​P2A | SPEED FORMS: INFRASTRUCTURE, REPETITION, TRANSITION

This project contains 2 parts, PLUS P4 is really a Part 3. Do not jump ahead. Begin with the Part 1 Blue (or Red) sketches FIRST. Read all of this carefully.

​PART 1Blueline SketchesPART 2Polymer Clay SculptPART 3Design Drawings

​TERMINOLOGY

Infrastructure [in-fruh-struhk-cher] n. An underlying base or foundation especially for an organization or system.

Repetition [rep-i-tish-uh n] n. The act or process or an instance of repeating or being repeated.

Transition [tran-zish-uh n, -sish-] n. A movement, development, or evolution from one form, stage, or style to another.

Distillation / Reduction / Subtraction

Symbiosis [sym-bi-o-sis] n. 1. Interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association, typically to the advantage of both. 2. Mutually beneficial relationships between different people or groups

​PROJECT OVERVIEW

Design can be thought of as a consistently applied set of rules or system(s) that govern all aspects of the decision-making process. A system governs the sizing, shaping, and connecting of lines, planes, and volumes. The system is formed, devised, or invented to support a concept, evoke a sense of wonder, and to solve a particular set of problems in an articulate manner. This system is the Infrastructure.

The goal of this exercise is to discover how one can devise, invent, or discover a system from the investigation of a case studies that can address these requirements. Using actions Step & Transition, the system can evolve into something else that is closely related in space and form. Our objective is to introduce a conceptual framework that can be used to organize spatial relationships, and be applied as a system of Repetition and Transition to uncover and reveal movement and physicality.

Again, we are in pursuit of discovery; how a whole can be greater than the sum of its parts, Gestalt.

This assignment is used widely in Transportation design, which includes passenger vehicles, motorcycles, boats, yachts, watercraft, aircraft, and so on. Many of these utilize the talents and vision of large teams consisting of both industrial designers along with interior designers—whether via an ID path or by way of a tradition interior design path.

Other Design Industries where this visualization technique may be utilized:

• Furniture Design
• Exhibit Design
• Urban Street Furniture Design (bus shelters, etc.)
• Bicycle, especially road bikes and seat designs
• Athletic apparel, especially sneaker, speed skates, cleats, etc
• Cosmetics and Perfume bottle designs
• Door handles, faucets, etc
• Lighting designs
• Soft goods, back packs
• Electric razors and appliances

YOU DO NOT NEED TO DESIGN A SPECIFIC FORM OF TRANSPORTATION. I PREFER WE REMAIN IN AN ABSTRACT
REALM AT THIS STAGE OF YOUR EDUCATION. HOWEVER,
SOMETIMES AS YOU'RE SKETCHING IT CAN BE HELPFUL TO
IMAGINE A SPECIFIC THING, LIKE A BOAT, CAR, VTOL, ETC.

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GETTING STARTED

1. Work in a team of 2 on this assignment. Ideally one Industrial Designer paired with one Interior Designer. Those of other majors may assume a given role, ie. form creator (ID) or spatial carver (IA), but everyone must have a partnership. If we have one remaining student, that student may attach to another team of 2. There should only be one team of 3. A Chat Room and a Discussion Group has been created on Beachboard for you
to communicate and coordinate your teams.

2. Start with SpeedForm Sketching. Use a roll of 12" minimum trace paper (or wider is fine if you already have it for another class). Produce your SpeedForm sketches on your trace paper. Each student, not per team!
You will be graded on this Exercise based on the Linear inches sketched, 48" = 48 points, 96" = 96 points, out of a possible 100 pts. No extra credit given for going beyond 100", but serious designers should aim for more,
not less, regardless of compensation.

Use a Blue lead pencil, Indigo Blue Prismacolor Premier, and Indigo Blue Prismacolor Verithin pencils for your sketching only. Control your cross-hatching. May use, moderately, some neutral tone markers, no vibrant colors

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Notice the sketches above from Art Center Transportation Design students are drawing upon animal/insect forms to explore and derive new form language, you DO NOT need to base your sketches on animal forms, though for some students it may help to discover new formal relationships.

3. In the first week of the assignment, while you're working on your SpeedForm sketches, order your materials.

Sculpting Materials

• Start with 1lb block of Super Sculpey, Firm or Medium. Should be a Beige earth tone. Available from Michael's, JoAnn Fabrics, and other art supply stores, locally or online, about $17/1lb block. NOT the classic Sculpey, NO Bright Colors

• Clay sculpting tools
• Aluminum Foil. You can use aluminum foil to build a subform
  then apply the clay onto that undercarriage, saves a lot of clay! Watch this alien sculpting video for techniques!
• Rubbing Alcohol can be used to smooth the surface

4. ID students will focus their SpeedForm sketching on "exterior surface" form. Interiors students will focus their speed form sketching on "interior surfacing" form. Teams should envision their form studies in symbiosis.

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DELIVERABLES (See Schedule for due date)

ID students should have their form against a mirror to express the form in symmetry. Similar size restrictions as previous project.

Interiors Students, mirror is optional, may or may not choose to visualize symmetry.

Trace paper SpeedForm Sketches. One long continuous sheet/roll only. No partial or individual sheets.

As with the previous assignment, there DOES NOT need to be any orientation to the object: no top or bottom, right or left.

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GRADE CONSIDERATIONS (not limited to the following)

Quality of surface finish

Formal complexity

Articulation of details

Control of creases and edges

Dynamicism

Emotive depth

Control of contact surface/illusion with mirror plane

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REFERENCES, INSPIRATION, SUGGESTED READING

A Periodic Table of Form: The secret language of surface and meaning in product design by Gray Holland < Highly Recommended Reading

SpeedForm clay modeling

Aston Martin Valkyrie

Jimmy Hyunh, DESN 320, “form based off of two animals”

Interior design, vehicle

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