In Quarter 10, we were given the assignment to work with self-chosen materials: anything from wood to pixels. We were also allowed to freely experiment with the chosen materials, as long as there was some kind of connection to graphic design.
My chosen material was glass, which is not usually associated with graphic design and thus provided an additional challenge. Instead of starting by formulating a concept, I chose to begin by researching and experimenting with the material. This was a new approach for me, and I found it quite difficult to ‘just start somewhere’.
The drive and inspiration to go on trying something new with my glass allowed me to develop to a higher level as a designer.
The biggest challenge for this project was to maintain an overview of all the experiments I conducted. It seemed like every time I was just wrapping up something, I got new ideas which sometimes made me forget to take a step back and analyse my process. The drive and inspiration to go on trying something new with my glass allowed me to develop to a higher level as a designer. And so this is certainly an approach I intend to use in my further projects.
Eventually I developed a method that helps me realise an original copy. This method is in a sense a critique of mass production, as well as a guideline in realising an original work using the tools and products of mass production.
Lyn Braas
As an example for my method, I used an IKEA glass. First I reduced it to its essence by melting it flat, after which I melted it again into a new original glass.
