Ian Arenas: May 2009

Friday, May 15, 2009

18 Sketch Perspectives

A combination of one-point and two-point perspective drawings, F and H shaped pathways.

Monday, May 11, 2009

We all know Obama won the election because he looked like change, sounded like change and never stopped campaigning for change. Presenting herself not only as an object of desire but as a material girl with her eye on the profits was one of the many smart moves she made from the beginning.

Fear and power do not peacefully coexist. It follows, then, that she who wishes to reach the most rarefied and potent ranks of fashion, whether in dealmaking or designing, must have a certain serenity. Obama puts it this way: "I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views." But those metaphors all suggest that he is some sort of passive instrument, when in fact his elusive quality is an active part of his personality.

"I like to mix it up and make things in the opposite way than they were meant for," What sets her apart is her disregard--in some cases, her open contempt--for the dictates of fashion. Whereas common sense says a designer should design what she likes, Prada will choose a color (sic) that she despises, because of the rush it gives her when she can make something beautiful with it. By flaunting her control and her triumphs, Madonna gave fans a stake in her long-term prospects, something that loyalists should be able to appreciate as her sex appeal inevitably fades.

For ushering the country across a momentous symbolic line, for infusing our democracy with a new intensity of participation, for showing the world and ourselves that our most cherished myth — the one about boundless opportunity — has plenty of juice left in it.

References:

Barack Obama

David V. Drehle, “Why History Can’t Wait”

http://www.time.com/time/specials/2008/personoftheyear/article/0,31682,1861543_1865068_1867013,00.html (Accessed: 11/05/2009)

Michael Grunwald, “How Obama Is Using the Science Of Change”

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1889153,00.html (Accessed: 11/05/2009)

Madonna

Jon Pareles, “Material Woman, Restoring Her Brand” http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/arts/music/27pare.html?_r=I (Accessed: 11/05/2009)

Miuccia Prada

Belinda Luscombe, “Miucci Prada” http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,993332,00.html (Accessed: 11/05/2009)

Kate Betts, “Miuccia’s Material World” http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1594161,00.html (Accessed 11/05/2009)

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Sketch Play: Before the dawn of the ruler..

Playing around with freehand sketching, trying to get a feel between one and two point perspectives.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Perspective Views

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The rephrasing of both quotes into an electroliquid aggregation, whimsically plays with the idealism that man has tried to seek the truth, yet the gravity of mankind and their endeavours can only been seen as personal conquests. The primary focus was on contrast, between two sides of the coin, and is apparent by understanding the difference of impartial thinking.

The concept rationale follows from the development phase, as most ideas/commentary has been extrapolated across. One main theme of the overall concept was that there were no elevated spaces, as such ideas of each scientist would create an environment of working transparently, opposed to autonomously.

Meeting Space and Ramp Access

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1. A Y-shaped structure was used to imply strength to support the suspended laboratory against the cliff, and semantically acts as a meeting point for both scientist. The shape whimsically plays with the notion of cloning seen by the two symmetrical pathways diverging into one.

2. Lighting was used extensively to convey a sense of contrast between the two scientist, especially seen from their respective works. Blue representing the mystic depths of the ocean, and the warmer tones transcending away from natural colour ambience to something more artificial. Also note the structural beams underneath the ramp aiding in supporting the whole suspended structure.

3. The idea of ribs again plays with the attribute of structure, support, and also reduces the visually mass linking the two laboratories together by allowing natural light in.

4. Forward view, as seen from Cousteau's lab, of the meeting place, when both paths diverge into one.

5. Ramp access, as seen from Campbell's lab, also notice the attention to lighting as one moves from one space to another.

6. The meeting space, can also been seen as a fork in the road (with the idealism of artificial fusing with nature).

Jaques-Yves Cousteau's Laboratory

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1. The use of artificial lighting to give a connection between the ocean depths. The lighting carefully gradients diagonally upward (left to right), to semantically convey the motion of diving into the unknown. Cousteau's laboratory was chosen to be positioned off the vertical for this very reason of playing with spatial arrangements, it's noted it can easily been seen as an object floating on the surface of a vast ocean.

2. Moving from the meeting space towards the entrance Cousteau's laboratory.

3. The stairs immediately lead down to the working space indicating a sense of sinking initially. It was important to have a high ceiling as this relationship between user and structure imparts a sense of floating, provided by the lighting. Natural light was an important theme of this space, seen by a ray of natural light penetrating. This particular idea links the ocean to nature, and is a metaphor of hope for Cousteau's work and his love of the seas.

4. To emphasise the ray of light penetrating the structure, careful attention to allowing light filter from the sides opposed to directly above. The roof cascading downward also is a metaphor to a single drop of water (and an analogy used frequently to a start of new ideas and nature).

Keith Campbell's Laboratory

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1. The idea of separation before becoming one.

2. Similar in concept to the workings of Cousteau's laboratory, a beacon of light is projected on ceiling angled towards the sky, a metaphor of idea and hope for Campbell's technology. The strong contrast seen by light and shade (especially the light from the rear), is an idea that such scientific research could have hope to those who believe, in spite of the ethical in differences. On the whimsical play of my electroliquid aggregation quote, I also wanted to create an uncanny resemblance to a mad scientist workshop, with cold stark ambience and lighting bolts of electricity.

3. Illustrates the play with shadows, and the initial division of space. The lit doorway between each space is where the cloning fuses.

4. Symmetry of form and arrangement was focus of cloning, as also taking a back seat approach (generalised view) of Campbell's work, seen by mixing religious connotations with the scientific outlook.