Research
Definition of a chandelier: A decorative hanging light with several branches for light bulbs or candles.
http://www.historyoflamps.com/lamp-history/
https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/05/50-of-the-best-designed-lamps.html
http://www.wallswithstories.com/interior/a-brief-history-of-the-chandelier.html
https://www.lightsonline.com/learn/lighting-styles-101/the-history-of-the-chandelier
Chandeliers date to prehistoric times. Their first purpose was to bring light. They were first different types of oil and grease lamps, found in many prehistoric caves in strategic places to light up the rooms. The very first chandeliers were more like torches.
During the Renaissance they started having a decorative purpose too with the introduction of crystals. They we very decorated structures made to hold candles until the introduction of light where the candles were replaced by light bulbs.
With time their style evolved with the different periods of history. They started having different materials and textures and were available to a wider range of people.
Some modern chandeliers now have a more minimalist style.
We also looked into dream catchers, which filter out bad dreams, or nightmares, from good dreams. They have Native American origins but are used in common culture today. We took ours as a takeoff point for a more spacial, three dimensional version.
Moodboard
Sketches
Preliminary concept sketches
More sketches
More sketches and idea development
Form sketches
Final Piece
Our Pillowtalk collection is a series of three light adornments that come together to form one cohesive chandelier. It is based on the idea of dreamcatchers, which filter out bad dreams from good dreams. Because our piece is modular, its is both versatile and convenient. The pieces can potentially be rearranged to the customer’s liking, but have a default arrangement as well. We intend our piece to be a product marketed for the home, ideally as a chandelier to be hung above the bed. Almost all of the materials used in this piece are upcycled, so customers who are environmentally conscious can rest easy. The chandelier also casts interesting, dynamic shadows that are sure to spark pillowtalk!
Branding and Packaging
A logo we designed
Since our product is meant for mass consumption, cardboard boxes are a convenient (and biodegradable) form of packaging
Our product is fully collapsible for easy packaging and distribution:
Process
Tried to lasercut plywood but after 4 passes (80 minutes) it only cut halfway through
We lasercut chipboard instead
We painted it to match the yarn
We used an awl and mallet to make holes after using a protractor to spread them out evenly
We created beads from scrap plywood and hardwood and finished them with olive oil
Drilling holes into the beads
Technical Drawing
Materials Used
- Yarn – upcycled from Project #1
- Hardwood, Plywood – upcycled from Woodshop scraps
- Acrylic Paint – upcycled from Studio Project
- Chipboard – store bought
- Battery powered lights – store bought
Reflection
It was very difficult for me to work in this group project. We had a difficult time with ideation. It was not a lack of ideas, but rather a surplus that caused this issue. We each had many ideas, so settling on one and making it cohesive was our biggest struggle. We spent a lot of time on the ideation stage, playing with sketches, mockups, and simply bouncing ideas off of each other. This, though it made us behind in the process as compared to other groups, was ultimately a big factor in our success with this project. I think the amount of time put into planning did come across in the final design. Our idea ended up coherent and cohesive, and the final form reflected the idea well in my opinion.
Another issue we had to overcome as a group was scheduling. As it was during finals, we each had lots of work to do for other classes as well. This meant that our groups schedules rarely aligned. Sometimes two of us would have to meet up and simply keep our third group member updated. Otherwise, if none of us could meet up, we just had to set our goals clearly so that we could each independently work on those goals and then work together when we got a chance. Communication was key for this. Though it was a struggle, I think we managed in the end.
As far as the final design goes, I was very pleased with it. Maybe it needed some more refining, but there were only three weeks. I was extremely pleased with the shadows that it cast, which I felt truly did transform the space. I think the piece is very comforting and would integrate very nicely into a home bedroom. The branding was not very successful in my opinion, but I think the logo just needed more time. It was not a focus of our group, but maybe a better logo would have added to the success of our piece.
This project was a great way to end the semester. It put together the various skills we have learned throughout your class. We were able to use both the laser lab and the woodshop for this project, so we were making good use of the Parsons facilities that Space and Materiality oriented us for. We also used yarn in various techniques for various effects in the final piece. I have been working with textiles in this course all semester, as this was a primary goal of my education at Parsons. I am a 2D fine artists and I mostly do paintings, so everything we learned in this course was a bit experimental and out of my comfort zone for me. For this reason, I feel like I learned so many invaluable skills. I am still not great with textiles and I have not yet mastered 3D in general, but I look forward to continuing to expand upon the skillsets that this course introduced me too. Thank you so much for this!
Image Sources
https://wallpaperplay.com/walls/full/e/b/8/54075.jpg
https://www.fairtradewinds.net/shop/moon-phase-dream-catcher/
https://www.dezeen.com/tag/gold/
https://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/wood-beaded-chandelier/
http://news.mit.edu/2012/spider-web-strength-0202
