Based on work by Hannah Perner-Wilson, Andrew Quitmeyer, Rad students, and more!
Print Documentation:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1USkfWoWlbB953TZo2B3jzXsvMe-S2Jkm?usp=sharing
Production Blog:
https://wonkru.blogspot.com/
Shop: https://jiayilow.wixsite.com/wonkrudesigns
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wonkru_designs/
I attended three field trips, two of which I organised.
Field Trip 1: A Craftsman Journey – DIY Insect Repellant and Moisturiser
This field trip was a workshop where Theodore from Theo10 guided us how to add scents into our very own moisturiser and insect repellant.
Field Trip 2: Body Paint Camouflage Artist (Organized by me)
The Body Paint Camouflage Artist we observed is Emma Hack. More information about her can be found on her website.
Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take any photographs, the media was able to and I was able to find the following photo that shows Emma hard at word painting the model’s body.
Field Trip 3: Gem Jamming Session on Traditional Jewellery Manufacturing Techniques (Organized by me)
The gem jamming session was part of the Singapore Jewellery and Gem Fair event that took place in late October.
We attended an educational presentation by Ms. Tanja Sadow from JDMIS (Jewellery Design and Management International Schools).
It was very eye-opening as we learnt how jewellery is traditionally (and sometimes, still is) made: from sketching, to wax carving to metal melting etc.
After that, we even got to experience the modern jewellery manufacturing method – 3D CAD Modelling.
I conducted my workshop in Week 11. There were 6 of us altogether, so 5 people participating in the workshop.
I originally wanted to use Adobe Illustrator as the platform to conduct the workshop. However, it occured to me that many people would not have the software (the free trial would have expired had they downloaded it for a previous workshop). I thus found a free to use online platform that has similar functions – Gravit. I then went through, step-by-step, how to manipulate images and fonts using both softwares.
Everybody can access the workshop slides via our shared Google Drive folder, or via this link
The workshop participants demonstrated their artistic creativity:
Movie: Ready Player One (2018)
One small design decision made in the movie that I noticed was the collapsible iPad-like device that a student was using to view James Halliday’s pre-recorded message announcing a game that grants the winner full ownership of the OASIS.
Instead of a regular tablet that looks like a block of metal, the one is the movie looks like it consists of two longitudinal objects that when pulled apart, reveals the screen. Its space-saving sleekness really points towards a time in the possible future where technology has progressed even further to provide even more portable table computer devices.
Storyworld:
In the year 20XX, traditional news outlets have become universally banned in the global effort to combat fake news. As a result, citizen journalism has become the main source of news, and individuals now sell their self-recorded news footage directly to broadcast stations that are willing to pay lucrative amounts of money for footage of a high standard. In this video-quality-competitive world, gone are the days of blur and shaky videos recorded on mobile phones being shared on social media, as stable top-grade Ultra HD video footage has become the expected standard across all digital platforms.
In the wake of this newfound universal demand for professional videography, Wonkru Designs has created an innovative camera bag that has the storage space to hold a 12K UHD camcorder while simultaneously having the function to unfold itself into a sturdy tripod.
Finalised Microfiction #1 (Shangyou):
Title: Blinded by Night
Genre: Horror
Octavia is a freelance videographer who makes her living selling video footage to broadcast companies and alternative media outlets. Although only 21 years of age, she has already become the sole breadwinner of her family of wastrels. Her single mom, Aurora, constantly abuses her emotionally, always convincing Octavia that she is a shameful “useless daughter” who deserves to be tormented. Her good-for-nothing brother, Bellamy, is a delinquent gang leader who spends his whole time doing whatever the hell he wants, which is almost never a good thing, to say the least. Her abusive boyfriend, Lincoln, is a quiet but physically aggressive guy who is overly-possessive and gets jealous extremely easily.
While driving home on her scooter one day, Octavia witnesses a young man robbing an elderly woman. She initially intends to jump in to help the old woman, but suddenly realises that she was carrying her Wonkru Designs Camera Tripod Bag. It was tough making ends meet, and she knew this was an excellent opportunity to shoot some juicy footage that she could sell. It would feed her and her family for at least a week—she thought to herself. Much to her shock, the petty theft turns into a murder, when the elderly woman refuses to give up her handbag, and the young man stabs her in the chest with a knife. She had just recorded a murder on video, and she was completely beside herself. Afraid of being implicated in the crime, she quickly flees the scene with her footage before the police arrive. When she reaches home, she is tormented by her mother once again, and cries herself to sleep as she always does.
The next day, Octavia heads over to Polis Broadcast Studios and offers to sell the footage to them. To her surprise, she is offered US$20,000 for the video, which is more than she’s earned in the past 6 months of covering boring live events! She agrees to sell the video, and leaves the studio gleefully with the full US$20,000 in cash, just as she had requested. Hesitant to tell her family or her boyfriend about her sudden windfall, she decides that she should spend the money on herself for once. After all, she deserved it anyway. She heads over to a nearby Azgeda Autos dealership and spends US$18,000 on a blood red Shadow Valley BR-5—her dream motorcycle ever since she was 13 years old.
When she reaches home, her mom catches her with her new motorcycle, and begins unleashing a verbal and physical tirade upon her. The confrontation escalates out of hand, and Octavia accidently kills her mother in self-defence. Realising what she had just done, she is completely distraught, but then she looks over to her Wonkru Designs Camera Tripod Bag and an idea springs to her mind. She unfolds the bag and sets up her camera within seconds, and records a video of the blood oozing out of her mother’s skull. Then, she quickly wipes her fingerprints off the glass mug that she had hit her mother with, and phones the police. The police arrive and she puts on a show, crying and begging for them to catch her mother’s killer, and they comfort her, assuring her that they will do so. Eventually, her brother Bellamy arrives home, and upon learning about the situation, assumes that one of his rival gangs had been responsible for the murder.
The next day, Octavia heads back to Polis Broadcast Studios once again, and sells them the footage for US$6,500. The amount was a lot less than the previous video, because this video did not show the actual murder as it occurred. Disappointed, Octavia leaves the studio with the US$6,500 in hand. She had her eye on the brand new Arkadia T-100 motorcycle, but that would set her back at least US$35,000. Then, she has an epiphany. If she wants more money, all she has to do is create more news to shoot video footage of—it’s just that simple. Thus, she begins planning the murders for her next victims—Bellamy and Lincoln.
Finalised Microfiction #2 (Jiayi):
Title: Animalification
Genre: Adventure
Cover Photo:
In this world overfilled with citizen journalists aiming to earn great quick bucks by selling their video footage to conglomerates, Max was struggling to make ends meet to support his wife and growing son.
“Get out of my way!” citizen Z shoved Max away with his bulky equipment bag, blocking his camera lens from shooting the latest celebrity scandal.
The constant ‘beep’ ‘beep’ from his phone reminding him of his low account balance broke him out of his mental tirade of that obese man. This can’t go on. Max packed his bags, kissed his wife and son good bye and left, vowing to come back a man with greater prospects.
One month passed, then two, then three… Nothing. Jane did not hear a word from her husband. Strapping her giggling son to her back, she left for the woods – supposedly her husband’s last location detected by his ID chip. It was a deadly place, overtaken by whatever animals were left roaming. Those animals were mad, their family and friends having been rampantly killed by humans a few decades ago. Since then, nobody who entered their territory ever left alive.
Jane sets out to find her husband in the treacherous location, and slowly finds herself warming up to those wild animals. After weeks of searching, she finally finds her husband who had been camping out to film the never-before-seen sights of the wild creatures. Armed with enlightening footage of the misunderstood animals, the couple return to civilisation to set things right again with the animal kingdom.
Of the three practitioners I explored, I chose to further understand Baristas.
Cultural Probe
To do so, I conducted a cultural probe with 3 people: a barista, an ex-barista, as well as a novice.
The cultural probe consists of a booklet, as well as a drawer system.
The booklet consists of instructions to follow and questions to answer.
These three questions asked aim to find out the pain points faced from their perspectives.
I think being organized and methodical can aid the completion of most things. Questions 4 and 5 thus aims to test my hypothesis out.
Findings
Question 1 – Difficulties Faced:
Question 2 – Ideas to simplify process:
Question 3 – Missing Steps:
Question 4 – Disorganized scenario:
Question 5 – Organized scenario:
Design
With those findings in mind, I sketched out an initial idea for making coffee making more portable and more organized, such that barista-made coffee can be more accessible for everyone.
Workshop:
Tools:
Process:
Step 1. Find desired hub and rim, and count the number of spokes required
Step 2. Measure the rim and hub for the spoke length needed
Step 3. Cut the spokes to the correct length using the spoke cutter
Step 4. Count the number of nipples required and oil them
Step 5. Lace the spokes through the rim and the hub using the screwdriver
Step 6. Put the wheel on the truing stand and further tighten the spokes using the spoke wrench
Step 7. Check the tension of the spokes using the spoke tension meter, and ensure that the spokes have the correct and same tension. Adjust along the way.
Step 8. Use the dishing tool to ensure that the hub is in the center of the rim
Pain Points:
Precision is extremely important in building a wheel, especially when safety is of concern.
The back and forth process of checking then adjusting is also extremely tedious.
Workspace:
At a cafe, behind the counter.
Tools:
Process:
Step 1. Grind the coffee beans and place them in the portafilter
Step 2. Use the distributor to evenly distribute the coffee grinds
Step 3. Use the automatic tamper machine to densely pack the coffee grinds together
Step 4. Put the portafilter in the espresso machine and make coffee
Step 5. Pour some milk in the milk jug and use the steam wand to froth it
Step 6. Pour frothed milk into cup of coffee and make designs if desired
Pain Point:
Most of the process is automated, like with the espresso machine. However, there was one main difficulty, which was to froth the milk correctly – which will be to ensure that the bubbles formed are small bubbles to ensure better integration with the coffee. Furthermore, the steam wand is extremely hot, so one has to practice caution.
Workshop:
Tools:
Process:
Step 1. Choose leather
Step 2. Use the scratch awl to lightly indent guide lines for cutting
Step 3. Cut the leather into desired shape and size
Step 4. Use the creaser to indent guide lines for sewing
Step 5. Use the fork to lightly indent where the holes are going to be
Step 6. Using the hammer and fork, punch holes into the leather
Step 7. Choose desired thread and thread it through the needle
Step 8. Clamp the leather pieces together and start sewing
Step 9. If desired, deboss letters into the final product
Pain Points:
Depending on the hardness and thickness of the leather, it can actually be quite delicate. For example, when cutting a thin piece of leather, one has to be very careful not to stretch it out.
Precision is also very important, especially when the product is meant to be sold.
Finally, lots of strength is actually needed, especially during the process of punching holes into the leather.
Characters:
Genre: Adventure
Storyworld:
The era of convenience has reached its peak – Everything is disposable. Mankind no longer has to lug around their burdensome things, all they need is the Infinity Draw. The Infinity Draw is a device strapped on every human’s wrist, with gleaming tentacles hidden away, ready for command. Upon receiving information from their digital synapses, the robotic arms grow and draw as desired. Mini parachute drones, almost invisible to the eye, float around like party balloons, ready to connect to the robotic arms and supply them with the materials needed. Huge giant robots, the most advanced yet dumbed down piece of artificial intelligence, roam the Earth, picking up all the discards.
Important Technology:
Short Story:
The Infinity Draw does everything for humankind, from drawing food to signing important documents. One day, everything shuts down. The robotic tentacles remain unmoveable no matter how the users will them to move. The huge robots pause halfway in motion, and the parachute drones suspend in the thick air, not tinkling around like they use to. Everything is in a standstill and everybody does not know what to do. Then, they start moving again, but not like they used to. They move in eery harmony, photocopies of each other, not controlled by anybody visible. Alex sets out to find out the cause of this technological malfunction, only to stumble across a much larger conspiracy that involves billionaire tech mogul Warren Wick.
Method:
This story idea will probably translate well to both books or film.