Digital Creation, Project One, Blog Four

I have since continued creating iterations.

I first looked at stretching my model up on the Z axis in order to make it as slender in this direction as possible. I tried using the push modifier to break some of these iterations apart to make them loom in a more transparent and spread way, as when I think of loom I think of something that takes up a bit of area, so spreading whilst keeping it slender has been another thing I have been trying to accomplish.

I then looked at twisting this vertical iteration, as well as compacting it slightly making it loom in a smaller surface area. 

After that I then began melting the form into both the Y and Z axis, to make my slender predator seem as if it were a looming shadow on the wall.

 Then I looked at bringing it back from the shadows by reducing the melt and stretching and twisting to make it a large looming slender predator.


Once getting to 35 iterations I looked at finding a texture and applying it to one of my models.

I found this image of shark skin which I thought suited a looming slender predator, especially as a picture of a shark is my precedent image.

So I then applied it to my latest iteration...

When applying it I'm not sure if this is the texture I want, I think I want something darker, however perhaps lighting will play a big part. 

Lighting was another thing I quickly looked at.

Looking at these renders I think using shadows will be an important part of my final composition as the shadows I have created with this lighting look very looming slender and predatory.

Digital Creation, Project One, Blog Three

After bringing my shark model into 3DS Max I found that even though I had taken this shape straight from my precedent image as a 3D model it did not match my words.

It matches slender and also loom to a degree but it doesn't look much like a predator.

Shark model in 3DS Max

Shark model in Solid Works

So I made a few sketches and found a form I thought matched my words better. I then created it in Solid Works and then imported it into 3DS Max.

Second model in 3DS Max

However this was still too flat meaning there was less I could do to it with modifiers on 3DS Max. So I went back to Solid Works and drew more of different angled planes in order to create a better 3D model.

Latest 3D model

I then started modifying it in 3DS Max. In starting this I thought about narrative. I think that my three words are more or less the story, a looming slender predator. With modifying I really want to look at the different ways my model can loom whilst keeping it as a slender predator. 

I first looked at bending it in a bit more to make it more slender in overall width, I also made it look more of a ghostly predator, and loom in a different way.

I then looked at melting my model into the ground to find different ways my model can loom, I really tried to test how far I could go with melting it and breaking it apart using the 'push' modifier, whilst also maintaining a predator and slender look. I also twisted it.

As you can see in the above image, with the model on the right I have completely melted it to the ground, which turns it seem like a shadow which really underlines the idea of a looming predator.

I then looked at bringing it back out of the ground and making it tall and slender as opposed to long and slender. I used mainly stretch to achieve this.

So far I have 20 iterations.

Interaction Design, Project One, Blog Three

For my project I have looked at exploring the sense of touch. For my first experiment I have looked at the element of surprise with touch by having a container/box you put your hand in and stab a piece of wire through which misses your hand however it hits a thing which presses a pin into your hand making it seem as if the wire has managed to hit your hand.

This is the container where you insert your hand

Here is where the wire is inserted, it enters to the side away from the hand so it will miss the hand completely

This is underneath, there is a strip where the wire hits which has a pin stabbed in which moves down and pricks the hand when the wire is stabbed in

I think this model is heading in the right direction to what I would like to achieve. However it needs to be a little more convincing. I think that the wire needs to be inserted above the hand so it seems that it will actually stab the hand however like in this model it hits a platform which makes a pin or something prick the hand in a different position.

Digital Creation, Project One, Blog Two

I have chosen the image of the shark as my precedent image, and chosen the words; predator, loom and slender.

I have looked up the official definitions of the words...

Definitions:

Slender - 1. (of a person or part of the body) Gracefully thin.
                2. (esp. of a rod or stem) Of small girth or breadth.


Loom - Appear as a shadowy form, esp. one that is large or threatening.
         
Predator - 1. An animal that naturally preys on others.
                 2. A rapacious, exploitative person or group.

My Definitions...

Slender - To be slimly built
Loom - To lurk hauntingly in the distance
Predator - Something that hunts other things

I have now started sketching images based on these words and plan to take aspects from them into 3DS Max. I have also cut out the Shark from the image on Photoshop, imported it into SolidWorks, traced it, extruded it, and now have it imported into 3DS Max in order to start mainpulating it.

Digital Creation, Project One, Blog One

To start off I looked at finding some epic images on the internet which grabbed my attention. I ended up with three which really stood out to me.

I found this first image very awesome.

Obviously the first thing that stood out for me is the high quality of the shot and sharp shades of blue. What also captivated me is all the other worlds in the picture and the open space in the background. The idea in this image reminded me a bit of a short animated film I watched on YouTube once about a man who travels across different worlds and such in order to find his lost wife.

I thought this could be a possible narrative I could explore through my work in this project, this idea of traveling and searching across different worlds. I especially like how in the film above the main character morphs when he travels into different worlds.

I looked at brainstorming some possible words I could associate with this idea.

Nouns: Lover, explorer, seeker, traveler
Adjectives: Blue, vast, alone, empty, cold
Verbs: Seek, travel, explore, hunt, search


I found this image of the Peacock particularly striking, mainly due to the bright colours and the haunting expression of the peacock.

Some words I came up with for this image were...

Nouns: Warrior, Monarch, Boss
Adjectives: protective, vicious, majestic, beautiful, stunning
Verbs: call, attack, defend, protect

There is something very cool about this image of the sharks.

Nouns: Predator, Dominator, Killer
Adjectives: evil, slender, streamline, sharp, shady, mysterious, slick
Verbs: wriggle, swim, pierce, move, stalk, loom, beam

Interaction Design, Project One, Blog Two

Fun vs Functional design.

I found an example of a functional piece of design as a tube of toothpaste.

Toothpaste requires the touch sense to practically squeeze out the toothpaste, the paste also adheres to the smell sense as it creates a minty fresh smell to cover any bad breath, a very practical and useful function.

For my fun item I choose the iPod Touch.

The iPod uses the touch sense in a very fun way when playing games or navigating your way through anything really. The iPod also engages the hearing sense in a fun way when listening to music or what have you.

Interaction Design, Project One, Blog One

Five Sensory Items


I have looked at five different everyday items that stimulate more than just the sight sense.

My first item was the iPod Touch.

This is a fairly obvious one as the iPod TOUCH clearly requires the sense of feeling and sight, it also requires the sense of sound when listening to music or playing games.

I then looked at Immunofort.

These pills require you to use your sight in order to read directions and see what your doing with it, but the feel of the pill is helps to direct you in the way of swallowing and also the taste is not very pleasant so that also encourages you to swallow.

The Microwave is another.

The Microwave requires you to use your hearing in order to tell when it's working and then the chime when it is finished, also the nose can be used to tell whether the food is cooked or over cooked.

Then there is the key and lock combo.

This requires sight of course but also hearing to hear when the lock is locked or unlocked and also feeling to feel whether the key will release or is stuck and thus needs to be twisted to the origin position.

Finally I looked at the Hot Chocolate.

The Hot Chocolate uses taste and sight, but also I feel it uses touch a lot too, as we often get a one in order to warm up our hands and bellies.