#dsdn104.pro3.handin

[alastairbabbagevuwdesign-blog]

Summary

I started this project looking at how I held and handled a cellphone. I decided to branch out from here to a few things with similar grips, a fan and a sword were my next to objects. I decided to develop my model with the idea of creating a hand guard like on the sword handles I was looking at. I made a lot of the models with this idea. I noticed that I was heading in the same direction as my previous two projects with a jagged rock/crystal like structure. This made me think about how ancient homosapiens would use stone axes to break and cut things. So I went ahead and made a model which I planned on using as my final. But when I got it out of the mold I made it didnt feel right it was too blockish and felt heavy. I realised that it wasn't very comfortable to hold which was the whole point of this project. So I spent some time developing a more elegant version of the stone axe which became my final model.

[rebekahdormandesign]

Final summary

[rebekahdormandesign]

Final three images

[rebekahdormandesign]

Final poster

[juandsdn104-blog]

Project 3 Brief

Grip, Grab, Grasp

After a disappointing assignment (#2), I took all the advice that was given by the tutors and decided to push myself in creating a fluid and stylish model for this project. I started looking at precedents of comfort and style, like bicycle grips and console controllers.

After the initial sketch models, I noticed the model started looking too much like a product. With some good advice, I went on a further development process and with the guidance of principles such as balance and rotation, my model really started to transform into a fluid and stylish form. 

  After a few further developments I became to work on texture for the grip, to see what was the most comfortable, and the best option. The best option was fully sanded and glossy with no texture. It felt better to the hand that way, and much more fluid.

My final model was created by oven baked clay, and after couple of days of sanding, I applied a glaze which gave it a great shiny look.   At the end of my process I was very happy with what I’ve achieved with the model. It looks like something out of this world, very "alien". a model created by developing on balance, rotation and direction.

[tom-walls]

My 3 best investigative sketches for project 3 of DSDN104

[tom-walls]

These are the final presentation images for project 3 of DSDN104. My word was grasp and my inspiration was the way saxophone is held

[tom-walls]

DSDN Project 3 ‘grip, grab, grasp’

At the start of this project, I was excited by how much freedom was given in the brief as we were able to make virtually anything that fit within the ‘grip, grab, grasp’ theme.

After investigating different objects that were gripped, grabbed or grasped, I wanted to create something that would be different from other peoples’ projects and more out of the box. For these reasons I chose to look at my saxophone. I liked the way that it was grasped just by the finger tips and how although it feels alien to hold the first time, it becomes second nature and very comfortable to hold quite quickly.

My object is flowing and dynamic with a strong ridge that defines the form of the object. It is not obvious how to hold it to begin with, but once you find the right finger position it becomes second nature, much like the saxophone. It has subtle ridges to guide your fingers in place but these do not define the design.

I wanted my object to be beautiful and sleek on its own and to not allow ergonomics to define the design. This is a problem I had in my early iterations but I believe with my final form I have resolved these previous issues.