While exploring the concept of 'Awe' and researching other Designers, I found that light, shadows and darkness play a big part in how we perceive our environment. I started looking at Immersive environments and how important light is when it comes to taking in our surroundings. Lights can create fear, comfort, warmth and mystery. It can help us to further connect and immerse ourselves with our surroundings.
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With my practical research initially, I started looking at how I can create shadows using nature-inspired silhouettes and how the light looks when it is shined through transparent colours. As shown below, the shadows created are blurry and in focus both make an exciting and mysterious effect.
After looking at silhouettes, I went on to look at light vessels and how, as a vessel, they can create an ambient environment.
As I was developing the lightboxes, I experimented with a translucent material to diffuse the light, adding to the effect the lights cause. Fake tealights have been used inside as they flicker to add to the impact of the lights. I also experimented with the concept of a lightbox inside a lightbox, as shown above.
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As my designs developed, I developed the below light collection, which plays with diffused light and shadows.
As I developed my practical work, it became clear how important light is to our environment and my work. I carried out further experiments combining lights and printed artwork.
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The images on the bottom left show how printed artwork looks with and without light.
The images on the bottom right look at how external lights and shadows affect how we perceive artwork. How casting shadows can change how we perceive our surroundings.
I further developed my prototypes in more sustainable materials creating the collection below.
I feel the way an environment is lit externally is essential and something that needs to be taken into consideration when designing a space. Taking into consideration the delicate balance between light and nature, this is something that I want to convey in the immersive environment I am aiming to design.
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As part of my development, I have created GIFS that can be projected into a space to create a dappled light effect.
Stills of how dappled light is applied to an immersive environment.
GIFS show how the environments look with moving dappled light applied to the immersive environment.
