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Week 3: Sensors

This week, we learned about sensors and using different types of sensors to turn an LED light on and off. To do this, we used Velostat which is a conductive fabric. 

We had several options in terms of what type of sensors to use, but my partner and I decided to do the first one, which was the linear potentiometer. To do this, we needed to use a conductive surface, spacers, and the Velostat to allow for room to switch the light on and off. 

In terms of the coding part, we had a little trouble getting the output to reflect the sensor value. They were way too high for starting points and didn’t reflect much of a change, but we figured it out and here is the code: 

Overall, it was interesting to learn the way that sensors can be controlled and altered. Here is the end result of the sensor working: working sensor

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Week 7: Inflatables

This week, we learned about pneumatics – using gas/pressurised air to create movement in a certain flow. We would be creating our own inflatable shape and using the motor to inflate and deflate it. 

First, my partner and I created the circuit for the motor. It looked pretty complicated at first, but then we realised the first loop just needed to be repeated three times for each of the connection points – the first motor, second motor, and air valve. Here is the motor in action with the demo inflatable: working motor

I forgot to document our design, but we decided to create a rectangle that would fold/curl up as air is pushed in and out of it. To do this, we first sketched the rectangle then drew rhombuses lining vertically along it. The first try cutting it didn’t exactly work, but we realised that it was because we had left no gap between the cut rhombuses and the edge. It ended up being torn by the cutter. The second time, we left room around as a border, and it worked. 

If I were to do this differently, I would have started with a design that was a little simpler and fully understand the mechanics of it first. However, overall I feel like it was a pretty successful execution. 

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Week 5: Textiles

This week, we learned about textiles and creating textiles out of unconventional materials. For my new textile, my partners and I decided to use leaves that had “fallen” off of the tree outside of the classroom. (I forgot to document the process with photos and forgot to take a photo of the end result). 

The tree looked a little like the one above, but had longer leaves – thus, we decided to tear each of the leaves off the smaller branches and start weaving them together to create a woven textile. We then added duct tape the seal the edges and keep it together, then added split pins in the intersections of each leaf. The result was a flexible yet rigid textile, that bent at the intersecting angles. 

Though it looked cool, upon reflection after the class, I realise that I should have expanded my thoughts and ideas in terms of what could be used to create a new textile. I definitely went with something a little more conventional, and it wasn’t really something new – the tacky pins didn’t add any value to the textile either. If I were to expand on this or do it again, I would search for more out-of-the-box materials and also think about the function of every element I am putting into it, rather than just making it look pretty. I would also experiment with different ways of creating fabric/textiles rather than a basic weave – maybe with different knots. 

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My Memory

For my memory, I think one of the most prominent moments I remember was when I was sitting in a cafe by the window when it was raining outside. The window looked out into a park in NYC, so it was perfect for people watching. I was reading my book and drinking coffee, listening to the sounds of the rain as ambient noise while music was playing softly in my headphones (they were not noise-cancelling). It felt extremely peaceful. 

Sitting by this window, I saw people running away from the rain, but also saw the slowness of people enjoying a walk under their umbrellas, free from the water dripping down from the sky. I heard children laughing as they splashed in puddles and cars honking as the drivers tried to navigate the slippery roads in the traffic. From the coffeeshop itself, I heard the coffee being made, and people having various conversations as the soft French music in the cafe played in the background. This is one of the moments I had cherished most, because as I grew older and became busier, I haven’t had moments to just enjoy sitting in a cafe in a very long time. 

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Photo Diptych Concept

For this assignment, I want to do a diptych that portrays two perspectives: one of the subject and one of the viewers towards the subject. I also want to make a tribute to a significant historical figure of some sort. Some ideas are Joan of Art (a play on Joan of Arc, who heard voices when she was 13 to save France and help with the coronation of Charles but later was burned at stake for a variety of “crimes” and became the patron saint of France), and Lee Krasner (wife of Jackson Pollack, and hid in his shadow for the entirety of his art career – was not recognised until after his death). Every situation is in the eyes of the beholder, and there are always multiple perspectives that contribute to the rise and downfall of a historical figure. 

An idea I had for Lee Krasner was to stage a photo where someone is painting outside the window, and I am (taking the photo) looking through the eyes of Krasner, watching from behind the shadows and curtains. The second photo would be a collage of things that represent concepts significant to her life story as told by others – for example, a face mask and curtains to represent how she was overshadowed, a marriage certificate to represent how she was only known prior as Mrs. Pollack, and colourful paint splatters as a tribute to her painting style. 

 

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Week 4: Reflection and Mask

Paris Is Burning Reflection

Everything is a social construct, whether it is our gender, our jobs, or our entire identities. In Paris Is Burning, we see a conglomeration of people who express themselves in any way, shape, or form in “balls” held in venues around New York City. When the participants enter the venue space, who they are in the outside world disappears, and they are free to be whoever they want to be. Judged in different categories, despite being given a rating, everyone is a winner and no one is critical or disapproving in the space. 

In society, we are led to believe that we have to conform to male or female, certain jobs that we hold, and certain expectations and/or restrictions that come with our race and education. However, the people in the documentary decide to use fashion as a way to break past those barriers, truly expressing the fluidity of human identity and what it means to be ourselves. They found a community bound together by their queer identities and acceptance, and reinvented themselves even if it’s only for a few hours. 

Overall, the main takeaway is that fashion is not always in the eyes of the beholder – it is also in the hands of whomever chooses to wear different pieces of clothing, different styles, and different materials. While stereotypes and judgements are still prevalent in the modern-day world, they should empower us rather than make us feel lesser than we are. 

Mask Assignment

For this week’s assignment, we were instructed to create a mask/headpiece that expressed a part of our identity that cannot be expressed in our everyday fashion. I worked with Rainee Yang. 

Concept: Ecofeminism

Ecofeminism examines the connection between nature and females, and explores the concept of domination by the patriarchy in our society. It focuses on the destruction and abuse of nature and their consequences as caused by capitalism and a male-dominated world. This branch of feminism draws attention to the recognition and acceptance of interdependence of humans and the natural world, as well as acknowledging nature as something that nourishes us.

Construction

While we originally wanted to use real flowers, they would have died too quickly so we decided to use fake flowers that had wire stems, allowing for more flexibility. By creating the headpiece in a way that wraps around the wearer, it represents not just the restraint felt by proponents of ecofeminism, but also the integration of our bodies with nature. The stems are made to look almost as if they are growing out of the wearer, with orchids representative of female organs and the gingko leaves representative of lungs, breathing, and thus, freedom. 

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Sound Visualisation Project – Jasper’s Song by Flume

For this project, I decided to base it off of Jasper’s Song by Flume. This song starts out quite mild, then starts getting distorted yet simultaneously flows as it progresses. Due to the multiple layers in the song, I was inspired to create a piece that reflected the flow and layers of it. 

With the One Black Square assignment, I really struggled to make full usage of the entire canvas. With this project, I wanted the symbols to reach out towards and even past the shown pages, as this song gave me the feeling of extension and a continuous flow. I decided to use the similarity and figure/ground concepts to fully express the feel of the song to me. 

In all honesty, I wasn’t quite sure where to start as I was pretty new to Illustrator. As I was listening to the song, it sounded like a flower that bloomed into something angry, mysterious, and passionate. Thus, I decided to create a sort of piece that had tendrils flowing out and extending through the entire page. To represent the growth of the song, I decided to make the piece from bottom up, as if it’s a sheet of music but rather another form of visualising the sound and almost watching it progress along with the music. 

If I had more time to do this project, I would pay attention to the details more. I wanted all parts to interconnect, but unfortunately, some parts of it were very slightly disconnected or not following the flow. 

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Pioneer Plaque

For this assignment, Hugo Wang and I  decided to explain the evolution of communication methods to the aliens. We want to emphasize on how technology advancement and societal changes shape the ways human communicate by including important milestones and highlights (new tools, better speed etc.) throughout human history.
The primary way of communication is via oral expression. It is a straightforward way for us human to exchange information and it became more important after written and spoken languages were constructed. It is also important to let aliens understand how our biological limitations and capabilities shape the way we communicate with one another. On the plaque, we wanted to use long lines to represent the “talking” process. As introduced in the book, aliens used long antennae to write. Therefore, we think it makes it easier for them to understand what we are trying to convey if we could borrow some of their communication elements and incorporate into our plaque.
The next component on the plaque sheds light on how humans overcome physical limitations to convey and exchange information. In ancient times, humans used pigeons as messengers due to their natural homing abilities for long-distance communications. The notes are tied to the birds’ legs and they are sent home with a message. This signifies the primal phase of remote communication that is rather time-consuming and unstable.
With the development of governance, communication systems were made possible. We included the postal system to signify how humans could also collaborate with one another, on the basis of social systems and constructs (governments, religion etc.) to facilitate the process of communications. However, the tool to communicate stays rather primal. Horses were the main way to transport these mails.
With the advent of electrical telegraph and the continued study of how sound is transmitted via the human voice, a more convenient method of communication emerged. This is a significant development in the evolution of communication methods because of the amount of time and resources saved on this important invention. Telephones made it easier for businesses to communicate with each other and as the network expands, the area one could reach is also expanded.
The eventual two devices represent the modern way of communication. Humans started to apply written and spoken language on devices (mobile phones, laptops) to communicate with one another. The communication system is more advanced compared with traditional dialing system and the possibilities of communication become almost limitless.
To build links among these different phases of communication, we used arrows. Even though it could be risky for aliens to understand that this signifies progress, it is a safe and easy way to represent the concept of evolution without overcomplicating the plaque.
To further simplify the threshold of understanding the plaque, we used a circular pattern to demonstrate the whole process as in the book aliens were accustomed to using circular shapes to write and comprehend texts.

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Week 1: Soft Circuits

For the first week of this class, we were instructed to create a circuit using conductive thread, fabric, a battery, and LED lights. To start the process, we first built a tester on a breadboard to understand how the circuit works, then applied that concept to the fabric shape we chose (I did a heart). 

Originally, I had intended to have a magnet switch, but it unfortunately would not work with my design so I decided to have a button instead. To do this, I used three pieces of the same fabric and sewed through the layers, ensuring the conductive threads of each segment did not cross. I also cut a hole in the middle layer so the knot inside the pouch holding the battery could be touched by the knot on the bottom layer, completing the circuit when the knots are pressed together. 

Overall, I struggled a bit with not letting the threads touch each other, however, once I understood it fully it was much smoother to complete the project. I have attached the final product demonstration below. 

soft circuit final