Generating Ideas: Ten Into Five

As part of an exercise meant to generate new ideas, I chose five words and five of my initial sketches. These five words were; curve, stretch, repetition, tear and enlarge. For every sketch I chose one aspect of the idea to apply the word to. I will explain this further in this post.

 

Fig. 1. USDA, Red Trillium, 2024
 

Curve:

For this word I chose a sketch for a hairpin. In the first sketch I decided to curve or curl all the leaves of the Red Trillium, whereas in the second sketch I only applied this to the bigger red leaves. For the last sketch I decided to curve and elongate the anthers. I decided to leave the actual pins alone, since these are the functional part.

 

 

Repetition:

For the word 'repetition' I chose a sketch for a necklace I made. The design includes gold and pearls with curved wires around them. I decided to repeat the entire pendant across half the necklace for the first sketch. In the second sketch I repeated the pearls to three each and for the last sketch I repeated the curved wires. 

Fig. 2. Knott, B., Olive Branch, 2020

 

 

Enlarge:

This choker necklace is adorned with small golden branches across the whole necklace. For the first sketch I chose to enlarge the branches and leaves, for the second sketch I enlarged the base necklace only. For the last sketch I enlarged the necklace itself, making it longer. In addition, I downsized the branches and leaves as they approached the middle of the necklace. 

 

 

 

Stretch:

For this word I thought it would be best applied to one of my earcuff designs. I stretched out the spirals in the first sketch, making them extend further than the edge of the cuff to create and elongated effect to the whole shape. For the second sketch I stretched out the chains that hang from the base, although I feel that this would make the cuff too heave to be able to hold onto the ear. For the last sketch I stretched out the point of the cuff. Again, I think the chains would weigh the cuff down too much.

Tear: 

For these ideas I decided to tear up a bracelet. For the first sketch I tore the bracelet through the middle, keeping the rest intact and changing the shape of the chains hanging from the base of the bracelet. For the second sketch I tore the chains, this would make the pearls hang from the middle of the torn chains. The last sketch is an intact bracelet, instead, the pearls are torn apart and added back to the bracelet.

This felt like a useful task for my project and ideas. I gained some new ideas from the task and different ways to apply sizes and shapes. I liked the necklaces and hairpin especially, it does not change the idea, only enhances the existing designs.

Image References:

Fig. 1. USDA (2024). Red Trillium. USDA.gov. Available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/images/redtrillium/trillium_erectum_mthomas_lg.jpg [Accessed 14 Aug. 2024].

Fig. 2. Knott, B. (2020). Olive Branch. Adventist World. Available at: https://www.adventistworld.org/what-to-do-with-olive-branches/ [Accessed 14 Aug. 2024].