Number Of Words Use. Blog 3
Wednesday, 6 May 2015
Reflection: Toil and Joy.
Reflection: Toil and Joy.
During this process I have
learned how to earth a Pick Axe and connect all the wires together in order to
make the light bulb function. I have also learned to keep developing the idea
to try and solve the problems which may occur before the actual build so there
are less un-expected problems. Good planning makes for a more successful
conclusion. The Primary Research in Newcastle at the Biscuit Factory opened up
new ideas such as using ceramics in the design of my final piece. The process
during the design and making was about net working with people in order to
learn how to fit an earth wire or even just sales assistants from B&Q advising
on which tools and products to select in order to make this final functional light.
I was committed throughout the
process and gave my ideas to team members when they needed help and I believe I
was a good team player. The understanding and structure of working together in
a team was fantastic as we all listened to each other and had a very strong
theme of Toil and Joy. I have developed my skills in electrics, ensuring it
passed all health and safety requirements. I would like to improve by making a
series of lights that are functional and can be sold to the public in the
future. I would like to explore working with different materials and develop
more ideas throughout the process and learn how different materials may or may
not compliment each other. I will help achieve this having a good range of
ideas with a wide selection of drawings depicting thoughts and intentions, a
goal would be in the region of approximately x30 drawings to help finalise the
end product.
During the process of making
everything flowed smoothly and no mistakes were made. The choices of materials
represented Bradford Pit for example, the plaster was a grey/black which was
shown as coal and the dark wood represented inside the dark mine, giving the
mood of foreboding darkness, yet solid construction. Without the industrial
bulb it would not have the same character or professional finish. The lead
represented the sliver which can be found in mines. The level of interrogation
needed in order to find out how to connect the wiring was the correct amount as
it was a successful process at the first attempt. All the wires connected
safely using a small screw driver which was bought from Wilko in Manchester.
Communicating in a team was very
important so all our products and designs have a link with Toil and Joy. As a
group we showed understanding of each other’s designs and helped each other to
solve problems. The key motivation in this unit was about making something that
is functional which shows the memories of the Bradford Pit. The light was one
of the main ideas because I wanted to communicate that the miners who used pick
axes to dig for coal also needed light in order to see and the coal generates
light creating a cycle of process.
Displaying the light in the
exhibition is complimented by the two black plaster blocks used as a background
feature representing the coal face. The light shines through the blocks giving
a sense of hope and freedom for the hard working miners.
My future ambitions would be to learn how to
make different wood joints in the Wood Work Shop and continue making bespoke
products, using recycled materials where possible. Making functional working
products that could be sold in the near future is a key aim. The project was
successful, individually and as a team member. A Three Dimensional functional Electric
Light was made.
Thursday, 30 April 2015
Lines of Enquiry: Toil and Enjoy
Lines of Enquiry: Toil and Enjoy
It was very interesting working
in a team because everybody is good at different making processes and having
different ideas. Working together allows developing team work skills and this
has shown me that by working together creates faster solutions than just
working on your own. The theme that the team have come up with is Toil and
Joy. The Toil is the hard working miner’s digging underground for coal and
Enjoy represents the houses and people within the industry.
I have learned through this
process how to carry out basic electric wiring in order for the bulb to
function. I have also learned how to earth a pick axe and this was achieved by
net working with other people in different places, for example asking people in
shops such as Wilko and B&Q. I have learned how to problem solve and
discuss in a team in order to get the best possible out-come. The start of the
process I came up with a range of ideas but an un-expected development happened
when I visited a vintage shop in Leeds. I found an old rusty pick axe without
the handle and bought it for £6. This instigated new ideas and I concluded the
axe could be used to make a light stand. I cleaned the rust off the pick axe and
covered it with Clear Super Gloss Sealer to stop it from rusting further. I
researched the use of the pick axe and then came up with the idea of a light
because the miners needed light in order to dig for coal and the pick axe is
the tool used by the miners and the coal is used to generate light and the two
items seemed to complete the circle of what the miners needed to assist their
work and what they ultimately produced.
I have used a series of drawings
of the same pick axe object but with different shapes that represent the mining
history. The drawing process assists creativity taking one idea and evolving it
into different options which helps develops new ideas which can when be
subtracted or added to the design. 
The additional research I had to
do was finding an interesting and detailed light bulb which would complement
the axe. This primary research resulted in a visit to a shop called RE in
Corbridge, Newcastle. The shop sells Transformable/Reclaimed products and this
is where I found the industrial light bulb and Lead. During my stay in
Newcastle I visited an Art Gallery called The Biscuit Factory and by chance
there was an exhibition by an artist called Alistair Brookes who specialised in
sculptures of miners which helped me understand that the Pick Axe was one of the
main tools used and the conditions down the mine.
In order to complete this
functional product I will need to make a base that is going to be made out of
wood as the handle of the pick axe would originally have been wood. If I use
plaster to support the light fitting and paint it with Black Acrylic to change
the white toned plaster to black/grey then it can represent coal in the mines.
The next step would be ensure the light bulb is connected and works correctly
before securing it in the plaster, which will also attach the base to the pick
axe. An important consideration is the pick axe needs to sit central on the
base to give aesthetically a good effect. The base is also used to pick up and
transport the light stand.
This product will be completed
within two days and will be fully functional.
Thursday, 26 March 2015
Tour Of Manchester’s History And Future. TOTAL NUMBER OF WORDS 511.
Tour Of Manchester’s History And Future.
During the initial stage of the
project I began sketching the interior of Manchester School of Art. The depth,
line and tone of the perspective drawing created a sense of a realistic mood. I
developed this by a two point perspective drawing which is where I had two
vanishing points on the horizontal eye line. Drawing the two point perspective
drawing represents the corner of the building of the room which showed 3
dimensional structure and space.
As a group we then sketched parts
of the city with the theme of old and modern building joined together which was
very interesting because it showed the modern building was protecting the old
building by the attachment of each other. It is very easy to know which part of
the building is the modern one and which one is the old by looking at the materials
which have been used and normally an old building would have a dated period of
brick.
The cotton industry in the area
of Ancoats, Manchester showed the beginning of a bright future for old mills,
which were being developed into flats and office spaces instead of being
demolished. The old brick walls were magnificent and the structures of the
arches of brick work showed so much detail and history.
Discovering Bradford Pit was
something new as I had no knowledge of it existing in Manchester. Walking around the Manchester City Stadium
showed a new modernised building which will remain for decades to come and
beneath it is the history of the Manchester, which many people will not know
about. Inside the stadium where the Chairman sits the ceiling had the old
mapping to show respect.
The Science Museum displaying
Coal, Fossils and Minerals was interesting to me, as I have a lot of knowledge
of Geology. The Minerals and Fossils are exciting and unique as every signal
one is different. The structure of each
fossil takes millions of years to be formed. Coal is formed by vegetation
decaying in layers of soil which form over time becoming fossilized and turning
into coal.
When we visited the MOSI
collection of historical industrial objects I
observed tins which the miners carried their food in, the
old gas lamps and the dynamite used to clear tunnels, which was fantastic,
creating a vivid picture of how hard life must have been many years ago.
The ideas which I have gathered
to date during the last 3 weeks is that this project theme could be about
memories and the history of what was once lost and is now found and preserved.
The idea could be showed by a lithograph print and turning the print into a 3
dimensional product or sculpture which expresses the past. The second idea is
taking a tool from the mine and transforming that object into a new functional
working product but it would still carry its original identity, for example a
hammer becomes a light. Third idea was is to craft pieces of coal into miners.
TOTAL NUMBER OF WORDS 511.
TOTAL NUMBER OF WORDS 511.
Wednesday, 18 February 2015
Food For Thought Project.
Food For Thought Project.
(Glass
Holder & Cheese Board Serving Board Theme)
This project was an interesting
process as I began with a wide range of ideas of Tableware meanings. The first thing I researched was the meaning
of table, time period of tableware, different cultures serving settings, why we
use tableware and compiled a list of products to do with tableware before narrowing
it down to one or two products. I responded to the project by researching
target audience, type of product functions. I then produced a mind map of first
thoughts and ideas, themes, functions and shapes.
After one of the morning lectures
I discovered a product designer called Normal Copenhagen which I found
extremely inspiring. The glasses he designed showed innovation as the balance,
function and shape were magnificent and the way the liquid was held in the
glass helped me to explode ideas of shapes of glasses onto the paper. I looked
for Secondary Research via Instagram and found some amazing ridged heavy
organic products from Jeff Mack Designs which showed the simplicity of the design
and the Hard Woods defined all the detail with the grain rather than designing
the detail for the product. For my Primary Research I went to Red Brick Mills
which is in Batley and found a number of tableware products, for example the
most functional useable product was the Wine Bottle Holder as it showed space
saver as the structure of the shape was fantastic and showed the function
instantly. It was produced from a metal material spray painted red and it could
hold x9 wine bottles.
Wine Bottle Holders From Scrap Wood from Other Products.
I researched the audience 1% rich
and this created an idea of a serving board product and I found on Instagram
some serving board designs by Contemporary Eco Wood, for example the Wine Glass
Serving Board, Cheese Serving Boards in different hardwoods showing different
ways of serving. This research re-expanded my ideas into a broad way of
thinking. I then had an induction on the Router Tool in the Wood Work Shop and
this created a whole new set of drawings and ideas around the serving boards
including glasses and different functions, for example cheese is eaten with
wine. I had taken one of my ideas from the drawing page which was the Coiled
Cheese Board added different dimensions including making a model out of
cardboard. I then drew perspectives drawings and wrote notes before entering
the Wood Work Shop and making the product out of Hard Wood such as Re-Claimed
Pitch Pine Wood as it is helping the environment as I am re-using material. The
feedback during the tutorials was not all positive as one person said the
Champagne Glass Holder for serving at events “won’t the glasses just slide out
and fall?” The solution to this was to drill a 30mm hole for the glasses to sit
in with a 10mm grove for the glass to slide out. After testing it was proved
the glass would not fall out as the movement action requires lifting and
sliding. A second person said “why is the wood going to be so thick?” It made
me realise the product needs to be light and easy to carry so I changed the
thickness to 12mm rather than keeping it at 35-40mm.
I had chosen the Wood Work Shop
as the ideas and drawings were more suited to a traditional material rather
than any other materials such as man-made glass or plastic and at the start of
the project I researched what type of materials tableware is normally made out.
The second choice was metal because I thought
metal and wood would complement each other in a design as it would show
different textures and tones. A problem was that the induction did not have
anything to do with tableware as it was about making jewellery and wasn’t showing
any type of techniques or processes to help in making tableware.
During the project I had to carry
out a more extensive research on finishing for wood as some oils, waxes and
vanishes where poisonous towards food and my product was a Glass Holder and
Cheese Serving Board theme. I came to the conclusion of Beewax was best for
my product as it is food safe unlike Teak Oil. As the project processed my
developments between each prototype became a small change and all the designs
started to link and flow together as each product showed a development of
different ways of serving glasses, for example the un-sharp rectangular serving
boards that sit on the table. .jpg)
During the project I looked at
the glasses dimensions and sketched designs which then brought me to the stand-up
serving board for events. I drew all different perspective angles of glass
serving boards followed by multi-functional cheese boards and glass holders for
my final 3 dimensional functional product. The developments were carried
throughout the project as different types of wood were used such as Walnut and
Re-Claimed Pitch Pine Wood and finally showing natural rough and finished wood
together. Thick and thin wood was layered together to show stability and
structure and together creating depth and giving a different perspective. I
looked at all different types of glasses like champagne, cocktail and wine
Glasses. Maquettes helped me to understand the sizes of the product I was going
to make and also the design was expanded and new ideas were added as I then
made other models out of different materials, for example MDF and Plywood which
showed a small change between each other, for example the Wine Glass Cheese Board
design gave a masculine effect until adding the curves into the design making
it a much more feminine smooth design idea.
I am very happy with the project
I had chosen as it was within my interest, skills and I enjoy working with
wood. I believe I achieved everything in this project as my sketch book flows
and had a theme of Glasses and Cheese Serving Boards.
One of my key successes was the
Event Champagne Glass Holder as it functions to perfection and is a simple
design which could be mass produced in the future. I could have looked at more
Primary Research by visiting shops which sell serving boards and feel I could
have organised my time better during the whole length of the project. I have
advanced my knowledge on finishes for woods. I have learned that sketching
ideas on a piece of paper is very important as it allows to explain what you
are thinking and shows how you have developed your ideas from an initial
thought into a potential final functional product. The most important lesson I
have learned is to not jump head first into an idea and just make it, think
design, problem solve and develop! 
By Samuel Ellis
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