Un-nature

For this project, you will create three images that respond to the theme, Un-nature. You will design, model, texture, and render a series of speculative objects and critically reflect on how your images relate to the theme in a 150 word work statement.

You will be producing a design fiction aimed at highlighting how the nature of an object could be changed to make it ideal. You will decide what kind of attributes make an object ideal, and for what purpose. In this way, you are creating ideal objects. This fiction can take place in any time period, and can be naturally occurring, manufactured, synthetic, biological, or a mix.

The subject of speculative design is the main topic for the book, Speculative Everything, by Dunne and Raby. An excerpt reads:

"a shift from designing for how the world is ... to designing for how the world could be"

A successful project will demonstrate understanding and mastery of 3D tools and processes, application of formal design principles, attention to detail and composition, and lead to discussion about the kind of reality needed to make these objects possible and the importance of pursuing or not pursuing such realities.

Project Completion Methodology

You will go through a variety of different project phases including:

  1. Object identification,
  2. ideation and concept development,
  3. modeling and texture map production,
  4. lighting,
  5. surface shader configuring,
  6. rendering,
  7. feedback and iterative improvement,
  8. color grading and finishing,
  9. and writing reflection.

Examples:

Vimeo Channel
Speculative Product Design on Pinterest
Material Ecology
MAK Design Salon 4: Meinong’s Taxonomy of Objects, Dunne and Raby
Super-architects
The Institute for New Feeling

Constraints

  • Use 3D tools to produce images
  • Three separately rendered images
  • All assets used in the production of the work must be created by you, be appropriately licensed for use, or be appropriated in a transformative way that significantly alters the nature of the original asset.

Deliverables

Please create a folder on box.psu.edu and name it project1-YOURUSERID. You will be adding a .txt file with a folder share link to your project folder here. Ensure that the project folder you are linking to has permissions to view and download. All deliverables will be uploaded to your project box folder.

  1. Concept drawings and idea maps (Due: 2/2/2015)
    • Create a folder in your project folder called concepts
    • Please have between 3-5 ideas in mind to discuss
    • Add scans or photographs and name/number according to this convention concept-[#].jpg (I.E. - concept-1.jpg) to the concepts folder
      • 'well-photographed' and cropped/straightened photos of your concept drawings and text
    • If you prefer to write a description, you can use .doc or .txt format
  2. In-process polygonal wireframes screenshots (Due: 2/9/2015)
    • Create a folder in your project folder called wireframes
    • Add screenshots of your polygonal wireframes according to this convention wireframe-[#].jpg (I.E. - wireframe-1.jpg) to the wireframes folder
    • Attempt to meet the CheckMate 3D Modeling Standard
  3. In-process lighting renders (Due: 2/16/2015)
    • Create a folder in your project folder called test-renders
    • Add renders according to this convention test-render-[#].jpg (I.E. - test-render-1.jpg) to the test-renders folder
    • Textures and UVs need not be finalized, but well considered and underway
  4. Three Rendered Images (Due: 2/18/2015)
    • Create a folder in your project folder called renders
    • Add renders according to this convention render-[#].jpg (I.E. - render-1.jpg) to the renders folder
    • Minimum Image Size: 1080 HD preset
  5. Written statement (Due: 2/18/2015)
    • Create a folder in your project folder called statement
    • Write and add a statement (min 150 words) named statement-draft.doc to the statement folder
  6. Final renders showing iterative improvement based on feedback (Due: 3/1/2015)
    • Create a folder in your project folder called final-renders
    • Add renders according to this convention render-[#].jpg (I.E. - render-1.jpg) to the final-renders folder
    • Minimum Image Size: 1080 HD preset
  7. Revised work statement (Due: 3/1/2015)
    • Write and add a statement format named (min 150 words) called statement-final.doc to the statement folder