Gifting Design: Process


Research


I began this project by researching what a gift is and what it fully means. I then used that information to make a list of questions to ask my mentor to get to know her a little better.

Once I had an idea of what I wanted to make for her, I created a Pinterest board for inspiration for the container and the gift itself.

View full pinterest board

>Exercises/Activities

Exercise 1: Best Gift

#1: The best gift I ever received was getting the chance to go to Israel. It was special to me because I got to see first hand how my culture helped shape my family heritage. Both my grandparents and my parents have been, so getting the opportunity to go experience the places they went to was meaningful to me. It also taught me a lot about my culture, how different life is there, and so many other things. While being there I hiked the same mountain as my ancestors did, visited historical places, and even brought back gifts for those who made this trip possible for myself. I hope to go back one day and visit the same places with people I love. Overall it was a trip I will remember for a lifetime and places I will never forget that made it the best gift ever. 

#2: The best gift I have ever received was a camera from my grandparents that I got as a graduation gift. It was special to me because I got the chance to go pick out the one I wanted with my grandpa. They wanted it to be perfect, so I did as much research as I could on cameras so we wouldn’t run into any problems. It was especially special to them because they knew it was something that I have wanted and it’s something that makes me happy. I love using it to capture moments, whether that’s when I am with my friends/family, traveling, or just walking around. I  take the footage and make one big video to share with others and it puts a smile on my grandparents faces.

Exercise 2: Container

For this assignment we were told to design a container for an object of our choice. Georgia, my partner from assignment 2, and I came up with the idea to make the container a bath tub for the rubber duck. The bathtub was our very first thought because that is where the rubber ducks are usually found. When you open the shower curtain it reveals the duck as well as the quote “wash away your troubles with some bubbles.” This assignment helped me think about unique ways to package a gift.


Iterations


Once I chose the design quote I wanted to incorporate in my gift, I began categorizing my ideas for the container and gift itself.

After collecting the information she told me, I decided I wanted to do some sort of time capsule/memory box. Inside the container would be envelopes that would hold charms based on the category which she would add to the charm bracelet when the time came.

As I started trying to collect the materials that I needed for this project, I noticed I was moving away from the design quote I was incorporating. The gift itself was starting to get complicated and not logical.

Container Iterations

Iteration #1: My first idea was to have the envelopes be stored inside the camera like a filing cabinet. So I designed the top of the camera to come off like a lid and reveal the gift inside.

Iteration #2: I decided I wanted the camera to open like an actual camera and have the envelopes be like film. So to practice I used the template I found online and then cut out the monitor window.

Envelope Iterations

I researched different ways to make unique envelopes to store the pendants in and tested out different proportions.

View template video

Pendants/Neck Strap Iterations


Concept Statement


My overall goal for this assignment was to design a gift for Sarah Torchia, who is in visual communication design. The gift was intended to highlight an idea that I have come to understand as fundamental about design while also creating a gift based on the information she gave me. My inspiration for my gift came from the quote “keep it simple, make it smart” which are the words of my mentor’s favorite designer, Paula Scher. For one of the very first projects in fundamentals, I wrote in the process post how I learned when starting a design, it would be better to start simple and not make it so complicated. I realized through my projects that if I keep it simple from the beginning, it’s easier to perfect that and make changes through each iteration along the way. For the container, I chose to make it a camera because she was introduced to VC through a digital art class in high school and it’s something she loves to do. Sarah is very passionate about living life and embracing moments as well as self growth/sentimental objects. The best gift she ever received was a piece of jewelry from her grandma because it’s something she will always have to remember about her. I decided to use that information and combine it with a separate quote that says “Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the Present.” I paired the words “yesterday”, “present”, and “tomorrow” with words that she lives by/images from her social media which gave the gift a purpose, meaning, and an experience for my recipient. I was designing my gift and making it smart with the information she gave me and then throughout my iterations made it simpler. The gift as a whole is something that she can continue to add memories to and share with others in the future which is what design is all about.


Production


Materials Used

Camera Base

Camera Lens

Envelopes

Lockets

For the pendants I took images from her social media and printed them out to put inside the resin.

Neck Strap

Final Gift

Overall this was one of my favorite projects this semester. When I first started, I was thinking too much about just a gift. When I connected with my mentor, and thought about how I like receiving thoughtful gifts, it became so much easier to create. I got a little lost in the moments and had fun making the experience special when she received my gift. But when I went back to her quote, it made me excited how everything connected. I asked for advice when starting this project and she told me to use a material that I am unfamiliar with. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone so I chose to use resin because its something that I have always wanted to try. Although I messed up the first time, which was my fault since I didn’t read the instructions, the final outcome was one that I was happy with. 


Portfolio Project


View portfolio project