Lynn’s Blog

I found this site: Shapeway.com, a site that will transform a Maya rendering into plastics, metal, etc.

The idea is fantastic, and I wonder how the ability to create some, although not directly and immediately, changes the process of design and creation. Do people create things differently in Maya, when they are designing for real-world fabrication vs. when they are designing for online, virtual spaces? How does the process of creating metal via metal work and Maya and uploading change the process? What do these two different populations think about? How do they think about things differently? How do the changes change the practice of metalwork? Will applications like Maya have the same implications in metalworking as Illustrator did for typesetting?

Somehow, my gut tells me the act of actually feeling and working with a tangible object, must be quite different than producing something in Maya (i.e. a truly embodied action vs. an application). The act of creation, and knowing that an artifact you will be creating, has real world engineering limitations (i.e. stress, force, etc.).

Anyway, I thought some were very pretty, and quite intricate.

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Some of the pieces look very much like they are coming from a 3D program; however, others are very natural almost handcrafted looking.

Interesting pieces:

Waist Band (Natural)

Feathered Bracelet (Very 3D looking~)

Five Hearts Pendant (Pretty &  intricate)

A couple students (Babs, Chad, Yuebo, Casey, and myself) got together and decided to clean the HCI/d design lab today. It’s been a little grimy in the lab since end of the last semester, and the students wanted to spiffy it up prior to the “new” HCI/d kids showing up in the fall.So we rolled up our selves, got out the elbow grease, and got to scrubbing the walls and tidying up the place.

We also compiled a design lab wishlist: cork board, printer access, first aid kit (yes, there may have been cases when it was necessary to use such a kit — don’t let anyone fool you design can be dangerous), a tea kettle, projector, more storage, etc.

I think many of us are getting excited for another school year to come around, since with the new year brings us new challenges and a chance to help the incoming class.
Image Information: Chad, Yuebo, Casey Originally uploaded by 钺博

The Gang

Originally uploaded by lynn dombrowski

I finally added some pictures from last year, on my flickr site. Here’s an image of three of my friends from Wisconsin hanging out at IU.

The Materials of the project:

• An Arudino Board
• Two Infrared sensors
• Tri-colored ShiftBright LEDS
• Random pieces from the local craft store

The Two Modes:
Mode 1 - During the first mode, if the people hold the two objects together, the color will grow brighter and brighter, until it has reached a sustaining level.
Mode 2 - In the second mode, if the people hold the two objects near each other, the two colors fuse together to form a third new color.

The Meaning:
We attempted to develop interesting interactions for two people; the first mode is supposed to symbolize working together makes you stronger. The second mode, is supposed to represent that working with different people can create beautiful results.

The Team:
Chad Camara
Yuija Zhao
Lynn Dombrowski

Here is an awesome cup that helps you make the “perfect” cup of tea or coffee if you choose.

http://www.suck.uk.com/product.php?rangeID=76

Suck UK, has some thought provoking designs, including a teddy bear lamp.

Blog from 9/9/08 (Original Link):

Where do you folks go for your design inspiration? I’m gonna bust out my favorite sites about design:

Ideas:www.faveup.com (showcases graphic design relating to flash, html/css, and logos) www.ted.com (technology, entertainment, and design:  fascinating talks but some really smart people) (ok ted.com isn’t really a design site, but I’m putting it in the category of “life-inspiration” design)www.psdtuts.com (Really good, step by step instructions for creating photoshop designs)

Color: Kuler.adobe.com  (good site for trying to come up with color swatches)http://www.colourlovers.com/ (lots of user-generated content to help you create beautiful color schemes)

Alright, these are the best that I have to offer, what are some of your favorite design (graphic or life-inspiration) sites?

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Reflection:

This blog snippet is the first blog I wrote for my Interaction Design Practicum (IDP) courses. When I re-read my previous content, I realized that my thinking was still very early in the process of understanding what it meant to be designerly, and to have designerly thinking. I was definitely thinking of graphic design, and not interaction design.

Graphical design is meaningful and important in its own right. Graphic design it is also quite distinct from interaction design, and they must use each other to both be successful. However, for graphic design to be have its full potential, interaction design must proceed graphic design, so that the graphical portion is informed from the research and experience of the interaction designer.

Hello world,

I’m Lynn Dombrowski, a HCI/d Master student, at IU.