No longer a family of objects

Week 6

Due to the vast amount of research I have done for this project, the only option to communicate it all has seemed to be a family of objects. However from the final crit a couple of days ago, the decision has been made to solely carry on with the pint jug, which may perhaps lead to other vessels? And use the other areas of focus for exploration of volume. I feel it is important to still include these areas as it has informed my decision making and reasons for doing certain things. I aim to create some kind of visual representation of my findings, perhaps in the form of a book to accompany the Pint jug. 

I feel more confident now about my idea, I would much prefer to create one strong object fit for retail, as opposed to 3 or 4 weaker objects. I value the research I have done for this project and feel it will definitely inform future work, perhaps in our second project where my area of focus is hand held appliances.

The frustrating thing about this is the inability to be able to work with the glass myself, the slumping technique I have been using works to an extent, however due to being unable to cool at a steady pace it inevitably cracks.

I will look into getting this prototyped; perhaps through lampworking as the current method of manufacture for pint glasses is press and blow molding and is on a mass scale of around 400000 units.

The other areas I looked at were looking at the existing as forms of measure through bottle caps. An idea that came from ambiguous measures such as a splash and a dash and how the cap could offer a dual function. 

I also was experimenting with different proportions of the same volume in order to get people to question and understand amounts more. This I feel is an exercise that could be ongoing and could feature in the visual piece to accompany the pint jug, through creating 5 alternative forms of packaging for 200, 330ml and so on.

I feel the project is now at a good place I know what needs to be done and it has direction, so a break from it to concentrate on my dissertation and forthcoming project seems wise. 

The familiar, informal measure, empowerment and proportion

Week 5

For the past week I have been slip casting the familiar form of the disposable pint glass. It has been interesting as I have learnt a new process, and it has given me a really literal understanding of the form I am working with and the notions of volume. I have expressed this in relation to one of the four areas in which I aim to create a family of objects:

The familiar:

How we associate measure with certain things, looking literally at different forms and the similarities they share. Executed by exploiting the obvious as a means of understanding.

I really like the result of the ceramic cups and the process is very rewarding. However; despite this this I have came to the conclusion that glass would be a more suitable material for the pint measuring jug I am trying to create. For the prototype I am to deliver next week, I will slump another pint glass and sand blast subtle markings in order to create a familiar yet alternative to the typical measuring jug.

I have become slightly obsessed with slip casting and the pint form, however I aim to finish that today and move on to the other areas I have defined. Another area I aim to look at is; iinformal measure:

Using the idea of approximation and guesswork as defined through human dimension using natural units to create tools. This offers more freedom and allows the user to instinctively measure and build confidence.

I want to create a product that encourages the use of the human body as a unit for measure; as it has become de humanized, a theme that has re occurred throughout this process. I aim to look at methods of measure by observing behavior and analyzing current methods of measure.

Empowerment:

Making consumers more confident, by using their surroundings as a tool. Enabling people to look at measure in a less regimented way through the use of existing forms, therefore taking the familiar and creating a dual function. This relates to my previous research of association, for example 1kg=a bag of sugar. Using everyday items, as a form of measure is really interesting and dates back to the 18^th century. From looking at a cookery book called; the art of cookery, made plain and easy: which far exceeds any thing of the kind yet published... by Hannah Glass. A revolutionary cookery book, which deals with wholesome British food. Interestingly one of the methods of measure is, ‘the amount of shredded parsley and sage that will fit on one sixpence’. I just find this so fascinating, how currency was used as it has a nationally uniform size, yet is unhygienic. I want to create a product with a similar principle that we relate to in current society, this may well be achieved by appropriating the existing.

Proportion

Observing what we understand volume or measure to be through different shapes as a means of educating people. Allowing them to trust their judgment more. This exercise started back with packaging, it could be a marketing led product designed to be a catalyst for change and awareness. I will continue to experiment with this through looking at packaging and making alterations through models. Then obtaining peoples opinions of the results.

Key themes that link this family of objects:

Products that provide a relationship between the user and task in hand

What I want to achieve:

Human informed tools/products

Subconscious methods of education

Products that blend into the everyday

A strategy for change; that may perhaps inform my future project, in terms of:

Efficiency

Waste

Value

In the next week I aim to finish my prototype of the glass jug and have a good idea of the costing criteria. I then intend to develop each of the other areas more through research led investigation and model making.

Amounts in relation to the existing

Week 4
Following on from last week I have been experimenting with volume looking at pints and litres. The models I created look at proportion along with how we perceive and interpret volume. The various different forms, made those around me re think volume. The forms are based on simple 3D structures commonly found in physics or mathematics, informed from my research in the science museum.

This led me to look at environments where weight and volume are prominent, a bar and kitchen. Chef, Rene enlightened me by talking me through a couple of his recipes. He is polish and is accustomed to working with metric units, however when creating English recipes has to translate this into imperial. This leaves figures such as 667grams, which would normally be rounded to the nearest 10 metrically.

Alot of ratios are used especially in baking, and ingredients are added in a consecutive in one bowl. Rene raised an interesting point, of using taste as a method of assessment, a very human form of measure. Seasonal factors often determine recipes, eg. when strawberries are in season. Therefore more or less need to be added, depending on sweetness.

The method of measure Rene uses for hollandaise sauce is a soup ladle, which he uses as a method of ratio for each ingredient. He briefly mentioned the American measuring system of cups, he described as;

‘Simple, yet unreliable, under or over measured’.

I then observed human behaviour of making tea and coffee, the amounts of water required, and through habit how much you need to overfill of under fill with regards to milk and water. After baking cakes I noticed a really visually clear method of measure as part of butter packaging. I think it is informative as it involves interaction with the butter, through the act of slicing.

I experimented with the same volume of liquid but in different vessels. This showed similar results to the exercise with 3D volume models, and illustrated how we associate volume with certain vessels. When filling the vessels to equal a small glass of wine, I was unable to measure the quantity using just the ml markings so subconsciously referred to the imperial side.

I looked at what surrounds us and how we relate this to measure, such as packaging I looked at certain forms such as milk and juice cartons. I thought about taking the aesthetics of these containers and applying this to measuring devices, without being blatently obvious or crude.

From these experiments I established the clear theme of vessels, so decided to take familiar forms of pint gasses and turn them into measuring vessels. This was informed from looking at measuring jugs, as they are the volume of a pint. Through a familiar form, of the typical pint glass a sense of amount could perhaps be understood more easily. I did this by slumping the glass using a blowtorch. After a couple of cracked attempts, I managed to slump a subtle lip on the edge of a bubble pint glass. Unfortunately I dropped the glass and smashed it. But had another go with tumblers which worked, in a previous glassblowing project I did the same with a wine glass which had fluid results.

I also created a pint jug from a disposable pint glass, which I intend to slip cast next week. I have started to do the same with a 20cl disposable glass.

Experimenting with forms and volume has really helped me to move forward and to focus on vessels. I intend to keep experimenting with different forms, materials and processes and assess each stage. I aim to create a family of objects that look at volume and weight through human perception.