This is a lamp inspired by previous traditional batik motifs. My motif is modern and simple, which is how I wanted it to be because I want it to suit contemporary culture. I made my motif on illustrator, laser cut the material, having a puzzle pattern to help assemble the lamp neatly. Previously for Bridge 4, I used acrylic and I really liked how my lamp turned out, which is why I decided to use acrylic again because it gives the wood a modern feel and gives a smooth and shiny finish to it – Contemporary. However, for bridge 4, I used white acrylic and the side that touched the laser beam turned out dirty and could not be cleaned, which is why I chose black acrylic for my final project. The pattern for bridge 4 also seemed to be too large, making the holes too big with little space between them and I did not like it. I changed the pattern, made the pattern smaller to make it project the pattern better when the light is lit up. Also for bridge 4, I did not think that I would need something to hold the lamp in place, but after the test run, I made a small square pattern that would hold the cable of the lamp in place. The lightbulb I did not change because previously it worked really well in lighting up the room and I really liked the color.
During the laser cutting process, I failed the first time. It seemed like the laser cutter I used was the old laser cutter because I cut it 2 times and it still did not cut through. I tried laser cutting a brand new acrylic the next day using the new laser cutter and finally, it worked well and I was really satisfied with how it turned out to be. The square that was cut to hold the cable in place did its job well. I am really satisfied with the new edited pattern because it made the lamp a lot more sleek and elegant, compared to the previous one with much bigger holes. However, the only thing that did not work out for me was the glue because in gluing it, the excess glue could be seen, and I tried using acetone to remove it but it did not work. However, it does not affect the way the light really works and how it looks. I learned so much from this project, I had failures in laser cutting but it taught me to always test run when using the laser cutter to not waste materials because each machine works differently. I also learned to think about how to make this lamp perfect, by making an additional square to hold the cable, changing the pattern and more. This taught me that the design process involves changing and editing in order to really reach the desired product.
After the critique, I can see that my goal was reached since people like it and that they think that it would really make a room better. (relaxing, pretty to look at). I did not think that the class would like the way I joined them using the puzzle pattern, but they liked it and I am very satisfied with it. Also, someone said about the pattern looking like a contemporary pattern and that exactly how I want the pattern to be. Someone was concerned about all the parts being glued together and I am glad that I thought about it before the critique, to not seal all the parts together.The critique went well for me and I am really glad that I made this lamp for my final project, to showcase Batik and also my talent to the class.
Edited Pattern with square box to hold the cable
First attempt (Fail)
Second Attempt
Square to hold cable
FINAL
