The Millipede in Valletta.

While brainstorming a couple of months ago on what Morphogenesis is, I immediately thought that I wanted to do something which shows a certain movement or flow.

Part of our task was to design something which is modular, a shape or a form we can repeat for all the bus shelters throughout the valletta terminus. 

I first Began researching on Morphogenesis. 

I went trough cells, the human body , wind , sea , rain , water, sound . . .

I thought of what thing reminded me of interesting movements ( flowing, form ) , and I somehow thought about Millipedes. 

I started looking trough insects with an elongated shape and the Millipedes was the one which most attracted me to look further into. 

A few weeks ago Ms Louise Agius together with Mrs Rice showed us a documentary about two artists which presented a two week long installation in New York. 

Apart from the installation being very interesting, one thing which caught my eye was the final result. 

Basically big orange rectangular drapes where hung throughout the whole park in New York. 

At the end of the Documentary people who somehow saw how this installation looked from above, said that they looked like blood veins across the whole park. 

This is an example of how I would like the response of my final result to be. 

I want to create an effect of a creature moving in the Bus terminus of Valletta. Not in the obvious kind. Though in portraying the forms of the Millipede. 

I divided the insect in its natural segments and altered them for an interesting design to serve a bus shelter purpose as well as my idea of a moving creature. 

Therefor ! After all this, 

I began experimenting on 3D Studio Max. 

Before showing Just my final design or where I got to, i wanted to show also how I did it  by putting up images of my step by step path to how I got there. 

Creating arcs to form my desired shape. 

Cross section & Surface Technique

Section - Creating Shapes

Deleting Surface and leaving the shape created. 

Making the segments thicker. 

The final result of this drawing. I was mostly experimenting on how I was going to manage to portray the shape I desired. Though the next step was to create two different sections for two different shapes as i would like to fit in perspex in between each segment. 

On each layer of perspex I would enhance the insect wing texture with wood. 

Second Outcome. 

 

Alternating shape for a different outcome. 

Created two surfaces for Wood and Perspex segments. 

Side View. 

Showing how I separated the two segments so that I could create the texture of the insect wings on the perspex. 

I am currently working on the overall shape and how I could create a form which will look more interesting visually when the bus shelters are combined. I want them all to have a different form but at the same time I want to make them connect together to form the ' Millipede.' 

Will post up images when it's finished. 

Till then . . . Good Luck to Everyone ! 

Cosmetic Packaging Unit 12.

Sometimes inspiration comes when you least expect it. 

A few months ago my sister was given a pandora bracelet as a gift before she went to work abroad. 

Its amazing how much this bracelet meant to her when she left. 

Basically the idea of having a pandora bracelet is to decorate it with charms depending on ones likings. ( Or they could also be given as a gift. ) 

You could insert many charms or else change and insert the ones you want before you go out. 

For one of my concepts of Toly Cosmetic Packaging I wanted to create something easily portable as a Pandora bracelet which gives the user the liberty of choosing which ones

to buy , which ones to use and which ones to choose for that specific day or event. 

How the Concept works. 

1. You buy one of the circular rings depending on your liking.  ( Size, material, color ) . I was thinking of ranging it to at least 4 options. 

2. You will have 3 collections from where to choose from.  A colorful one which changes every year depending on fashion change - Teenage market. A gold one which ranges to the mid 40's and elderly market or those with a higher budget. And also a sleek simple one which everyone could opt for.  

Now Consumers could chose which products to buy to add to their Ring. 

                                                        Make it  board during Presentation. 

Nowadays women compete with other woman on everyday bases, including what bag they have , what make up they use , what clothes they buy and much more. 

With this product women could also compare there rings to each other on which product they bought and how its looking.

The idea of creating such a design was also to eliminate the use of the make up bag. 

Personally, I carry my make up bag around everyday, though I barely use 4 products in all. 

With this concept i could just insert the ones i would use on that day and put it in my hand bag, hang it or clip it inside with a zipper or anything of the sort. 

The way the product is used is like how we use our keys from a key ring. Actually, its just like having a set of keys, but this way your having a set of cosmetics. 

                                                            Another inspiring factor. 

( The compact cosmetics could also be bought as gifts from another person just like the Pandora concept. ) 

Lomography.

This, is a product and technique which I love. So I wanted to share it with you guys. 


Lomography is a type of photography which is more focused on emphasizing the casual and ' snapshot ' style of photography. 


The results when using a Lomography camera are extremely unpredictable , though most of the time its unpredictable in a good way. 


One of the trademarks is lomography is its motto of '' not thinking and just shooting ''. It gives spontaneity to the photographer as well as '' happy mistakes '' as results. 


Lomo cameras come in many different styles. Some of which are able to shoot fisheye and distorted photographs using the wide angle lens. 
There are also cameras which allow multiple exposures in single frame of film which accounts for the different lenses that a lomo-cam has. These types of cameras come in rainbow colored flashes or maybe even allow light leaks in some places of the frame. 


This is what Lomography cameras looked like back in the day - 

                           Simple , textured , metal cased.



Though, 


Yet ! ' BEHOLD ! ' The Diana Lomography Range ! 
This is what we find today ! 

The Diana Lomo cameras come in different colors and lens styles. They range between 80 euros and 250 euros - ( affordable ! phew ! ) 


They gave a new look to the cameras while leaving the traditional unique form. 
Changing the material into plastic made the product much lighter and extremely comfortable to carry around. 


These are examples of some outcomes - 

As for printing, Lomographers normally have their own dark room at home because although some companies still print 35mm films, the different effects caused by the lenses of the Diana cameras are difficult to predict. 


www.youtube.com/watch?v=87tTa168GRM - This guy tells us how ! =) 






microsites.lomography.com/dianamini/  






'' I want one !! '' 

Union Square's High-Concept Sukkahs

Guys Take a look at this video on vimeo.
I came across it whilst researching on morphogenesis.
Its really interesting =)

http://vimeo.com/15134424

'On September 19, the finalists of the Sukkah City design competition unveiled their re-imagined sukkahs in New York's Union Square. Locals and tourists alike rubbed shoulders to get a closer look at the ritual huts, which transformed the downtown park into an architectural showcase.'

C'est Les Pecha-Kucha !

These are my feedback comments of last wednesdays presentation. 

Although I was very nervous to present my work in that manner in front of my class mates, I think that at the end of it we all should think that its something worth while to do. 

While were at school, we try to turn around easy corners , but this is actually just a fraction of what we might face outside school . .  so basically . . its time to prepare ourselves guys ! 

So next time , before i have a nervous breakdown before a presentation ( as always ) , just remind me what I just wrote ! 

We'll all get used to it by time and practice =)

Veronique - I never thought you use such vibrant colors in your artwork. ( which is a good thing ) Your presentation was very well presented and I could understand everything very clearly. In the short

period of time you explained the unit, as well as what you did very clearly to the audience. As a person who is terrified of presentations, I admired you barely taking notice of another tutor coming in the door whilst your presenting. You remained focused and calm , and it showed you knew what you were talking about , from beginning to the end. 

Gabriel - As always, you make the people listening to your presentation very comfortable. Your work is always finished very well, and it always shows that your design process is of a very high level. 

The only thing that bothered me was that in the first slides, you told us about your time at school , about what you do , and what you like. . . whilst your work was ongoing behind you. Its like wanted to

tell you ' Gab ! tell me when you did that ! and how ! ' 

Sirach - I just admire your capability in 3d structures. Your work is of a very high standard especially  ones which involve ceramics and stone. Your work shows that your reached a high level and

that your not limited in any shapes or designs because I'm sure you would be capable of producing anything if you set your mind to it. - Your presentation had too much writing in it though. 15 seconds

is barely enough to understand the person and look and the picture to understand, let alone read paragraphs or writing. At least , my mind didn't multi task at that time :) 

Richard - You presented a very good mixture or work, and it shows you love interior decorating + I wish I have half your knowledge in Cad ! . You seemed to be nervous at times and spoke with a very soft voice facing the presentation,  so i wish I could have understood you more at times. 

Stephanie - It was really refreshing to see from where you begun ! I always wanted to see what background of work you've done . . . and it seems you where always a hard working woman ! 

You always surprise everyone with the amount of work you manage to finish, and your presentation showed just that :) 

I wish you could have put in images of more work done at school though - but Im sure that whatever work you would have shown us , would have been of high standard ! And, we all know its very difficult for 

you to be limited in time to explain ! . . . let alone 15 seconds ! . . . But you made it brief , and enjoyable to listen.

Ishmael -  You have a wide range of techniques. Your final work is always of very high quality and to maximum precession. But although your style is very religious ( and seems your very passionate about it ), I think you should widen your knowledge on something other than that to have a wider range of work. 

Cassandra - Your presentation was very informative ! throughout the years you have gained a great knowledge in ceramics and I love your abstract work. Some of which though could be developed a little bit better , but , you are a perfectionist , and I know it takes a while for you to be confident enough for a final model / piece ! . . But it will come with time , and confidence ! Love the things you do, do it to enjoy yourself and not to please anyone. Don't be afraid to exploit your personal style. 

Christine -  You could have been more prepared for the presentation. It was really nice though to see what you do out of school. You have a talent which is different from the usual art and design students , the make up you do really stood out and it shows your very passionate about it. 

Christian - Apart from your great 3d work - I just admire the way you manipulate 3d drawings using 3ds max. Whilst seeing your presentation I was wondering of how my 3d drawings this year could ever compete with yours ! 

' Proset ! ' 

Lorraine - I think you could have just slowed down a bit during the presentation. I couldn't always understand what you were saying ( but i know that our tongue has a life of its own when were up there ! )

You are an all rounder. Throughout the presentation you showed us that you practiced practically every workshop! - and good at them too ! 

Martina - The paintings you drew for your A level are amazing. There not just drawn correctly - but very intense - intact i would of loved to know what they were for ( what theme they were drawn for ) 

Your Jewelry work was the work which attracted me the most , and from my point of view , i loved what you did for Mr Formosa's unit last year. You have a clear knowledge of everything - all rounder. 

Sometimes its good having your personal style, but in your case its amazing how you change one idea to another - which are all different in concepts. 

Nicole - Although it looked impossible , you managed to use your hobby ( modeling )  in one of last years unit which turned out to look great. As I also mentioned to Martina , I love the way your work changes style. In particular I like the paintings you did in foundation. Very deep and vibrant in colors and textures - too bad we barely have something to paint now ! I would love to see more ! 

Sarah Jane - You gave a good overview of your work throughout your presentation. You have no problems with presenting yourself and your work very clearly to the people watching you. I admire the knowledge you managed to achieve in the wood workshop - Im sure it will be of great help in the future. You have a great design process in everything that you do, but should focus more on the actual finishing of the product. 

Elisa - You explained the unit on most of the slides rather than what you did and how you did it. Your textiles work is Flawless though. Your capable of making anything with textiles !  I really like that about you. You never tend to get the easy way out. Your work shows that you work hard and make a big effort in everything you do. 

While on holiday I . . .

. . . While on holiday in Lago di Garda, I came across this amazing Eco-friendly shop which was fully stocked with hand made designs. 

At first I didn't notice that the bags and accessories displayed in the window where all made out of recycled soda can tabs . . . just till I actually went in the shop to see them in my own hands. 


Apart from the designs being made with recycled material, the company gives a donation to an Eco-friendly organization with every product sold. 

I think that the company has made a big effort to raise awareness of environmental preservation and moved that step further to not only gain profit on the products, but genuinely help the environment system as a company. 

                                      Hand-crocheted using nylon thread and soda can tabs.

Louis Vuitton Autumn/winter Collection.

The Autumn / Winter campaign photographed by Steven Meisel features Chrisy Turlington , Karen Elson and Natalia Vadianova as the new Louis Vuiton faces. 

Whilst Last years campaign featured futuristic sets , this year the shoot was set to look like an old school movie 
dressing room.

The new feminine look features  rich , cinematic glamorous designs which looked gorgeous on the runway show in Paris fashion week.