1. Research

For this project, I searched many examples products that communicate deep space with layers and tried to find some common traits they have. Scale, perspective and overlap are some of important elements that could help me reach the sense of space and depth. After that, I started a mind map and explored every possibility. I found out storytelling resonates the most with me, so I use it as the base for developing design concept.

Exercise

After learning the gestalt principles, there was an exercise came after it: use negative space in my initial to hold an image that communicates something about me. The exercise also let me get familiar with laser cut which is beneficial for later works. I sketched out some possible ideas and chose letter “J” as the final letter. Since the negative space of “J” is an open space, it is hard just hold an image in it. So, I explored many fonts and tried to find one that has more potential. I like nature and animal, so I put different animals in negative space and deepen the design of letter “J”.

2. Iteration

After I did the mind map, I quickly sketched some ideas and possible composition that could help illustrate deep space.

Since my main goal is communicating deep space through narrative and storytelling. I ask myself: what kind of story that everyone is familiar? The Little Red Riding Hood popped up in my mind which is perfect media that could communicate with everyone. However, I don’t really want to make one that is identical to the original one. As I explored more about deep space, it could be any space, not necessarily physical space. With these two ideas in mind, I was thinking about twist the story and leave imagination space to viewers. To achieve the goal, I challenge the personality of little red riding hood; instead of being a vulnerable girl, I let her carry a gun and sword. The set up the story continue develop as I create the composition. I was intended to create adapted story from a new perspective and leave imagination space for the audience. As a result, I set the scene before everything happened: little red riding hood is walking in the forest, meanwhile, the wolf is following her.

When I started to develop the composition, I chose contrast and scale to help illustrate the story and space. I also looked up for some references that could help me build the composition on Pinterest. I arranged different scales of trees to create guideline; and the overlap of objects create 3-D effect.

As I was about to finish up the composition, I applied value to it to strengthen the sense of depth and create observation position from the back as a bystander. I make the girl and house black purposely to show the visual focus and importance.

3. Concept Statement

Layers Project communicates deep space and depth through storytelling, inspired by fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood. However, it’s different from the story that we used to know, challenging and questioning the things that we already knew or existed, because I want to break down stereotypes. The story is told from another perspective with same character. The scene is set up specifically before everything happens. It not only presents the deep space physically in visual composition, but also communicates imagination space with viewers. Through narrative and storytelling, I tend to expand story with more possibilities by applying alternative traits on certain characters and leave space to audiences to imagine or interpret what would happen next. Contrast and scale are applied to help set the mood and illustrate the storytelling. Black foreground and lighter gray middleground and background let viewer to observe everything as a bystander from an unobtrusive position. Contrast of different values highlight the importance of character or object. Perspective and guideline formed by different scales of objects create 3-D effect and depth. Material for this project is gray-scale cardstock, Bristol and glue. Dark tones cardstock creates the sense of mysterious for the story.

4. Production

After I finished my composition, I separated them into different layers and laser cut them to do a prototype. It turned out really successful.

Layers

I used cardboard and glue to connect each layer and have distance between them. I used the same way on the final project, but I also put carboard on the side instead of just corners. So, it won’t be floppy.