project 2

IN THIS WORK: My aim was to use the physicality of a laser-cut print to convey a message about the importance of tangibility and being present. In a world where there are infinite forms of media pulling us away from the real world, it is vital to be able to cut through the distractions and connect with those around us, hence the literal cutting out of the central text ("here i am!"). I created general guidelines for my design: my central message was to be the loudest and carry the most visual weight, while various allusions to the digital world would be sprinkled in the background via a combination of symbols, logos, and text. To execute the actual printing, it was most important to cut out the central text, but for the other elements I alternated between raster settings (as seen in the Twitter bird and email logo) and etching settings (as seen in the traced text and the message bubbles); both of these settings create lighter and less prominent engravings on the wood than cutting, illustrating the hierarchy of importance in our daily interactions with others: we often forget that physical interaction is more important than its digital counterparts. Finally, I encased the design in a rounded shape similar to that of an app on a phone homescreen.

PROCESSES

1. Drafts I created in Illustrator while finalizing my design. I had to alter the shape of the "a" and "e"s in the middle text slightly so that the center parts wouldn't fall out during laser cutting. I also opted to enclose the center message in a text bubble and add overlapping text to make the design more cohesive and have the elements interact with each other more. 2. The key I used to print my design onto balsa wood with the laser cutter. Rasterized sections were filled with black, while cut sections were outlined in red and etched sections in blue.