Diana Tso Portfolio 2016

Diana Tso portfolio

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EXISTENTIAL OBJECTS

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Diana Tso

multidisciplinary design

London, United Kingdom +44 7398992111 hello@dianatso.com www.dianatso.com

E D U C AT I O N China Academy of Art 2010 – 2014

BA Industrial Design Universidad de Costa Rica 2008 – 2009 (incomplete)

Major in Economics Minor in Business Administration C O N T I N U I N G E D U C AT I O N

Central Saint Martins Experience Design 2016

London College of Communication Graphic Design Portfolio Preparation 2016

Chelsea College of Arts Graphic Design Module II 2016

WORK EXPERIENCE Freelance Design May 2013 ­– Present Chayn Labs March 2016 – Present Designer and podcast project lead INTERNSHIP

Atelier Fang June – September 2013 Design Internship: market research, trend forecasting, documentation, presentation, video editing, layout and pattern design, branding, and product photo shoot assistant.

Assistant workshop instructor for Hangzhou silk manufacturer, Wensli, in collaboration with the Design Department of Zhejiang University: intensive research on silk, translation, and guiding sophomore students through packaging and product development.

Atelier Min Chen September 2013 – April 2014 Design Internship: China Kitchen for Veneta Cucine research, design development, model making, documentation, and photography

SKILLS Communication | Well-developed interpersonal skills and technical competence with a commitment to quality. Capable of fluid verbal and written communication in 3 languages.

Research and Analysis | Ability to collect information from a broad range of sources, conduct interviews and surveys, as well as making cross-cultural comparisons.

Market and retail awareness | Keen eye for identifying current trends in the marketplace. My academic background and passion for branding help me understand how people shop in a particular sector.

Concept Development and Presentation | Brainstorming, mind mapping, drafting creative briefs, analogical thinking, conceptual sketches, storyboards, digital and traditional renderings, digital photography and video, and copywriting.

Prototyping | Ability to produce quality 3D prototypes through a variety of means such as:rapid prototyping, foam and paper models, and hand finishing techniques.

PROFICIENCY SOFTWARE

Adobe Creative Suite | Photoshop/ Illustrator/ InDesign Film/Video Editing | Finalcut Pro/ iMovie Rendering | Keyshot CAD | Rhinoceros/ Autocad Microsoft Office | Word/ Powerpoint iWork | Pages/ Keynote LANGUAGE

Spanish / English/ Chinese

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DECAY Organic Material Transformation and Manipulation of Natural Processes: Purposeful Preservation and Decay of Biomatter

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GREAT BRITISH PUDDINGS Crafting Human Relationships by Exploring the Value of Handmade in the Digital Age: the Connection Between Process and Product

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DROP Can Treating Waste as a Commodity Promote Responsible Consumer Attitudes and Help in our Battle Against Poverty and Pollution?

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EXISTENTIAL OBJECTS How can Psychoanalysis be Applied to Designing Futuristic Objects That Reflect the Complexity of Human Personality?

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DECAY

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DECAY Organic material transformation and manipulation of natural processes: preservation and decay of biomatter

Project description Decay is a jewelry collection that bridges the gap between the ugly and the beautiful. Produced as a result of transforming biomatter, the line includes brass necklaces and hair clips—which feature natural leaves at different stages of decay.

What is the context for the project?

The brief was to develop a marketable product solely through material transformation, research, and experimentation.

Products with imperfections are often discarded and very rarely does their potential get exploited. In a world where perfection, newness, and youth are constantly being reinforced as the ultimate ideals, I found it relevant to debunk this preposterous myth by showing the value of the imperfect, the old, and the decayed.

What inspired the project?

Nature has ways of preserving and decomposing itself.

Decay is often associated with bad smell and death. However, it is an essential part of the cycle of life. Every living thing will eventually die and decay.

The jewelry line was greatly influenced by the gingko biloba tree, a beautiful living fossil. Its dead leaves fall to the ground in autumn, this stage of decomposition is aerobic, which means that it requires the presence of air. The use of resin helps to preserve the leaves by blocking out air.

Project outcome My initial approach was to develop new applications for readily available and overlooked biodegradable materials that would otherwise go to waste. Under controlled environments, it is possible to manipulate materials to replicate natural processes to preserve biomatter or accelerate its decay.

I found enormous potential in experimenting with plant materials to develop sustainable disposable packaging alternatives to substitute commercial non-biodegradable materials used today.

This project was developed

The jewelry line was also a beautiful tangible outcome of this project.

Michael Erlhoff.

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during a 5-day workshop taught by KISD (KĂśln International School of Design) professors Uta Brandes and

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DECAY

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DECAY

1. NO PAST LAND. Resin-coated gingko leaf pendant.

Bronze-toned brass necklace.

2. GONE, PLAY ON.

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Circle cutouts of natural leaves. Bronzetoned brass pendant and necklace.

3. TIME IS CRUCIAL. Circle cutouts of natural leaves. Bronzetoned brass pendant and necklace.

4. HOLD IT INSIDE. Bronze-toned brass pendant and necklace. Natural leaf cutouts of triangles and circles.

5. KISS MY ELBOW. Bronze-toned brass pendant and necklace. Natural leaf triangle cutouts.

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1. TRANSFORM WORKSHOP

11. SPEEDY DRYING MACHINE

The brief was to choose any material we wanted and transform it into a product.

For this project, I chose to work independently.

More experiments were necessary in order to improve the drying process technique. No binding agents were necessary to hold individual leaves together.

2. A TRIP TO THE JUNKYARD

12. PLAN B. TAKE ANOTHER WALK

Instead of going to the art shop or the hardware store, I decided to go to an industrial landfill.

I found insurmountable quantities of disposable packagings, most of which are traditionally made from highly contaminating and unsustainable materials, such as styrofoam and plastics.

Following several failed attempts at creating a product through vegetable leaf transformation, I still decided to continue my experiments with biodegradable materials that are usually discarded. I exclusively picked up leaves that had fallen to the ground at my neighborhood park.

3. PL A N A : TA KE A WA LK

Upon close examination, I noticed different degrees of decomposition in the leaves. I used triangular and round shapes to emulate decay artificially.

At this early stage of my research, I imagined artificially controlling the shape of leaves mirroring the way the sun’s heat draws moisture out of organic matter, preserving it and at the same time, creating structure and form.

I was inspired to use biodegradable waste materials to ideate future packaging solutions that have little to no negative impact on the environment.

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4. LOTUS LEAF CONTAINER Lotus leaves in autumn dry up and fold inward, creating a fixed structure that’s lightweight and sturdy. This inspired me to go home and experiment with the outer layers of leafy greens that are usually disposed of due to their bitter taste and rough texture.

5. LEAFY GREENS I used bok choi and an assortment of leftover greens from a local farmer’s market. The purpose was to develop new applications for readily available biodegradable materials that would otherwise go to waste.

6. BAKING TEST A cupcake tray with leafy greens was placed in an oven at 130°C for 30 min.

Data was gathered regarding the ideal temperature, time, and techniques needed to process the material, cost-effectiveness, and overall added value.

The idea behind the baking test was to find ways of controlling the shape in which leaves naturally dry to create a sturdy yet environmentally friendly packaging option.

7. BAKING OUTCOME It took too much time and energy to dry the leaves in the oven, this method also resulted in the greens turning an unappealing brown.

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13. NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL DECAY

14. TRANSFORM AND SIMPLIFY Experimenting with ways of breaking down the shape of gingko leaves 15. GINGKO LEAF ANATOMY Material observation 16. GINGKO LEAF DECAY Cutting out shapes 17. DECAY IS BEAUTIFUL Decay viewed in a beautiful light 18. RING DESIGN Final jewelry pieces were designed for production in metal, such as bronze, copper, brass, and gold.

19. JEWELRY PROTOTYPES Pieces coated with gold spray paint, resulting in a beautiful bronze color 20. PREPARING RESIN Resin needs to be mixed at room temperature in order to prevent air bubbles.

21. PRESERVING DECAY Two coats of resin were applied to each side of the leaves.

22. CURING At room temperature, resin needs to be cured for at least a day in order to dry properly 23. BROOCH Bronze leaf on high contrast white background 24. HAIR ACCESSORIES

8. MAKING MOLDS

Multilayered leaf hair clip

Plastic film was used to cover glass bowls

25. DECAY

9. MORE MOLDS

Natural leaf hair clip

Leftover arugula leaves pressed tightly onto the outside surface of a glass bowl

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GREAT BRITISH PUDDINGS Crafting human relationships by exploring the value of handmade in the digital age: the connection between process and product Project description Great British Puddings is a presentation pack containing easy-to-follow recipesand postage stamps that illustrate four classic British puddings.

Reliance on the “quick and easy� is affecting the way we form relationships. This project creates a visual and metaphorical connection between the role of food in creating social interactions and the importance of humanizing current and future communication practices.

What is the context for the project?

Disposable, instantaneous, and convenient, these are words that not only describe the food preferences of many, but also the way in which some of us prefer to communicate.

As a result, researchers have shown that a staggering percentage of children in the UK have never received a handwritten letter, nor have they written one themselves. These young generations are also growing up not knowing how their food is grown or made.

What inspired the project?

I view food as an integral part of culture and the human experience. Great British Puddings began as part of my research into general British culture.

My visual inspiration came from the work of Steve Frykholm, a graphic designer I have admired for a long time.

His posters for Herman Miller informed my illustration choices. I experimented with many mediums, such as linocut, watercolor, pencil, marker, and risograph printing.

Project outcome It is necessary to make cultural and technological adaptations to accommodate our current communication reality. Nevertheless, we must prioritize effective and meaningful human interactions, as well as a balance between managing our hectic lives and taking the time to connect with our food and the people we care about.

Paper mai is becoming more interactive and digital-friendly. Perhaps in the near future postage stamps will become a thing of the past and stamp collectors will finally celebrate a good investment return.

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GREAT BRITISH PUDDINGS

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1. UNDERSTANDING BRITAIN

16. RISOGRAPH PRINTING GUIDELINES

My idea of discovering a new culture is through their food. I asked a few British friends about their childhood favorites.

Risograph inks are translucent, when layered beautiful colors can be produced.

2. HIGH TEA STAPLES

Analyzing how to separate and paint color to produce an ideal effect

Tracing paper ready to transfer onto linoleum sheet 3. MAKING LINOCUTS Preparing lino block for printing 4. PRINTING PROCESS Using a beautiful 300 year-old press at the London College of Communication printmaking facilities

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19. PAINTING Painting master one on tracing paper 20. PREPARING MASTERS

Test on 270 gsm bread and butter paper

21. ADJUSTING MASTER TWO

6. MORE TESTS

This layer of fluro-pink was printed on top of the previous yellow layer.

I scanned and cleaned up the image in Photoshop, but I realized the stamp illustrations required more flexibility.

22. PRINTING MASTER TWO Yellow layer in yellow over previous fluropink layer 23. CALIBRATING TRANSPARENCY

8. BRITISH SWEETS SKETCHES

Initial master one test in fluro-pink

After doing research on British desserts, I made these sketches of puddings and imagined them in cross sectional view.

24. FINAL PRINT

9. PUDDINGS STAMP SKETCHES Pen and water-based marker sketches 10. TESTING DRAWING MEDIUMS Water-based maker on magazine paper and watercolor on newsprint 11. MARK MAKING STUDIES I drew inspiration from a collection of Marimekko postcards.

12. TEXTURE STUDIES Figure 12 and 14 were layered to study texture and color

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This is the first layer for the print, which was done in fluro-pink.

5. PRINTING

7. TEAPOT LINOPRINT

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18. MASTER ONE

Layering tracing papers (master one and two) to predict final effect

Lino prints tests

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17. GRAYSCALE

13. STAMP SKETCHES Simplifying the stamp illustrations 14. COLOR AND LINE STUDIES Water-based marker on 70 gsm marker paper

Strawberry jam scone A3 risoprint 25. SCONE AND JAM Posca pen on 160gsm acid-free cartridge paper 26. BATTENBERG CAKE Posca pen on 160gsm acid-free cartridge paper 27. STRAWBERRY TRIFLE Posca pen on 160gsm acid-free cartridge paper 28. SPOTTED DICK Posca pen on 160gsm acid-free cartridge paper 29. INSPIRATION Steve Frykholm’s iconic work for Herman Miller. His posters showed a masterful use of color and impeccable lines, those were images I would constantly go back to for reference.

15. RISOGRAPH PRINTING MANUAL I visited Hato Press in London, in order to analyze the results of layering color.

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DROP Can treating waste as a commodity promote responsible consumer attitudes and help in our battle against poverty and pollution?

Project description Drop is an open-source furniture design project that uses a rubber band binding system to create clever structures by reutilizing plastic bottles.

Drop doesn’t address a seating problem, its main purpose is to inspire others to become informed about our current reality, make responsible choices, and take action by giving the disposable a second life.

A video tutorial was made to show the binding pattern, that with some imagination, variations on the design could be just about as infinite as stars in the sky.

What is the context for the project?

There is a direct correlation between high levels of CO2 and poverty. Our unsustainable and irresponsible consumer habits jeopardizes the future of our planet.

Furthermore, landfills are growing to enormous sizes and recycling rates remain dismally low. Disposable packaging is a big issue, it can end up lying stagnant in landfills, leaching dangerous chemicals into the ground, infiltrating our streets as litter, and destroying our aquatic ecosystems.

Our natural resources are being depleted and the effects of global warming are affecting us now with significantly high costs and extraordinary future risks.

What inspired the project?

My project partner and I were initially concerned with addressing the steep social and environmental cost of the fast fashion industry: the high volume of water used for dyeing textiles, pollution and health effects associated with the exploitation of factory workers.

The topic became too overwhelming and broad, so we decided to create awareness about responsible consumer attitudes and viewing waste as a commodity.

Project outcome

This project was developed during German professor

Pairing design and the concept of waste as a commodity can contribute to alleviating key challenges such as poverty and pollution. More efforts should be made to educate consumers in making sustainable choices and choosing responsible products.

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Hans Maier-Aichen’s Upcycling and Beyond Workshop at China Academy of Art.

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DROP

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DROP

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1. TRIPS TO THE LANDFILL

10. DESIGN AS ART

The brief was to design a product based around the topic of “Upcycling and Beyond.”

The area is mostly occupied by students of the university, after visiting a landfill and quickly scanning the trash, we saw an exorbitant amount of bottled beverages that don’t get recycled.

We were very aware recycling wasn’t encouraged at our school, so my partner and I decided to focus on creating awareness about the environmental impact of an irresponsible consumer attitude.

The bottles needed to be turned upside-down in order to bind the bottom end of the structure.

At this stage, we couldn’t justify using water in our design, if the creation of a functional design was being jeopardized.

Moreover, the weight caused the wire weaving to bend and bottles were falling out.

2. SORTING THROUGH THE TRASH

Empty water bottles were bound with wire on both top and bottom ends.

Wire was not an ideal binding material, it was difficult to handle and would constantly tangle.

Nongfu water bottles (the most popular water brand on campus and in the area) had the cleanest water bottle design.

3. COLLECTING BOTTLES 5

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Hundreds of Nongfu bottles were personally collected from bins on campus and nearby landfills.

4. CLEANING

The bottles were emptied.

12. WEAVING

13. DREAMING OF PLASTIC BOTTLES The structure was flipped bottom-side up to test it as a sleeping surface.

14. LIGHT AND STRONG

Copious amounts of soap and water were used for cleaning.

The structure was strong enough to support the weight of 4 people of average build.

5. REMOVING LABELS

15. CAD DESIGN

Labels were removed to represent plastic-bottled beverage consumption in general.

A concept for a piece of furniture that would be flexible enough to bend when placed against a wall, creating back support, and elastic enough to regain its initial flat form, in order to double up as a sleeping surface.

6. PROTOTYPE ONE Bottles were taped in place in order to analyze stability and rigidity.

7. ROWS OF EMPTY BOTTLES We understood the number of bottles we had collected was insufficient if our intention was to create a bigger piece of furniture.

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11. PLAN B

16. SKETCHES Sketching out binding solutions 17. FINAL BINDING DESIGN As an alternative to wire, rubber bands we used for binding. The binding technique created enables the individual to create more shapes and designs.

Bottles were filled with water and bound using wire.

9. PROBLEMS Initially, we wanted to color the water in the bottles in varying tints to create a gradient effect to represent the unsustainable practice of mainstream fabric coloring processes.

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EXISTENTIAL OBJECTS How can psychoanalysis be applied to designing futuristic objects that reflect the complexity of human personality?

Project description These cutlery designs hold a mirror to a fast and greedy culture. They force us to reconsider our relationship with food. They show three different design solutions based on the three concepts of human personality described by Freud: pleasure, reality, and morality.

What is the context for the project?

Humans instinctively behave according to their need for pleasure. However, we are constrained by a sense of reality and morality. Objects give us behavioral cues, and often times they are created to restrain our actions and set ground rules for acceptable behavior.

Unfamiliar experiences compliment our human need for newness. Some designs haven’t changed for centuries, yet human activity is always evolving. It is time to rethink everyday objects for our ever-changing environments.

What inspired the project?

I developed Existential Objects as part of a personal design ethos I strive to apply to everything I make. I support the creation of new aesthetics by leveraging design—to serve not just realistic and moral values, but also the human need for pleasure.

Following several failed attempts at creating a meaningful graduation project and four years of being disillusioned by how much following trends was encouraged at my university, I decided to make a final statement.

I was inspired by Sigmund Freud’s Theory of Psychoanalysis, which claims that human personality has three fundamental elements: id, ego, and superego. Each representing our sense of pleasure, reality, and morality respectively.

Project outcome Meaningful objects have an emotional quality that cannot be replaced by plain functionality; they are anthropomorphic by nature, a reflexion of culture and society.

A new attitude regarding the importance of meaningful designs will force us to redefine and challenge preexisting ideologies.

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OPPOSITE [ID SPO O N]

18/10 stainless steel 2014 1. [E GO SPO O N] 18/10 stainless steel 2014 2. [E GO FO R K] 18/10 stainless steel 2014 3. [ID FO R K] 18/10 stainless steel 2014 4. [ID SPO O N] 18/10 stainless steel 2014

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1.“XXL TOOTHPICK ” [ID FO R K]

Mirroring a society where luxurious lifestyle is the norm, food is plentiful and leisure is effortless, comes this little guy. Call it a large toothpick or a beautiful object, it sure doesn’t fit any pre-existing definitions.

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2.“FROM SHARP TO GROOVY” [ID KNIFE ]

Its playful design provides a more ergonomic cutting experience. The wide handle allows it to stay in position, effectively reducing cutlery noise at the dinner table.

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3.“FLOAT IN MY SOUP” [ID SPO O N]

This spoon gives you an excuse to play with your food. It will technically never sink in your soup.

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4.“KING OF THE TABLE” [E GO FO R K]

A golden fork that follows the shape of a crown. Its tapered tines and sleek design are so fancy that using it to eat even the most bland food can be an exquisite experience.

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5.“MEZZALUNA ” [E GO KNIFE ]

A knife that gets the job done without the need for a fork to hold food in place. Inspired by the functionality of a pizza cutter, the double half moon design resembles a modern interpretation of a prehistoric cutting tool.

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6.“DONUT-SCOOP” [SPO O N E GO ]

Spoons are technically bowls with handles. A spoon without a handle, is it a bowl?

Donut-scoop doesn’t need a handle. It is the handle, the spoon, and the bowl.

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7.“WATCH YOUR MOUTH” [SU PE R E GO FO R K]

Although the number of tines added to fork designs increased gradually, time has proved the ideal number of tines for a dinner fork to be four.

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8.“A WEAPON NO MORE” [SU PE R E GO KNIFE ]

The word “knife” has a dangerous connotation. Centuries ago, the same knife people would use for hunting was used for eating as well.

This dinner knife is round all over, giving it a harmless appearance.

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9.“FOR A PROPER SLURP” [SU PE R E GO SPO O N]

Proper table etiquette commands soup to be sipped from the side of the spoon, not the tapered end.

This spoon is shaped in a way that following this rule is easy, regardless of whether the user is aware of table manners or not.

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EXISTENTIAL OBJECTS

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1. “PLEASURE”

4. [SE T O F FO R KS]

[ID CUT LERY SE T]

The fork is a surprisingly modern invention. Humans got along just fine without cutlery for thousands of years.

The standard fork’s design has been unchanged for over 200 years. It’s about time we reinvented the way we consume food.

The id cutlery set is for people who have extra time to indulge in eating their food. It has been designed around the idea that eating is more than just for satisfying a physiological need, it’s also an opportunity to experience pleasure in every mouthful.

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[EGO CUT LERY SE T]

The ego set was designed around the notion of the ego as an element of human personality that finds an object in the real world that matches the mental image created by the id’s principle of pleasure. In this set, each piece of cutlery tries to have a standalone presence at the dinner table.

3. “MORALITY” [SUP EREGO CU TL E RY SE T]

The superego set was created to fit within all moral and etiquette standards.

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5. [SE T O F KNIV E S] For different cutting and spreading needs of both the picky and not so picky diners. Three knives, whose non-threatening appearance makes them completely adult-proof if used accordingly.

6. [SE T O F SPO O NS] These spoons bring a never-before-seen scooping and dipping experience. The intriguing yet friendly design sure to bring a smile to the faces of many adults and children alike.

7. “MIX AND MATCH” [E XISTE NTIA L O B JE C TS: C U TL E RY C O L L E C TIO N]

This dinner party-approved cutlery collection was created for adventurous and curious diners. Make them part of your everyday cutlery or use them as beautiful centerpieces.

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EXISTENTIAL OBJECTS

1. FORM EXPLORATION [NE W DINING E XPE R IE NC E ]

Prior to concept development, the history of eating utensils was researched. Self-hardening polymer clay prototypes were made to explore form, using a design approach that ignored restrictions associated with modern dining etiquette.

2. SPOON PROTOTYPE Testing prototype’s ergonomics 3. ID SPOON PROTOTYPES Analyzing liquid and volume control 4. EGO SPOON PROTOTYPES Redesigning handles. Reinventing the concept of “spoon.”

5. ID/EGO FORK PROTOTYPES Imagining new ways of picking up and holding food in place 1

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6. SPOON PROTOTYPES A study of how spoons fit inside the human mouth

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