Research:
“Imaginary” and “reality” are two branches or themes in pop-up books. Imaginative piece like “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” adapted and illustrated by Robert Sabuda, is often designed with younger audiences in mind. This adaptation may not capture the mature and thought-provoking elements that allow the book to have a longer life and broaden audiences. On the contrary, “This is New York” by Miroslav Sasek captures the essence of daily life in New York City. The book’s reality content may be challenging for kids to maintain their interests, and require assistance or explanations from adults. Thus, my project aimed to create a bridge between reality and illusions that are attractive to kids yet feel relatable to adults. Pop-up books surprise the reader with creativity that breaks through the ordinary expectation of books to be flat and 2D. This project also breaks the boundaries between reality and illusions and encourages creativities to emerge within ordinary lives. It is a book made for all, a book that establishes connections.
Concept:
“The Door” is a pop-up book exploring the boundary between artistic reality and illusions. The concept states there is a door in people’s minds that transforms the regular daily object into creative inspirations. The work aims to build surrealistic structures corresponding to real-world objects, using paper as the primary building material.
- Paper Engineering: Understanding the principles of paper engineering is crucial for designing and constructing pop-up elements.Research different types of pop-up mechanisms, such as V-folds, parallel folds, and layering techniques.
- Materials: Research different types of paper, cardstock, and adhesives suitable for the project. (weight, texture, and durability of materials).
- Binding Methods
- Printing: Research printing options, including techniques like offset printing or digital printing. Understand color management and file preparation for printing.
Process Documentation
Structural Practise
Takeaways: For geometric structures like this, a fast dry glue is essential to make the piece neat and sharp.
Design Sketches
Making Progress
Progress Evaluations
Challenges
“Artistic Expression: Pop-up landscapes demand meticulous planning, precise cutting, and careful assembly. I have to keep an eye on the details to ensure things work out the way I expect. One small mistake can screw up the piece.
Challenges in Design: Designing pop-ups, especially architectural ones, is a demanding task. I need to consider both aesthetics and the structural integrity of the paper construction. Balancing these factors while ensuring that the pop-up functions as intended is a real challenge, and prototypes are certainly crucial to the process.”
Durability: Pop-up books are often handled by children, so durability is crucial. Ensuring that the pop-ups can withstand repeated use without tearing or falling apart is a challenge. However, my prototypes are extremely fragile to handle, I should switch to a firm textured paper.
Limited Space: The limited space within a book’s pages imposes constraints on the size and complexity of pop-up elements. I must work within these limitations while still delivering engaging visuals. For future improvements, I should calculate the dimension of my construction and ensure it will perfectly fit into the cover.
Final Presentation
“The Door”
“Walls”
“The Valley”
