Assignment Description
Study, observe and gather information on your partner. Based on what you learn about them, design an object (wearable, sculptural, functional, etc.) that is specific to their needs. The design is meant to be an apparatus to help and support your partner in some way. It is not meant to be a mass produced item. It is meant to be nuanced and specific to your partner’s life.
- What did you learn from your primary research?
I learned that observing another person’s life and learning about where they have been, and what they have experienced helps you grasp a better understanding of their motives, and how express themselves in the work that they create.
- What other artists, designers, and/or articles were you inspired by
I was inspired by Melissa Mccracken’s artwork and fascinated by her ability to paint songs and sounds express them vividly through color in a way that is specific. Her ability to involuntarily and spontaneously see colors through the sounds and music in her life fascinated me in how she’s able to remember them and create unique artwork.
https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/gyxq73/melissa-mccracken-synesthesia-painter-interview
https://graf1x.com/color-psychology-emotion-meaning-poster/
- How did it effect your work / process?
I became curious about chromesthesia after hearing that my partner also had this unique condition. I wanted to incorporate this information into the process of creating the design because I wanted the details and layers behind making this project to be more personal and meaningful to Connor.
- What did you design and why?
I designed a night lamp that reflects different colored lights. I created this product so it can help my partner my partner relax, destress, and fall asleep. From observations and from my own experiences, I find it easier to be able to relax and fall asleep when there is a small bit of light in the room. Since Connor has difficulty falling asleep and relaxing, I decided to design a night lamp that can set a tone and mood of a calming atmosphere where he can destress before he goes to sleep.
- How does it work? How does it help / support your partner?
Because my partner has a closer and deeper relation to color than most people, I wanted to create a design that can give him the most access to specific colors that evoke calmness and good memories to him. On the cable of the night lamp, there is a switch that can change the color of the light. There are 6 colors in total. Lighting is a great way to create tone and mood within an interior, with the glow that is given helping to dictate the entire feeling inside of the room. Different colored lights can set the mood and create an atmosphere you can unwind and relax. Because Connor has a stronger relation to color and frequent experiences with them, I thought incorporating the different options of color to give Connor the options to choose the set light depending on his mood. The blue, pink, and violet light is intended to represent peace, calmness, and tranquility, and the yellow and orange light represents radiance and warmth. All the colors have a psychology behind it. The colored lights in his room can create a relaxing environment during times he is up late at night and cannot relax or fall asleep.
I wanted this product to be able to produce desired
- What is the ideal scale? Materials?
The ideal scale 8×8. The design is scaled to be easily portable.
- What was most challenging about this design?
The most challenging part was deciding the appearance of the lamp. I wanted to give it an aesthetic element so it can be a decorative piece. I wanted to make this design asymmetrically shaped so the light would reflect off in interesting ways.
- What was most exciting to develop?
It was most exciting deciding what colors would be used and developing what the refracted lights could look like in an enclosed space. It was satisfying adding the different shades of color to make a harmonious color scheme for each color option.
