomer and so it is flexible, and it is semi-transparent.
TRANSIL 20
Saul Leiter
"I don't have a philosophy, I have a camera." Saul Leiter"
Straw Hat, 1995
Don't Walk, 1952
Street Scene, 1959
Red Umbrella, 1963
Foot on El, 1954
I find Saul Leiter's photographs to capture the idea of 'journeys' in the most real and effortless way. I love that in many of the photos he only catches a glimpse of the person which leaves the audience wondering.
Max Kozloff (2008). Saul Leiter. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd. 144.
Underground Maps After Beck
Maxwell J. Roberts (2005). Underground Maps After Beck. Harrow: Capital Transport Publishing. 54-55.
London Underground Maps
The Tate Gallery By Tube
David Booth
Published by London Transport
This poster was commissioned to encourage travel to the Tate gallery.
'The campaign aimed to improve the Underground environment and enrich passenger journeys,'
Claire Dobbin (2012). London Underground Maps. Surrey: Lund Humphries. 91-120.
Museum Of London
Both of these maps are extremely detailed in contrast to the tube map which makes it difficult to read or follow.
A Map of London and the Adjacent Country 10 Miles Round, 1748
John Rocque and Richard Parr
A Plan of London, 1766
John Rocque
Traffic Light Close Up
I really liked the pattern that the light created on the traffic light.
Materials Library
The close up images of the traffic lights looked really interesting and reminded me of this metal mesh which I found in the materials library. After looking at the mesh I then noticed the metal foams which are an expanded metal which are extremely strong but also very light.
Similar to this structure were the ceramic compositions.
What People do on the Tube
Most people tend to be doing something whilst on the train, whether it be reading or on their phones.
(my own photos)
Newspapers
I have noticed that on the train the newspaper after they have me used are often left lying around on the train and it can look untidy, although it does promote sharing and reusing.
(my own photos)
Looking at Other Modes of Transport
(Photos taken at the London Transport museum)
(My own photos taken outside North Acton Station)
I have chosen to look at other types of transport to broaden my research
50 Bikes that Changed the World, Design Museum
These bikes both appealed to me aesthetically. I really like the monochromatic colour scheme of the Vanmoof and its urban design which makes it a sleek city bike. I also like the design of the Faraday Porteur because of its muted tones and chic aesthetic which gives the impression of a bike used for leisure on the weekend.
The Vanmoof
Faraday Porteur
Making, Chris Lefteri
Super-forming aluminium involves vacuum forming metal to plastic to create a complex 3D shape.
Metal Manufacturing Processes:
Bubble forming, Cavity forming, Back-Pressure forming, Diaphragm forming
Inflating Metal:
This process is used to create organic and curved shapes which gives that the metal is light.
Soho Bikes London - Bike Accessories
Chrome Barrage Cargo Bag
The net design on the outer layer of the bag can have other accessories attached to it.
Chrome Kharkiv Commuting Backpack
This bag can clever store the helmet in the top section of the bag. This also means you won't have to carry it in your hand on leave it not he bike when you aren't wearing it.
Texture & Print ( London Transport Museum)
I really like the way Marx worked in water colour to work out what coloursand design she wanted to use.
Food & Drink On the Go
I noticed that most of the foods being eaten on the tube often didn't require cutlery. Also, they tended to be snack like foods, such as fruit or peanuts because they are less messy.
(my own photos)
Ecologicals: Bottles, Boxes, Bag
Cacao Barry, Trocantins
La Pasta Storia
Oju! Vinagre de vino
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Abellan. M (2015). Ecologicals: Bottles, Boxes & Bags. Barcelona: Instituto Monsa de Ediciones. 144.
What stood out to me the most in these designs was the use of stamping for the label designs. This seems like a less harsh method of printing in regards to the environment.
Passengers Campaign for Better Behaviour - EMTA
This campaign suggests that maybe eating on the trains shouldn't be encouraged. It also relates to the idea of 'Silent Etiquette' and looking at the way people behave on public transport.
http://www.emta.com/spip.php?article670
Evian Plastic Water Bottle Range
The most common Evian plastic water bottle used a screw cap lid.
Reusing
Biodegradable Carton Design:
By making the bottle into two parts you are actually decreasing the amount of material being thrown away because the cardboard component is reusable and only the plastic is to be thrown or recycled.
This also means that the packaging takes up less space when it is put into the bin because it is made from a flexible and malleable plastic which can be scrunched up.
H2O Molecular Structurer Structure
I used polystyrene balls to mimic the shape of the molecular structure of H2O to create my water bottle design.
Experimenting with Slip Casting
This technique was good to test because I realised that I wanted to make my water bottle by casting it in one piece, rather than making two parts and sticking it together. However, slip was definitely the wrong material to use because its properties are opaque and fragile, whereas I want my water bottle to be flexible and durable.
Experimenting with Latex
Latex worked really well to create a form which could be squashed up and manipulated and then return to its original shape. However, I did find that this material was a little too thin and so I needed to find a material that was similar.
Working with Silicone (Transit 20)
This material only has a 3min period working time so it is best to build layers up to make it thicker, rather than try t do it in one go.