Claudia Shao

All my creative input/output will be documented on this site (LTLYM & Process->Portraits)

portraits

Final Presentation

May 2nd 2019

Welcome to the year of 2119. This is a time where plastic surgery is as common as putting on makeup or getting a hair cut. New procedures and formulas are being developed to help young girls keep up with the fast changing beauty trends and the extreme beauty standards.

Introducing mySkyn, a cosmetic subscription service that provide the best artificial skin customized just for you! Simply follow the instructions in the unboxing video down below, and start using this wonderful product. You can unsubscribe anytime, and the products are 100% safe and natural–all made with your own cells.

my video

storyboard

sources

3rd Draft

April 30th 2019

full kit
syringe
artificial skin tissues
body scanner
statistics after a scan

2nd Draft

April 24th 2019

2nd draft of my prototype
storyboard

Lo-Fi Prototype

April 20th 2019

Evolution Timeline

April 17th 2019

timeline

Sources

Reading Response

April 17th 2019

One Designer Shares: How to Use Design to Tell a Story

I resonate with a lot of the points mentioned in this article. I often find it hard to convey ideas through English writing, because it’s not my native language. Therefore, art has always been the medium that make my ideas and feelings communicable. I learned that both the idea and how you present the idea matters. 

Ira Glass on storytelling

I also learned that it takes a while to develop a good taste for stories. I often have to fo through a lot of crap before finding something worthy of documenting, and the process usually exhaust me. But after watching this series, I learned that everyone goes through a process like this before they can find something special.

A good story involves thinking from both sides. The character’s stories are told, but the director and the audience’s personalities are also incorporated. I’m not exactly sure what that means, but I think it means that the story should be open ended and leave room for imaginations. 

Final Project Mind Maps

April 11th 2019

Question: How can I create an equally efficient alternative to plastic surgery that allows more room for constant/flexible changes and customization?

User Experience Mapping

April 11th 2019

Empathy Map
user journey

Dystopia Project–problem

April 10th 2019

eugenics ideas of standardizing beauty, “universal look”
-prejudice based on physical beauty and attractiveness 
-determine job opportunities
-treatments
-possibility reproduce
-constantly changing beauty standards
-enforced conformity
-access to plastic surgery or other physical modification methods
-rich people have more access
-becoming a norm
-permanent and at risk


I want to create something that’s flexible and sustainable, like a kind of makeup that would allow people to design their desired appearance. This is mainly combating the problem of prejudice based on physical appearance. Even though my prototype might possibly add on to the problem in the long run, it will help individuals solve problems in the short term by providing everyone a fair chance.

Articles

More Teens Are Getting Plastic Surgery Because Of Social Media, Study Suggests

Uglies, a book by Scott Westerfeld

Is cosmetic surgery the new acceptable face of womanhood?

Urban Intervention: Scaffold and Bridges

photos and documentations

Urban Intervention: Sidewalk sheds/Scaffolds

Mar 23rd 2019

Test 1: Interview with Cliff Cheng, a Civil Engineer

The metal deck on top overlaps. But there is not gasket or caulking to prevent water from leaking through the overlap. That’s why the water goes through. Construction companies also don’t install proper drainage on top because it’s expensive.

There was a contest a few years ago that asks for makeovers for sidewalk sheds. The winner was called the urban umbrella. The new design is more modular so it’s supposed to be easily reproduced. The intent of redesigning the sheds was also to make it cheaper, but not a lot of companies started using the design yet. There’s one near the champion store in SoHo.

urban umbrella

Test 2:Survey

People see scaffold and sidewalk sheds very often

Main concerns people have about sidewalk sheds:

-Aesthetic issues, devaluing the beauty of a residential area

-making the buildings hard to recognize from the outside and blocking views from the inside

-water leakage when it’s snowing/raining

-obstruct pedestrian traffic in busier areas by blocking off more of the sidewalk

Test 3:

I put a sign on the ceiling on the exit sign in my residence hall near the elevator. I wanted to see people’s reactions. I also tried the same thing in my room right on top of the space in front of the fridge. It would determine whether my group wants to do something on the sidewalk sheds.

on the exit sign: people purposely avoided standing under it while they are waiting for the elevator, but they noticed it.
in my dorm room: my roommates were confused, but they still stood under the sign anyways because that’s the only way they can open the fridge.

Urban Intervention

Mar 13th 2019

The bricks on one wall of a building in the Brooklyn heights have fallen off. It kind of looks like a tetris game.
The cross walk kind of looks like bars. Since they are simple lines, there can be a lot of variations to it.
a liquor store right under a college dorm
A door with a lot of the letters scraped off. Can selectively repaint some letters to make new words.
scaffolds near Clark always leak water after it snows, so it’s like raining. It would be fun if I can put some sort of bandaids or umbrella under it to prevent the water from getting onto people’s heads.
random things I found in the Brooklyn heights
Toilets on the street of San Francisco
The organization lavamae installed colorful toilets on the streets with the banner “C’mon, give a sh_t”. The company is aiming to raise awareness of homeless hygiene/sanitation. They provide mobile shower services for homeless people.
bronze sculptures in the 14th street subway station
This series of artwork is present in a lot of underground stations and is meant to portray the ordinary like of New Yorkers. Most of them have money bags.
Iron Jelly Fish
A bunch of jelly fishes were installed in the 798 art zone in Beijing China. During my visit back to China I saw them in front of a store that sells metal art pieces. They seem to be crowding the doorway and trying to climb up. I’m not exactly sure the meaning behind it.
the lost lake project in Beijing mimic lakes using mirrors
The intention behind this installation was to make people more aware of the increasing rate of droughts and pollutions caused by climate change. More than 240 lakes have disappeared within the last 40 years in China. This project is implemented in many busy sections of the capital city of Beijing, which is where I’m from.
Never Stop Reading
This is a stop sign located at the entrance of the parking lot of Saratoga Library in Saratoga California. Someone has altered the stop sign so it says never stops reading.

Project One-Creative Process

link to paper

link to presentation

Project One Outline/Draft

Feb 23rd 2019

selected images for my mood board

link to my research paper outline

Passion Project Entry 5

Feb 18th 2019

Click here for my 5th entry

Documentary Response

Feb 15th 2019

The two documentaries are similar in the way that they both talked about the development of the game. But from what I see, the latest version focuses a lot more on behind the scenes, while the first documentary has a lot of footage of the game itself. The first one mainly talked about how each character was created and the inspiration behind them. The second documentary talked about the hardships caused by outside factors, since the game is already developed and running. It mentions how because of the switch from PS2 to PS3, the work load for the designers increased a lot, and there was a delay in the production of the game. It also tells the audience about how new features, like octo Camo, are not utilized as much because the users are more comfortable with using the old features of the game. At the end, the developers gave their thoughts on how they want the game to evolve in the future. This was similar to the ending of the first documentary, where the creator Video Kojima said that MGS 2 is about the passing of knowledge to the future generation. What he was trying to achieve was to teach his team about to create Metal Gear Solid and communicate the spirit needed to embellish the game. And in the second documentary, I saw a lot of new faces. I guess that’s what he meant by teaching the future generation. 

Overall, I really enjoyed watching these 2 videos. I feel like I gained a lot of insight to the creator’s design process, and I was fascinated by the change the game has gone through over the years. I would like to also keep good documentation of my work process so I can look back on them after a few years and see how much I’ve grown.

Documentation

Feb 15th 2019

I’ve used a lot of techniques mentioned in the articles we have read in my creative process. The two more important ones are sketching and interviews. For example, while I was doing my creative coding portrait project, I did a sketch of how I wanted the end product to look like, then I coded it using processing. While I was coding I made sure I did annotations and comments so I can understand the code later on(https://www.openprocessing.org/sketch/589973). Same goes for my still and moving images projects. I drew story boards and borrowed existing ideas and remixed them into my own story and filmed it using my own style and color palette.

my sketch before I started coding

For EG1001 projects, I designed a boba cup that allows users to drink without a straw. This was aimed to reduce plastic usage in response to the California straw ban. Because this is a very new idea and I’m in New York, I decided to interview a lot of my classmate for their thoughts on my prototypes and designs, and got a lot of helpful feedbacks.

Also, when I’m doing sculptures, I kind of used the SCAMPER technique where I question myself how can I build off of my existing works and make them interesting. I often find harmony in complimentary works, and it’s often a pleasant surprise.

the paper mache piece was build off of this plasticine piece

While I was writing this, I realized that a lot of my documentations are gone. I uploaded them onto the class website while I was still taking the class, but after the class ended I couldn’t find anything on my own computer beside the end products. This made me realized how important documentation is.

Reading Response 4

Feb 15th 2019

How not to destroy the world

After reading the presentation slides of How Not to Destroy the World, I gained clarity on a lot of the concepts of design thinking. The presenter used a lot of well known examples to help me understand the big terms like virtue, consequentialism, duty ethics, etc. But I also had a lot of questions about some of the concept he mentioned. One of them is Utilitarianism, which is the doctrine that actions are right if they are useful or for the benefit of the majority. Many companies and designers are using this concept when they are judging whether a design is moral or good. They believe that the greatest happiness for the greatest number should be the guiding principle of conduct. This concept is also called “Design for the majority”. Then what about the minority? I encountered this question in my Disabilities Studies class, where we were talking about universal design. Many of the existing designs are very convenient for capable people. However, the less abled people are often having hard times accessing public facilities, and people often give them a hard time. Even though they are the minority, people with disabilities still take up a big chunk of our population. The concept behind universal design is that designs should be for everyone, and there should be no barriers. Seems like not a lot of companies are considering universal designs. They only come up with designs that appeal to the majority in order to gain profit. But I think being able to design something that’s easy to use by all population is also very important. That’s what I’m striving to achieve as a designer. 

Passion Project Entry 4

Feb 14th 2019

Click here for my 4th entry

Artist Research

Feb 13th 2019

Joseph Cornell

Joseph Cornell was an American artist and film maker, and one of the pioneers of assemblage. He never had professional training, but grew up in a household where he’s exposed to all forms of art. Cornell’s most characteristic art works were boxed assemblages created from found objects. His boxes relied on the Surrealist use of irrational juxtaposition, and on the evocation of nostalgia, for their appeal. He also did a lot of experimental film, and his work was exhibited at the first Surrealist exhibition at the New York city MoMA. Cornell isolates himself from the outside world but still remains in contact with other contemporary artists.

I was actually first exposed to Joseph Cornell when I was in high school. For AP Studio Art 3D, students are given the chance to make any kind of 3D sculptures of installations. After research, I stumbled upon the Cornell Box—Joseph Cornell’s most famous works. I decided to make my own box with a found objects, and I utilized elevation and juxtaposition, and manipulated light and reflection to mimic the surrealism he had in his works. Here’s my box: 

My Cornell Box(2017) – found objects

Wallet

Feb 11th 2019

I designed this wallet to help Peter save money while perform multiple functions.

Passion Project Entry 3

Feb 11th 2019

Click here for my second entry

Reading Response 3

Feb 9th 2019

After watching Everything is a Remix Series and Exit Thought the Gift Shop, I gained new perspectives on how to approach art and my future creative process. I was specifically intrigued by the concept mentioned in the series where they talked about how all the masterpiece that was ever produced are all remixes. The artists copy good elements from others but change them and recombine them so it’s technically new and creative, but also very appealing since it contained a lot of successful concepts borrowed from elsewhere. I remember while I was taking AP studio art, I would sometimes struggle to find ideas and end up searching on the web for ideas to draw. Afterwards I would pray that my art teacher has never seen similar compositions like it and wouldn’t mark me down for “plagiarizing”. But now I realized that what I did was exactly what’s described in the video: I take an old idea that I like and twist it and add new elements and make it my own. I’ll definitely know to be more careful in the future, but I think I would definitely be more open to browsing the internet for ideas and inspirations. 

Exit Through the Gift Shop was also very touching. I have been paying attention to the issue of Street Art vs. Vandalism for a while, and have done a lot of presentations on Shepard Fairey and his Obey brand. As usual, I’m amazed at how Obey questions the public’s obedience to mainstream culture. And I absolutely love how brave and determined these street artists are. I will never have the courage to do something like that. I think after watching the documentary, my biggest take away is that art should be made more accessible for everyone. Instead of focusing on making the art experience authentic by having exhibitions and having people go though the museum then “exit through the gift shop”, there should be more art exposed to people without the privilege to visit galleries. 

Passion Project Entry 2

Feb 9rd 2019

Click here for my second entry

Reading Response 2

Feb 7th 2019

After reading the 10 Faces of Innovation, I was able to find out what type of innovator I am. If I’m working individually, I’m a Hurdler. But in a group work setting, I’m more of a director. When I work on my own projects, I tend to come up with ideas that are way out of my skill level. Therefore, I run into a lot of obstacles while working. That forced me to think of all kinds of way to go around the problems and find alternative ways that create similar effects. When I’m working in a group, I tend to be the one delegating tasks and checking on other’s progress. I usually have a clear idea of what I want for the project, and I have visions for the bigger picture. Even if I’m not initially put in charge, I end up in charge somehow in the end. Maybe I’m a little bit of a control freak.

Reading Response 1

Feb 4th 2019

After reading the two articles, the one about sketching really resonated with me. I love sketching, and I carry a sketch book around. But recently I grew increasing sensitive about the content and the quality of my drawings to the point where I stopped sketching. I would sketch on my iPad and erase what I think is ugly and start over. Therefore, my sketchbook is now used for collages and finished drawings that I have planned out.

The article pointed out how sketches can foster discussions. And I think that’s really important to me. I want people to be able to give me suggestions and having unfinished products always open up new possibilities. I think in the future I wish to get more comfortable with sketching random ideas in my sketchbook without worrying about whether it looks good or not. I think after awhile I’ll be able to develop my own style and theme, and that’s what I always wanted as well.

I also love the tools section at the end of the article. I love shopping for art supplies and stationaries. I would definitely check out the products mentioned in this section and see if that will help with my sketching. I hope that I can get back into the habit of sketching again and document my spontaneous thoughts for future projects. 

Passion Project Entry 1

Feb 3rd 2019

Click here for my first entry

For my passion project, I decided to follow the prompts on a website called Learning to Love You More. This website is currently acquired by the San Francisco MoMA but is no longer active/accepting submissions. Through doing this project, I hope to discover new things about myself and others. I’m updating my progress twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays.

Input Map

Jan 31st 2019

https://www.mindmeister.com/1210562236?t=I6qOz3uZcc

Entry#1

Jan 30th 2019

I hope to have an opportunity to work on my own projects and get feedbacks and constructive critiques from classmates. I also start projects but ended up not finishing them because I either don’t have time or lost interest. I want to see if others in the class can look at my projects in a fresh perspective and share creative suggestions of how I can further develop them but also point out what needs to be changed. 

I visit museums once or twice every month, so that’s my main source of creative influence. I love all kinds of visual and performing arts, and my favorite artists are Marina Abramović and James Turrell. I’ve seen Turrell’s work in San Francisco’s deyoung museum. He plays with light and colors a lot. Abramović on the other hand, creates strong visual impacts that often makes me uncomfortable and question the purpose of her art. Their unique styles really inspire me to try new things and experiment with new medium of art.

Marina Abramović – The Artist is Present (NYC MoMA) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TlZjFGriLw&vl=en-US
James Turrell – Three Gems (SF de Young)

Personal Inventory

Jan 30th 2019

see description for written commentary

Peter Lam

I loved the objects shown in Peter’s video. All of them are monotoned, and that’s really different from the objects that I own because I love colors. I can really tell from the items that he has a passion for music, and I’m looking forward to listening to more sick beats he produces. Similarly, I also love Frank Ocean, and blond is probably my favorite album by him.

Ruoxi Wang

My eyes were drawn to Rouxi’s video the moment I saw it. As someone from China, I also own a lot of Qipao, and seeing hers made me feel super nostalgic. I also love how diverse her items are. They all seem totally unrelated but they are all either really symbolic of her culture or very useful in daily life. Different from me, she included items that are more functional, which I guess reveals something interesting about her.

Joanna Chen

I love how Joanna included the cup of coffee, which is a single-use item that can be consumed and can’t last for a long period of time. I also love how she included tech items that reveal her personal interests. I think it’s an unique approach to the assignment and I really enjoyed watching the written commentary. She included a lot of fun facts that others can’t tell by just looking at the items.