DAY 1
To explore the sound and rhythm of the poetry,I invited my friend to perform the Chinese version of the poetry and I read the English one. I did the visualization in after effect which shows the frequency of the sound.
From the video, I found some pattern and conclusion:
1.Chinese can contain more information in one sentence, while the translation needs more words.
2.The end of each sentence in Chinese shows a similar frequency, while English don't have that pattern.
3.The rhythm in English seems more flat and even, while Chinese has more strengthen words.
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Through the user test, people said that it is hard to recognize what this poetry is about since tow sound is overlapping each other, and some people said that they would prefer only listen to the Chinese version. For Chinese students in my class, they all laughed out! I guess it might because we are doing "over performance", it is too much, we are like trying to perform professionally but it is not and end up in a strange way.
DAY 2
American-born multi-genre author, Aberjhani said “A world without poetry and art would be too much like one without birds or flowers: bearable but a lot less enjoyable.”
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Today, I'm going to speculate a world without poetry, what that world will be? I imagine a scenario when young men want to write a love letter to their loved women, that is what poetry mostly used in real life. However, if there is no poetry in the speculating world, what the love letter will be?
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I failed, I just can not image a strong proof for my concept through this prototype.
DAY 3
Today, I went to the Canal plastic company and bought some materials that I found interesting. I bought several reflective paper ,mirrors, see-through mirrors, some small cube. I wanted to try the effect of these materials under the light.
I built a model of a space which has several mirrors surrounding the mountain sculpture(it is just sth right now) in the middle with a reflective paper on the desk and try to explore the form. Since I know the difficulties of building a space, I will try to avoid having a huge space but have a small room instead.
DAY 4
I found the reflective paper is very beautiful under the light, especially its shadow, when rotate the paper in a different angle, the shadow will appear different color. So in next prototype, I planned to use this to assemble an abstract mountain hang in the roof (just a model size). I am waiting for the delivery of transparent string I bought in Amazon to actually assemble pieces together, so today I just cut them into pieces and do the preparation work.
DAY 5
Today I did plenty of craft work to make my mountain ready. I tried move the light in different angle to see the outcome, I think if I give light from the font, the pieces itself and the reflection on the wall will cause illusion, it makes the mountain shape itself hard to recognize. It may better give the light from the side or from the top maybe.
The whole effect is a little dreamy, with all those sparkling pieces, which I don't know is good or not.
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From the user test, people do like the dreamy effect, but when I said about my confusion- this is not what traditional Chinese art style, usually the aesthetic form in Chinese is in simple form- people said that I can actually try create a contemporary aesthetic form of China using traditional elements. This is what I should banlance.
There is other interesting feedback said that how to make it feels more natural- creating some wind maybe?
DAY 6
I want to think about the interaction between audience and my project today. I hope audience can get the idea that "Viewing things in different angle will draw different conclusion" through the interaction of my project.
When audience walk in different place in the space, the mountain sculpture will rotate which leads to different lighting and shadow effect.
DAY 7
Today I want to explore what other possible forms can be except using a space which is hard to show in thesis with limited room for each student. If the project scale is not a space-big, if it is something on the table, then how to make people feel the grandness of the mountain?
I built a sealed box with several viewing holes in different sides and locations of the box, through which people are able to see part of the sculpture inside. On the top will have a lighting source which constantly changing and create a dynamic feeling of the mountain. Through the interaction, people can actually get what this poem is about.
Which one yielded the most “creative tension” or engagement, despite a limited scope or technical challenges?
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I think my Hanging Mountain prototype is the one I engaged most since it took me much time to built it.
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Which one yielded the least, and why?
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It would be the failed Day 2 project since I didn't come up with very good idea, and that might because poetry is a thing that won't create dramatic tragedy on world if it is missing. As the poet said that losing poetry is like a world with no bird. Using the speculative methodology is not that suitable for my thesis.
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How will you move forward in building your high-fidelity prototype for the final? Describe what it is doing well, if it is successfully made. What will it not do?
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I probably try to explore my last day project more because the form and the interaction is more close to the poem that I choose. For high-fidelity prototype, I will definitely change the box material and do nicer cut. About the content inside, I might use the hanging technique and similar material as well since many people like the shadow effect. I also need to figure out how to make it interactive- that will be tech part.
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