Design Principles / Project 2

19.10.2022 - 4.11.2022 (Week 8- Week 10)

Loke Yan Ling / 0344602 

Design Principles / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media

Project 2: Sense of Place

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Instructions

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Briefing & Recap

In this project, we have to express a location to capture the social and environment aspects, and even time/s effects that will best express the intention/interpretation for a particular location. The place becomes the subject of the composition in which the design principles are applied. This requires us to move beyond the classroom to the outer world and to employ the skills in capturing and communicating a complex relationship. Observe surroundings - people, vehicles, buildings, plants, signages, nature , activities. Record these in sketches, photography and/ or video recording. Study all the visuals that you had collected. 

Visual Reference

Figure 1.1 Tokai

Figure 1.2 Supermarket

Figure 1.3 Tiffz Coffee Gallery

Figure 1.4 Home capture on 18/10/2022

Figure 1.5 Paddy field on the way to airport

Figure 1.6 Door of my house

Figure 1.6 Lofi Illustration

Figure 1.7 Japan style illustration

Idea Exploration

Week 8 of this semester is Independence Learning Week, no class but we have to learn and keep on project progression. Thus, I back to my hometown, Kedah for idea exploration. Unfortunately, the only car in use was in service and my father is not at home. That mean there no transportation, so I research and memorize some places that I have visit or been before. I have take 3 photo when at home and duration to the airport. Thus, I came out with 5 ideas.

Idea 1: Kampung Ah Piew

Figure 2.1 Sketch 1

In Chinese tradition, we have to visit our mother's family on the second day of the New Year. This is the place where our family visit every year. All my relatives on my mother side will be there too. They call this place as 'Tokai'. The road is narrow and can only accommodate one vehicle and surrounded by paddy field. Although every New Year's Day is just after harvest time and there are only empty fields, I can still imagine the harvest of paddy. 

Feedback: Did not show the sense of place on idea 1 and 3, idea 2, 4 and 5 does. Try to explain more on the sense of place.

Sense of place: it is hot and united. The painted colour will be harmony.

Idea 2: Supermarket

Figure 2.2 Sketch 2

When I was a child, my father was always away on work trips, which could be as short as three days or as long as two weeks. Every times he came back, if he have time, he would bring us all to supermarket for grocery. It is a normal grocery day for other people, but for me, it is a connection with my father. I used to ask my dad: "Can I buy cococrunch? " and the answer was always no, unless there was a gift of a toy that would be accommodated once or twice. Until now I'M IN university now, the grocery still the connection with my father, because when he works at kl or pass by, he would bring us to grocery if he have time. Sense of place is cold and loneliness.

Idea 3: Tiffz Coffee Gallery

Figure 2.3 Sketch 3

This is the first café I visit in my hometown. There were always a lot of tuition classes during secondary school and this café open near the tuition place. Before the classes started, I would use the pocket money I had saved to have a full meal there. So it was the first café I ever paid for myself. The food was delicious, especially pasta, which brought me back for more. While enjoying the food, you can also smell the coffee aroma that fills the shop. They also have a very good pulling technique and I heard that they have won many coffee competitions, but unfortunately I can't try it as I don't drink coffee. 

Sense of place is cozy and relax.

Idea 4: Home

Figure 2.4 Sketch 4

This is a sight of my house, the car shows where my father at home or not. Since my house has many glass doors and windows, the scene of glass reflecting sunlight is very beautiful. When the weather is sunny, the upstairs windows hold part of the sky to themselves. When it rains, the roof drips. My home protects us no matter what the weather is like and brings us a different sensory experience.

Sense of place: comfort 

Idea 5: Merry Christmas

Figure 2.5 Sketch 5

Merry Christmas always my favourite festival. Although I'm not Christian, but we celebrate since I was small because my mother love this festival so much. Before Christmas come, we all will decorate the our house together and the Christmas tree. Lay out all the statue or small toy that related with Christmas on the table. The Christmas tree takes more time to decorate because it is too big, we have carry all the way down from upstairs and unload it. Putting the socks, ribbons, ornament and lights on it, Last, one of us would stand on the chair to put the last important decoration, the star. Tadaaaaa, here is our Christmas tree. 

Sense of place: festival and joyful

Progression

I decided to develop idea 1 and 5 because I want to take a chance to try. Due to the first sketch of idea 1 that lack of sense of place, I redraw the “Tokai” with different side of view. It is a view very year I watch through the paddy field. However, the composition let me feel a bit too tight. I change the composition again to make the view more breathable. The colour of the paddy field is not united enough, so I make the progression on Figure 3.5 and draw a cloud shadow on paddy field to have a little contrast.

Figure 3.1 Sketch 1 version 2

Figure 3.2 Idea Progress 1

Figure 3.3 Sketch 1 version 3 

Figure 3.4 Idea Progress 2

Figure 3.5 Idea 1 Progress 3

Figure 3.6 Idea 1 Progress 4 with cloud shadow

Figure 3.7 Idea 1 Progress 5 with different cloud position

Figure 3.7 Idea 5 Progress 1

Figure 3.8 Idea 5 Progress 2

Feedback: 

The idea 1 buildings on the left are blocky because overall illustration are more abstract. The colour of the paddy field can take back the colour of Figure 3.4 due to the sense of warm that want to express. For idea 5, the Christmas tree can be larger to balance up overall composition and remain the background size to show the white space. 

Figure 3.9 Idea 5 Progress 3

Figure 3.10 Idea 5 last progress

Figure 3.11 Idea 1 Last Progress

Unfortunately, I didn't manage to complete the idea 5, the details such as the decoration on the Christmas tree is not added. The building at the back in idea 1 has redrawn to wooden house as Miss Yip suggested when she notice the visual reference I provided for Kampung Ah Piew. The yellow building also gave a rougher outline to reduce the blockings. I try to add some elements to the yellow house which is the place I visit every Chinese New Year. After memorizing, I remember an element  the uneven crack that crawl all over the house. Last, to make the colour more harmony, I reduce the saturation of the wooden house.

Final Self-Portrait:

My Childhood, Tokai

Figure 3.12 My Childhood, Tokai

Rational:

Tokai is a nickname on Kampung Ah Piew that came from my parents and relatives. Although I didn't know the exact meaning, but the nickname and the festival make this place special for me. Every Chinese New Year, I would bring extra clothes to there. Because after taking many many beautiful photo, I can change my clothes and play with relatives! This is the only day that all kids ran all around the house and not scolded by the elders. We play hide and seeks, 123 wooden man, haunted game and so many of it. At the evening, uncle who sells different flavor ice-cream will came by. Honestly, the yam flavored ice cream taste is the best I ever had. Due to the Malaysia Movement Control Order, I missed visit that place for 2 years. I have visited last year (2021) once when my relative passed away due to heart attack which is the owner of the yellow house in the Figure above. We call him as "Jiu Gong". he is very nice to us and I miss him. At that moment, I know everything wouldn't be the same now. things change and so am I. I have to grow up. The bountiful rice fields reflect the beautiful childhood this place brought me, and the clear sky represents the brightness of my mood here. The cracks represent the age of the buildings.

Reflection:

In this project, I found that there are so many design principles can be found around us. The harmony color in nature, the line and shape in buildings, the white space in the decoration of café and the repetition of pattern on decoration. Design principles help us to build a basic which can help us to develop our idea more easily. I also appreciate my attentiveness that like to observe surrounding, and the ability to catch a moment and burn it into my mind. I can recall back my memory with a specific moment. I still remember how hot the whether was in Tokai, the cold and loneliness at supermarket, how the smell of coffee spread in the atmosphere at the Tiffz café and how the comfort feeling  make me feel safe when at home. I have to mention it again that I really enjoy the progress of exploring idea, redrawing and finalize it, this makes me feel improvement everyday. 

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