Project 4: Lighting Engines
Let there be light!
“ Light is at the core of who we are and how we understand ourselves…[it enables us to] distinguish one thing from another… recognizing patterns, similarities, differences, naming things — interpreting the world.”
—Martin Scorsese
Our final project in survey of design is to create a lighting engine that can provide people with beauty and enjoyment in combination with utility. I got the prompt of designing a lighting engine that supports working on a project at a desk.
11/5/19
Class Discussion:
Light Usages
- navigation
- ambient (atmosphere)
- work/task
- decoration
- accent (cove lighting)
Light Direction
- can control with lamp shade
- different for different tasks
Light Source
- small—concentrated—sharp shadow
- big—dispersed—soft shadow
Light Temperature
- can control with different types of white paper
- evoke different moods
Color Theory
- Josef Albers
- Mark Rothko
- Fletcher (PDF online)
Mark Rothko’s painting:
Not only does his painting use colors to create moods and evoke emotion, he also utilizes the sharp and softness of edges, which I think is an important thing to think about for the quality of light in this project.
Other Inspirations:
James Turrell
Turrell creates the atmosphere of the room using the color and intensity of the light source and the shape of the harness for the light.
These can be examples of cove lighting.
Olafur Eliasson
While Turrell’s light installations mainly evoke a certain mood or feeling for me much like color field paintings, Eliasson’s light installations have more of a physical shape. Many of their form languages are beautiful and reminds me of creatures from nature. Nature can be a great source for inspiration.
Tiffany Lamps
I just love Tiffany lamps, for their sculptural and decorative forms and bright colors. They definitely take a lot of inspiration from nature. Due to their form languages, some of these lamp have a more formal look (using more straight lines instead of curves)—indicating that they belong in a more formal setting, while others are more casual, even playful. Form language of the lamp can indicate its context.
Existing Examples:
From what I could gather, these are the patterns I found based on the functionality/context of the lights.
Navigational
Complexity: low
Intensity: moderate to strong
Temperature: cool
Task
Public space:
Complexity: low to moderate
Intensity: strong
Temperature: cool
Private Space:
Complexity: moderate to complex
Intensity: strong
Temperature: cool or warm
Social Space/Relaxation
Complexity: high (very decorative)
Intensity: weak to moderate
Temperature: moderate to warm
Decoration/Art
Complexity: high
Intensity: weak
Temperature: cool or warm
Case Study:
I found this lighting “installation” in the UC very interesting. The lights are hidden by the wooden beams, and the lights are cast toward and reflect off the ceiling to create a “glowing” effect. It reminds me of the Japanese Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine and “The Gates”, an art installation in New York Central Park in 2005. I think this is an example where the lighting engine provides people with beauty, enjoyment, and utility at the same time. It serves as a navigational, decorative and ambient light.
Experimentations
Printer paper:
Printer paper is relatively good for structure. The light temperature it emits is neutral.
Tracing Paper:
Good for texture. Not good for structure. Light temperature is neutral.
Music sheet:
Interesting patterns. Very warm light.
Newsprint:
Good for texture. Okay for structure. Emits reddish light, but not quite warm.
Newsprint + Tracing:
11/11/19
Experimentation Round 2: Using Adjectives to Make Sketch Models
Geometric
Material: Bristol paper
Takeaway: learned how to hold lamp shade in place by securing it with the light bulb.
Organic
Material: printer paper
Takeaway: sometimes less is more; need to pay attention to the shadow the lighting engine creates an whether it is suitable for its function/context
Textural
Material: charcoal paper, printer paper
Takeaway: gradation of temperature is can be achieved with different paper; it makes the piece more organic and aesthetically pleasing
Sculptural
Material: Bristol paper
Takeaway: sometimes just gotta wing it and go where your hands lead you.
Simple
Material: Bristol paper
Takeaway: stabler is a great tool for securing the shape of paper
Playful
Material: printer paper
Takeaway: it’s a good idea to take inspiration from nature. For this one, I was inspired by jellyfish and magnolia flowers.
11/12/19
Class Discussion
Things to consider moving forward:
- Activities that happen at/context of the lighting engine (how to use the lighting engine to encourage the activity —making it something I want to engage in?)
- Height of the lighting engine (how it relates to accessibility — reach to turn on/off?; how it impacts the mood — private vs public?)
- Orientation: is there a front/back? How does the POV of the person affect the view of the light?
- Size: build our prototype to actual scale because it affects the interaction with people
- Brightness: how bright should it be in context of its task?
- Temperature: appropriateness according to task
- Intentionality: does the design appear intentional or accidental?
- Integration: are the elements (support for bulb, seams etc.) integrated into the design itself? Are the form and function cohesive?
- Movement: what is the direction of the movement? Or is it static?
- Different States: how does the lighting engine look in its on and off state?
- Adhesives: how can it be used more affectively?
- Name/Description: does the lighting engine connect to a noun or adjective? Is it literal or more abstract?
Adjective spectrums that can describe the lighting engine:
- Loud vs Quiet
- Warm vs Cool
- Hard vs Soft
- Active vs Passive
- Human vs Mechanical
For Thursday:
- Revisit prompt
- Create design criteria for specific context (brainstorm)
- Create alternatives; prototype to scale
11/14/19
Set of Variations
I brainstormed the characteristics a desk lamp for work should have. The main thing I decided was that I wanted it to be a desk-top lamp, because it provides the user with the most control over the lamp (turning on and off; adjusting the position etc.). Then I started sketching out ideas:
Variation A: “Penguin”
I learned that the actual model might end up really different from the idea sketch.
Once I started prototyping, I realized that there is not enough light that is provided due the fact that the bulb is walled in on three sides. So I revised to have walls on only two sides.
The big struggle is trying to get the lamp to stay upright and not topple over due to the top-heaviness. Even Bristol paper is not thick enough to provide support and stability. I had to use cardboard strips to add support and weight at the bottom. I definitely want to try using foam core next time. Though I don’t know if I’m using paper in a way paper is not supposed to be used?
Variation B: “Origami”
This one is inspired by my previous project with origami butterflies, especially since we’re making our lighting engines out of paper.
I encountered the same problem with top-heaviness of the bulb. But in this case, I didn’t need to use cardboard for support. The triangular structure of the lamp itself gave enough support. I liked the for of the lamp, but for it to be more functional, it needs to be taller in order to light up a larger area.
Also, I need to find a thicker paper for the lamp shade so that the folding edges don’t show when the bulb is lit.
Another thing I need to keep in mind is the usage of adhesives. I’ve been using a combination of Tacky glue, masking tape, and hot glue. Tacky glue and hot glue don’t show that much, but I need to hide my masking tape usage better or not use it at all. What helped a lot is having an additional area at the edge of the paper to fold over and connect to another piece of paper.
11/18/19
Variation 2
The main problem with the last prototype was the form: the language isn’t cohesive throughout. There are both curves and hard edges. So I decided to go for an entirely new design, attempting curvier forms.
Inspiration from life:
Sketching ideas:
Thinking up ideas and sketching them took up a long time, and most of the ideas were not really viable. As a result I didn’t have that much time to make my model. So next time I’m going to try cutting down on how much time I spend on sketching and more on making.
Ultimately I decided on a simple cone shaped design (top right).
One thing I really wanted to try was working with task board paper and using sewing to connect edges.
Sewing worked well with task boards, but I quickly learned that bending the task board too much will cause it to tear. So for the top part of my design, which required curving the paper more, I decided to use vellum bristol paper.
I made the base out of cardboard. It works but it isn’t very stable, which is something I need to work on in the next revision.
I wasn’t too happy with how it turned out. The craft was not that great, and the light itself is very unstable. But I learned a lot from this variation about the materials I used, what I could change in my working process, and where to potentially explore next time.
11/19/19
Class Discussion
I got feedback from my peers in the form of an evaluation sheet:
To sum up:
- Form: the form is not there yet. It doesn’t yet support the task assigned very well. Being a task light, it should direct and project the light better. I also need to think more on how to relate the form to its function. Right now, the objects people associate to the form is not related to its function.
- Craft: this really needs to be improved. In regards to making the form and edges cohesive.
- Material: I need to make up my mind about the material I’m using. I don’t entirely agree with the peer evaluation that the material is not very cohesive, because I could definitely see Bristol and task board working together. Right now I think the craft is hindering that.
- Functionality: need a more directed light that aids design better.
What to do next:
- brainstorm adjectives that relate to the context of working on a project at a desk
- think more about the environment the lighting engine is in (how much I want the bulb to illuminate, where the lighting engine is on my desk etc.)
- think more about the material that can aid the function (what paper reflects light the most vs suck in light)
- rethink the form so that it has a stronger base and directs and projects the light better
11/20/19
Variation 3
I first brainstormed adjectives that relate to working on a project at a desk. Honestly, this didn’t help me that much with the form design, but I was able to take inspiration from the vibe of the photos of work environments I looked up online.
These images (and also a suggestion from my big) made me think more on the environment of the work space I am designing for. So I sketched out some sample workspaces, and how it should be lit.
A truly useful lighting engine needs to lit up a big portion of the desk, and the best way to get the most surface area lit is to have a cone shaped shade around the bulb, hiding the bulb while projecting its light directly on the desk at an angle. Knowing this, I started sketching ideas for possible forms.
This time I didn’t spend that much time sketching, instead I moved on quickly to prototyping the ideas I liked. And I found this method to be much better.
Experimentation with material for cone-shaped shade
I found that the most effective way for prototyping is to make the form with printer paper first to test out if the shape actually works. This saves both time and material as printer paper is easy to cut and cheap.
Yupo (Tranparent) Paper:
NOTE: the more reflective the better for my context because more light is directed on the working area.
Reflectiveness: 4 out of 5
See-through: 2 out of 5
Warmth: 3 out of 5
RR Board (Gold):
Reflectiveness: 4
See-through: 0
Warmth: 5 (yellow)
Taskboard:
Note: the task board is more malleable after been wet with a sponge. When I tried to make the same cone with taskboard last time, the paper teared.
Reflectiveness: 5
See-through: 0
Warmth: 5 (rose)
The one I like the best out of the three is the task board. Not only is it very reflective and directs the light well, it is also not see through so it effectively hides the bulb. In addition, the rosy color that seeps out through the paper is so beautiful!
Experimentation with Taskboard for “Mushroom” lamp
Like last time, I prototyped with printer paper first.
Then I did it with taskboard, using water to bind its shape and wire to pin them together. The end result produces a pretty lamp, but that’s mostly due to the color of light shone through task board. I think a thinner paper would work better with the “overlapping effect” that creates different tones and colors. Also, the overall form does direct the light well, like the cone shape does. So I abandoned this idea, even though it was fun experimenting.
“Shark ” Lighting Engine Design
I was inspired by the tail of this shark (?).
I sketched out the idea and figured out how the parts would fit together. The only thing is, the lamp looks too commonplace. When Zoe swung by, I asked what she thought and she agreed with me. Instead her eyes were caught by another sketch of mine (see below) and she encouraged me to take that idea further instead.
“Infinity” Lighting Engine Design
When I was exploring paper at the CMU art store, I saw this poster and I was stunned. I realized that I really really really wanted to use task board to form something organic with beautiful curves. So that’s how I started with this design.
I sketched out this rough idea, and I started making prototypes with printer paper. It was a challenging form, and I could not visualize the end result without making the form.
I started with the base of lamp and worked my way up. It took me a while to get the shape of the base right. I had to cut and re-cut different strips of paper to achieve the right shape.
I added strips of paper and built it from bottom to top. I also used wires to support the printer paper. When I’m done with the form, I took it apart so I can trace it on the taskboard and build from just two shapes (no taskboard big enough for it to all be one connected shape).
Now I that I have an actual model, I sketched it out and added features I wanted to change, such as having the overlap of the two shapes be on the front, forming the negative shape of a triangle.
Then I built the final version from the taskboard.
There are two options where I place the light bulb. One is at the top, like a conventional desk lamp. Another is at the bottom, and have a mirror like paper attached to the top so it reflects light onto the working area. There are pros and cons to both options.
Option 1: Bulb On the Top
This is option provides the best lighting for the working area, as the lightbulb directly projects light onto the table. However, putting the light bulb on top makes the lamp top-heavy, and I haven’t found the way to solve this problem yet. Also, I need to find a way to attach the bulb securely to the top.
Option 2: Bulb at the Bottom
This option provides the best balance and supports the lamp the best. The soft rosy glow is also able to shine through the taskboard at the bottom. However, the lighting this option provides the working area is not ideal. It is much dimmer than the previous option.
Takeaways:
- I found a really good way to work with 3D forms: sketching out rough ideas and move quickly to prototyping, then from the models that were made, I am able to visualize the form better and sketch out a more refined idea, then go off from there to make a more refined model. Basically, going back and forth between sketching and making allows me to develop good ideas faster. I think this allow a better hand-mind coordination.
- I wish I have explored the art store paper section thoroughly earlier on. I would have been inspired to experiment with different material earlier. But I don’t regret experimenting this much at this late stage, because without it, I would not have got rid of the “distractions” (the appealing but improbable ideas) and come up with the final design of the lighting engine I want to make.
- never sleep at 5am again
A Possible Option 3:
If I go with option one, then I want to try making the lamp without the cone-shaped lamp shape. Because the overall form is more aesthetically pleasing without the lamp shade. Also, with bulb on the top, I can make the bottom shorter because I don’t need to hide the bulb at the bottom anymore. In addition, I can hide the cords (better than shown in the photo) at the bottom to add extra weight to the bottom and counter the weight of the bulb. That way the whole thing can be more stable.
If I do decide to go with this option, I would need to make the infinity shape bigger to cover the light bulb and project the light well enough. It already does a way better job than option 2.
Comparing Different Options
Lit State:
Option 1 is the brightest, then option 3, then option 2.
Unlit State:
Option 1:
Option 2:
Option 3:
Basically option 1 and 3 are the same. Option 2 looks much cleaner and more cohesive.
I decided to go with option 3.
11/21/19
Class Discussion
Seams:
- doesn’t have to where edges meet; moves the eye around the form
- can check out clothing to see how they hide the seams
Electric Wires:
- how to hide them
- look at Italian lighting designers
I was having major problem having the lighting engine support itself without taping it to the table. I got a lot of useful advice from Steve and came up with some possible stuff to try out.
Things that can be improved:
- Base: having the taskboard go all the way around
- Bending: don’t wet the taskboard, instead bend it by sliding it down the table
- Binding: don’t use stitching (very hard to make it tight; also requires skill which I don’t have time to learn); instead use glue or double-sided tape Structure: top needs to exceed the bottom more; try not to use wires for support; curving two pieces of paper (around a round form) and gluing them provides a very strong structure
- Brightness: use a brighter lightbulb
11/24/19
Figuring Out the Details
The Form from Shape
I added to the top of the lighting engine so the bulb would be hidden from sight. I tried out different shapes to connect the cone-like top to the rest of the body. I decided I liked one single curve from the side because it’s the most cohesive with the form language of the rest of the body. Then I took apart the printer paper prototype and traced it onto Bristol paper to get a more refined (and easier to trace) prototype.
I’m still not satisfied with the top shape, and would like the top to have a v-shaped negative shape as from the last prototype. But I’m gonna do this tomorrow.
Bulb Base
I first used Bristol paper to prototype a base for the light bulb that can both secure the light bulb and attach it to the lighting engine. I was choosing between taskboard and foam core for the actual thing, because I needed something thick enough to hook onto the body of the lighting engine. But I realized that bending the corner of the cut a little bit secures the bulb base better, so I chose taskboard because foam core does not bend.
Electric Wire
I plan to coil the wires at the base of the lighting engine both to hide it and add weight to the base. In the picture it looks pretty messy, but I figured out a way to make it work: roll the electric wires around a circular metal wire and bind them together will allow the electric wires to hold its form better and be less messy.
What to do tomorrow:
- determine final form/shape on Bristol paper which will be the model for the final version
- figure out the most efficient and secure way of binding taskboard
- experiment with double layering the task board to gain more support because the neck of the lighting engine is bulking under weight of lightbulb
- create the final thing
11/26/19
Home Stretch
It’s so nice having a to-do list for tomorrow on medium. Because I know exactly what to do today just by following the list I made yesterday. As a result I didn’t waste any time trying to figure out where I left off.
Binding Two Taskboards Together
Hot Glue Gun
When I tried bending the taskboard at a relatively big angle without wetting it first, it ripped easily, even when I tried bending it against the table. So I tried putting hot glue first, wetting it, then bending it. The wetness made the hot glue come loose in the end so I abandoned the hot glue gun idea. If hot glue doesn’t work, I don’t have any waterproof glue that works.
Sewing
So I went to my last resort: sewing, because it takes the most time and I’m not very good at it. However it works best with taskboard.
With all the details figured out, I started making the final piece.
Stuff that worked out:
Exacto knife works really well with round shapes (thanks Stacie!).
Stuff that didn’t work out:
- Even with wetting the taskboard before bending it, one part ripped because of the pressure of the overlapping piece behind it :(
- My sewing skill improved but the craft is still not there
The Infinity Lamp
Reflection
I really struggled with this project in the beginning, and only started liking it when I started experimenting more with different materials and making physical models. Although there are definitely a lot of things I can improve on for my final pice, I’m quite pleased with how it turned out. I think I created a unique design and used the material I had pretty well. Overall, I think projects that involve 3D forms are more challenging and stressful for me than others.
Takeaways
- When working with 3D products, it’s important to switch between sketching and making models, because they inform each other. This way I can speed up my process
- If I like the idea, make it, but it might not work out. When I made the ideas I thought were good in my head into real life models, most of them did not work out the way I expected they would. Also, having these models in real life made me see things I haven’t considered before.
- Don’t be stingy with materials. I decided on what to use only after I bought a lot of paper and experimented with them.
11/26/19
Class Discussion
We were shown two videos that served as “promotions” for products. However, unlike general advertisements, both of these had a narrative to tell and evoked emotions in people.
Through watching these videos, I realized that the products we design isn’t about the products themselves, instead it is about what they do. In other words, the product’s worth lies in its interaction with people—the feelings they express and evoke.
Then in the spirit of the videos we watched, we took a moment to sit with our lighting engines and reflected on the product we made in the form of a few paragraphs of writing. Below is what I came up with:
The Infinity Lamp
It sits on the table quietly, with its arms wrapped around the light source, projecting a soft glow of bright warm light upon the desk. Outside, cars are honking and people are shouting. But inside the room, in this little corner, you feel peaceful and calm. You take out a sketchbook and a 0.3 Staedtler pigment liner pen and start sketching.
The Infinity Lamp is designed to enhance the experience of working on a project at a desk. In contrast to the sharp edges of the table you are sitting at and the paper you are writing on, the Infinity Lamp’s soft and curvy lines slows you down. It enables you to really focus on and enjoy the task at hand, instead of hurrying to get the thing done.
You lift your eyes to rest them for a moment, and they land on your lamp. Your eyes follow the curves, and you notice the stitching along them. They feel very hand-made, very human. It is a nice contrast to the laptop screen you were staring at a second ago.
It is bedtime. You shut down your laptop and close your sketchbook. You turn off your Infinity Lamp, and your fingers linger on the fabric-feel
of the taskboard the lamp is made out of. You smile. It has been a good day of work.
I really enjoyed writing it, and was surprised to find that I feel more attached to my lamp after humanizing and contextualizing it in a real world scenario.
Working through this project made me more confident with my ability to take an idea to a finished product. However, I still feel insecure about the ideation process. A lot of times, ideas just pop into my head seemingly randomly. And other times, I get inspired from something I saw by accident. It’s kind of scary to think that if I was not at the right place at the right time, I could not have come up with a certain idea at all. In other words, I don’t have a lot of control in how ideas come to me. I asked Steve if there is a more methodological way of generating ideas.
The idea he introduced to me really stuck out—that design discipline lies in a “smoky” box in between the black box (magic) and the clear box (completely mechanical/systematic). You input something, and you don’t have complete control over the output, but you can kind of see how things play out. Even though there is no real “methodology” for generating ideas, I can put myself in the situations in which I would generate the most and best ideas. In other words, I cannot control my output (the ideas) of the “smoky box”, but I can control my input (the environment/ what I do/ where I draw inspirations from). And I found this to be a really helpful analogy to think about.
Steve also said that I will never perfect my ideation process, but that gives me something new to do each day in the design discipline.
In a sense, the “randomness” of this ideation process in design both scares me and keeps me excited. Because if this process were completely systematic, then there would not be any fun to it. A computer can take over the job for us.
Thank you Stacie, Steve, Zoe, and Asher for this amazing class. It was my favorite this semester :)
