The paper project is focused on movement of the human body and using one material (paper, and very few adhesives) to emulate motion and figure. Building physical projects has never been my strength, so this would pose as a hard challenge for me as someone with a focus on 2D visuals. I drew inspiration from Japanese origami and paper folding in order to depict the movement of the shoulder blades as they are stretched and relaxed. I wanted the movement to be pin pointed to the center of the back, where the blades meet and the muscles bunch up in a "tense" region.
Above show non-human inspiration for the project (birds + large cats have prominent shoulder blade movements)
Above pictures the progression of the movement in a sequence from stretched to tense
The final product is a wearable series of crescents that mirror the structure of the shoulder blades. The orientation is directed towards the center where the shoulder blades meet. A paper "spine" is connected from each arm to the center, pushing the origami in the center and forcing it to bunch up the same way the muscles do between each shoulder blade on the upper back. The project was not entirely successful due to the quality of paper (bristol and cardstock) for they wore out quickly from overuse, but the effect was still recognizable to the viewer. The concept is still clear, emulating the movement of force from the arms to the back in a visual way.
Even though the project was not entirely successful, it was a significant learning experience for me to experiment with materials to create something more dynamic and usable. Learning the process of how something works, rather than simply how it looks is an integral part of design that I'm hoping I can better understand by working with my industrial design and architecture peers. I also have learned through this project that experimentation is crucial in understanding the feeling you are trying to create.