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.

Ink Transfer woes (I'm getting there)

Tried to ink transfer the design on the acrylic but it didn't turn out well. As a matter of fact, I found out that laser printed papers work better with the ink-transfer pen as compared to ink-jet printers (which basically did not work at all~).

Which reminds me that I need to find the clear acrylic sheets somewhere at home over the weekend. 

Outside packaging for Totem that includes instructions and foot notes

The whole package consists of a TB (possibly split into different volumes instead of the previously mentioned chapters), a Totem  - all in a tote bag which a design I've yet to come up with.

TOTEM (sorry spelt wrongly in the image)

Decided that my object had to be cooler than just a tote bag. It's a modern day lucky charm and fortune teller to keep in the pocket at all times for good luck. I'm creating the totem out acrylic mirrors and transparent acrylic. This includes a dial to point at the answer after a question about the future is being asked.