Photochromic & Thermochromatics

So the last couple ideas were not working out. They were catering towards the tutors' specialties and not necessarily as a combination of my majors: Graphics Media and Environmental/Spatial Design. I wasn't however processing the feedback correctly, even if Richard's was "make it". 

Now. I've been looking at lights:

Anthony McCall, "Five Minutes of Pure Sculpture" & United Visual Artists, "Vanishing Points"

Other things:

Jody Xiong, "Green Sidewalk Campaign" & Adam Niklewicz, "The Charter Oak"

And Brad, in our thursday class, discussed going back to graphics in the environment using UV paint that reacts to blue light. Tunnel vision had set in and I hadn't analysed my process from an outside perspective. I had become to accustomed to Katherine Moline's graphics class, where sets of tables or the entire class would go round to each persons' work and give feedback. Now there are too many students per class, and not enough time to talk with tutors. That and my own tunnel vision. 

Now that all this has been understood, I am adjusting my thinking back to graphics-y things (so i can still use a bunch of research including info-graphics!). Photochromic inks change colour when exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun or a black light. Examples: 

Clothing: Printed shirt alters colour in the sun.

Health: "Sun Watch" changes colour and illustrate needs when exposed to the sun.

Structure: Christoph Klemmt's award winning Or2 Photochromic Canopy Structure.

Paper: Advertising for skin cancer.

Which then brought me to Thermochromatic Ink. Instead of light affecting the chemical structure, this relies on temperature.

Architerials has a great look at Thermochromatics and its use.

Film: 

Polyester:

Click on pics to go the links and information.

Presentations

It occurs to me that in the last post I wished you a less than Hargenslagen day. And that was my mind being abused by cold medicine. Presentations coming up...again. I have Richard and Zoe marking my stuff - second to last presentation. Fantastic. And im posting now because I probably wont again until friday...After seeing James. And then fall onto the couch. And not rise. At all. This presentation is worth 30% of the entire project. Seems a bit steep for a "realistic" presentation. WHAT.

I think its wasting time. I understand that we need three assignments per semester in order for it to be a credited course. BUT WHY?! Why is this the education system we are complying to? Why don't we change it so it is more accepting of the way designers design? Its not an academic course. It just isnt. WHICH IS WHY I LIKE IT. And one reason alone why we should change the structure of education. If you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will continue to think its stupid...Or something of the kind.

So now im busy doing a Research Analysis and Honours Application type things and Major Project Presentation things. OH good god its already 3.36 and I havent even finished writing a list of what I need to put in this presentation. Im supposed to speak for 15 minutes. Right. That is not going to happen. I think we are using powerpoint tech. Slideshows. WHICH IS GOOD so we dont print out and waste ink and electricity and stuff. But I hate projectors.

Im pretty sure my lungs are trying to jump out of my rib cage. Back to Richard and Zoe. I have never had Zoe. I have heard that she is....a tough cookie who BELIEVES IN BELL CURVES EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE MARKING CRITERIA! So apparently she doesnt understand what a marking guide is for. YOU CAN'T BELL CURVE MARKS IF THEY ADHERE TO A MARKING CRITERIA. And Richard who likes tangible models. I dont have high hopes for this presentation. At all. Im sure no-one does though. 

Hargenslagen

Just when I thought this lame-ass cold had almost disappeared IT CAME BACK WITH A VENGEANCE. So its for the best the James had to ditch this week. Its such a stupid thing. If I get sick, I want it to be a real sickness! I want to turn purple and grow extra limbs and see through walls and well just generally have a much cooler illness. Though I guess all those characteristics are more suited to the function of mutation rather than results of illness. So not only is it reasonable for me to quote a word suited to the situation my lame immune system has conspired to put me in, "Hargenslagen" but also because I can't see me becoming a mutant anytime soon...hargenslagen. Like every persons' own personal happy dance, everyone should have a word to use in rather uninteresting situations. Hargenslagen. Im not sure when this was decidedly the word I use, but it just is. 

This was more of an update. Not so much on the project itself, just the general state my mind is more often than not in. Due to my less than great physical state, I spent the entire day staring at my screen trying to obtain insights into a research analysis I have to write. I did nothing worth any value. Which is partly the reason I jumped on here...even if I have no inspiring research or drawings or actual insights to share. I want to feel like I have done SOMETHING. However the brain in my skull is lacking any sort of awesome. 

I have a bunch of stuff due next week. Presentations, applications and research analysis papers and I dont even know what else. And Im sick. Hope you have a less than Hargenslagen day. Or night.

DFTBA

Back Again!

So huge delay since I last posted. I'm lazy. And sick. Mostly over a cold now. How lame. But I am relishing my mid-semester week off! 

Anyway, last week Brad turned me towards a mix of biology and technology in design and art. Natalie Jeremijenko is a "design engineer and technoartist" now based in USA. She is super talented and an all-around genius with awards and commissions and features. More info here: fondation-langlois.org. 

Allan Giddy was another mentioned more specified towards sustainable energy systems. Part of COFA school of art staff (cofa.unsw.edu.au) he directs the ERIA (The Environmental Research Initiative for Art) at COFA, an "organisation aimed at reinvigorating decaying public spaces through the installation of "active" artwork".

And lastly, James turned me towards social experiments including Studio Moniker's "Do Not Touch" interactive video. Ta Da:http://donottouch.org/. Have a go! Its strangely addictive. Like 'pong' or 'pacman' or 'tetris'. (Are these still around?)

While I had seen this particular game before meeting James, I felt slightly narrow-minded or more-so narrow-sighted in identifying the process as a designed element. Perhaps being so focused in 3rd year on a particular niche, I havent exercised my thinking too much. Maybe I just have slacked off and have shut off the part of thinking that allows experimentation in outside design elements to be considered. Does that make sense? Probably not. On the other hand it may have been the way the university has been conditioned to teach. Im not saying or trying to imply that COFA teaches in an archaic way...at all. I feel that teaching has not developed as far as I believed it should have. Do we rely on principles that have not evolved to the level we should demand of it? Its always been understood (in my mind at least) that university study is a more personal, independent-driven level of learning. So why does it still revolve around high school systems? The courses themselves are designed to expand your knowledge on a particular subject you are aiming to pursue in future. They are tailored to inspire, educate, contemplate, drive...If they develop people and their thinking, why is the idea of obtaining optimum marks such a high consideration? Shouldn't the focus be on your ever evolving sense of self and design philosophies and personal growth within said subject? Waaaaay off topic.

Ive been researching the idea of social experiments, particularly frog and TouchTunes' Crowd Sourced DJ'ing at South by South West (SXSW). core77 - has a blog outlining the process of generating and realising this project. Its pretty damn interesting. 

It got me thinking of the Sony Bravia ad. What I would give to let this happen at COFA or UNSW campuses! Screw safety. I want to be emersed in colourful bouncy balls. Perhaps we should stick them to the grey concrete encasing the cofa campus.

Sony BRAVIA Bouncy Ball Advert from Josip Kostic on Vimeo.

Back to the project. The more I look into social experimentation, it develops a stronger tie to the project I am undertaking. Last week I was stuck on the idea of "melting walls". It was really bugging me. Somehow melted cheese was stuck in my head (which is odd, because I hate cheese). Its not necessarily the direction I want to take, but I would like to know the Why behind its consistent reappearance. Perhaps its just the aesthetic I find appealing, or maybe im just too damn narrow in my thoughts.

So. Next step: research (yay) into tech and social experiment (and how to display and integrate this information). Oh yeah, presentations coming up on thursday. Its gonna be interesting: Richard and Karina are "judging"...High school all over again. Maybe I should re-direct and element within my project to question and develop ideals of education. Too late to start a new project? Maybe i'll keep that on the back burner.

DFTBA

Untitled

Found my book! Lost it for some time but here it is. Funny thing is that due to the round-about nature the project has taken most of the information and process notes are what I keep coming back to. So thats something. 

On monday Trent stepped in for Richard, who was off doing wonderful things (no, I dont know what he was doing) which is quite annoying as Richard is the one most likely reacting and marking our presentations the week after break. Its especially annoying I have still yet to get any info back on my brief from week4.

Back on point: Trent had to turn me away from doing 'object' design as I have never taken any object class, but he wasn't too concerned if it did end up as an object. He did respond positively towards the 'personifying energy' and 'inflating walls' and the installation/interaction aspect of the last idea. I might have already said all this.

So far I like the idea. But its boring. It is really freaking boring. The most interesting thing about it is the mechanism I would need to design that would require none or as little electrical energy as possible (magnets?) to make the aesthetics and interactive aspect work. It seems to be an industrial design project now.

Well then.

Mentor/Client/Brief

Week 1 down. Week 2 to start.

This weekened i've been busy finishing little things like my resume and portfolio (still have to finish off the cover!) It's just one of those tedious little things that needs to be done and drives you insane. 

Last week I found out that people had already obtained clients and mentors (besides the two tutor we get to interact with twice a week in class). Crap. 

I've scrapped the idea of trying to obtain a client. I think the direction my project is taking is too hypothetical for an energy/water company. I've narrowed down the project to obtain a mentor in the design field. I believe that will be a more suited relationship. 
So what kind of designer?
- Visual Effects
- Motion Graphics
- Information Design
- App design
- Technology Design
- Animation/film

So tomorrow morning I will be trying to make contact with designers in Sydney to get myself a mentor! Of course this will happen once I've trekked it to Kensington to grab myself a "reader" for my other class (and yes i've checked, no readers at central co-op).

The brief is something I started on thursday. My theory class in the morning was cut short due to it being first week and we had nothing much to discuss. So a bunch of us made our way to the library (yeah, scary) because they have changed the cofa student room - and it feels like a dentist's waiting room. Bye bye cofa couches!

The draft is due week two, final in week four. Happily, on the class server Trent knocked up a folder with all the previous years' briefs. So everyone feels just a little less lost - well that and the incredibly intricate lecture we had on monday. So at the moment I have completed about half of the return/reverse brief in dot points and general notes. Not entirely sure whether its due on the server or by hand or to both tutors or what. 

Have a squiz at the outline:

Assessment Task 1
Title: Research and Proposed Conceptual Framework
Duration: 15mins
Presentation Mode: Informal studio pin-up and submission of return brief
Due:
Draft return brief submission - Thursday Week 2
Studio Pin Up and final return brief submission - Week 4
Weighting: 20%

Then it goes into what is being marked....

So I guess I better get on with it. They're only getting dot points at this stage.