Jewellery Collaboration Project

Group research links:

https://uk.pinterest.com/dimanowarah/jewellery-collaboration/
http://animationjewellerycollaboration.weebly.com/


For this collaborative project Ruth, Dima, Isabella and I have worked together to create a mass housing solution for 100 years in the future.

Brainstorm of basic concepts and ideas

Before the initial meeting, Isabella and I brainstormed a few ideas that we could bring up for discussion. Though relatively undeveloped, it helped to get into the idea of speculating what would happen in the future. Looking back at it, I can see that we did end up taking some ideas involuntarily, e.g. 3D printing and ocean exploration.

Before deciding any groups or ideas, we first had a jewellery and animation workshop. In this we experimented with cuttlefish and sand casting. Though mine was unsuccessful, it was still interesting to see the process and the materials used in this department.

Notes and ideas on what to put on a phonotrope

In the phonotrope workshop, we experimented with a simple yet effective form of animation which creates a loop. My first one took inspiration from the bouncing ball project in the first semester. The second took more of a character-based approach.

At our first meeting, I was paired with Dima and Ruth, and discussed the ideas that I thought of previously. It was interesting that we agreed and disagreed on a variety of things that I didn't consider, such as how human society and culture would evolve based on what is happening now.

Once our group was established, we discussed a number of ideas. Initially we settled on focussing on the idea of humans rejecting technology and living outside civilisation in the wilderness, but the idea got too convoluted and was difficult to find accurate scientific research on the subject, as well as having issues presenting this in the required work that was needed.

Looking at living in extreme locations: lava field

Sketch of a town plan with river flowing through

We also initially experimented with the aesthetic choice of isometric design, which I felt was a very clean way of displaying information, and gave us the opportunity to use After Effects. I experimented with a few locations on Photoshop to see how it would have to be laid out. I found that isometric grids lend itself well to building designs as it shows both a front, top and side view. 

http://animationjewellerycollaboration.weebly.com/

After our meeting with Jenny, we found that we needed to do more research, and so focussed much of our efforts in basing our designs on what researchers have found out and predicted about the future, as well as observing modern architecture designs from around the world. We put these in a Pinterest board and a blog that we all could contribute to.

We developed the world this would be set in, and looked more into why we would be creating this structure. After asking, Alan gave us the advice of trying to promote our solution by showing the downsides of living on land. I mocked up a conceptual animation to show this.

Sketches and designs created as we discussed ideas

We settled on the concept of creating housing that adapts to the issue of mass flooding and the rising ocean levels, which would reduce the land mass. Basing our ideas on modern architecture, such as Dubai's architecture (Burj al Arab, Jumeriah Beach Hotel), which based its colour, shape and materials on a ship's sails and the ocean respectively, we developed a shell-like structure that was able to house a small city. The designs of this structure changed dramatically throughout the project, from being more conventionally building-like, to more of a literal shell, and then finally on a mix between the two. 

Further designs and development of the interior and exterior of the structure

We ran into a problem involving what we'd put on top of the shell, and so looked how present contemporary architecture around the world solves this issue.

Top designs and evaluations: we settled on the one inspired by the Emirates Tower (Dubai) as it sets the scale of the structure while allowing residents to live on the surface

Once settled on our designs, we began writing a script to create an induction video for future residence of the settlement. We named it 'Arc'- based both of its boat-like and structural shape as well as the religious connotations of the world flooding. Once this was recorded, we storyboarded and put together an animatic for the formative crit. 

Rough storyboards

From the feedback received from the crit, we went ahead and began working on the final film. We used a variety of methods, such as 2D and 3D digital. I modelled a 3D model of Arc, as well as drawing some of the interior shots, Isabella drew the interior shots, and Dima put the film together with textures and Adobe Premier.

I experimented with a variety of colour palettes before showing the group and we discussed which ones we could use. We ended up taking a more bright and textural approach to the final aesthetic of the film, but these definitely influenced our decisions when picking out colours.

Example and comparison and experimentations with one of Izzie's drawings with Dima's textures

My line-art, drawn on paper, scanned

Izzie's design in which the model was based

Blocking out the shape in Maya

WIP shot of details

Final model of Arc

Final model with textures: Side view

Top view

Front view

We then decided to 3D print the model created to be able to present a tangible object the summative. Also I thought it would be cute.

Process and final product

Izzie created the poster inspired by the vintage-styled promotional posters that were used to portray foreign destinations, both on earth and imagined out of space.

Overall I am very happy with our groups outcome and variety of work produced. Though we had a tough start at the conceptual phase, we brought it together with a variety of research produced on our group blogs and Pinterest boards.