To get an understanding of existing light fixtures, I first took a look at the different lighting inside my house. Some lights were exposed at the bottom and only had material covering its side, allowing light to be pointed downwards. Other lights were exposed on top and pointed upwards. Some fixtures had multiple different lights connected to a center but most were enclosed within the same area. Looking at these exposed me to the several different ways that I can design my lighting engine.
Context
Eating together with people at a table allows them to connect and have an opportunity to come together. Everybody eats, so when they do it together at the same time, it can build better relationships either through casual conversations or sharing deep thoughts. I’m not sure if this is as a result of society changing or me growing up, but I personally have less meals with my family together now than when I was younger. I’m usually busy doing school work and it’s not a convenient time for me to eat or I’m not even home. However, when I do get a chance to eat with other people at a table, especially with my family, I find that it is more enjoyable and makes me cherish the occasions when I do have the opportunity to sit and eat with them. In regards to lighting, I think that how bright it is influences the mood. Events like a birthday or anniversary, feels more special and everyone has a sense of spending time together, so the light can be dimmer to create a mood of intimacy, and on normal days, the light can be brighter so that everyone can see each other to be able to talk comfortably.
After looking on Pinterest, I found a few examples of lighting engines made of paper or paper like materials. From these, I saw that a lot of them were decorative but also functional. I think that for my lighting engine, I want it to also be pleasing to the eye when it is not turned on because it will still be hanging from the ceiling and will be a large focal point in the room. I also have to keep in mind that since my environment is a place where people eat, it has to be hung from the ceiling and that I have to make it look good when someone is looking up at it as well as from the sides.
The range of papers I used were bristol paper, drawing paper, newsprint, printer paper, and tracing paper.
I wanted to experiment with how much light passes through depending on the thickness of the paper and how much light is reflected depending on what material the paper is made out of. The methods I used to test this was to create a cube with one sheet and placing that over the bulb to understand how light passes through, using one sheet to see how much light is absorbed/reflected, and crumbling paper and layering them on top of each other to see what the light looks like with multiple layers.
Bristol Paper
Drawing Paper
Newsprint
Printer Paper
Tracing Paper
For some reason, my iphone camera adjusts the lighting in the picture so some lights appear brighter than they actually are. In real life however, I noticed that the thicker the paper was, the less light penetrated through, which was to be expected. Also the smoother the paper was, the more light bounced off of it creating a sharp shadow on the wall. For example, the bristol paper and printer paper were the smoothest papers, so the shadow that they cast is sharper because when the light hits the paper, not much of it is absorbed so a lot of it bounces onto the surface of the wall. On the other hand, the tracing paper, newsprint, and drawing paper wasn’t as smooth because it is designed to hold graphite and charcoal. Since it was not as smooth, more light was absorbed causing the shadow to not be as crisp around the edges when it bounced onto the wall. For the newsprint and drawing papers, the color of the light changed, so experimenting more with what type of papers to use to evoke a certain mood would be interesting.
11.14.20
From the previous class, I learned to use a differential scale to quickly come up with ideas for my sketch models. By using adjectives and translating that into physical forms, I think that I can better create models that are all very different from each other and come up with a broad range of ideas that I can later focus in on.
Another thing that I want to focus on over the weekend is the quality of light. Since I am designing specifically for a dining area, I want to make sure that it is bright enough to be able to see, but also dim enough to feel intimate.
11.16.20
Sketch Model #1
What works:
- Light is not so harsh and bright because of the tracing paper that covers the bottom.
- Adjectives: static, rounded, simple.
Ineffective and how it can be improved:
- Environment did not inform shape so it doesn’t fit into the context and can be placed anywhere.
- Size of the engine is not appropriate for an eating space; it’s too small.
Sketch Model #2
What works:
- It’s large so it fits the large space of the kitchen or dining room.
- Light is cast downward which is where the table would be.
- Adjectives: large, sharp, static
Ineffective and how it can be improved:
- Bright lighting on the bottom because the bulb is exposed.
- Overlapping paper is distracting because of the stark contrast.
Sketch Model #3
What works:
- Expressive so it captures attention and acts as the centerpiece of the room.
- Having the thicker paper on top of the light focuses the light downwards which is where it should illuminate.
- Adjectives: dynamic, layered, gradient, small
Ineffective and how it can be improved:
- Very bright lighting on the bottom, so the engine is too abstract and not functional enough.
- Small
- Crumbling of paper could cover the light in some way.
Sketch Model #4
What works:
- Light is not so harsh and bright around the sides because of the type of paper used
- Expressive and interesting to look at when on and off.
- Adjectives: dynamic, large, rounded
Ineffective and how it can be improved:
- There are places on the engine that is not functional at directing light because it curves upward and blocks light.
- Be more intentional in curves and make the form cover the light so that its hidden without having it enclosed in a box like sketch model #1.
- The bulb is fully exposed, so designing a form that covers that will better fit the context.
11.17.20
Notes from class:
These sketch models should not be variations on a theme because we are still in the beginning process of the project so a broad range of ideas is better.
For my next set of models I will try to set up a timer for each so that I can quickly construct my ideas and not boggle down on the details.
Hang light in context to get a feel for how it interacts and affects the space.
11.18.20
Questions to guide new sketch models:
- Where does the light travel and what does it illuminate?
- What is the mood of the light?
- Does the light fit the environment? How much space should the light take up?
- Should the light bulb be seen when looking up?
- How simple or complex should the shape be?
Critical Characteristics of light:
- Appropriate in size for the space.
- Must light both the table and people sitting at the table.
- Draw attention to itself in a positive way.
- Bright enough to see everything on the table but not too bright to the point that it’s uncomfortable.
Sketch Model #5
What works:
- Bristol paper on the top directs light downward… for the most part.
- Adjectives: flat, busy,
Ineffective and how it can be improved:
- The bottom strips of paper are not controlled and is not intentional so it looks very messy. The cuts are too random and the strips are placed too randomly.
- Making informed decisions about expressiveness and asymmetry would improve the functionality of the light.
- The strips of paper do not function to point the light, they are useless and can be replaced by a simpler element.
Sketch Model #6
What works:
- Light is directed downwards.
- Ripping the paper creates an interesting texture and can be explored further. Layering of the different “petals” could also be explored to create different brightnesses.
- Adjectives: movement, rough, small, rounded
Ineffective and how it can be improved:
- Might be too small
- Bristol might be too thick and not bright enough to appropriate to light up space. Experiment with different papers.
- The idea of having it look like a clementine peeling is too obvious in this context, it was fun to explore but I don’t think it can be done as the final version without it being obnoxiously obvious.
Sketch Model #7
What works:
- Not a whole lot, I wanted to experiment with strips of paper but it did not do much in terms of functionality except create irregular shadows on the wall and surrounding surfaces.
- Adjectives: static, asymmetrical
Ineffective and how it can be improved:
- Strips of paper do not fit the form and looks awkward.
- Light is too exposed on the side.
- People sitting at different spots at the table will have a different perspective of the light.
- Cutting the paper at a taper can help to make the form not look as awkward
11.19.20
To choose what design to execute, choose the one that answers the questions the best.
What the light should not do:
- Be too small or too big
- Overly sculptural or abstract and not functional
- Since the light engine will most likely be above people’s head when they sit at a table, having a very bright bulb can be uncomfortable.
11.23.20
Prototype #1
Characteristics I want it to have:
- Dynamic
- Produce soft, warm lighting
- Big
My idea for this first prototype was to modify sketch model #4 to fit the context better. I wanted it to be dynamic, yet elegant and not too over the top so as not to distract from enjoying a meal. I like that the light produced is fairly warm from the layering and how the form emulates movement. However, there are a few things that I need to change.
- Firstly, I need to make the light engine larger so that it fits the space better. At some angles, especially when looking at it straight on, the light looks very small and out of place. This resulted from me not knowing exactly how I wanted my engine to look when I was done with it. My approach for this one was similar to the sketch models in that I had a shape in mind and cut paper to fit that shape and kept in mind some of the characteristics that were important. For the next version and in the future in general, I think I need to sketch out my design onto paper first and figure out what purpose each element of my engine serves in order for the design to be more effective.
- Although the light points downward, the bulb is still exposed on the bottom. From earlier models I realized that the bulbs needs to be covered in some way, but in this one, I couldn’t think of a way that I can have a dynamic and abstract shape while also covering up the bulb so my next design must cover the bulb while also having that dynamic characteristic that I want.
- Looking close up, the areas held together by tape is an eye sore and sticks out very poorly, I need to start finding ways to adhere paper together to not draw too much attention to it. I also need to pay more careful attention to craft in general.
- In this version, the form is basically a cone with wavy edges which is why the light is so concentrated at the bottom, changing the form to meet the requirements of the context while keeping that dynamic factor is essentially what I need to work on the most.
11.24.20
Peer Review
I want to work more on the cone shape that covers the light bulb. I agree that the light it creates is very bright compared light that is diffused from the outer form, so I think that I am going to experiment with different shapes to get it to not be so contrasted and bright. In regards to scale, I will try to make it bigger so that the bulb is covered and not exposed as much.
Class Discussion
- Design is not black and white, some rules can be broken if it fits the context appropriately and there are no absolute rules. Regarding limitations and boundaries, it is not what the actual project allows, but what the context allows.
- Do common thing uncommonly well: take a simple idea and execute it originally and exceptionally. This hold viewers attention for much longer than an idea that is trite and executed poorly.
- Does the context of the light engine warrant direct or diffused light?
- You do not want to see the source of illumination, you just want to have what your looking at illuminated.
- Now is the time to look at craft.
11.28.20
Prototype #2
For this prototype, my intention was to have the bulb completely covered so as not to blind people sitting below it, which I think worked well. The light was bright enough to illuminate the entire table, but not too bright, and was the appropriate size for the space, however there are a lot of things that can be improved.
Ineffective:
- The form is too abstract and chaotic. Since this light engine is at the center of a communal area such as the kitchen, I wanted it to be aesthetically pleasing while serving its purpose of lighting a table and people, however in this iteration, I think that the form is too abstract and attracts too much attention. I think it comes off more as an art piece rather than a designed light because there is too much movement and abstraction, which might confuse users of its function.
- I knew that this iteration was more for me to implement the changes that address function first before aesthetic so I did not focus too much on craft, but for the version that will be shown in class on Tuesday, I want to make sure there is no tape or staples visible from any angles and that the creases in the light are intentional.
- On the subject of angles, after taking photos, I realize that some point of views of the light engine aren’t that great. Some of this is due to craft, but in some perspectives, it looks like the paper is falling off of the bulb unintentionally. This is problematic because the user might be afraid that in the middle of a meal the light could fall onto the table.
How to improve:
- Simplify the form so that it fits the context better and appropriately balances between being an art piece and a carefully designed object. Make sure that every fold and crease serves a purpose in directing light or for the quality of light.
- Tape the inside of the paper so that it can be seen from the outside or any angle. This may cause weird shadows, so the form might have to cover it up.
- Think more about how the light engine is viewed from a 360° perspective standing up and sitting down.
- Also take more photos that provide context of scale.
11.30.20
Prototype #3
For this prototype, I looked back at past experiments to remind myself of ideas that I could implement. Specifically, I looked at sketch models #2 & #4 and the experiments with paper. I remembered that bristol paper is effective at directing light downwards since its thicker and that the drawing paper creates a warmth when light is passed through. I want the light produced to be warmer since it is cozy and comforting which I think is what people should feel when eating or sharing a meal. In the last few iterations, I relied solely on drawing paper to direct light downwards and to cover the bulb, so I want to try layering the two and seeing what type of light it would produce.
This form was created by taping 2 shapes made of bristol paper onto each other. The red/purple hue comes from the drawing paper which was layered inside. Overall, I think that this trial was successful in covering the bulb directly, not being too dynamic, and being appropriate in size.
Ineffective:
- The layering of the papers creates a colored light that is very distracting and does not fit the context at all. I thought that the warm drawing paper would also create a warm tone when layered under bristol, but I think what happened was that since the bristol is cool/blue, when mixed with the warm/red paper it made purple. This feels like it would be more appropriate in a lounge for teenagers on a cruise ship or something. It feels youthful and lively but not the exact mood I want to create in a dining area.
- The quality of light is very poor. Because the bristol paper is so thick and because of the color of the light, the light that it produces is very dim and it makes the space feel too small.
- Craft: The bristol paper is extremely difficult to bend, so when I tried to score, fold, and tape it, it created a lot of wrinkles in the paper which was distracting. The folds and creases aren’t created intentionally which makes it look sloppy. Because I had to use so much tape, there are parts that overlap that creates too much contrast and is again, distracting and sloppy looking.
How to improve:
- Switch to using just the drawing paper because it is easier to fold and because it is warmer than the bristol paper. The use of bristol has to be scraped because of its difficulties to fold which just creates a careless look to the light engine. Transitioning to only drawing paper will also make the light brighter and open up the space a bit more.
- Use hot glue instead of tape because it is more secure and because it is nearly invisible.
Refined Prototype #3
For this prototype, I implemented the changes that I learned from the previous iteration.
This iteration captured almost every characteristic that I wanted my light to have. It’s dynamic yet not too dynamic, bright enough to light the table and people sitting at the table, covers the bulb, and produces somewhat warm lighting. I think that it is simple enough to be understood and function as a lighting object but also abstract enough to be create interest and please the eye when it is off.
How to improve:
- The drawing paper that I have is quite small so when I try to cut circles out of it, it is even smaller. This makes the overall light engine small and I think that it should be slightly larger to fit the space and not look out of place. For my final version, I will purchase bigger drawing paper so that my light will be larger.
- Because the object was small, getting the light to fit inside was a challenge which created unwanted creases on the side of the paper, I think this problem will be solved once the light is larger and I won’t have to mess around with the paper too much to fit the bulb in. Additionally, measuring where to score the paper might eliminate unwanted creases .
- For the final, I need to work on making sure that both shapes are the same size before gluing them together because even if they are slightly uneven, light can escape through the cracks which is unpleasant to look at.
12.01.20
Discussion:
- Cohesiveness, integrate socket into design. The bulb and light should feel like it was considered in the design instead of a random cover that is placed onto the bulb.
- Light should be proportion in relation to the space.
- First and foremost the light should illuminate table, and when it is too small, there is not much room for the light to bounce around and shine down. Creating a bigger light can give the light rays room to bounce and shine a greater area.
- Show the scale of the light in photographs better.
- Material: Steve said that the material I was using made the design look like a draft instead of a finished product and to consider using thicker paper. The drawing paper I was using was 70g/m² and the bristol paper I had was 270g/m², so I needed to find a balance between the two.
12.02.20
In an effort to save time and paper, I cut smaller circles out of the paper I would use and made small scale models of my final light to see where I can improve my craft and to understand how this specific type of paper works. The paper that I decided to use for the final is drawing paper with 180g/m² which is a good enough thickness to bend and fold but not too flexible to make the final look like a rough model.
What I learned:
- Fold so that the scoring line is inside and not outside to avoid too harsh of a line, and so that it goes through the center to make 2 semicircle shapes.
- Make sure the score is long enough so that when the paper folds over, it does so easily and does not overlap on like where the two halves meet.
- The main issue is how to adhere the edge where the paper meets without having tape visible. Taping it from the inside might work. Using clear tape might also work. Hot glue is in effective because the edges don’t touch each other, only the surface of the paper do which distorts the form.
- In the last picture, when the light is being looked at straight on, the edges are sharper. After I fix the seam I think it won’t be as contrasted to other view points, but since the light is hanging above people’s heads, the sharpness won’t be as noticeable and the form will round out.
Final Light Engine
In this final light, I worked on the craft issues that I experienced on previous iterations, specifically from the smaller model I made earlier today. To adhere the edges of the paper together, I had to use clear tape on the inside and work with it to make sure there was no overlap. In previous versions, the overlap was distracting because it was just a sliver of dark spot on a bright object. Paper is much more finicky than cardboard so I had to be extra careful when working with it which proved to be a challenge when it came to the final and I had to really think about craft and avoiding wrinkles and creases.
Overall, I am satisfied with the final design of my light. From the beginning, the light needed to be bright enough to shine on the table and the people sitting around the table, but not too bright to make viewers uncomfortable. In regards to the temperature of the light, I realized that it didn’t need to be super warm and yellow, but it shouldn’t be bright white either. I wanted it to be dynamic and be a little more abstract because when it is off, it is still in a communal area so it needed to be interesting and pleasing to the eye. In comparison to some iterations where the form went to the extreme of being too abstract and not having very good quality of light to too simple and having okay lighting, I think that my final version strikes a good balance between being abstract and functional. In this project I had more opportunity to work in three dimensions which challenged me more than usual because it is a different way of thinking than drawing or painting, which kind of made me wish I took a sculpting class in high school so that I could practice training my brain to think of materials in terms of form and space instead of simply materials to draw on.
There were also many general things that I learned from this final project. Firstly, I have to just try making it first to see if it functions. Unlike the carrier project, I could not really sketch this out onto paper because the form was more abstract and it was just faster for me to make it. By making several versions, I could more easily see what characteristics I wanted to focus on. In comparison to the carrier project, I think that I managed my time better for this project, so I had time to make more models and to flesh out numerous different ideas instead of sticking with the general interaction and design I had from the beginning with my carrier.
