Dynamic Pages: Process

1. Research

The research for this project is basically paper mechanism and videos that could visualize the music. Me and my partner Mark shared some music we like and decided the final theme music is Determination. Determination – YouTube

I found that lines could illustrate the movement of the music really well which helps my later works.


Exercise

Mechanism Exercise

I made a simple paper mechanism during class. It’s a sliding mechanism and has popup effect.

 

I also experimented two paper mechanisms based on YouTube videos

To better understand how to visualize sounds abstractly, I used basic shapes and lines to demonstrate the beats, tones and changes in the music during in-class exercise.

2. Iteration

Me and my partner were more focus on the changes of melody and the mood. As I searched many mechanisms, nothing really fitted the music, because the music I chose has significant changes throughout the whole thing which is the beauty of it, and I want to present it out.

So, I continued search up different mechanism and found out the Bauhaus Optical Illusion 4 on Cut / Fold Templates for paper mechanisms (cutfoldtemplates.com) could create a whole composition and demonstrate the changes. And then, I did a several tests as shown below.

I also download a template from Amazing Pop-Up Card – Peter Dahmen and built this.

As I had more understanding of the mechanism, I started to create the composition which also gradually formed in my head while I was doing tests.

I tried to use different size, height and angle line shape to illustrate the movement and changes.

3. Concept Statement

The Dynamic Pages communicate the mood and movements of music through a kinetic paper mechanism. I consider the chosen music as a whole to present by focusing on the line, form and pattern. The only mechanism I chose is Bauhaus Optical Illusion, 180° form. The lines are abstract generalization of the music. The composition is intentionally applied by design principles: balance, movement, rhythm, contrast and unity. Lines with different size, height, angles embody the philosophical worldview of contradiction and unity. The dynamic composition creates rhythm when the same visual element, lines, is repeated continuously. The arrangement lines with regular changes by different ratio or equal ratio processing to produce music-like melody. Rhythmic composition has a positive vitality and has the energy to strengthen the whole mood. The template is cut out by laser cut while material is Bristol.

4. Production

I choose to only use white for the whole composition, because I want to more focus on the dynamic movement while color might be distracted. I made a template on illustrator and did the laser cut.

Final Production

5. Link to Portfolio Project