Totem - Up and Working

Working in the product lab on Easter takes a whole new level of faith - then again, I'm no one to complain because I've seen some of the other Viscommers' work and they're amazing. Once again, I'm waiting for the laser machine to raster and cut my files. Spent today binding the 101 How To Be Superstitious Textbook with red thread. Red thread doesn't only symbolize prosperity (because of the colour) though.

Fun fact:
"Red String of Fate" is related to the folklore consisting of  Yuè Xià Lǎo (月下老, often abbreviated to "Yuèlǎo" [月老]), the old lunar matchmaker god who is also in charge of marriages. This story was told to many grand kids by their grandparents. Superstitious believers believe that two "soul mates" or lovers are connected with this red thread that never breaks, despite distance.

 

I have figured out how I will package my Totem of Luck. I used quite a number of materials (different types of papers, to be exact) - from RJ Paper. The brown paper was used because it's sturdy and can hold the other embellishments such as the sewing (red thread), that compliments the binding of the book, so that it'll look like there's continuity between the two items (The pictures above don't show the sewing on the Totem packaging though.). Finally, I slipped an instructional guide sheet in a small pocket on the front of the Totem Packaging (not shown in photos too) because there was barely any surface area to put visible text that is more than 4pt. 

Fixing the totem together was a little chore because it was quite tough to find the right bolt and nut size, but alas, I accomplished the task. However, the dial didn't spin freely even though these were used, and yes, I was missing a piece of this shiny circular widget that I still have no clue what it's called, but - still, accomplished:

I like how the Totem is able to fit nicely into the palm of one's hand. It may be small, but as one looks at how the dual layers of rastered clear acrylic reflects off the mirror backing, there's this exquisite factor to it. It reminds me of a pocket mirror, something handy, but elegant. Colour wise, the silver finish depicts the futuristic 2050 landscape, slick, clean and possibly a community with a lack of culture and purely machinery.

Yup, yup - Totem Up and Working.

All in Good Time - Paper Shopping

I love the smell of freshly cut paper. Especially when it comes in various booklets of RJ paper catalogues. Do you get that feeling, picking paper from the piles? It's so exciting I had to remind myself to calm down before refusing to buy tons of redundant paper. Fancy Paper has the same effect too, only you don't get to sit down and literally Place Your Order on a sheet of paper- which makes it slightly less amusing, but still, seemingly worth the thrill.  

I travelled down from hall and to meet my fellow viscommer, Jia Hao, on the way because going alone to RJ can be slightly dodgy at times, considering it's an industrial estate, and cab fares are usually cheaper, split two ways. We were let down because they told us that we'd have to come back to collect again tomorrow because the cutter was busy today. Thankfully, 10 minutes later, the manager (I think) came around to tell the lot of us that they'll be delivering to the La Salle on campus tomorrow (and we were like, wow very good service there, what about us?) and the NTU students will just have to wait for our paper if we want them by today. 

So I'm here now, clocking an hour for glorious paper. The wait shall be worth it. All in good time, all in good time.

Test Print

Weapons of mass destruction

I test printed the 44 pages to see how thick it'll turn out. </3 Test Printing is when my wallet goes to die. But anyway, the book turned out to be surprisingly quite thick. I might have to change the way I bind the book because it's quite tough to pierce a through-hole from cover to cover. Also, I'll be using brown paper for the covers to resemble the colour of wood, like in the old saying "Touch Wood". "Touch Wood" is said after "Choi, choi" (dialect), hoping the bad omen doesn't happen.

Folders

Experimenting different folding techniques that will be appropriate for the folder that'll contain the book and totem. I wanted a folder with movement so that as somebody opens it, he'll be in puzzlement of how this is possible - just like how one feels at unexplainable "magical incidents" that end up causing superstitious practices to form.

PS:// Still working on the printed folder design (so pardon the roughly photoshopped titles) 

1st:

Book is shoved into sleeve. Totem is inserted through a slit made between the folds so that when you open, it'll pop up.


2nd:

Inspired by the Manilla folder, but I added an extra flap to accommodate the Totem.

3.

Oopsy daisies. You might have to tilt your head to the right to see it in the right perspective. I had to maneuver with one while the other filmed. 

Laser Cut

Laser Cut Machine! 

Michelle told me that Wilson was a product student and thankfully we were in the same Art History group last year, so I plucked up my courage to ask him on how to prep my files for laser cutting. (Note to self:// Export in eps format). He was kind enough to show me the ropes on using the machine when he was around in the lab (which was after 5pm, LOL. You know why.). So much thanks goes to him and his awesome teaching skills.

I was genuinely trying to contain my excitement as it rasterized the images. I must say, I was quite impressed after feeling the imprint on clear acrylic. (I love it by the way hahaha)

• I learnt from Wilson that product designers usually flip the rasterized image over (for clear acrylic) and stick the rasterized side downwards so that the entire surface is smooth. I hope that made sense. I'm still deciding on whether I should do the latter because the feeling of being able to run your fingers over the text gives the totem an added dimension of touch. It's a strange feeling- sometimes it feels like you're gently scratching porcelain with your finger tips. That uncanny link between nausea and dubiousness is how people in the modern age usually feel about superstition, or in this case telling the future.

I think having the mirror behind the clear acrylic works because it reflects the text with duplicity when angled from certain perspectives. It's makes it harder to read, but my intention of that is to help create more depth and a subtle 3D effect and movement as the user spins the dial. I wasn't able to cut out the dial that day though, because an FYP student was rushing to use the machine and I figured that since I was an illegal Product Lab refugee, I had no right to be hogging the machine. So... I voluntarily surrendered my rights to the laser cut. 

What else to do for the Prototype:

1- Nut and bolt the middle of the dial and the backing

2- Screw the mirror and clear acrylic down so they would flail around as we use it

3- Fine tune the alignment of "Totem of Luck" because it's clearly not centralized (my bad)

Couple of things to remember when laser cutting and rasterizing in the Product Lab:

Create outlines for all fonts

Export in EPS, import into Coral

Vector setting = Cut through

Rasterize setting = Rasterize

And for my own reference: I just had to take a photo of the settings because I'll probably forget.

Pages

Just some screenshots from 1-0-1 HOW TO BE SUPERSTITIOUS.

Having some problems deciding which font is more suitable now: Futura Condensed or Fairview. But I'm loving the colour scheme for the spreads. I never thought I had it in me to do such colourful designs. I guess if it suits my target audience then it works for me. I'm on to the last few spreads of my 46 page textbook with only a million more vectors to design. 

Whoohoo, let's go, g-o go.

I have yet to post about:

1. My progress with laser cut (so v. exciting)

2. New file designs for packaging

- - - - - - 

 //Sorry again I didn't make it for class yesterday :( I'll email-consult you soon, Candice! //

Binding

Tested out the binding for the textbook this week. I think the latter looks the most "Asian". The asymmetric pattern makes it less static as compared to the others.