Happy Places: Aesthetic Inspiration

Out of Happy Places - DeLumine 

When simply searching 'Happy Places' into google I found this piece, looking more into this artists' work I found some beautiful yet haunting paintings, this use of tone, colour, brushstrokes all feeds into this nightmare like aesthetic. I want to focus on how these factors set the mood and aim to do the exact opposite of that, I was thinking for a future project I want to create as a contrast 'Unhappy Places', as for my foundation I did a project focused on my condition, Hypersensitivity which means in basic terms I'm incredibly sensitive to stimuli, sounds, visuals and so on so I'm ridiculously jumpy. It's linked to my anxiety so it's very unsettling, I feel like I'm at serious risk every time I jump and go into fight or flight mode. 'Unhappy places' would focus on an individuals fear and springing it upon them unexpectedly, again recording their reaction, hear rate and so on. 

However for this project I obviously want to stray from all things that make you feel uncomfortable, the main reason I'm doing this topic is to stay away from nightmares and darker moods I'm usually more comfortable with utilising from experiences, last night for example I had recurring sleep paralysis which I usually manage to turn into lucid dreaming through self training but I'm yet to actually turn it into something pleasant, so I can move myself out of the paralysed state of sleep paralysis, yet I'm still walking around my nightmare. Remembering the aesthetic of these I can conjure things for my future 'unhappy places' project through recording in a dream journal, as well as come up with polar opposite stimuli to combat the fear these nightmares give me and calm people down before they sleep so as to avoid thinking of negative imagery in the hope that when they fall asleep they have a calm clear mind free from stress.

I'm thinking looking at DeLumine's paintings that maybe I could emulate happy places through paintings, possibly using stock motion animation, much like Loving Vincent, the brush stroke visuals for me are quite soothing.

For me also however the visuals are usually full of quite dark tones which I'd want to get rid of as for me and I'm sure most other people pastels would be more suitable for calming scenes.

Painting the Box

When I got round to actually painting my whole box in the Jesmonite cement solution, I had to wait a week as Fine Art said they were too busy during the rest of the week, but the technician who'd helped me with the solution for the samples wasn't there so I was sceptical mixing it myself as these were materials I was incredibly unfamiliar with, yet I feel this was quite beneficial for me to sort things out myself and come up with the right amount suitable for covering the box.

I made a solution with 200g of liquid Jesmonite, 450g of powder solid Jesmonite and 2 tablespoons of water. I was really pleased with the outcome of the texture and colour, it looked and had the same consistency of the original mix the technician had made for me. 

When painting the box I didn't realise it was possibly too runny for a 3-dimensional object, unless I'd let each side dry which may have taken all day, I therefore only allowed a short amount of time for it to try as on the samples it didn't run as they were on a flat surface. Therefore especially on the second larger side featured in the third image there was some drips of mixture than unexpectedly ran down the opposite direction as I turned the box around to paint different sides. Ideally all the surfaces would be like that in the second image, I was really pleased with the grainy bobbly imperfect outcome. This I feel looks more accurately like cement poured roughly to make a block. 

    

It was furthermore quite a struggle figuring out how to cover the edge of the box containing the Rasta laser cut font, if like the other sides I'd poured the mixture over it to try get the smoothest coverage without brush marks it would've covered the lettering completely as it was too thick, I therefore initially used the brush then my finger to mix in the mixture finely into the rasta cut out. Using a brush I tried to make the edges round the box more defined but the brush I was using was too thick and this was the only brush given to me suitable to be used with this mix. I ended up using tissue paper to try blend the edges a little but ensuring the font was still visible. 

As for the inside of the box I'm obviously not going to leave it as it is as it looks messy and the drips of cement mixture are accidental, I may paint it black to reflect the mystery of the templates inside or have it in a matching grey colour which seems more appropriate and after feedback from peers would be more consistent with the Brutalist theme. It could also hint at the structural components on the inside of buildings mimicking the colour of the metal beams as well as the outside walls. Had I had more time and known the mixture was possibly too runny to get it all done in a few hours, I would've let each side dry properly although personally I prefer the imperfections and runny drips as this is more my style, it's less Liam's style and less Brutalist. 

Printed and Scored

I printed out my templates A3 as I had tested one out in A4 and it didn't seem fitting, the buildings themselves are tall and the A4 had too much small detail and illegible writing from even a small distance. I then thought about how I could lessen the effect of fraying edges or at least cracked inked edges. I covered the templates in laminate which really has worked and I'm incredibly pleased with the outcome as the buildings are more of a matt finish than glossy (that I assumed they would be when using a plastic coating) and are indeed more robust.

Before making my box,  I wanted to test out a cement mixture appropriate for painting onto plywoods, I took these two sample pieces and mixed 100g part Jesomite liquid, 250g Jemosite powder with a tablespoon of cement. This worked perfectly whereas normal concrete may not have stuck to the wood nor been the right consistency to be able to paint straight onto the wood. I really like the slightly lumpier textures in this as well and purposely didn't mix it smoothly. 

Making a Brutalist Box

Measurements taken to be larger than the dimensions of the cutout templates, with a width inside large enough to fit the templates once they'd been constructed and glued. 

I laser cut the box using dimensions that would allow the templates to fit in even when they have been constructed so they're protected once they've been made, as the cost of this book is high £10-20 as stated on the brief, it makes sense to ensure these models will be safely stored as they're quite delicate, it's justified also making the box out of plywood with laser cut which will then be painted with a concrete mix like the samples shown resting on top of the box. I was told to come back in a week to paint the box as Fine Art was too busy so I'm currently waiting to complete the box. 

The Brutalist Leeds was laser cut using the Rasta function as I wanted to mimic plaques or engraved names on the side of Brutalist buildings. The box luckily fits together perfectly, this was initially a concern as the technician noted that often the machine especially with 6mm plywood wasn't always the most accurate. It took me a while to properly put the pieces together as although they look like perfect edges had about a mm difference I couldn't tell where but it meant it took some force to put them together. I like how the edge looks like brickwork, I thought at first I would remove the perforated edge but I feel it works well with the context of architecture. 

I was considering making a collage separately using the remaining parts of the plywood cut out of the wood as featured scattered around in the images above. For the inside of the box I'm either going to paint it a similar grey colour, or black to simulate a sense of the unknown as the templates themselves may be initially an ambiguous addition.  

Guided Visualisation App

Similar to the topic I want to focus in on for COP, this idea works well as it enables me to do what I originally wanted to do for COP, by making a projections or at least app based media that allows people to create a place of sanctuary that will help them sleep. Having sleeping problems myself I listen to a lot of guided visualisations, through this app people will be able to create their own space of comfort, with a game like interface allowing them to alter factors like the sound, lighting, rapidness of waves if they're at a beach or wind through the trees in a forest for example. I want to call the app 'Happy Places' that will transport people to a place of personal tranquility. This allows me to cover another basis of meditation, so for COP I'll be focusing more on the mental health side of things.

When taken through guided visualisations, I'm usually drawn to those set in an enchanted forest, others include at waterfront, by the sea or floating either suspended in the air/ clouds/ sea. I personally don't like those that lead you into the sea as I have a fear of the ocean, so for me I'd want to choose a 'happy place' that doesn't immerse me in water, while others may have a fear of being alone in the forest or heights for example, the app therefore needs to include a range of visualisations come to life with the choice of adapting your environment to suit your preferences and calm you down. Above images would be examples of the kinds of visuals I'd include with different settings that you can then customise and adjust in addition.

Considering how I could actually project this, I looked at methods of attaching a projector to a phone as I want the basis to be on an app so it's compact and accessible. You can therefore watch it on your phone when away or in confined spaces / when not appropriate to project but if you're at home and have a mini projector you could use it enhancing the experience.

More DIY approaches can be effective like this pack you can buy:

 

Only : Guest Speaker

Award branding agency helping organisations to use design to innovate and grow, recently moved from Leeds to Manchester.
Clients include Goldsmiths, Lost Village Festival, Roundhouse, Mercedes, Design Council

Design for screen
It's constantly evolving, fast paced with endless opportunity with video, animation and access to new data producing intuitive solutions. Primary means of consuming a brand, it's experimental/ interactive and here to stay.

Design Process
Research- competitors, audiences, personas & principles
Wire-framing- Ideation, test assumptions, client buy-in
Design
Front End

Goldsmiths University website 

Start of with interactive wire-framing, focus on a hierarchy of content and had to appeal to international students

Printworks
 
Used 11 different static frames used across all their applications mirroring the fact that the printworks was never turned off. Motion language, what do they sound like how do they move, use of gifs is useful for this.

University Campus Suffolk- University of Suffolk (re-branding) 
45 degree angle represents this change and it's placing is a hint as to where Suffolk is as it seemed through research nobody knew where it was.

Lost Village
 
Brand Identity including characters, storyline, videos, posters, website, typeface reminiscent of forgotten text

Helbers
 
Helbers was particularly different to the above branding, the feel was refined, exceptional

Bring Me The Horizon 

That's the spirit, content from social channels they created a timeline while the band were touring. 

Q&A

30 pixels laptop size
768 pixels portrait
28 pixels 4d retina mobile

Envision - where to produce prototypes

Wire-framing is possibly the most important thing we should be focusing on as it helps us generate ideas.

Design For Screen: Studio Brief 2

Create an immersive and screen based user experience for a media of your choice. This could include; website, app, streaming service...

Identify 
the client
the problem
target audience
overarching aim of the project

Must be global digital formats, how can you maximise the potential of digital devices.

Deliverables being ougd504 studio brief 2 blog
Working examples

UI is User interface:
navigation, submenus etc

Ux is User experience:
people, happiness, solving problems, understanding needs, love, efficiency etc

Screen based
computers
tvs
mobiles
satnavs
HUD's
Projections


Firstly identify a problem:

-An app that maps out your day, I'm really forgetful so by noting down things prior to a day I could organise myself better, it could have maps included, memo boards etc
- An app that enables you to connect with your pets from far away, a tracking device, could possibly tell their moods, map their routes, for those away from the family missing their pet
- An app you can talk to when all your mates go to bed after a sesh and you can't sleep
- Projections that aid sleep, calming 'happy places', meditations, guided visualisations come to life almost like VR

Box Development

After the crit I now have to consider the methods I take to make my box or sleeve, I originally thought I could make a box entirely out of concrete however that would require me to make a mould using an actual box to set the parameters, inside another box but have the inside box smaller and elevated so once the concrete mix was poured into that gap it could fill in the gaps not only along the sides but underneath the smaller box. It would be impossible to do so unless I made some kind of contraption that suspended the box from string perhaps from above the box, without it interfering with the template set out to be filled with concrete.

I'd had to have completed it someway like this:
 

After speaking with tutors from the woodwork and 3-D department I concluded it would be far easier to actually create a wooden box and coat it in concrete mix, I tested this out with two samples of plywood and left them to dry.

I then spoke about how I could construct the box appropriately, I was thinking laser cut would be the most achievable especially with the plywood material. I'd want a width of around 17mm, the plywood being around 6mm and wanting a 5mm gap in between the two pieces.





Not quite dry yet, I plan to leave them overnight to properly assess however so far I'm very happy with the colour (on the outside the drier edges, this will be the overall colour) and the texture especially as I now feel if I were to use sand it would look to forced and less like concrete, more like features on buildings purposely made to look more textured rather than the overall aesthetic.

I have a laser cut induction booked in tomorrow so I hope to be able to make my box then or at least gain the skills to enable to me to make it the next day if it's not possible in terms of time as my session is in the afternoon. In the mean time I need to work out the dimensions of my box by printing out my templates, finding the most appropriate size.

I've changed the font back to Helvetica bold after the disapproval of the font change in the crit; these being my final outcomes:



I'm printing these on 200gsm card, anything thicker wouldn't fold well whereas anything thinner would be too flimsy. This however means that I can only print onto these using the lasercut printer, diminishing the image quality but this is unfortunately a compromise I have to make.