virtual environments module one

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Module 1 - Ideation Adam Galvin | 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

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Page 1: Virtual Environments Module One

Module 1 - IdeationAdam Galvin | 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

Page 2: Virtual Environments Module One

Page 2Adam Galvin 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

Page 3Adam Galvin 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

Entropy

“The general struggle for exis-tence of animate beings is not a struggle for raw materials – these, for organisms, are air, water and soil, all abundantly available – nor for energy which exists in plenty in any body in the form of heat, but a struggle for [negative] entropy, which becomes available through the transition of energy from the hot sun to the cold earth.”

The design both represents a process of entropy, and under-went a process itself. In initial representations, simple undu-lating sine waves were used (1). Later, exponential (2), and random (3) properties were added to better represent the concept.

The laws of thermodynam-ics are universal, and control all aspects of life. The cooling of all things, or expenditure of energy is inevitable and impossible to avoid. Entropy represents forwards motion & procession through life; That all things end at a base line.

Entropy in the context I am considering is the measure of randomness within a system. Therefore, it in itself is not a process which I can represent. Instead, I seek to express it’s nature through a process in which it is prevelant. Repre-senting the lapse of time in this system will be recquired to communicate the increasing presence of entropy in a sys-tem.

I plan to explore three actions in which this process plays a major role; of melting, the mix-ing of fluids, or the breaking of waves.

Finding the most apt embodi-ment of the process and then persuing it into a form which can be utilised as a lantern is my aim herein.

Page 3: Virtual Environments Module One

Page 4Adam Galvin 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

Page 5Adam Galvin 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

MeltingA time lapse of plastercine deteriorating in a microwave; photos taken in 10 second in-crements. The rate at which the cylinder deteriorated is initially predict-able, along with the form’s pro-gression as it melted. At 1:10 the piece slipped on it’s self, an interaction that is hard to predict and model reliably. The process of melting was then accelerated by liquid pools of plastercine, causing different parts to melt at dif-ferent rates, then to slip more.

This accurately represents the process of entropy, as the number of members increase the process becomes more chaotic, and eventually de-volves to an end point - a pool of liquid,

As much as this is an accurate representation of the process I am exploring, it seems like this particular embodiment could not be effectively communi-cated through a single, static piece of sculpture.

DropletsMy first model, scribbled over with arrows to try and hide it’s disgusting form. Representing the process of a boiling droplet of water being dropped into cool water from height. Fluid dynamics aren’t a sci-ence, but rather a matter of probability and statistics, with the inherent “randomness” in-creasing over time due to the dispersal of energy through-out the medium. The thick-est white arrows represent definite movements I observed during experementation; the narrower showing less predict-able movements.

I encountered a few majour problems creating this particu-lar representation, mainly that the modelling clay I was work-

ing with would not retain it’s form for any extended period, causing the shape to droop to a degree that distorted the accurracy of the model. The model also had a distinctly “static” feel, wich wasn’t con-gruent with my aims to portray the progression from predict-ability to psuedo-chaos.

Page 4: Virtual Environments Module One

Page 6Adam Galvin 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

Page 7Adam Galvin 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

WavesHaving observed a number of waves breaking I felt like I could create an accurate rep-resentation out of modelling clay with little trouble. The challenge was communicat-ing the lapse of time as the wavebroke, though this proved easier than the represenation for droplets or melting. Time is presented as flowing from left to right of the image,

This form is a representation of the process of a wave break-ing, which is the process I wish to actualise as a lantern, effec-tively communicating the con-cept and progression of entro-py within a system. Though the lapse of time is not completely intuitive, it is more so than the other designs as there is a clear and linear progression through the form.

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The form placed against a graph better communi-cates it’s intent - The bell curve relationship between inverse predictability and time. The final phases only become more predictable

where zero energy remains, resulting in the form being completely predictable (al-beit non-existent) again.

as the amount of available energy reduces due to an increasing amount of en-tropy. As energy leaves the system, the system’s abil-ity to change is reduced, eventually reaching a point

Page 5: Virtual Environments Module One

Page 8Adam Galvin 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

Page 9Adam Galvin 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

Abstraction - PrecedentsPresenting an idea in material form recquires that it be abstracted, that is transformed from a complex concept (En-tropy), to a final form (The lantern).

I drew inspiration from the works of Mark Brooks, a graphics de-signer whose work communicates unique themes. Though the type is too small to see, the text discusses the rela-tionship between energy and mass, which is in-tuitively communicated in the “Disintegration” or coming together of the pictured giraffed. The second layer of ab-straction present in the design is the ability to intuitively read the col-lection of shapes and being a giraffe, despite it lacking elements of colour or a distinct out-

line - the ability to com-municate the form is based upon the use of a common and easily rec-ognised element - The “spots” of a giraffe.

The Cutt cutlery set and Black Lines Chair pose a question: “How far can a design be simplified whilst remaining true to it’s original purpose?”. By cutting down on os-tentanious parts, the most basic & functional aesthetic is created, and communciates it’s pur-pose in the most dis-tilled matter possible.

By extracting common elements of a wave in my designs, I intend for my sculpture to be eas-ily read as representa-tive of a wave, and of deterioration.

Black Lines Chair - Nendo Design

Particle Accelleration - Mark Brooks

Polyhedra - PrecedentsI tried to build a model out of soap, so that it wouldn’t wilt as time progressed. It didn’t go to well, so I decided to omit it from these pag-es. This soap however, is lazer cut! Designed by Yevgeny Razumov, the soap explores the simplification of com-mon forms with the aim of creating an aestheti-cally pleasing means of encouraging people to use less environmentally harmful liquid soaps.

In a literal sense, these soaps prove influential in providing ideas for expressing my forms through angular, simpli-fied surfaces - Razu-mov’s soap is clearly still a bar of soap, just sim-plified.

On another level, Mor-foze soap tells a story

over time, as seen in the upper image - as it is used the edges soften, returning to a state not dissimilar to that of a regular bar of soap - the use is mapped through changes in form, which could be factored into the lantern, perhaps over the time axis. Doing so, however, risks over complicating a very complex piece which I would like to be as intui-tive as possible.

Page 6: Virtual Environments Module One

Page 10Adam Galvin 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

Page 11Adam Galvin 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

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The original image of the wave was opened in Pho-toshop and reflected along it’s axis to portray a basic 3-D form, which still shared the thematic and aesthet-ic elements of the initial

would be nothing worse than to design a for that I can’t use! Diagramatically, the arrows above are a rough com-munication of the key con-

wave study. The edited version was then printed & sketched over, which I used as a basis for explor-ing breaking my form into polygons, which will be essential in future - There cepts involved.

Page 7: Virtual Environments Module One

Page 12Adam Galvin 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

Page 13Adam Galvin 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

ActualisationThe previous page and the following page show my final con-cept models for my piece - as I plan on suspending it, the form is very difficult to construct in a manner which wont cause it to collapse. The previous page details the model in it’s actual state; the intended scale being 1:5, with a completed size of 1m*0.4m*0.4m.

The following page is a more accurate representation of my intended design. The first image is a left or right side view, formed by rotating, duplicating, flipping, and merging the per-spective view of the half-complete form.this results in some interesting intersections on the upper half of the image, which will need to be reconciled, but the interactions lower in the form represent a really fantastic intersection between multiple forms as their energy disperses.

I extended and narrowed this form out more than the initial waveform to create a sharper point at the conclusion, and to emphasise the tapering and eventual end of the system.

Page 8: Virtual Environments Module One

Page 14Adam Galvin 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

Page 15Adam Galvin 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

Panelling, Lights & HangingThe process of entropy is universal and impossible to avoid, so constraining the form to a wearable piece seems contrived - Why apply limits to a limitless concept? Having it stand alone, suspended by string draws greater attention to the nuances of the form rather than how it is worn and how it inter-acts with humans.

Panelling and lighting will play a major role in communicating the es-cape of energy from the form - the tendency for change to accellerate over time will be com-municated by increasing the density of light pan-els towards the base of the piece.Only one light source will be used at the top of the piece, with it’s pro-gressive dimming down

the length of the piece representing the loss of energy over time in a very literal sense. The top points of the lantern will emit the most light, heaping shadow on the lower parts.

The print on the right contains some beautiful elements that I intend to communicate in my design; the heaping of shadow around points of connection, the conplex-ity and density of lines relative to scale, and the creation of form from fairly ambiguous com-ponents.

Come To Nothing - Dirk Petzold

Lighting &Suspension

Page 9: Virtual Environments Module One

Page 16Adam Galvin 585356 | Semester 1/2012 | Group 08

ReflectionI’m not really sure if I’ve done the right thing; if I’ve filled the criteria. My design is something I’m (relatively) pleased with, which is a start, but my presentation feels clunky and somewhat inad-equate. Other people’s forms seem far more expressive, mine is a clinical lump - Is it too surgical to be natural? I struggled with the process analysis - after a failed attempt at building (yet another) set of trees, I decided on the process of entropy - Rather than addressing the question of what I wished to represent, I found myself trying to find an answer as to how to represent it - admittedly, there are three “concepts”; two rejected, and one developed. It seems illogical to attempt to create three forms developed to a full extent, as the quality of the final form suffers as a consequence. Rather, I chose the most fitting expression of my theme and tried to transform it into the best outcome I could create. To sketch my final form seems illogical - The outcome is a 3-D form, not a 2-D one, and I’m comfortable with working on three axis. It seems pointless tocreate anything other than the roughest of illustrations before actualising them in clay.It seems strange to have to create clay models, even - if the process can be determined mathematically, if it’s a predict-able and consistently reproducible process that we’re expect-ed to be representing, why not define it mathematically and generate it computationally?

I’ve loved this subject so far, and spent more time on it than I should have; I just find some of it’s eccentricities frustrating.