Title: Chairs for my mom
Size: 20 in X 30 in Medium: Printed digital manipulation Completion: December 2019 |
This project was an attempt to design a product to solve an issue. This issue is the lack of matching furniture do to bad luck with the durability of the original set of chairs. This product is my proposed solution to the issue. It is inspired by the furniture within my house that my mother likes. The images within were drawn by me.
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Process
To start this project, which was to create an idea for a product based on a problem, I needed to have a problem to solve. For this, I had to look no further than my own home. My issue was my house's dining room chairs; particularly that none of them match up. My family has bad luck when it comes to the durability of purchased furniture, and we have no matching furniture as a result. Turns out, the lack of unity was upsetting my mother, which is why I chose this issue to solve.
Firstly, I had to identify the issue and all of its nuances (empathy map) and brainstorm ideas for what I was going to design (Mind Map)
Firstly, I had to identify the issue and all of its nuances (empathy map) and brainstorm ideas for what I was going to design (Mind Map)
Next, I had to draw out my ideas. I sketched my original two ideas, how they work, and how it would look in the environment, featuring a person for scale.
Planning Sketches
The first image is the initial ideas for the product I was designing. The first chair is simple, just the structure of a chair covered in cushioning. It also has a shelf at the bottom, for storage. I didn't use this one because I felt it was too plain, and the shelf would get in the way of people's legs. The second idea was the one I ended up using.
The idea I went with is a chair that was inspired by the one chair my family has left that came with the table, with a few alterations. It is a wood frame with detachable cushions, for ease of cleaning in case of spills. The second image is the chair in the environment, which shows scale and how it would look. The final image is a diagram of the chair, with and without the cushions. The back has wooden panels on it in order to hold the back cushion in place, and the bottom cushion rests in a pit in the bottom. |
Process
Experimentation
I had had more than 2 ideas for this project, but, when coming to a decision, I was torn between the two I had shown earlier. As a result, those were the most developed ideas. I should have came up with more for more options, but I didn't.
In terms of printing the project, I only had one shot. I had accidentally made the image an inch too big in one direction, and had to trim it off. Nothing important was lost by this, to my relief. To glue the paper onto the board, I used a spray adhesive. I then had to slowly lower the paper onto the board to prevent bubbles. I only had one chance with this as well, and it did turn out slightly crooked. I was limited on time, however, and rushed through it.
In terms of printing the project, I only had one shot. I had accidentally made the image an inch too big in one direction, and had to trim it off. Nothing important was lost by this, to my relief. To glue the paper onto the board, I used a spray adhesive. I then had to slowly lower the paper onto the board to prevent bubbles. I only had one chance with this as well, and it did turn out slightly crooked. I was limited on time, however, and rushed through it.
Reflection
Some challenges I faced while doing this project was with the printing and gluing. As mentioned previously, I had accidentally made it an inch too large, due to a typo while sizing it digitally that I did not notice. I had to remove the excess paper, making sure too keep the edges smooth. Gluing the paper onto the board was also difficult, because I was unable to line up the edges of the board and the paper completely accurately.
ACT Questions
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
The research I did lead me to my sources of inspiration. Finding the inspiration caused me to be able to create the product.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
My overall approach in terms of finding inspiration was to look at what I already had, and design something based off of that.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I discovered the type of design my mother likes.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?.
The central idea of my artwork is to address a certain issue that troubles my mother.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
During my research, I made the inference that I would only be looking at chairs.
The research I did lead me to my sources of inspiration. Finding the inspiration caused me to be able to create the product.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
My overall approach in terms of finding inspiration was to look at what I already had, and design something based off of that.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I discovered the type of design my mother likes.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?.
The central idea of my artwork is to address a certain issue that troubles my mother.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
During my research, I made the inference that I would only be looking at chairs.