Research
My partner for this project was Avery Wolf. The research for this project began with both of us finding information about the game of chess.
This included finding how each piece moves, the role each piece plays in the game, and interesting lesser-known moves.
Exercises
The first exercise included assigning narratives to each piece. This exercise was done as a class and the PowerPoint for it is included below.
Chess Piece Exercise PowerPoint_AM-Fri
The second exercise we did included redesigning checkers’ pieces so that they told a narrative. This exercise was done with my partner.
Iterations
Our iterations began with exploring ideas for potential narratives.
We then each took a couple of our ideas and found images to support them.
After reviewing each of our ideas, we decided to go with a narrative involving astrology zodiacs vs Chinese zodiacs. We then researched information about the zodiacs and gather several images that supported our narrative.
We assigned each zodiac a piece based on how the pieces’ characteristics/moving style correlated with the zodiac’s characteristics. The rat was decidedly the king due to its cunning personality, while also being the smallest, most defenseless character, similar to how the king is the most important piece while also being the weakest. The queen is the tiger due to its confidence and adventurousness, similar to how the queen is the only piece that can move virtually anywhere. The dragon is the rook due to it being hard-working and selfless similar to how the rook works hard to protect the king and queen with it being the closest piece to them. The horse is the knight due to its mood swings between being both generous and vain, similar to how the knight is the only piece that can capture without being in danger of being captured. The dog is the bishop due to its giving, fearless nature. This is similar to how the bishop’s only way to capture a piece or protect the king, is to be directly in front or to the side of it. Finally, the monkey is the pawn due to it being a social, thoughtless zodiac. Similar to how pawns consist of 50% of the pieces, while also generally being the first pieces to be captured.
The PDF below shows the research to our narrative.
After finding information and images, we began iterating ideas about designs for the pieces.
While iterating we explored different ways to communicate each zodiac. This included using their symbols, icon silhouette, and month reference (small circles that looked similar to a clock, 1:00=January, 12:00=December). We also wanted to include distinctive parts of the original pieces so that user would be able to recognize which pieces were meant to be the king, queen, rook, etc.
We also explored different base shapes. Our original idea was to have a circular base. With more exploration we decided to have a star base to promote the zodiac theme. With this we had two different stars—one 5 pointed star similar to those seen on the Chinese flag, and one 4 pointed star similar to one seen in a cartoon night sky.
Concept Statement
This project involved recreating chess pieces inspired from a specific narrative. Our chosen narrative for this project is an ethereal war involving astrology zodiacs versus Chinese zodiacs. Each piece was assigned a role based on their “main” or defining traits. I decided to do the Chinese zodiacs part of the chess board. Each piece contains a silhouette of the zodiac animal, and the zodiac’s symbol perpendicular to it. Each zodiac was assigned a piece based on how it’s character traits aligned with the character traits of the pieces themselves. The character traits of the pieces were based off of historical significance as well as how each piece moves on the chess board. The primary principle included in this project is harmony, with the secondary principle bring contrast. Harmony comes from the similar forms each of our pieces have, with only small embellishments on the top to tell them apart quickly. Contrast comes from the two different colors of our pieces—mine being red and my partner’s being black. The primary element for our project was form and our secondary element was color. Form comes from the shape of their pieces, which promotes the ethereal feel through the use of implied spheres. Color is important as it promotes the two different stories to each side—one being constellations in the night sky (black), and one being animals from a Chinese fable (red). This project taught me how to include harmony within a conflicting narrative between two groups, as well as how to imagine inanimate objects as living characters.
Production
Creating AI Files
We began production with creating our Ai files. I created the Chinese zodiac side.
This image shows our original plan for the pieces. Our idea was to water color bristol pages to create the top and use chipboard for the base. However after doing a test run of laser cutting cardstock, we decided that chipboard should be used for the top as well so that the pieces would be sturdy. Our original dimensions for our pieces were 1” wide by 1 3/8” tall. The circle was 1”, the triangle was 1/4”, and the tabs were 1/8”. After reviewing our cardstock pieces, we also decided to make our pieces larger. Originally he signs within the piece were illegible due to it’s small size. Therefore in order to make it clearer we decided to enlarge the piece so that it was 1.35”wide and 1.85” tall.
We also test cut our bases to see how they would fit with the tops. After cutting them out we found that the 5 pointed star would not be able to hold the top in the center properly. Because of this we directed to use the 4 pointed star for all of our pieces.
After consulting with our peers we also made sure to make our rectangle for the slits .047” wide to make sure there was enough room for the chipboard pieces to slide together. Due to our pieces being made out of a thicker material, we also decided to cut off the tabs, and instead use rubber cement to glue the tops to the bases.
After these changes we decided that we still wanted to have colored pieces, therefore we used spray adhesive and glued cardstock to both sides of the chipboard.
Laser cutter
For the first test we put the laser cutter at the recommended settings of 60 power. However after retrieving our chipboard we saw that the laser cutter was not able to cut through to the bottom card stock piece.
We then tested several more iterations by having the laser cutter cut a dot into the card-stock. After the laser cutter was set to cut all the way through our card-stock, we began cutting our pieces again.
After cutting may partner’s pieces out we found that the laser cutter was not able to cut the bottom card-stock layer cleanly (it barely cut through the paper). We then slowed the laser cutter down (it was already at 100% power). After cutting my pieces out with the slower speed, my pieces were cut cleaner than my partner’s, however they still were not cut completely through. My partner then recut her pieces with a slower speed. This time the pieces were cleanly cut.
Due to time I was not able to recut my pieces, therefore I cut some parts of my pieces out by hand. Along with this, since the paper was not cut all the way through in some areas, it was difficult to pop some pieces out. As a result, while taking some pieces out of the chipboard, the bottom card stock layer would rip. To remedy this I tried to cut as much out with my knife as I could before trying to take the pieces out. I also cut out small pieces of red card stock to cover the ripped areas.
Another problem I came across was that the card stock was not properly glued to the chipboard and would fall off. For those pieces I re-sprayed the chipboard and glued the card stock back on.
The bases were uncolored due to limited card stock supplies. Because the bases did not have card stock on them, they cut cleanly the first time.
Building
Building consisted of sliding the tops together. After that was completely we applied rubber cement to the bottom of the tops and then glued them to the bases.
Final
These are images of the final product
Reflection
If I were to do this project again, my main focus of improvement would involve using the laser cutter. I would change the settings so that the laser cutter went slower in order to get a cleaner cut on my pieces. Another possibility would be to test if two glued pieces of Bristol would be sturdy enough for our pieces instead of chipboard.
I would also explore using different card-stock that had printed designs in order to help promotes the narrative of the pieces (ex. A star-patterned piece of card stock for astrology zodiacs).
A third part of this project I would improve upon is making cleaner files for the laser cutter to cut. This mean cutting off the tabs completely so that each piece would not have them.
Link
View final project at Chess Redesign