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After a lot of thought, and a long discussion with Fred, I decided to cut down the product section of my thesis to one object. Looking at my mindmap and outline, I realized that there would be way too much time taken for prototyping. In light of this fact, I decided to explore the desk lamp at a later date. I think the focus of this project should really be: Ecological strategies, product selling strategies, and Aesthetics. In that light, I have started learning Solidworks to model some designs. It's an interesting exercise to model things by hand and in computer. The computer really changes the way you look at things, and the way you think about making things. Here are some quick renderings, no lights, no material skins, just to see what I am thinking about, It really reminds me of a wing right now, I am working on different ways to add depth so I can get some electronics in there...

Enjoy.


Perspective view.


Detail view.


Front view.


Side view.

From THESIS LIGHTS

Reposting, and linking.

I rewrote the last entry, I think it's clearer.

Also, if you don't know, you can see some earlier lights here:
www.Studio1Thousand.com

Back to the grind soon.

Aesthetics: No Excuses

In the creation of objects, one must design for both the conscious and unconscious mind. One must appeal to the conscious, rational centers, along with the unconscious, or subconscious centers.

The rational mind expects, or looks to understand form through objectifying patterns, complimentary colors, things that make sense. These little idea-ettes lead the eye and mind to read patterns, leading to understanding without actually examining the whole object. The mind groups like items with like items. These visual ideas can use historical references to create shortcuts in the mind, explaining different forms and functionality so the user can make sense of the object more quickly. Through different signifiers: historical forms, traditions, people’s past experiences with similar objects, I can help lead people to a rational understanding of the object.

This rationality, a certain predictability, calms the soul. It provides a sense of foundation, which you, the user can feel comfortable. I seek to give you assurances that everything is where it should be, and you can rest easy. This is not to say that these ideas or patterns, or colors, or forms will be simple. It is not to say that they will be easy to understand, but at their core, they feel right.

This cannot be the entirety of your interaction with the object. Be it a light, a phone, jewelry. I would call this a one trick pony. If the forms only conform to this, you will discover, and “figure it out.” When the mind feels like it has solved this puzzle, it will become bored with this and mentally discard the object. That is why there must be a balance between the rational centers of the brain, and the irrational wanderings of the subconscious.

These areas of cognizance, where we expect the unexpected, and wait or hope for something to challenge us, must be tapped each time we interact with items. Be it visually, tactilely, or emotionally, it is my job to try to incite and excite people over and over.

If the conscious mind is given a foundation of understanding and comforted by the rationality of predictability, only then can the subconscious be free to explore and fantasize. From this point of departure, things appeal to us that are not explicable. The subconscious is free to make connections that the rational mind cannot make because it is too wrapped up in reality. Perhaps they can reconnect some memories that were dormant. These are the things that we are drawn to. Not only that, these are the things that we cannot explain what draws us to them. Some of us who are lucky (or unlucky) enough to have a vocabulary to explain visual elements, can probably construct some sort of commentary on proportion, relations, hue, saturation, etc. But does that really explain why people like or dislike these things?

In my designs and choices for people looking at my objects, I am not really thinking about whether other people are going to like/dislike these things. My first concern, as many people know, and have commented, is to ask myself, “is this different enough?” Can we make this different enough so that it is outside the realm of what people have seen before? At the same time, I want people to know what it is, or at least I want people to feel comfortable near and around these things. I want them, the people or the objects, to feel familiar.

Upon immediate reflection, I hope these objects can generate gravity through a combination of familiarity and curiosity of the unknown. In different objects, the view from far away will be familiar and draw people in, while others will employ the guile and intrigue of the unknown, only revealing a familiarity within a close proximity. This doesn’t work as well in longer lasting relationships with objects. To really be long lasting, I believe there must be an instant familiarity, which leads to a rabbit hole of intrigue keeping interest close, slowly revealing inspirations.

Where What are the GOOD ideas?

I think there is a sense in school that ideas can be left on the floor. As in, lost on the cutting room floor. There are so many good ideas that come from a school environment, where all you have to do is think of the idea. But when you have to come up with an idea every week, every month, every class, there are so many pearls, seeds of good ideas which could really ride with more work. Most, if not all of these, get a pic taken, and are set in the pile of old foam/ideas.

I'm in Seattle now, and I have the luxury of working in the Koolhaas library. There is a sense of completion which I think a designer of any kind should be proud of. Standing in the wings of this stage, I know what it takes to make a simple light, and can appreciate even more, what it takes to make something, anything of interest. I think Seattle made a really good choice to build this, its been full every time I have been here, there is always room, and it's always interesting to work in.

But how does a student decide which ideas are good enough to revisit? Does she gage the amount of interest in the studio? Does he listen to his peers? Perhaps he simply "believes." I think it has become obscenely clear that the ideas we work with in the studio are a long way from anything that can be made. What is the level of preparation which pratt should work to explain to the students? I think in some ways the program has dug itself into a hole because it has a very wide set of exit parameters. I.e. people from Pratt find themselves doing all sorts of things for work. Small furniture, Smart Design, design consultancies out on Long Island, automotive... It would be so easy to shave the program down to only a couple outlets, and focus on those things. I do not advocate that. The thing that keeps me going back to the studio, day after day, is to listen to friends who have very similar interests.

Furthermore, I think that any sort of tracking will kill the "liberal arts" style of education that Pratt ID seems to have adapted. But that leaves us in the same place, where people who come out of school are not really prepared to come out and just start producing objects, which seems like it should be the most basic of operations for a recently grad with a MA in design. Maybe I have it wrong, maybe being able to produce nice things in limited quantities is the pinnacle of the design world, the piece de resistance. Even then, why do I not feel ready to produce the things I want to make?

Ok, but back to the original question. How do you identify good ideas? is there a strategy for this? Is this something that people have been thinking about for a long time? I guess I could read about this for endless nights, and maybe at the end I will be smarter. Can we learn to identify only the good ideas in a forest of all sorts of ideas?

Some thoughts on from the airplane

Thesisisisisisis

Some thoughts about thesis.

The more I think about thesis, and my place in design, the more I think about design selling things. Here’s a problem: I have never been good at selling things. I am not a salesman. I find myself to be more of an intellectual, more in the pursuit of knowledge. Where does that leave me? I had a very interesting conversation with an old friend today. She is starting a company to provide luxury goods to people that are sustainable, and can be certified as such. I immediately thought about all the ways I can help her.

Some concerns in the arc of my career. What if I like helping people with their ideas better than thinking about my own ideas? Am I too scared of my own ideas? Am I too scared of my own ideas? I have ideas that are validated by other people. Do I spend too much time in my own head? What is going to get me the most fulfillment? Am I scared to do the work? Am I seeking approval too much? I think there is a level of jumping that I am scared of. Not a gambler by nature, its hard for me to make that leap when there is no sight of the other side. I have confidence that I can do the work in what ever I do. I can work until something is done, work until I am satisfied. Is now the time to make the jump? Can I gain more confidence doing other things which will improve my station in life?

SCCARRRRRRYYY.

Are the people who make this leap, the great people in this world? Do I need to be one of those people?

Perhaps it is more that I need some sort of partner doing this. How blind do I have to be to try to do this. What are the emotional and psychological elements which have to go together to do this.


This thesis is about:

1. This thesis is about a business plan.

This thesis is about making some nice lights.

3. This thesis is about new and emergent technologies

4. This thesis is about selling these things.

5. This thesis is about stretching my comfort boundaries.

6. This thesis is about doing things with a safety net.

7. This about learning about me.

8. This thesis is about making creating confidence.

Or is it:

1. This thesis is about me.

2. This thesis is about creating confidence.

3. This thesis is about stretching my comfort boundaries.

4. This thesis is about doing things with a safety net.

5. This thesis is about some nice lights.

6. This thesis is about selling these things.

7. This thesis is about emergent technologies.

8. This thesis is about a business plan.

added adsense

Its late at night. I just added AdSense.
If anyone comes to this corner of the internet, and then clicks on some advertisements, I get money.


Its free to you, so click on some ads.

Doin' some drawings

Ideas have been coming fast these days, There has been a lower amout of things around to do, and I have been able to put more subconscious effort towards lights. I have been doing some sketching.

Here are some pics of some sketch books.

From THESIS LIGHTS

I have been thinking a lot about my desk lamp recently. I know the sketches are rough, and perhaps indecipherable, so, welcome to the rawness.

One more week of this mess that is fall semester.

This winter, I really want to put the skeleton together for the actual paper. Some topics which I think should be in there. Energy conservation, LED History, LED Technology, Inspirations and Aesthetic decisions, Marketing and penetration, perhaps consumer profiling. Also, thinking about mentors for this. Who should those be, and what fields should they be in?

Comments, in the comments section or email directly are great!

KTC

Class today

Today was the last day of thesis A. That means I am really one semester away from the end.

Before that happens, there is so much to do.

Today in class, Fred gave us another peptalk. Its comforting. its peppy. I like that he does this. In many ways I feel like I just need to keep being encouraged to get things done. I knew this going into his class. Today we had a chat about the thesis process in general, Directed Research II, Thesis A, and Thesis B (B stands for Best). He reiterated a couple things:

1. The thesis is a project in which you must be personally commited to.
This was something that really was not communicated in DRII and that made for a lot of lost people. I think that people in Fred's class are now on the right track, and there will be some real success in that class.

2. You must engage people to test in some way, your ideas.
Your ideas come from your opinion, there is some sort of process that you use. Its important to show that idea, some how, in what ever form, to people so that they can comment on it.

3. Writing. Writing must happen, in some way.
One of the reasons I started this blog, is because it gives me a place and a time to think about, and collect thoughts about thesis. Its provides a place, which is semi-public for people to look at the thoughts I have and comment. But as well, It can be referred back to by me, so when I start writing this document, there is a lot of ideas and writing already written.

4. The role of the Designer.
The role of the Designer (with a capital D), is that to make connections of different disperate things. How a designer puts these things together is what makes the designs interesting. How are ideas infused into objects?

Here are the things I am trying to get done during break:
1. Drawings of lights
2. Thinking about goals in what I am doing. What is the goal of this? what is going to make this successful?
3. Perhaps some market research?

I think I am heading towards a desk lamp a wall unit and a chandelier, and I would like to think about what will make that those successful.

The(sis) blog

From now on, this blog is about my thesis. I do this in some attempt to put down a lot of thoughts "on paper" through out the process, so there might be some sort of record. I am going to try to show progress on the process.

In many ways this thesis has mutated over the months. Part of this comes from a lack of time, but also a drive to really ferret out what is the core of the thesis.

There are a lot of ideas about LED lighting these days, its coming from all angles. In the past couple years, its pretty clear that there is no concensus on what is a good idea, or what makes one of these lights successful. Yves and his light the leaf light

















debuted at the same ICFF as this light, the Z light



With all the acclaim heaped on the Leaf light, the Z light still came away with ID magazine's design of the year. Why? Is this a better light? What makes this a better light?

through out the next couple of months, I am going to explore all sorts of ways to add light. These lights are in many ways different than the lights I have been making. I have been making lights to look at, these being more task oriented, lights to iluminate your work.

I invite comments, suggestions, and any other feedback here.


Lastly, here are some models I made the other day, I hope I can show lots of the things I am doing here.

From THESIS LIGHTS

From THESIS LIGHTS

From THESIS LIGHTS

Final CPH post, near christmas

So this blog is my multi use blog, I don't feel like I need to make one little blog for every little thing. So I am posting these last couple pictures in here to finish up the CPH era and make this into my thesis blog.

Check out some of these pics from the end of DK days.

at the final exhibition

From Late CPH

DIS uploaded a lot of photos that they took, you can see them here
here are the ones just tagged textile

Finally, Here are my fotos from the end of days there:


Check them out.

Kenzan