Ideation to Prototype
I started with breaking down and extracting the visual elements in my upbringing, and reconstructing them into a metaphorical narrative.
The resulting prototype is a cassette tape that contains flashcards of timestamps. Each card documents an object of significance in my life in colors of red, yellow, and blue which represent my Chinese origin, the western influences that took over a significant portion of my life, and my adulthood.
Sketches from the design process and concept breakdowns
I took inspiration for the casing from the cassette player (Sony Walkman) and the cassette tapes
I also took inspiration from layered films in different color combinations as a metaphor of mixed culture
The casing design is a cassette player with a window, with inner padding in which the cassette tape lies
The cassette tape contains flashcards that deliver the narrative, and an introduction to the viewer
The flashcards are arranged in a sequence indicated by the timestamp at the top of each card. The color and complexity of the illustrations are designated by the nature of the featured object and by the growth of my mixed cultural identity
Each flashcard delivers the narrative in chunks of digestible texts, accompanied by cut-out style illustrations. When mixed and matched, the stacked color films create interesting patterns through color combinations and negative spaces
