DESCRIPTION:
Design and construct a three-dimensional masking form or body augmentation. We were asked to create a narrative to establish ideas that will help refine decisions in form, material, action (performance) and meaning. The narrative will address the theme of masking as related to a pandemic. We were asked to work collaboratively in teams of two. And given the responsibility for creating our own composition (although some teams may choose to fully share all assignment responsibilities), but the narrative that we use has to be a collaborative idea. In final presentation, we were asked to present our work together as an unified concept.
NARRATIVE DRAFT:
– First of all Me and My partner Carter Teal started to think of a Narrative. We started with analyzing what should our concept statement be like and what we should include.
– Then I thought of an idea for the narrative, including an issue of social judgements and assumptions. Since my last project had a similar concept, I thought to carry it further through this concept.
– The first concept statement I came up with was to make two masks that are layered. The mask on top has writings all over it that shows society’s judgements and assumptions. The mask underneath made of layered plastic like clear/milky material which indicates the message of clarity and shows the truth that we want to share about us in public. After taking off both the masks, the person should be seen as who they truly are inside and out.
EXERCISE:
– We started the assignment by talking about the description. When I first heard about this project, I automatically assumed that the mask would make the best sense if it was made of the face area. Keeping the current pandemic situation in mind.
– So, we started off by drawing each other’s portraits. Including front and side view of full face.
– First picture is how professor Deborah taught us to draw portraits. And rest of the pictures are the portraits me and my partner Carter Teal, drew of each other. And started labeling ideas for our narrative.
– Professor Deborah asked all students to create origami balloon. To show us an example and differences of origami and kirigami.
– In this exercise we were asked to create a mask in given period of time (20 minutes). But we were also asked to make the mask with a narrative about what pandemic has done to our lives and how it has affected. So I made a mask slightly similar to the use and throw masks we used during covid 19. I then drew a night sky scene to show how I became a night owl during quarantine. Drew a landscape to show that I enjoyed and appreciated outdoors and nature more. And a sleepy emoji to show that I really got good sleep during the pandemic. For the inside I actually cut the mask in my preferred shape and attached it to the card stock, so it feels comfortable when wore. I particularly chose this shape for the mask keeping facial shapes in mind, like cheeks and nose. I wanted something that doesn’t cover nose entirely and is easy to breathe and is not a problem with glasses on and isn’t loose from the sides.
– Then we were asked to switch our masks with our partners and have the partner work on the mask to completely change it and make it into something else with a unique narrative.
– This is the mask my partner came up with by the end of this exercise.
– I made this mask, that covered entire face and was focused on the eyes. While we were asked to work on this exercise, me and my partner were discussing the narrative about social judgements and so I decided to work with it and create something unique.
– I took her mask and created a shield like cover for it that covers the entire face. I then drew question marks around the shield. I focused on the eyes and put a clear material over her mask, to make it look foggy and gets harder to view the drawn images on her actual mask.
– I decided to focus on the eyes because earlier Deborah mentioned that eyes can say a lot of things without saying them. It can show someone’s true personality and is like a window to the person’s soul. I made it look foggy and hard to view the images to show that from far away you cannot truly judge a person. It takes time to know and understand a person, and so we shouldn’t judge someone by the physical appearance. I drew question marks symbolizing her unknown personality. Mostly showing that the person behind the mask can be someone who is different than what you have been assuming.
NARRATIVE ITERATIONS:
– Continuing with the social assumptions and judgements narrative, me and my partner came up with multiple ideas of masks. We were thinking of making an armor like body covering mask that has bunch of keys (assumptions written on them) hanging to it and a unique material used near the heart area which has a lock. There has to be one unique key in the armor that opens the opposite partner’s armor’s lock, unlocking the assumptions and getting to see the reality of the person’s personality. So we could create a connection and be able to show the narrative and how it can help throughout the pandemic.
– For some reason, my partner really wanted to work with a hypothetically build pandemic. So, I discussed her about an idea of radioactive waves that can affect a body part inside the skin, and we use the armor to protect us from the vibration as well as from the judgements.
– Carter than came up with the idea of radioactive vibrations that makes sounds abnormally loud and hard to hear. So she suggested that we change our entire pandemic and the mask idea we had. We didn’t have much time to do that so I decided to trust her ideas and start working on building the project.
– I gave couple of draft ideas for design of the mask covering ears and mouth. Ears should be covered by a headphone like design to show that they work as filtering and lowering the volume. And similarly have a microphone like device in front of the mouth that helps lowering the volume while talking so it’s helpful for the person listening without the headphones.
Construction:
– I decided to use maxium numbers of wires in this project because wires is one of the first things that comes to mind when we hear terms like vibrations, radioactive waves, etc.
– I started building my ideas on paper, so that I can explain it better to my partner and help her understand my point.
– In order to make the head sets, I and my partner decided to cover a hair-tie bun into a thin tights leggings and wrap it with wires. We chose to do silver and green wires. Silver representing hearing part while the green represents talking.
CONSTRUCTION ITERATIONS:
– We decided to use left over leggings to use on a circular cut foam to make the microphone part of the mask. I had many iterations with what to do with the microphone part, because I and my partner divided work by assigning me to make a fancier microphone and carter to make fancier headphone set to show the connection part.
– Carter and I ended up agreeing to use plastic sheet and creating a spiral coming out of microphone part along with the wires to show the filtration process of sound.
– I laser cut these templates that I drew for the project. I used the spiral template to create the sound filtration part of the microphone.
– I cut three triangles and built them to place on top of the headset. The purpose of this was to show a unique shape that can be used as sound controlling buttons as well as work as balancing materials for the mask.
Final Outcome:
– I used plastic cut outs and wrap it with green wire that connects the headset and microphone together making it one whole mask.
– I used hair-ties behind earphone design to lock it on the ears for comfortable wearing experience.
– The push pins on the front of microphone symbolizes buttons that can adjust the volume. And it also holds the wires and spiral together perfectly on the foam circle.
COMPLICATIONS AND TAKE AWAYS:
– I personally think that I and my partner lacked communication throughout the project.
– Because we changed our narrative very late during the project, I thought we decided to make one mask and just work on two different parts of it as connection. But two days before the submission due date, my partner asked me to make a different one of my own just focus more on the microphone part. Since she brought all the materials, it was fair for her to ask me to start the project all over again to make a piece of my own. I asked her to send me pictures of how her final project turns out so I can make sure mine is similar in terms of scale, so it’s fair to show the connection. But for some understandable reasons she was unable to share photos or discuss the rest of the project with me until the due date. I somehow ended up creating the entire project from scratch in 2 days and was able to present it on time but didn’t get a single minute to compare it with my partner before the presentation.
– My take away from this project is to work ahead of time and communicate clearly. I understand that one can only clap with two hands and it takes two people for a good or bad communication. I have to figure out my mistakes that I made during this partnered project and make sure I don’t repeat those for future projects. I enjoyed working with Carter and really appreciate all the ideas and work she has put in for the project. Her hard work and genius ideas are something I will look up to. I am thankful for everything this project has taught me.
THANK YOU SO MUCH