Project 2 Process Documentation
Order
My first impression of “order” was to create a design that was symmetrical — folding the design in half would still result in a perfect fit. For instance, the top-right design represents a chessboard, which has perfect symmetry of black and white squares. However, after more thinking, I realized “order” did not have to mean symmetry. Instead, “order” could be a size order — as demonstrated by the middle-right design, which depicts a growing order amongst the stacked black squares. “Order” is found everywhere in real life. Stairs have “order” because the horizontal and vertical distance between the steps are equal, as shown by the bottom-left design.
Stemming from my previous thoughts, I decided to create a pyramid made of black squares. I believe the pyramid is the epitome of “order” because the blocks must be stacked evenly and in a specific descending order from bottom to top in order for the structure to stand. Hence, by grouping each row of squares, and placing a 0.1 inch distance between each square, I was able to create my final design. The equal distribution between squares especially represents order.
Tension
When thinking of “tension”, I believed the word had a negative connotation, and so must be covered in a majority black space. However, by giving the black squares a sense of weight, “tension” could also be demonstrated. For instance, the middle-left image depicts a tipping tower, as if the top square is going to crumble. This shows “tension” because it looks as if though the squares are clinging on one another to prevent from falling. For the bottom-right image, I tried to represent thin, elongated squares as strings that are holding on to a bigger square.
I decided to choose my middle-right sketch as my digital iteration. It was created by creating two big black squares, and then placing a clipping mask to crop the squares onto the board. A little white bit of space was left on the edge of the board to represent the darkness’s pressure creeping onto the white space. The crooked white space also gives the impression that the white triangle is uncomfortable.
Congestion
When imagining “congestion”, the first thought that came to my mind was traffic because I was exposed to lots of it in Philippines. I wanted the black squares to cover lots of space, but unlike tension, they would be in crooked angles. The top-right sketch depicts this. However, I decided that the squares could look alive by giving impressions of squares stuck or moving. Both middle sketches demonstrate squares that seem stuck in a small space that is represented by white space, while the bottom-right sketch made the squares looked stacked at the end of a slide.
Inspired by my middle-right sketch and the movie “127 Hours”, I made a digital iteration of a single square stuck in a trench. The black-and-white contrast between the two sides gives the impression that the white space as a trench. The narrowing effect of the white space shows how a square could get stuck, as it tumbles down the trench.
Playfulness
My thoughts of “playfulness” were similar to that of “congestion” — both words can be represented by crooked squares. However, to make squares look “playful” I decided that more white space could make the design more airy, and different sizes of squares could also substantiate the representation of the word. Other than those thoughts, the bottom-right sketch attempts to create a kite made of black squares to give a wavy, string-like effect of the squares.
Following my thought that “playfulness” should have an airy atmosphere, and using the connecting technique I used for the kite sketch, I created my digital iteration. It depicts four squares of different sizes connected at the corners. The different angles of the squares make the figure look as if it is bouncing, and the connection between only the corners gives the impression of lightness of the design.
Comfort
The most difficulty I had thinking of ideas for was “comfort”. The top-right image represents a silhouette created by black squares because “there is no place like home,” and home gives a strong sense of comfort for me. The middle-left sketch attempts to create a hammock using the squares, while the middle-right sketch gives the small square in the middle a sense of “comfort” between two bigger squares. The bottom-left image attempts to create a Yin-Yang sign using black squares because it represents balance and comfort. Finally, the bottom-right image shows a square leaning on another square.
The idea behind my digital iteration of “comfort” was to create a piece of design that comforted the viewer. Hence, I created a piece that reflected a carpet design — symmetric in all major directions. Symmetry represents “comfort” because nothing is out of place and there is balance. Unlike “order”, I decided to create a star-like figure to make an artistic piece, instead of simply placing the blocks in an even order.
