Creative Technology AUT

Everything about this blog is literally in the title.

[michaelabct]

Ctec607 documentation Index

Google doc of all my documentation:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1brLTp6SJzW5RPZUpENdl_Q6Ts03qs6LxZLfTcBrEkGM/edit?usp=sharing

evidence that all drawing and animations are made by me:  https://michaelabct.tumblr.com/post/185639843675/speed-paint-videos

supporting documents and proof of research:  https://michaelabct.tumblr.com/post/184501432030/relaxation 

[michaelabct]

Speed paint videos

Prototype speed paint: https://youtu.be/3P0SJqh5sMA 

Prototype final animation: 

I wasn't able to put the fireworks I animated in this prototype. 

Final piece speed paint: https://youtu.be/xSqs4-kYZOA

Final piece animation: https://youtu.be/xNrzQI6Q1Vo 

[michaelabct]

I created a music video for “I’m Listening” by using the audio spectrum. I don't think the audio spectrum suits this kind of song however. the tempo is too slow. 

[michaelabct]

Creative Audio A new direction

I’m still pursuing the Lo-fi hip hop genre with the songs I create. However, I want to try dipping into other genres such as trap. I also want to focus more on working with voice samples, remixing and mashups. I also want to do a little symbolism.

All Lofi beats are short simple pieces that have a tempo from around 90 - 120 bpm. So most of the songs I create will be in this range. It's very slow and gives off a sad or calm vibe. All Lo-fi beats also seem to have some sort of white noise or VHS crackle in the background along with an anime gif as visuals to compliment the piece. I will keep all my tracks short and uphold the Lo-fi theme. 

Lo-fi songs that inspire me: 

Alicks - passed, Eisu edit Savior -  Beowulf A light of mine - Kudasai dream of her - Kudasai

your typical lo-fi visuals: 

Remixing and mashups. 

My favourite mashup is: 

https://soundcloud.com/benledger/7-years-latch-lukas-graham-sam-smith

The original songs are Latch by Sam Smith and 7 years old by Lukas Graham. The way the melody from 7 years old supports the vocals from Latch is quite emotional. The build-up and mixing at 2:42 - 3:30 was very impactful for me. It made me see the song Larch in a different way. The original is very upbeat and fun, so to hear it from a different perspective is quite refreshing. I never thought the song could be so emotional and sad. Latch is about being attached to someone whereas 7 years old is about the past, present and future of Lukas Graham. This motivates me to mash up 2 songs that are complete opposites. 

I tried mashing up Cradles by Sub urban and Go fuck yourself by two feet. They both sound similar in a way and I thought it'd be easy to mash them up together. I changed the Pitch for both songs and slowed it. 

My edit: https://soundcloud.com/n0_b0dy_un_imp0rtant/sample-sub-urban-two-feet/s-PpXbr 

I used go fuck yourself in the beginning and cradles for the second half. It was difficult for a beginner like me to mash up songs. The rest of the song sounded damn awful so I cut the entire thing.

Remixing: 

Some of my favourite Lo-fi songs are actually remixed songs from the artist Shiloh Dynasty. As I mentioned before in a previous blog I find his style of singing perfectly for lo-fi beats. 

My favourite remixes of Shiloh Dynasty tracks: 

Imagination by Tsuki ( https://soundcloud.com/t-s-u-k-i/shiloh-wip ) u’re mine by Kina ( https://soundcloud.com/kinabeats/ure-mine-ft-shiloh ) nobody cares by Kina (  https://soundcloud.com/kinabeats/nobody-cares-ft-shiloh ) Tell me why I’m waiting by timmies (https://soundcloud.com/timmiesmusic/tell-me-why-im-waiting-ft) 

I tried remixing a song called brown skin by Shiloh Dynasty ( https://soundcloud.com/shilohdynasty/brown-skin ) It's very short and simple so I figured it would be easy to edit. I was wrong, it was difficult. I did my best to make it sound good but it was a bit difficult to create a loop with the vocals. I tried to remove the acapella using different EQs but it wasn't good enough to use.

I wanted to edit this in the style of Kina, one of my favourite music producers. They’re really good with making lo-fi and trap beats, which is what I'm aiming for now. But sadly I failed.

Voice samples: 

Before working with human voice samples I used the google translate voice. I wanted to replicate heiakim Music. They made songs using the google translate voice and i realy enjoyed it. especially the song called counting ( https://open.spotify.com/track/1fJ5rE3aDhKSUt93KUKghG ) They also made a youtube video of their editing process for “counting” ( https://youtu.be/AiosKUO7oqo ) 

Using this as inspiration I created the song “Ohayo Gozaimasu” ( https://soundcloud.com/n0_b0dy_un_imp0rtant/ohayo-gozaimasu)  with the Japanese translator voice. I made sure to make the vocals stand out and the centre of the song. I used a very simple melody and fewer drums to put more emphasis on the vocals. I felt that keeping it simple who make it more impactful.

DAW for “Ohaiyo Gozaimasu” 

FINAL TRACKS:

I then went looking for vocal samples or random speeches online for free use. I found a website that uses movie quotes. I decided to use vocal samples from the movie Captain America winter soldier and The Lego Movie. I chose these movies because I have some sort of attachment to them.

While editing using these vocals I realized that the voices gave the song a very warm feeling. Whereas using a computerized voice, the song felt cold. Having human voices on a song makes it easier to connect with because of the emotion in their voice. 

The first song I made was with vocals from Captain America. I wanted to create a tribute for the Marvel Character since his story has ended. This is also a tribute to the character black widow as she is no longer in the franchise anymore.  When editing the vocal I wanted to make the audio sound old so it will go with the Vinal crackles in the background. I felt that making it sound like the audio was very old would be a great representation of Captain America as he is from the past. I named this song “Get Out” because that's the main line I use in the song. besides the voice over of captain America saying get out, you can also her “get it” echoing in the background.  song: https://soundcloud.com/n0_b0dy_un_imp0rtant/get-out  DAW:

The visual I used for this is a close up of an animated woman. I wanted this to represent Black widow. Although this song is mainly for Captain America I wanted the cover to represent her because she died in the movie. He didn't. The woman in the image looks like she has passion in her eyes like black widow. So I picked this image.

My final piece I created was with the Lego Movie vocals. It was one of my favourite lines in the movie. I also find that it's a single line that everyone can relate to, “I think I got it but just in case tell me the whole thing again I wasn't listening”. The goal of this song was inspired by the daily struggles of everyday life. That's why I added clapping at the end of the song. It's just to show support to others. You can hear a VHS tape at the beginning and end of the song to represent the day starting and ending.  song:  https://soundcloud.com/n0_b0dy_un_imp0rtant/im-listening DAW: 

The visual I chose for this song represents a ‘journey’. I want to present visually something that says “Just push through the day and keep going” and this image looked perfect.

I feel very satisfied with these last 2 pieces I’ve created. It relaxes me but also makes me bob my head. My aim for these 2 tracks was to create a chill but sad vibe and based on the feedback I received I seemed to have achieved that goal.  My friends listen to my tracks often when studying. I wanted to create something you can listen to in the background while you work and I’ve done exactly that. 

What I mainly used in my edits:  EQ eight, EQ three, personalised drum racks, and a lo-fi sound pack

[michaelabct]

Sound Tracks

These are the latest tracks I’ve created

Get out: https://soundcloud.com/n0_b0dy_un_imp0rtant/get-out

I’m listening: https://soundcloud.com/n0_b0dy_un_imp0rtant/im-listening 

[michaelabct]

Aimed to create something simple with fewer instruments. I wanted the vocals to be the core of this sound track

[michaelabct]

Relaxation

Originally I wanted to create something that improved the well being of others through relaxation. I decided to combine my project with Jessica who was doing music. I was interested in creating short relaxing animations (like gifs) to help people relax. When researching more into the topic of relaxation bettering mental health, Art and music therapy showed up. This was perfect for our group with our skills range. However, we wanted to create something more than just an animated music video... thing. So We decided to make it interactive. An interactive animated art and music piece that advocates relaxation. 

When gained a new member to the group, Angelica, she will be handling the interactivity in our project. Jessica handles the music and I'm in charge of the art. 

Whilst researching we realised that not everyone relaxes the same way. everyone has a preference. So we decided that people can customize their own relaxation. 

Below is a link to our elevator pitch slideshow:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1grkPc-M8ZW9n9otxvykq7Potoal1SE0fvp5wou5xnpA/edit?usp=sharing 

This is a link to our records of what we've done for the project so far: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fvo_mqRRZ3XL11dbWNYK1tSKR9-mUGsdi1t3_lkBLI4/edit?usp=sharing

This is a link to a brief we created for ourselves: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IjS4GJePLzkWMMDtHqrkM48yAx5remb9b6ek-8rN5W8/edit?usp=sharing

This is a link to questions we asked ourselves relevant to our brief: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1C-0QK_2NNYzixPRG0UJ01zqnGKtn5PJ2C33S-kpn8N0/edit?usp=sharing

[michaelabct]

After receiving feedback on Monday I’ve edited and fixed up my sound. However, I cannot export the sound because my trial for Ableton live has expired. I’ll be buying the app in a couple days (AKA when I have money hah) The song doesn't have a title yet so the name is pending. 

In the latest version (that I cant export) I’ve added a piano and viola in separate live sets. Im still deciding which instrument to use. I’ve added some snares and used EQ to give it a bounce. (Might change it)

[michaelabct]

Creative Audio

Week 1

I first started searching for new genres of music to focus on using “Every noise at once” 

After clicking on random genres I decided to stick to what I already know and like. It's best to work on something you like anyway.

The genre of music I’m drawn to the most is R&B hip hop, trap music and Jazz. All 3 genres share an aspect of music that I love, bass. (I’m a sucker for music with smooth bass or great bass drops. Bass that gets your heart thumping.) I’ve found an interest in Lo-Fi hip hop recently and would love to study it further. I want to focus more on Lo-fi because it's basically all the genres I love combined.  What is Lo-Fi hip hop?  “ “Lofi Hip Hop” refers to a genre of music that mashes up traditional hip-hop and jazz elements to create an atmospheric, instrumental soundscape.”

I first found lo-fi hip hop from a very popular live stream on youtube. The channel was called ChilledCow and they live-stream different lo-fi music (somewhat like a radio channel) 

other lo-fi artists that I listen to:  Kina, sarcastic sound, Shiloh Dynasty, j^p^n, Keshi

I want to create something that generates “Chill Vibes” (as the young ones say) I also want to somehow integrate environmental sounds into my music. Lo-Fi (sometimes) has some very unique and weird sounds that make it very eccentric. 

Week 2

I’ve been listening to the live streams/ radio for Lo-Fi hip hop on youtube. 

I also found out that there is a radio app that plays lo-fi 24/7. I downloaded it and listen to it regularly. The app is called lofi radio. 

I've also followed up on a youtuber that has become a singer. His music is quite individual and I’ve taken a liking to it. The artist name is Joji. His style of music is very interesting to me. 

What is Jojis musical style?  “ Joji's music has been described as trip hop and lo-fi that blends elements of trap, folk, electronic, and R&B. His songs have been characterised as having "down tempo, melancholic themes and soulful vocals" with "minimalistic production" “

Week 3

I got inspiration from a song that I want to replicate in a way. Its a remix called Imagination, ft Shiloh Dynasty, by Tuski. There's a unique sound I’ve never heard in other songs and it really makes the song for me. It almost sounds like the crunching of gravel. I tried to figure out what the sound was and in the comment section, people suggested that it was the crinkling of plastic. I want to create something original like this with my own sound. ( song: https://soundcloud.com/t-s-u-k-i/shiloh-wip ) 

I also was inspired by a song by Keshi called like I need you. I’m interested in the style he sings at the beginning of the song. It's very soft and he slurs his words. I found that this style was also common in Joji and Shiloh. This is called mumble-singing. I think this type of vocals would suit my song. If I were to add vocals, I would want it to be in the mumble-singing style. I feel that the vocals won't overpower the other instruments playing. I want all the instruments to be heard I find that singing outshines instruments too much and I don't want that. 

I started playing with the midi. I started collecting sounds to make a few drum racks of my own. Honestly, did not sound that great. I’ve been looking at different hihats, kicks and snares. I want to make my drum kit in the genre of trap. 

Week 4 - 5

Watching so many tutorials on midi and lo-fi making. I’ve also been looking into samples and drum kits royalty free to use in my songs. Most Lo-fi beats use vinyl in the beginning and end of the song. I want to incorporate this into my music. 

I’ve been trying to create a loop but it does not sound right to me so I’m trying to get inspirations from sample loops.

The making process is slow and mostly deleting several loops and drum racks. I’ve been listening to the Lo-fi radio to get inspired. 

I’ve downloaded a couple of loop samples and drum kits to work with for now while I figure out the correct loop I want to make. 

Week 6

Continuing with making my Lo-Fi soundtrack with samples and drum kits I've downloaded, ROYALTY FREE. 

[michaelabct]

Studio II, Final Entry, Index

Michaela Tangimetua, Ring Nation

Summary: 

This project is a continuation of the previous project, Suicide Rings. Suicide Rings is data mapped out on a ring to raise awareness about suicide. We aim to develop that idea further for this project. We will be creating a collection of jewellery that is based on data sets or inspired by stories of suicide. We aim to raise awareness for suicide and educate people about suicide as a whole. Suicide is spread wide that it has many different categories, such as; depression, appearance, divorce, etc. We aim to create these pieces of jewellery as conversation pieces that force people to discuss suicide. It is a serious topic that needs to addressed. 

Week 1 - Introduction to group and building ideas Week 2 - Research datasets and designs Week 3 - Discussions and iteration

Link to Week 1 - 3:  https://michaelabct.tumblr.com/post/179508804290/studio-ii-final-project-week-1-3 

Week 4 - Research, dataset, prototype, and designs Week 5 - Manufacturing jewellery, discussing display and layout Week 6 - Layout and setting up

Link to Week 4 - 6:  https://michaelabct.tumblr.com/post/179514389330/studio-final-project-week-4-6?is_related_post=1

Necklace Design: Meaning of my design. 

Link: https://michaelabct.tumblr.com/post/179514631560/my-design-studio-ii

Conceptual Statement

Link: https://michaelabct.tumblr.com/post/179517307755/studio-ii-conceptual-statement

Contextual statement

Link: https://michaelabct.tumblr.com/post/179516191430/studio-ii-contextual-statement 

[michaelabct]

Studio II, Conceptual Statement

The aim of this project was to create jewellery from data to raise awareness for suicide. We want to create uncomfortable jewellery that relates to subtopics of suicide, such as; depression, death, etc. New Zealand has a high rate of suicide, however, not many people know that. These pieces of Jewellery will serve as conversation pieces that force people to talk about suicide. It is a serious issue that needs to be addressed s. I want to create something that people can benefit from. It's not only a conversation piece, but it will educate you about suicide statistics as well.

We searched for different datasets relevant to suicide that will deliver shocking results. We were not particularly set on any type of jewellery yet, but, we stuck to rings because that is what was fabricated in the previous project. After looking at different designs we decided to create a collection of jewellery

We did not fully understand the complexity and the subcategories that the topic of suicide carries. So as a group we decided to pick categories of suicide that we thought was best to talk about. We all see data differently, so each member of the group shaped their design to the way they perceive the data. However, we found out that data sets were limiting our design ideas. So, we decided to do jewellery not only on data but also jewellery inspired by stories of suicide.

Due to the 3D printing being closed, we had to rely on a team member to create the jewellery. We all lacked the skills of making jewellery and so we had to depend on him. Unfortunately, because of the time, one of the artefacts was not made.

[michaelabct]

Studio II, Contextual Statement

Ring nation was created with the aim of creating physical objects that represent data based on suicide. It is a continuation from a previous project that other team members did that was called, Suicide Rings. Suicide Rings were based on the rate of suicide, categorized by sex and age groups, then mapped out on a ring. For this project, we aim to create a collection of jewellery that represents different data sets and stories on suicide. The jewellery made are statement pieces to raise awareness about suicide.

When researching, we only looked for specific data sets on suicide. We didn't understand how broad and deep the subject really is. It was until we dove deep into research that we realized, suicide is branched out into different subjects. A pdf shared by the W.H.O (2000) listed things that lead or increase suicidal behaviour, such as; divorce, occupation, unemployment, migrations etc. The depth of the topic, suicide, was overwhelming as it related to many issues. We decided to narrow down our findings and choose the topics we thought was most relevant to suicide.  

The topics we decided on was; method of suicide, those affected by suicide, depression, attempts/survivors, and the number of deaths caused by suicide.  Using these topics, we designed jewellery based on data sets or inspired by stories from victims. We didn't want to create something that simply portrayed data on a piece of jewellery, but jewellery that told the painful story of victims. We used statistics from Life.org.nz (2011) for the suicide attempts, Stats.gov.nz (2014) for deaths by suicide, and mentalhealth.org.nz (2018) for methods of suicide and deaths. Suicide isn't just about a person taking their life, it's about the painful journey they underwent and the feelings they felt. We wanted to incorporate that feeling within the jewellery.

When designing the physical product, we had decided to make the jewellery uncomfortable. It can be uncomfortable by its appearance, structure, and wearability. At first we wanted to inflict pain when worn, however, we do not want to injure anyone that attempts to wear the jewellery. We settled for uncomfortable jewellery because, jewellery isn't made to be uncomfortable, and suicide is an uncomfortable topic to speak about. Jewellery is meant to be comfortable for the wearer, however, we have taken the wearer out of their comfort zone. The uncomfortable feeling is symbolic to the pain victims have felt. We want the wearer to feel what the victims felt when they were alive, being uncomfortable in their own skin. No one in the community would want to talk about suicide because it is an uncomfortable and heavy topic to converse about. That is why we created these jewellery pieces. It is a conversation piece that forces people to address suicide. The more people talk about it, the more people become aware of how serious suicide is.  The jewellery that we have created are conversation pieces to raise suicide awareness.

Reference:

PREVENTING SUICIDE A RESOURCE FOR PRIMARY HEALTH CARE WORKERS. (2000). [ebook] Available at: http://www.who.int/mental_health/media/en/59.pdf [Accessed 27 Oct. 2018].

Life.org.nz (2011), NZ Statistics on Attempted Suicides, retrieved from http://www.life.org.nz/suicide/suicidekeyissues/nz-statistics-on-attempted-suicide

Stats.govt.nz, (2014), Suicide, retrieved from  http://archive.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/snapshots-of-nz/nz-social-indicators/Home/Health/suicide.aspx

Annual provisional suicide statistics for deaths reported to the Coroner between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2018. (2018). [ebook] www.mentalhealth.org.nz, p.7. Available at: https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/assets/Suicide/2017-2018-Annual-Provisional-Suicide-Statistics-Final.pdf   

[michaelabct]

My design, Studio II

title of Jewellery: Method 

This necklace is a statement piece for suicide that was made based on data set. The dataset used is suicide death by method between July 2017 and June 2018.

The design consists of 10 circles representing the percentage of deaths by different methods of suicide. The material used is a metal wire. I chose to represent the data in circles because circles are symbolic to life. Circles represent the circle of life and healing. Like the circular band of the wedding ring, it represents commitment. “Circles have been used for generations to represent unity. The wedding band, for example, is a worldwide symbol of commitment for marriage.” The circles not only represent the data, but also the lives that have been lost to suicide. It represents the life they could've had if they were healed. It also represents commitment because the victims committed to suicide.  I chose metal wire as my main material because it is cold. When the necklace is worn, you feel the cold feeling of the metal on your skin. This is meant to make the wearer feel uncomfortable. I want people to feel uncomfortable when wearing the necklace because this is an uncomfortable topic to talk about.

Reference

Annual provisional suicide statistics for deaths reported to the Coroner between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2018. (2018). [ebook] www.mentalhealth.org.nz, p.7. Available at: https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/assets/Suicide/2017-2018-Annual-Provisional-Suicide-Statistics-Final.pdf [Accessed 25 Oct. 2018].

White River Design. (2018). The meaning and symbolism of shapes in design and layout. [online] Available at: http://www.whiteriverdesign.com/meaning-shapes-design/ [Accessed 25 Oct. 2018].

[michaelabct]

Studio, Final Project, week 4 - 6

WEEK 4

The group went off and did their research, designing and prototyping for their jewellery, that is based on the subjects they chose. I helped the others by providing datasets and research I have found. We decided to create uncomfortable jewellery. Instead of inflicting pain on the wearer, we wanted to make them feel uncomfortable. We don't want to injure anyone with our project. The uncomfortable jewellery seemed fitting to me. This is an uncomfortable subject to talk about so I believe this will bring awareness to suicide.

Tigers prototyping: 

The subject that I was going to do was people affected by suicide, However, I decided to change that. This is because I found a dataset that stood out to me, and I felt like I needed to present it. I found a dataset that shows the methods of suicide.

Using inspiration from the previous projects, I focused on the designs of sound bites and  Inca Quipus. 

From the previous project: 

For this project, I wanted to combine both of these designs. Using knots to create a story. I started prototyping with play dough. I didn't know what type of jewellery I wanted to work with just yet, so I created a ring. I began measuring the length of the playdough to match the percentage from my data set.  Using the idea of knots and twists, I made my first prototype. 

I started researching more into twist and knots and gathered pictures that inspired me. This lead me to the style of chaotic jewellery. Chaotic Rings have strange designs but they look very beautiful. This made me think of the second prototype that tiger created. I wanted to create something beautiful but also chaotic. This is because you cannot tell a who are affected by suicide. Victims always try to cover it up and make it seem like everything's okay. 

The inspiration for chaotic designs from Pinterest and books Tammy bought in: 

I then started doing more prototypes. I tried recreating this ring with the dataset I had. The bizarre design made me think of uncomfortable jewellery. If I shaped it correctly, it would make the ring awkward and uncomfortable to wear. 

Donna came over and talked with the group about the jewellery and display. We discussed how it is going to be a collection of jewellery that represented data. We planned the layout of jewellery and discussed the items we may need for presentation, such as; a plinth, T wall etc. We want to create a display like in jewellery stores. It always catches peoples attention. We don't want the display to overpower the jewellery because it is the main focus of our project. 

After a lot of iteration, I decided to focus my design around circles. This is because the song circle of life was playing in my head. It got me thinking, life is a circle. When we’re born we can't see, walk, speak and look wrinkly. Then as we grow old we slowly start to lose our sight, strength to speak, strength to walk, and we get wrinkles. Life goes in a circle. I read online that a circle can mean commitment as well. committing suicide is a commitment, and I thought a circle would be fitting for my design.  “Circles have been used for generations to represent unity. The wedding band, for example, is a worldwide symbol of commitment for marriage.”

While looking for inspiration, I decided to search on http://dataphys.org/list. I discovered this necklace That shows air pollution. I started thinking of ways to present my data in the same manner. 

MORE RESEARCH AND STARING AT INSPIRATIONAL PICTURES LATER

I decided to represent my dataset in 10 circles and that the material would be metal wire. I began sketching my ideas. The first design was full circles representing life and commitment. The second design I did was half circles. The half circles represented the deaths. The gap missing to create a full circle is the lives they could've lived. I chose metal as my material because it is cold. When placed on the skin you feel an uncomfortable chill. I chose to make a necklace because your neck is the most sensitive body part to temperature where jewellery can be placed. The feeling of cold metal would be more effective around the neck. 

sketches: 

Angelica decided to join our group. She provided programming skills and design. 

WEEK 5

I handed my sketches to Tiger so he can build it. I asked for his opinion if it was possible to make the necklace out of metal wire. There was a chance that it wasn't going to work because of the thin wire but he said he'll try his best. 

slowly the group started handing in their sketches to Tiger, whereas others were designing 3D models for their pieces. 

We started talking about where to base our jewellery display in the room. Elis suggested the dark room. This is so the focus will be ion the jewellery. We received our plinth. It is white and circular. The main thing we discussed as a group is how to present the information for our jewellery and aim. We had options of a booklet, poster or screen display. Angelica volunteered to take charge of designing the display

FINAL WEEK

This was a rough week

Sadly we received news that 3D printing was going to be CLOSED for the whole week. This meant that those that had planned to 3D print their jewellery wouldn't be able to do it. And 3D printing outside of AUT is expensive. This meant that we had to rely solely on Tiger to create all the jewellery by himself. The rest of us are incapable and lack the skills to create our designs. Except for Tammy, she designed and created her own jewellery out of metal wire. Her design didn't require soldering. 

We started talking about layout and talking about each other's jewellery. I volunteered to buy display items such as a mannequin for the necklace and boxes for rings. Tammy provided a wooden hand to hold the rings. We went to Gordon Harris to see what could make our display more appealing. We found wooden blocks that will elevate each jewellery piece, making it look clean and organised. We also decided to switch the plinths with a black cube shaped plinth. 

I got news from Tiger that my necklace was difficult to create as it kept falling apart. Therefore the jewellery I designed will not be on display. I understand because he had a huge workload with all of us depending on him to make our jewellery. However! this meant that we didn't have to worry about making a display for the necklace.

We discussed how we're going to present the information for the Jewellery and what we aim for in this project. We decided to go with a poster. Creating a booklet would be very appealing, however, it could be misplaced or torn. Too many people would be touching it, also people would have to wait for people to finish with the booklet. Getting a screen would be difficult as well. We didn't have the time to worry about setting up wires and videos. A poster would be perfect because people won't touch it and multiple people can read it at once. 

planning layout:

Next, we talked about layout and what should go on the poster. Each piece of jewellery that the team has made is going to have its own poster. There would also 1 poster with our group name (Ring Nation), a disclaimer and also the suicide hotline for NZ. Elias suggested creating the posters on A5 paper. He felt that if there were giant posters, it would take the attention away from the jewellery. The majority of the group disagreed though. If it were to be A5, the print would be very small. No one wants to read the small print at events. It will be hard to read and multiple people won't be able to read it. But we understood that the attention will be drawn away from the jewellery if the posters are too big. So we decided the size should be A4. 

We went back to Gordin Harris and made to appealing designs for our display. We asked each member which display they prefered. 

The circular wooden planks compliment the wooden hand. It also breaks the cube shape on the black plinth. Having wood will stand out on the plinth. 

The grey and square shape planks compliment the black plinth. The colour Grey would also go with the colour palette for the poster. The wood on the side also matches the wooden hand. The group decided to go with this design because it complimented everything. 

finishing touches to the jewellery: 

Setting up the display:

The posters will go behind the display on to the wall. We decided to choose a nude colour for the wooden planks. This is because the grey was a bit harsh.

Reference: 

Some pictures provided by Samuel  

Annual provisional suicide statistics for deaths reported to the Coroner between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2018. (2018). [ebook] www.mentalhealth.org.nz, p.7. Available at: https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/assets/Suicide/2017-2018-Annual-Provisional-Suicide-Statistics-Final.pdf [Accessed 25 Oct. 2018].

Anon, (2018). [image] Available at: https://www.taylorboutique.co.nz/chaotic-sterling-silver-ring.html [Accessed 28 Oct. 2018].

White River Design. (2018). The meaning and symbolism of shapes in design and layout. [online] Available at: http://www.whiteriverdesign.com/meaning-shapes-design/ [Accessed 25 Oct. 2018].

Anon, (2018). [image] Available at: https://flexiblemannequins.co.uk/shop/jewellery-displays/jewellery-display-sets/ [Accessed 28 Oct. 2018]. 

Dataphys.org. (2018). List of Physical Visualizations. [online] Available at: http://dataphys.org/list/touching-air-necklace-shows-air-pollution/ [Accessed 28 Oct. 2018].

[michaelabct]

Studio II, Final Project, week 1 - 3

WEEK 1 Trying to choose something that really resonated with me this year was really hard. There were multiple projects that I enjoyed but never thought about deeply. The only project that I really thought about and thought through carefully was the Suicide Rings. Luckily Elias decided to create a group and carry on with the previous project. I joined Elias, Tiger and Sam to do a continuation of suicide rings. 

I learned so much from the previous project. I learned that the rate of suicide is extremely high in New Zealand, males rate of suicide is higher than females and the elderly have the highest rate of suicide than any other age group. These are things that many people didn't know. When presenting the suicide rings and explaining our statistics to people, the majority of people were shocked by the results. Suicide is not seriously discussed and is mostly shrugged off by people. This is because it is indeed a difficult topic to talk about, however, it is something that needs to be addressed in New Zealand. I do feel like joining this group was the right decision because this is a topic I am passionate about.

“ New Zealand already has the second highest overall suicide rate in the developed world, with more than 600 Kiwis taking their own lives in the last year” 

This week we simply explained to the other members what we did in the previous project. What dataset we used, the function of the ring, its design, structure, and its purpose. We explained the intention of inflicting pain when the ring is worn and the symbolic meaning behind the rings stamp feature. 

This week was about informing the group of what the previous project was about in detail. We also discussed expanding the data sets and exploring different styles of jewellery. The team also introduced what they can each bring to the table. Sam and I can do research and design the Jewellery. Elias can build 3D models of the design and Tiger can build jewellery physically. 

WEEK 2

A new member has joined us. Her name is Tamy and she can do research and 3D model designs.

We discussed the data sets we should use and that it should be from NewZealand. People would relate more to our artefact if they knew the statistics are about New Zealand. Our ideas were all over the place. There were endless possibilities to approach this project with a physical object that portrays data based on suicide. Charles came over and told us to write down any idea, thought or word that we thought related to our project and stick it on to the wall. Thus creating a sort of vision board. 

We wrote down our ideas and began sticking them onto the wall. After everyone was done adding to the wall, we began sorting them out. We grouped ideas together that related to each other or sounded the same. Thus categories were created. 

Emotions and touch

Colour and Material

Symbolic and hidden messages

We also included pictures of bizarre jewellery for inspiration.

Using these pictures, Tiger decided to replicate the ring with barbed wire to kick off prototyping. The prototype was not based on any data set or idea. However, personally, I believe that it can hold meaning. Personally, I think the ring is symbolic of the aftermath of suicide. When worn not only is the wearer hurt, but the sharp points at the top can hurt other people you interact with. I know this because I unintentionally poked my friend with it. The wearer is hurt, symbolising the passing of the suicide victim. The capability of hurting others symbolises those affected by suicide, example; families, friends, colleagues etc. The twist in the band could symbolise the obstacles the victims and those affected by suicide go through. 

Ring made by Tiger. The material used is a metal paper clip. 

We were to do research of the different types of suicide datasets in New Zealand over the weekend.

I learned that it is helpful to spill all your ideas out, even the stupid ones, before deciding they're useless. Keep all your ideas until you do research on it and determine its fate. 

WEEK 3 

We received feedback from the lecturers to keep the prototyping going and input data into an object as quickly as possible. This will help us think about the designs and datasets. We sent each other links in our group chat about the different datasets that are available for New Zealand. I researched and took down every sight I found, 

We also saved important links in our shared google doc. I placed the most relevant datasets into the group chat. 

We found out that mental illness and domestic violence is deeply connected to suicide. So we did research on domestic violence and mental illness problems that resulted in suicide. 

Tiger created another prototype out of little metal nails. It didn't represent any data. The ring was made to look like a birds nest. In MY OPINION, just like the last prototype, I see a lot of symbolism in this ring.  A birds nest is where baby birds are born, symbolising the beginning of life. However, there are many dangers that can ruin the nest, example: weather and predators. This would symbolise the hardships the victims go through, thus resulting in suicide.In terms of appearance, the ring looks very chaotic but somehow very beautiful. This could represent a hidden message. The ring may look beautiful, but it is very chaotic if you keep analyzing its twist and turns. 

We began researching for geographical mapping of deaths by suicide. Elias had the idea of designing a ring with those clusters of death on it. The ring would symbolise a map that the data can be mapped out. The mapping would be on the inside of the ring band, thus affecting its feeling when worn. 

Dataset: 

We had a discussion with Ricardo and Charles about how complex the topic of suicide is. We were told to handle this topic very carefully. We don't want to unintentionally hurt anyone with our project. We also spoke about triggers, sensitivity, mental health, and how we all view things differently. We all see things differently, thus we all see data differently. Ricardo suggested that we each put our different perspectives into the jewellery. There was a discussion about the datasets and age groups. We as young adults cannot relate to how a 40-year-old would feel. So we wanted to select our data carefully, keeping in mind the difference in age and sex. 

We gave an elevator pitch about our project and received feedback from the class. Just like the discussion with Ricardo, the feedback was about how big the topic of suicide is. People are sensitive towards this topic so we do want to handle this carefully. We decided to have a disclaimer when our project is on display, that way people have a chose to view our project. The feedback was also about materials that we are going to use, such as; metal, plastic and soft materials.

Going deeper into our project, we realised how complex and overwhelming the topic of suicide really is. Suicide branches out to many problems such as; occupation, divorce, appearance and migrating. So we decided as a group to choose different categories of suicide. The topics were; deaths by suicide, those affected by suicide, survivors/attempts and depression. Each member of the group picked 1 of these subjects and based their piece of jewellery on it.

We had a discussion with Ben and Charles about the designs of our jewellery. We were struggling to find the correct data sets on the subjects of suicide. Ben suggested that the jewellery doesn't need to represent data but can be inspired by stories of suicide. This made things easier for us. We were completely set on using datasets we forgot the main focus was raising awareness.

Reference:

Prendergast, E. (2018). New Zealand's suicide rates will rise - Mike King. [online] Newshub. Available at: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2017/11/new-zealand-s-suicide-rates-will-rise-mike-king.html [Accessed 27 Oct. 2018]. 

Teara.govt.nz. (2018). Age-standardised rates of suicide by District Health Board, 2003–2007. [online] Available at: https://teara.govt.nz/en/map/26438/age-standardised-rates-of-suicide-by-district-health-board-2003-2007 [Accessed 27 Oct. 2018].

PREVENTING SUICIDE A RESOURCE FOR PRIMARY HEALTH CARE WORKERS. (2000). [ebook] Available at: http://www.who.int/mental_health/media/en/59.pdf [Accessed 27 Oct. 2018].

[michaelabct]

ENEL599 Assignment 2

https://youtu.be/sY7cKDrJdGE

[michaelabct]

Integrative practice.

https://youtu.be/4LfGfpYSQYk