LIGHTSTYLE
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INDEX Light 3 Inspiration 6 Lamps & Colours
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Shapes 10 Detailing 10 Materials 13
Sheet metal
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Ceramic
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Wood
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Felt
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Paper
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Metal Frame
Shape 23 Sketches 24 Two Ways
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Patterns 29 Embodiment 32
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The Design
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Beestje
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More or Less
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LIGHT Light seems to be one of the most important things in creating a certain vibe or feeling in a room. Although we are not always aware of the importance of good lighting, we usually are aware if it is not done properly. The colour, shapes, shades and intensity are all aspects on the character of the emitted light. Eyes are the window to the soul, but windows are the portals of light. The colour and pattern emitted from the window frame are dependent on what is displayed outside. Leaves outside make for a great pattern in that light. The difference in kinds of shadows are clearly visible on black and white pictures. They can be blurry and stretched, lace patterned or extremely sharp. The greyness of the shadows changes colours, giving it more depth and variation. 3
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INSPIRATION For the lamp I created I was mostly inspired by a little creature I saw in Malaysia. The insect was protected from harm by a string of scales. When in danger it would subtract into a small ball, completely covering up all the soft parts of its body. In doing so the tissue between the scales was exposed and a warm golden glow was peeping through the scales. The ability of this creature to alter its shape in such a way made me think if it is was possible to create a lamp that would be adjustable too. A structure connected in a way that creates that duality between direct light and glowing rays. Lighting can be very personal and thus it would be preferable to design a lamp that changes with the seasons and the hours of the day. The colour in the pictures shows how one colour can fade into the other one. They were also a form of inspiration concerning the rays of light.
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LAMPS & COLOURS This is a collection of lights that play with fragmenting. The colours vary from a dark orange to a bright yellow because of the layering of the parts. This warm, ambient colour is something that I want to include in the design of the lamp.
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SHAPES
For the shape I was inspired by the repetitive shapes in the pictures shown. In combination with the rays of light it will give interesting shadows and reflections (depending on the material properties).
DETAILING The designs on the next page are chosen because it shows designs in which the detailing and connections between the parts are very visible. By making the hinges a special aspect of the design the movement of the design will seem more natural.
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To love beauty is to see light. Victor Hugo
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MATERIALS The choice of material is crucial for the character the lamp will get. I’ve investigated some materials that are very formable and flexible. In order to make the scales the material has to be bend The bending process has to be repeatable because all the scales have to have the same sort of bend in order to fit over and under each other.
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SHEETMETAL Sheet metal is formable but not easy to cut into. This means that the ways of connecting the scales is going to be more challenging. The overall character of the lamp will probably become more industrial and buff. Metal does have a nice shine to it.
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CERAMIC If I would produce the scales in ceramic I could opt for a slightly translucent material. The scales would be casted and could have very high detail.
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WOOD Wood is produced in many shapes and sizes. The thickness can alter a lot. The scales have to be bend. Wood can be bend by steaming the wood and applying pressure to mould in the right shape. Thin sheets of triplex can be bend without any alterations. Wood is also very suited for lasercutting. If the lasercutting is done in a special pattern it creates more flexibility in that area making it possible to bend the sheet of wood.
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FELT Felt is very formable and thus should be fixated with epoxy or another kind of fixating glue. It is also suited for lasercutting and created a beautiful fuzzy, cosy appearance.
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PAPER
Paper, of course, is already really flexible. Folding it in the right way created a more 3d look. Patterns and difficult shapes can be made and light will go through it. Because it is so thin it can give a very lightweight, fragile feel.
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METAL FRAME In order to use textiles or paper you have to make a frame as well. Without it, my lamp would not be able to close or adjust. I can make the frame from wood or from metal. If the outer layer of material is translucent, the frame would be visible and the lamp would get even more of a bug character.
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“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” Leonard Cohen
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SHAPE The shape of the lamp was envisioned as an abstraction of the little creature I saw in Malaysia. The shells overlapping and the fact that it could close entirely were elements I wanted to incorporate in the design of the lamp. Also, I wanted to do something with the golden glow I saw in between the scales. Sketches to study the overall shapes and models of the scales were made to give the idea some body. I made sketches for the connections within the model, the shapes and the way the light will be fit into it.
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SKETCHES
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TWO WAYS
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PATTERNS The shells of the lamp will overlap each other in a nice pattern. The shape of the shells will decide how the lights come through them. Because the lamp was inspired by something from nature I investigated natural patterns to give the shells an inartificial look.
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EMBODIMENT In my materialization process I came to the conclusion that thin sheets of triplex are very flexible in one direction. This means that I could lasercut the scales and bend them by hand without further processing. When examining the colour of the material and the colour of light that comes through it, I was pleasantly surprised that a warm orange colour came through them. The scales were so thin that you could see the veins of the wood, making the scales even more interesting to look at.
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When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat. Ronald Reagan
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THE DESIGN
The first six scales had to be fixed in the middle in order for them to stay put. The other seven scales were connected with each other. This made it possible for the upper part of the scales to rotate. A rotations that gives the opportunity to create multiple shapes with one hand. By closing the lamp completely less light will come through. 34
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The legs of the lamp were chosen considering the following; in order to create a unity, they have to be organic. In order to still let the lamp be just an abstract of the bug, they cannot resemble insect legs. The legs were lasercut out of 9 mm MDF and painted white.
Left: The brackets that will keep the upper scales in place and are also the joints of the scales. The little indent will make sure the scales will not pop out of the bracket and remain in place. The brackets decrease by 10% per bracket to make sure they match the scales and the distance between the two ends of the scales. They becomes smaller and smaller. The last scale has to be smaller to make sure it could fit in the first scale of the fixed scales, completing the circle. The brackets were lasercut from 3 mm triplex. Right: To connect the legs and the lower half of the scales I designed a spacer. The spacer could also be the platform on which the light (a led light placed in the gap in the aluminium part) will be hung. The spacer is made from 9 mm MDF. 36
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BEESTJE 1. Creature 2. Animal 3. Creepy Crawly
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MORE OR LESS The brackets between the shells make it possible to control the amount of light the lamp emits. Close it if you want to use it as a beautiful ornament. Open is if you want to see the inside of this creature and use it as a source of light.
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Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher. William Wordsworth
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I’ve made this book with a great deal of pleasure. I hope I have made my journey of making “Beestje” clear to you and have inspired you on some level. Marie-Louise Velthuijzen
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