Design Practice 2 - Studio Brief 1 (Part 2): Initial Ideas - OUGD505

BRIEF - To produce a visual response in relation to the research that was conducted in part one of the brief. This needs to demonstrate what has been learnt and identified, as well as have the ability to tap into the market for ethical, social and political driven design. 

My research for part 1 was primarily focused around the environment and biomimicry. Due to this my outcome needed to be something that explores the areas around this subject matter. Through the research I came across the 'Biomimicry Institute', co-founded by Janine Benyus, this is one of the rare sources for information on biomimicry. The Biomimicry Institute have recently opened a brief, The food system challenge. This brief is quite open as it is asking for a possible new way of using biomimicry to help with food systems. This was a possible brief for me to conduct for part two of this brief. Another option that was thought about was creating a interactive campaign of sorts that informs people about biomimicry, as the majority of the people are unaware of this. The brief began by brainstorming both options to see which would be the most appropriate to do in the time frame. 

After a critique, it was suggested that although the food system challenge is interesting, it maybe very demanding in terms of time and research. As biomimicry is all about studying nature, this is something that I would have to do in order to create and outcome. In the time frame this does not sound feasible but the brief is something I may come back to over the summer months. Due to this it was decided that the second option of an interactive campaign would be the most appropriate. Once this was decided a brainstorm was the conducted on possible ideas and concepts. A range of ideas were thought about including a guerrilla campaign in where the inspiration could be applied in some way to the outcome, for example, shark imagery alongside a boat. Another idea was to create something that the audience could create, a website or app of sorts in where the viewer could select parts from nature which would then make up their own biomimicry solution. The final idea was to create some interactive posters based of the idea biomimicry develops and moves into something new, a lenticular proposal or augmented idea was thought about. As biomimicry takes inspiration and applies it to something new, having the posters move and develop is perhaps an interesting route to go down.   

After a discussion with peers it was decided to create the interactive posters. The concept being how the inspiration changes and develops into something new. I wanted to show this development through movement, after research I found a lenticular idea would be the most appropriate to show this. After looking back at my biomimicry research, I conducted a list that could act as ideas for the posters imagery. The options were either different biomimicry solutions or the idea of typography of some sorts.  

Biomimicry Solutions:

Shark/Boat

Kingfisher/Train

Mosquito/Needle

Whales/Wind Turbines

I decided to settle on the biomimicry solutions as it had more relevance to my research compared to the typography idea. Using the kingfisher and train solution I experimented with hand-made lenticular's. This was see how the outcome would look digitally.  

Once a rough mock up was produced, it was apparent to me the kingfisher would be noticeable, however the shinkansen train would not. Due to this reason I decided to purchase a lenticular lens to see if that would work with my designs better.