reflective commentary: object study

REFLECTIVE WRITING 

 OBJECT STUDY

26th January was the first day of the 3 week project - object study. we started off with a brief about the project where we discussed about the objective of the project i.e relationship between design and context by exploring social , cultural and commercial context ; explore the functionality of the object (utility, usability). Then prachi maam explained the aspects on which we will be evaluated at the end of project : RESEARCH, UNDERSTANDING & VISUAL SKILLS. Later we were divided in groups of six and we were asked to categorize WHAT aspects about the object we want to study(material,market,form) HOW; will study (primary and secondary research, survey) and WHY do we want to study. After the group discussion we were seated with our partners and we were asked to make a mind map on what topics we want to cover about our specific object, in my case it was toothbrush. Each one of us wrote our own definition of the object that would change with course of time. Lastly we were informed about the form study in which we had to sketch two dimensional forms of object from every possible angle with specified measurements. I started with observing my electric toothbrush from every angle and noted down all the possible angles of every part of the toothbrush. It took me a while to complete the sketches firstly I was struggling to keep my sketches look little neat, it had rough lines (they weren’t even good). I completed some sketches and left the rest for next day. The day after I asked my partner to teach me to sketvh properly with the accuracy. He told me he used scale for most the drawing and later line it over for some curves. Then I tried making some and this struggle was there till the last day of the project. I realised I was very good in the research department so did all my secondary research in detail because it was so interesting.. the face that I was getting 2 weeks of time to just research about something was very exciting. So I think I gave it my all except few things. I was very much interested in the history of the object so I read all about it but then I didn’t pay much attention to the form of the object which was equally important and I realised it in the later stage when my mentors pointed it out. So for first 3 days we focused on the detailed history and the form study of the object. First day research was solely secondary research which included the evolution of the design, how the form was developed over time, the need that triggered the existence of the object and the significant changed seen. For the second day we had to collect the varieties of the object through market visit. I was shocked to see the vast variety from circular bristles to straight bristles; from plastic handle to wooden handle; from electric to manual brushes ; from baby toothbrush to animal toothbrush. It was a lot.  

PS: i could'nt provide a link because i was having trouble with uploading it since my internet here is very weak.