YouDream

My final piece for Imminent City Main Brief 1. 

For our first second year project we researched many different working environments, the way people work, their uniforms, patterns, tools and collected important information on our visits to help us to understand how a successful job works. Our main brief was to focus on creating a new futuristic job for the workers of tomorrow. Looking deeply into explaining our ideas through moving image and video.

My idea was to create an app for smart phone users, a dream creator helping those who suffer with insomnia and others who may have trouble sleeping. An easy to use application. The job being the soothing voices of the Dream Team and the tool being the Application – YouDream.

Watch the video to find out more. 

 

 

Illustrations & Animations

I have designed some illustrations for my YouDream application and final video helping viewers and users to see how my application works.

Some of the above illustrations move, which brings in the animated side of my video. Here are a few of my step by step drawings made for my gif designs.

After improving my illustrations using photoshop I have added colour to a couple and made the outlines bold.

About YouDream

About YouDream 

Introducing the voices behind the application. A team of 100 unique voices, who use their soothing toned voices to improve many peoples nights sleep. Their voices have the ability to calm you down, helping you to forget all your troubles and send you into a deep tranquil sleep. The service runs for 24 hours so you can use YouDream whenever you need to. Download the YouDream Application for your App store. Once you have downloaded the YouDream application follow the instructions.

Application Steps

The YouDream team will receive your dream requests and answers as soon as possible, taking only 10 – 15 minutes. Whilst our team are busy creating your dream, you have time to get ready for bed. You will receive a notification message when your dream has arrives. This sums up YouDream as a whole, how our team works and how you can use the service. 

Improving YouDream

I wanted to take a step forward with my YouDream Application, visualising YouDream as a realistic smart phone app. Here are my step by step digital instructions of how to use the app. I have chosen to use three colours, black, white and blue connecting the app with night time, the night sky and dreams. I have also used a simple font making the application easy to read for every age group. 

Stop Animation

Introduced to stop animation using Dragon Frame with Michelle and Ricardo. We were grouped into three separate groups and had a day to design and create our own stop motion videos. Our group designed a wireless microwaveable bag to use on your travels, inside or outside. Can be taken everywhere and heat up almost anything, foods and drinks. We created our own back drop and cardboard cut outs.

7AM

7AM 

Our studio met at the crack of dawn, the sun rising at 6.45am down at Docklands. Starting at Billingsgate famous fish market. Our minds waking up to the smell of seafood from a good mile away. Me and a few others wait for the rest of our classmates and tutors to arrive.

As the clock strikes 7, we went inside the fish market to get in insight into the working life of the market sellers. A very welcoming environment, each worker was willing to express to us about the history of Billingsgate market and tell us about their job roles.

Patterns

x Uniforms – florescent orange

x Coloured labels – products and prices

x Boxed up products –  neatly organised

8.30AM

Moving on from Billingsgate market, we took a walk to Canary Wharf, to take a boat trip to the Tate. Here are some photographs I took on the way.

9.30 AM

Catching the first boat journey to Tate from Canary Wharf. Such a beautiful trip, was unexpected as I had just got back from Amsterdam the night before. My second boat trip of the week.

10AM 

Once arriving outside the Tate we crossed the Millennium Bridge, I got some really nice pictures of the surroundings and workers on the bridge hard at work. Their uniforms similar to the workers at Billingsgate Market, florescent yellows and oranges. Once reaching the other side of the bridge we took a walk to Bone Island, a piece of land next to the thames where a lot of historical bones, rocks and stones are found. Our Tutor from Kin Design , Luke introduced us to the history of the island itself.

11AM

Here are a couple of my sketches of two interesting Bones I found at Bone Island.

 

Printers | Alfred & Wilde

E A S T  L O N D O N  D E S I G N  S T U D I O 

Wall Art, Stationery, Gifts, Graphics & all round Printing for Designers by Designers.

An inspiring trip to the printers in the heart of East London at Hackney Downs. We were introduced to Artist & Designer Simon Mitchell who showed us loads of beautifully printed pieces made by the company.

 

 

The amazing use of colour and graphics was an eye opener, seeing exactly what we can achieve just by using different types of paper. We got to tour the building, to see the printers in action, the studio designer at work & also see more of the latest works being produced. I have really learnt a lot from visiting Alfred & Wilde.

“You will never really know how a print will turn out util you print it” – Simon Mitchell 

Interaction Design

Interaction design, the practice of designing interactive digital products, environments, systems, and services. 

For my project 1 brief I have started to look into interaction design and the many different ways it is used today. below are a series of images I have used digital interactive products we use on a daily basis. Most being linked to a sensory design. 

Sliding doors work due to a sensor which detects in a person is near or wanting to enter through the use of sensory design technology. Smart phones, oyster card (tap in, tap out),  lifts and card payments work via touch or press. 

Keywords: User experience, user interaction, systems, environment, space, mobile devices. 

Working as a group we identified negatives that impact the user experience of turnstiles. Focusing on ways we could change in improve the turnstile system, making it less complicated. Designing an app to make it interactive and user friendly.

Identifying Problems

x Can get stuck often

x The way the doors open

Ways to Improve

x Finger print recognition

x No need for wifi, bluetooth or data connection

x Speech device

x DNA

x Starship enterprise

x Light recognition (Projection)

 x Barcode app

Touch Points

Shops – A touch point is the point of sale. The person you meet and interact with before buying (assistance and services)

Types

Digital products

I-Watch (Apple watch)

User friendly, makes things easier to use, a higher level of design. Designing something based on the user of the design. I-Watch benefits – Smaller system on your wrist (a multi purpose product)

After researching other digital mechanisms designs as a group we created our own app compatible for most smart phones with three different features. The first being voice control, the second being a light application feature and the third the barcode projection.

PAUSE

Designer Peng Cheng has created an application for smart phone users called PAUSE. An application to help those dealing with stress and depression. As a designer he has learnt how to put his own personal experiences into his design work. The design idea is focusing on calming the mind, body and soul and improving your mental workload. 

I have downloaded this application to see how it works. The touch sensitive app uses a particular colour palette. A collection of relaxation colours. By pressing | touching your screen and following the coloured dot helps you to focus on just this. Clearing your mind from other thoughts. As the circle becomes bigger the more relaxed you become. Once the colour fills the entire screen the process is complete. This truly is an amazing way of coping with stress and improving your sleeping pattern. This application can be used with music or without. 

 

Watch the video below for more information. 

The PAUSE application has really helped me to think creatively for my project.

 

Box Park

Linked to the Studio talk we had in week 2 Studio Culture Week with Kin Design Studio we were set homework to visit a place of our choice. We were told to capture photographs, sketch images or record videos of people in working environments and look out for any symbols, rituals and personal links.

I chose to visit Box Park next to Shoreditch High Street Station. An intimate, vintage row of shops where independent designers and brand owners get the chance to put up their own pop up shops for a small period of time throughout the year. I chose Box Park as every shop from the outside looks similar. The black exterior and bold white logos introducing the shops outlines the shopping village. Their interiors however are styled to suit the shop owners and their individual styles.

The time I visited was around lunchtime so not many staff were around as they were on lunch break, however I managed to capture a few interesting pictures. Below are 4 shops based at Box Park, each with their own style linked to the fashion industry. I noticed a pattern emerge as I strolled up and down the path in front of the stores. When certain shops are closed so are both doors signalling staff are currently unavailable to help and for customers to return later in the day. If only one member of staff was working in the shop it seems as if they only opened one door to signal it may get busy quickly within the store, so there may be slow service and two doors open was a HUGE welcome signally they are open and ready for business.

I took a closer look around and noticed most signs posted up for health and safety reasons and other public announcements are written in exactly the same font as the shop signs. After researching shop signs I took a second look at the stores. The one store I was really drawn to was called Fresh Laces. A unique designer trainer store for those interested in the latest and limited edition sportswear and fashion. 

The tools used within their workplace are the products and themselves, a down to earth team with good customer service skills. Their appearance plays a big part in their job roles. Helping customers to recognise their target audience. Visiting Box Park has helped me to visually see different organisations at work. 

Studio Visits

http://www.kin-design.com

Working together to make the best outcomes possible.

Corporate – Public – Websites – Environments – Graphics – Interactives – Installations – Research & Development

Kin Design is a very talented Design Studio, 14 Artists own the space and work together as a team with their individual creative skill sets. Closely connected with education Kin focus most of their designs on teaching and learning. Each artist has varied skills however, research and design are their main areas.

Craft, magic, behaviour and complex problems.

They have worked on many projects, many of their own research projects, an Installation for the BFI, Art Events, London College of Fashion Catwalks, Branding and research work for Bacardi, Selfridges, Nokia, ITV and Samsung, Independent Exhibitions. Designs for Wallpaper Magazine, Hanging structures and 3D & 4D designs.

“There is no X in Expresso” 

“Important to display work within YOUR studio, own YOUR space so you can get feedback from your peers and tutors”

“Talking through your design problems helps, as it’s really valuable to understand the meaning behind your own ideas”

Q – How do you source collaborators?

A – “Other retailers, tend to be people that are either producers or clients. (All Kin Based.) We also pick up young creatives along the way whilst working on projects etc”

Q – What does your work here at Kin Design stand for?

A – “We always work for production companies that stand for good & positive things. Such as children’s learning. We would never work for a production company that sells or is working on a product towards bad health | e.g. cigarettes, cigars. 

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Mentmore Studio

Mentmore Studios, a small community of creatives together in a redesigned Victorian factory studio at London Fields, Hackney.  Four spacious studio spaces.

Tobatron | Illustrator

Illustrative and information graphics. Tobatron has two different styles of artwork he produces. One being commercial but working commercially can be vert limited. His second style of work introduces himself personally to the creative work, his personal projects has helped him to be free with his ideas.

Self Initiated Projects

x Souvenir Tea Towels – Based on the true food of Britain. 

x Bags

Made ethic Olympic designs for tote bags. Based on the true voices of Londoners. World media was included when mass produced. Many complaints were made through hate mail against Tobatron’s designs as they found the American bag designs rude as they couldn’t see the humorous side to the quote used.

“I’m renting my London Flat to a fat american family”

Designed in London and made and printed in Malawi. Money made was given to Charity.

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Q – What are the key benefits of working within a shared space?

A – “It’s good for your head to be in an actual work space, it helps you to work better. It puts you in the best mind frame. Keeps things work related and it also helps to be in a social work environment, to be around people from different backgrounds where you can make new connections with other creatives you wouldn’t usually get the chance to meet or get to know. It’s also good to work with a mixture of people/creatives as you will tend to bounce ideas off of one another.”

TIPS : Using thin lining paper works well when drawing and whilst working through ideas. Scanning illustrations and adding to the drawing in illustrator can add a strong finished look to your final image.