Intercultural Design / Project Compilation

10/1/2023 - 1/3/2023 (Week 1 - Week 8)
Sheryl Pang Pui San / 0349746
Information Design / Bachelor of Design (HONS) in Creative Media
Project Compilation
Project 1: Proposal ----- Project 2: Data Collection ----- Final project: Final Outcome  

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LECTURES

Week 1
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Culture, Design & Research

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Figure 1.1 Design System

In our first class, we were told to have the habit of researching as part of our work process. 

Researching about the topic helps us to understand the significance of graphics in it's cultural studies, philosophy, sociology & origin history, thus we will be able to identify the social, cultural & political sphere where the design elements reside. 

We also learned that we could simplify the breakdown and expansion of researching through the design system. 

Figure 1.2 & 1.3 Design System Pyramid & Example of Execution 

The Design System is helpful in doing analysis of a topic and writing the rationale of the research of one topic.

Week 2
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School Emblems (Guest Lecture by Mr.Vinod) 

We learned about the principle behind designing the emblems of school. 
Heraldry: a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings, coat of arms. 

The rule of use of tincture (colour) in heraldry is that no colour on colour or metal on metal so that there is contrast and is more legible. 

Figure 1.4 Rule of heraldry

Mr. Vinod work in redesigning the old school badges can be found in Instagram: @myheraldry

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INSTRUCTIONS

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TASKS

PROJECT 01: PROPOSAL

PROGRESS
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BRAINSTORMING IDEAS

We discussed the possible culture topic ideas in our Miro Board during our first meeting to shortlist topics for the assignment. Each of us list out some of the topic that we think is interesting.

Figure 2.1 Topic ideas (Week 1, 11/1/2023)

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CHOSEN TOPIC

Figure 2.2 Shortlisted ideas (Week 1, 11/1/2023)

After discussion, we shorten down our topic and also tried combining two ideas into one because we liked all of our ideas.

We divide into 2 members to each work on one topic in which Trinity and I worked on doing the Eki Stamp. We have our individual sketch done and have a brief idea on the combined idea after another meeting discussion. 

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PROPOSAL

Figure 2.3 Draft Proposal (Week 2, 17/1/2023)

After receiving feedback from Ms.Anis, we decide to go for the topic samurai mask.

We also choose to focus more on the samurai helmet which is called Kabuto which includes the helmet and mask of the samurai instead of just the mask.

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PROPOSAL WITH OUR CHOOSEN TOPIC

Figure 2.4 & 2.5 Possible Execution

After finalising our topic, we discuss about the possible outcome for our preliminary ideas which is
AR filter, Gashadokuro Game, Interactive Youtube video.

We have also decide to work in pairs on each of the preliminary ideas, in which Michelle and I worked on doing the interface of the interactive youtube video. The final outcome of the interface can be seen in the slide of final proposal. 

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FEEDBACK AFTER PRESENTATION
After presenting our proposal with our ideas to Mr. Asrizal and Ms. Anis, we were told to have a more exclusive idea rather than just transforming from the information that we've found. So, our group have another meeting to brainstorm for another idea of possible outcome. 

There were a lot of ideas suggested but we decided to go for physical art installation as our new execution idea. The plan is to have the art installation to keep the heritage of samurai alive by building or creating the patterns of the samurai one piece at a time. 

Other ideas suggested includes, pot sculpture that resembles samurai mask, modern execution of samurai helmet - bucket hat or digital fashion and infinity cubes with samurai elements. 

Figure 2.6 & 2.7 Discussion about new execution idea (Week 4, 4/5/2023)

FINAL PROPOSAL

 

Figure 2.4  Final Proposal (Week 4, 5/2/2023)

PROJECT 02: DATA COLLECTION

For the data collection, our group went to Japan for our data collection. 

We collected data at 
Odawara Castle - site visitation and collection of book
Nakamise Shopping Street - commercialised products
Harajuku Takeshita Street - fashion shop 

After uploading all our pictures found related to samurai in one google drive, our group leader Qiao Yin removed some of the duplicated pictures and we then place them under 5 main category in our final submission slides. 

The 5 main category divided are: 

1) Armour Forms

2) Symbol Varieties on Kabuto

3) Close-up of Patterns & Materials

4) Commercialised Products

5) Potential Inspirations from Buildings

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FINAL SUBMISSION

Figure 2.5 Data Collection (Week 6, 17/2/2023)

FINAL PROJECT: FINAL OUTCOME

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Brainstorming of outcome

Figure 3.1 Brainstorming of physical art installation board plan (Week 6, )

In our meeting about the plan of physical art installation board, we also decide to go with the idea suggested by Jia Hsuan, playing with the shadow that asset form, to imitate the aura of the ferocious samurai. 

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Planning & Materials

Figure 3.2 & 3.3 Discussion of Shadow play installation (Week 6, )

Initially, The plan is to use acrylic board as our installation board use magnet to attach the assets to the board. For the shadow, we plan to have a light source in front of the assets. 

We then changed the material to PVC sheet because the acrylic board is too dense reducing the power of the magnet. 

For the assets, we will design them in Adobe Illustrator (AI) and laser cutting them using 2mm modelling board.

Execution
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Assets Making

Each of us designed 3-4 pieces of assets in Adobe Illustrator (AI) according to the actual measurements. We did not shortlist the total of all the assets that we designed because the A1 board might not fit all of the assets together while letting the user to create their own pattern.

Figure 3.4 Assets Designed in AI

Figure 3.5 Total assets designed in AI 

Figure 3.6 Mock up of placement of assets in board

Our main direction and purpose of the installation board is to let the users to create their own samurai kabuto (samurai helmet) using the assets that we have designed. We have also decided that we will not have all of the assets on the board on the same time but it's up to the user to choose which asset that they want to use. 

Making

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Laser Cutting

After adjusting the stroke of our assets in AI for laser cutting, we went to Taylor's Makerspace to do the laser cutting of the asset and test out how to attach the assets to the board while also build the border of the board. 

Figure 3.7 Execution in Taylor's Makerspace (Week 7, 23/2/2023)

After laser cutting, we still have to manually cut out some of the parts of the assets. We test out the assets and choose to place metal sheet with magnet behind the asset using blutag. Some of the bigger asset will have two metal sheet and magnet attached to let it be more balanced but some smaller one will only have one attached behind. With the help of Mr.Hock in Taylor's Makerspace, we were able to laser cut our assets and build the border of the PVC sheet. 

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Spray Painting 

Even though we thought that the burnt of the assets created because of the laser cutting suits the battle feeling of our theme of samurai, we still decided to spray paint our assets to have a better finish. We spray painted our assets with common colour that could be found in samurai which is black, silver, gold and red. 

Figure 3.8 Assets ready to spray paint (Week 8, 27/2/2023)

Figure 3.9 Spray painting the assets (Week 8, 27/2/2023)

Digital Output Making
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Turning 2D assets to 3D

Figure 4.1 Making 3D assets in AI (Week 7, 26/2/2023)

Figure 4.2 Making 3D assets in Adobe Dimension (Week 8, 27/2/2023)

We initially think to turn the 2D assets to 3D in Adobe Illustrator but we then found out the Adobe Dimension has much more choices in the materials making the 3D assets having a more metallic finish that we want so we imported the assets in AI to Dimension to finish our assets for making the Augmented Reality.

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AR in Adobe Aero 

We originally thought to pre-animate in Adobe Effects before doing the Augmented Reality (AR) in Adobe Aero but we figure out we could actually done the AR and animation that we want in Adobe Aero.

We also have a problem in importing the 3D assets to AE but we could just export 3D assets done in Dimension ready for Aero, so just animating and doing the AR in Aero solves our problem. 

Figure 4.3 AR Animation in Adobe Aero (Week 8, 28/2/2023)

After many trial and errors by our groupmates in doing the AR animation in Adobe Aero, we have our AR animation ready. We have our anchor image as the picture of our A1 board at first, but it was removed so that the animation can work on any vertical surface other than needing to open the exact picture of the board to make it work.

Figure 4.4 QR Code of the AR outcome

FINAL OUTCOME

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DIGITAL PRESENTATION BOARD

Figure 5.1 Digital Presentation board in PNG (Week 8, 1/3/2023)

Figure 5.2 Digital Presentation Board in PDF (Week 8, 1/3/2023)

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PHYSICAL EXECUTION

Figure 5.3 Art Installation Board (Week 8, 1/3/2023)

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DIGITAL EXECUTION

Figure 5.4 Video Demo of AR (Week 8, 28/2/2023)

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FEEDBACK

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Week 2

Ms.Anis provided us feedback from our draft proposal. 

She commented that we have an interesting POV with the Samurai Mask topic and suggested us to explore more from this aspect and look at the possibilities of translating the idea. The outcome should be more interactive rather than just a mask design. 

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Week 4

After presenting our final proposal with the 3 preliminary idea of AR filter, Gashadokuro game and Youtube interactive video, Mr. Asrizal and Ms.Anis both gives us some feedback. We were told to try not to just copy and paste the information to the execution and think of an execution that is more iconic and exclusive. Maybe try combining our idea with other culture.

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Week 6

After looking at our data collection compilation, Ms. Anis then provide us feedback to proceed with the final outcome of our project. We were suggested to focus on the aura of the samurai that creates the ferocious feeling.

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REFLECTION

It was really fun doing the project with our group members and I really enjoyed doing this group project. From discussing the possible topics to doing data collection in Japan to executing our ideas and having our physical art installation with digital outcome of AR we did it all together. It's also because of the project that I could have the opportunity to go to Japan for data collection and also learned Adobe Dimension and Adobe Aero while executing the digital outcome. 

I'm grateful that I can work with a group where everyone really puts in effort in discussion and execution of the project. I sometimes had a hard time thinking of the ideas before our discussion but it eventually worked out after we had a meeting of discussion with everyone elaborating their thoughts on the idea that we have all stated in our Miro Board. 

This is a good experience working in a group for me although I think the time given for the execution of our final outcome is a bit short, we still worked it out with everyone's helping and willing to work all in. Thanks to our group leader Qiao Yin that gives us a clear direction and leads us throughout doing the project and all of our group members, without everyone we couldn't make the project happen. 

Throughout working with our group, I learned that having a clear task delegation with all group members participating in a group discussion really helps in completing the project faster. I've learned that researching about the topic beforehand will also help to have more depth of understanding that could leads to a better execution of the topic. Putting in effort in doing each task assigned is really important in doing a group project

I've also learned that we could learned a lot of things by searching in the internet or looking for tutorials video in Youtube. For example, I learned to make 2D illustrations to 3D in Adobe Illustrator from one of the tutorial video found in Youtube.