Foundations of Design : Representation, Sem 1 2017
PORTFOLIO
Mingjie Zhang 910787 Studio 18 - Junhan Foong
CONTENTS
M1. HOW TO DRAW A CROISSANT?
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M2. FLATNESS VS. PROJECTION
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M3. PATTERN VS. SURFACE 7 M4. FRAME VS. FIELD
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REFLECTION
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M1. HOW TO DRAW A CROISSANT? How to measure a Croissant? The main focus of this module is to reinforce students’ knowledge of the technical aspects of design. A series of techniques and concepts are taught and practised, including photocopying & tracing, orthographic projections, axonometric projections, sectional drawings and varying techniques of drawings including hatching and rendering. I believe that I have gained a firmer grasp on interpreting and creating technical details of design.
Axonometric Drawing w/ construction lines
From left to right: gentle hatching, hard hatching, rendering
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M2. FLATNESS VS. PROJECTION The making of new Mario world. The new Mario world is a maze filled with pipes, conveyer belts and smokes, which is meant to represent a worndown and grimy factory. The overarching industrial theme is achieved by using a variety of industrial textures such as steel mesh and diamond plates, accompanied by a bleak and monotonous colour palette. The hidden aspects of the axonometric drawing are typically connected to other visible underground routes, in turn creating a network that requires viewers’ imagination to be fully comprehended.
Front World
Back World
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Plan diagram
The process of applying textures, selecting colours and adjusting brightness levels to surfaces Axonometric base structure
Industrial textures used
Rust
Rust-dark
Diamond plate
Scratched film
Steel mesh
Corrugated iron
Rivet
Timber
1st iteration of world construction
2nd (final) iteration of world construction. Major elements are taken from the previous version and tweaked into a more comprehensive network. The drawing is scanned and digitally recreated using Adobe Illustrator. Digital recreation w/ Illustrator
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M3. PATTERN VS. SURFACE The making of new landscape. My paper model combines 6 unique 3D components and a triangulated 2D pattern into an organic arrangment that resembles natural landscape patterns. Varying heights are applied to 3D modules; distinct patterns are carved onto surfaces in order to eliminate the uniformity of material and shapes. These efforts have been adequately successful as they have created unique viewing experiences across different perspectives.
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Of monsters and Beasts. This set of 3D module portrays various fearsome creatures such as sharks.
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This section of the model showcases a mountainous range basked in a blend of light and shadow - complemented by patterned surface carvings.
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Landscape in Rhino. BoxX pattern for base; 3D components are grouped and colour-coded so that they can be easily identified later.
3D components in Rhino. 6 distinct 3D components used, viewed from top and perspective; groups of modules unfolded correspond to the colour coded landscape.
Final view in Rhino w/ artistic display mode.
Top: angry owl; bottom left: lattice; bottom right: cute shark
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Process of fabricating individual 3D components. About 40% of the paper model are printed and cut by hand, and the rest are made using FabLab’s laser cutting machine. Manual cutting is evidently much more labourious and less precise in foldlines. The process of cutting, folding and assembly spanned out to four days, counting about 25 hours in total.
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M4. FRAME VS. FIELD Thin Cities: Octavia The city of Octavia is described as the “spider-web city�, where infrastructures and inhabitants dwell on a network of ropes that sits in between two steep cliffs. In here, population is sparse and concentrated towards the centre; transporting people and goods are generally done by ziplines, thus movements are extremely linear and limited. It also gets brighter and lighter in mood towards the outskirt as less people are found there. I see the layout of the city as a spontaneous rather than deliberate result of its populations, therefore, Octavia is also a city of randomness and irregularity.
Key Mood/Feeling Heavy
Light
Stare
Glance
Direction of Viewing Camera Position Perspective 1 Perspective 2
People Fewer
0
1m
2.5m
More
Movement
5m Slow
Fast Dark
Brightness
Light
Custom Symbol: Waterdrop Houses
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A variety of objects are added to the scene, including wooden plank bridges, dumbwaiters, rope ladders, a small network of cables and two figures performing “flying fox� on ziplines - a main method of transport. Meanwhile, dumbwaiters deliver goods around the city, with waterdrop shaped houses acting as spaces for dweliing.
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The columns, vaults, background and the ground are textured, applied with the “multiply” overlay effect in order to retain shades. The vaults are textured with cobwebs as to mimic the “spider web city” - a literal approach of interpreting the city’s web-like planning. The background is meant to represent cliffs of a canyon; clouds are also added to suggest the height of the scene.
REFLECTION Each of the four modules in FoDR represents an individual and unique aspect of design that utilises skills which can be exclusive or transferrable; such skills are sometimes already obtained while others are yet to be learned, therefore lectures provide a good basis for each module by introducing theoretical concepts and precedents. Lectures of Module 1 introduces ideas of how to present designs in technical and precise ways; Module 2 emphasises on axonometric views and ways of exploring creativity; Module 3 focuses on the concept of developable surface and digital fabrication, while Module 4 elucidates perpectival projection and presentational techniques. Combined with weekly readings, the fundamentals of representation thus form the basis of the four modules.
As I’m already adequately competent with Adobe Suite applications, exercises that involve photoshop, illustrator and indesign have greatly reinforced my understanding and proficiency of utilising these programmes. New skills and techniques, such as editing in mask and image trace are proven to be extremely efficient and useful. Manual drawing has been relatively unfamiliar to me, thus the activities in Module 1 have aided me greatly in picking up these skills. However, Rhino 3D modelling requires an entirely new skill set and knowledge to use, and the high learning curve is overcame by various workshop sessions. Surface panelling and 3D model making are certainly some of the most important skills to possess in future courses.
Personally, I have enjoyed and pushed hard for most of the modules. However, I do believe there are improvements which could be made to myself - for example, the quality of manual drawing. More specifically, in Module 2, I have used illustrator as a primary application for applying textures, and the same task could be performed more efficiently on photoshop, meaning that I could improve my skills on transitioning between different digital mediums; additionally, time management is sometimes an issue for me in Module 3, and I look to overcome this issue by conducting researching and committing time to readings in advance.
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