The Problem ...

The PROBLEM - Designing a product which both engages with children whilst standing out in an        already crowded market. Other considerations include timescale so design needs to be preferably simplified and condensed.

Research Strategies.

Primary.

1. Questionnaire (Qualitative research. Can you make a paper airplane? Are you interested in the craft or the fun of paper planes? Would you make them more if there was more to do with them once made?)
2. Survey (Quantitive research. How often do you make paper planes? Would you be interested in a game involving paper planes, yes or no?)
3. Making paper planes, seeing if any issues arise that can be built upon.  

 Secondary.

1. Existing Solutions. (Checking gadget shops to see how things are packaged and presented paying particular attention to paper products, games and products designed with an info-graphics visual). 
2. Writings on paper plane construction.

Hopefully more solutions will be created from these initial steps.

Existing Paper Airplane Product's.

There is a wide range of paper airplane books and guides already existing within the marketplace for both adults and children. To bring something different to the market will prove difficult from first impressions. Guides to making paper airplanes are fairly easy to come by and generally pretty in depth including the physics behind how they work and even tips on decorating planes. Many of them also include printed pages which can be taken out and folded in order to make planes that go from looking like jumbo jets to pizza slices and so forth.

But maybe trying to re-invent the wheel is too ambitious for this timescale. The graphic design on most of these books is fairly similar and tends to lack innovation and individuality. Which path our group decides to go down will hopefully become clearer with the correct research and analysis.

> Paper Airplanes - Amazon Results < 

This is slightly un-related but I found this installation an interesting idea. A game involving Paper Planes made by the player is an interesting concept. It could be done on a much smaller scale like targets you print out from your computer for instance.

  

Taking the concept into the digital era I managed to find an App which takes you through the process. Doing something which is accessed by a device such as a smart phone or computer is another option but might take away from the luxury we've been given with this topic, that of it being based around paper.

Also keeping my brief in mind I'm not sure which method would appeal to children? And in which way can we educate and explain in a manner to which they respond and engage.

How to Make a Paper Airplane Cont Furthur.

Paper Craft:

Paper folding looks almost effortless in the animations but can be frustrating with real paper. Even a reverse fold on a rudder which looks simple requires patience and some practice. Expect to learn about a plane by folding it several times and save your best effort (and paper) for last.

Most folds involve corners and edges so the creases can be made exact. Others like the main wing fold of most planes can only be described as "about there". These folds are doubly difficult because they usually include many many layers of paper. By trying the folds different ways to see the effect on the airplane, the best way for each craft can always be found.


Basic Aerodynamics:

The study of forces that affect an object moving through air is known as aero-dynamics. The same forces that allow kites and gliders to fly apply to paper airplanes and real airplanes as well. In fact, all objects are affected as they move through air or air moves past them. Designers or airplanes, sailboats, race cars and even buildings rely on the same principles of aerodynamics.

For airplanes, we consider 4 basic forces:

gravity
thrust
drag
lift

Now, if your interest in airplanes only goes as far a booking your holidays though fly.com or Expedia, you might not be interested in the details, but it is always good to have a basic understanding. If you are an avid paper plane-maker or you plan on getting a pilot's license then you might want to make understanding aerodynamics a priority! Let's start with gravity. Gravity is a constant force that pulls the plane toward the ground. Thrust usually comes from an airplane's engine but paper airplanes get thrust from you throwing them. Drag is the opposing force to thrust and is caused by friction of the plane's skin with air. Drag slows the plance reducing the wing's ability to generate lift.

Lift is created when moving air above a wing creates lower pressure. A Swiss mathematician, Daniel Bernoulli, discovered this effect which you can demonstrate. Tape a piece of paper to a table edge and blow across it at lower pressure that the still air below it. This slight pressure difference causes the paper to rise.

The same principle applies to curved wings found on real airplanes. Air moving over the top of the wing has to travel slighty farther (and so a little faster) than the air beneath it. This causes slighty lower pressure above the wing which creates lift. The best wing shape for lift depends on many things and usually is designed using a computer and a wind tunnel.

Paper airplanes don't have curved wings so how do they fly? They use the angle of attack of their flat wings to create lift. Even though the paper wings are flat, you will notice that air movig across the top surface has to travel slightly farther (and faster). Lift is generated from the same low pressure (Bernoulli effect) as with a curved wing although not nearly as much.

The total amount of lift also depends on air speed and wing size. Airplanes can fly only when total lift is large enough to counteract their weight. Since all the airplanes in this program weigh about the same, those with smaller wings fly faster. This happens because larger wings can generate enough lift even when they are flying more slowly.


Common Folds:

When making paper airplanes, it is very common to fold something in half. Often it's the whole sheet but many times it's a flap or a large diagonal. Fold things in half as accurately as you can. Most airplanes rely on each half being exactly the same for balance and straight flight.

Another fairly common paper fold is called a reverse. This happens after a few creases are established in a flat sheet and then reversed to allow a section fold inside another. Usually the inside section will form the plane's tail or rudder.

Another common fold in origami as well as paper airplanes is called water-bomb. It gets its name from the small paper cube based on this fold which will really hold water. After folding a sheet in half, fold both the large diagonals which square the sheet. Turn the sheet over and fold a crease through the center of the "X" made by the two diagonal creases.

Now the sheet makes a complicated move we call the "praying hands" manuever. Both sides come up at the time to form an upright flap. Once in this position, the last step is to squash down the flap using existing creases until the paper is flat again. About half the planes in this program use this fold or a variation so it's important to be able to fold it well.


Paper Airplane Designs:

When you're just starting out with folding paper airplanes, it's a good idea to just follow the steps to the letter. As your skills improve and your confidence grows, you can start being more creative and experiment with new designs of your own.

There are some important things to keep in mind when designing paper airplanes and this article will arm you with information to help you get a headstart in your fun journey.

Paper Airplanes Don't Really Need Tails

Some people think that tails are necessary for paper airplanes to become stable. This is simply not true. Most paper airplane designs do not include tails and even some real airplanes do not have tails. The B-2 Bomber comes to mind.

However, the angle of the tail has a direct effect to the flight of the paper airplane. If you bend the end of the paper airplane's wings up, this would make it fly slower. Bend it down and it'll go faster.

The paper airplane model dubbed as "The Best Paper Airplane In The World" has a tail.

Wide Wings Are Good For Paper Airplanes But . . .

Aviation terminology alert! The width of the wings from tip to tip is called the wingspan. Easy enough? Good. Now the distance between the front of the wings to the back is called the chord. Piece of cake!

Now this is when it gets interesting. The ratio of the wingspan to the average chord is called the aspect ratio. Simply put:

wide wing span + narrow chord = high aspect ratio

. . . and vice versa.

"But why does paper airplanes have low aspect ratio?" You may ask, observant reader. It's because paper isn't the best material for building flying things. A paper airplane with too high an aspect ratio can easily crumple with the force of the launch.

Also, paper airplanes with low aspect ratio are easier to fold than the ones with high aspect ratio.

How to Make a Paper Airplane Cont.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

1. One sheet of paper. Common notebook paper or stationery should work quite well.

The paper used must be rectangular in shape with straight, smooth edges and square (90°) corners. In order to provide the necessary stiffness and ease of folding the paper's weightshould be at least 18 pound but not more than 28 pound paper. The size of the paper is less important than the features already discussed. It may range from about 4x6 inches to about 11x14 inches (lighter weight paper is more suitable for smaller sheet sizes).

The "weight" of paper offers an approximation of how thick and how stiff each sheet is. The term actually refers to the weight of a stack of 500 sheets of paper (of a certain size, which I have forgotten; possibly 17x22 inches?).

2. A smooth, flat work surface.

The work surface should be at least as large as the sheet of paper and offer a firm, stable surface to support the paper while it is being folded.

3. OPTIONAL: One pair of scissors or paper shears.

PROCEDURE:

Step 1 Fold the paper in half lengthways. Crease this fold well, then reverse it (open up the folded page and fold it along the same line in the opposite direction; in other words, turn it inside out) and crease again. This fold is the foundation of all that follows and it is important that it is done properly. Ensure that the long edges of the paper are carefully aligned so that they are flush with one another over their whole length before creasing the fold.

Step 2

Fold down the top left corner until the top edge of the left half of the page is aligned with the first fold.

Step 3

Fold down the top right corner until the top edge of the right half of the paper is aligned with the first fold.

Step 4

Fold the point down. Steps two and three form a "point" at the top of the page. Fold this point down (toward you) so that the flaps formed in steps two and three are on the inside of the fold. Make the fold as high up on the page as possible without folding or crushing the flaps which are on the inside of this fold.

Step 5

Fold in half lengthways (along the original fold from step 1) towards the back so that the folded-down point is on the outside of the fold.

Step 6

Tear or cut a notch in the upper corners. If you have scissors available they will provide an easier and more attractive way to make the notches. Remove a square (about ½ inch) from the outer corners. Make sure you do not cut your notch along the center fold.

Step 7 Open the fold from step five so that the point is again on top and pointed toward the bottom of the page. The notched corners will be at the top of the page. Step 8 Fold down the top left corner so that the top edge of the left half of the page is aligned with the center fold. This step is very similar to step two. Step 9 Fold down the top right corner so that the top edge of the right half of the page is aligned with the center fold. This step is very similar to step three. Step 10 Fold up the tip of the point to hold the flaps in place. Steps eight and nine created two "flaps" which expose the tip of the point (which was created in steps three and four) through the notches created in step six. Fold the exposed tip of the point up so that it covers the edges of the two flaps. This will hold those flaps in the proper position during flight. Step 11 Fold the right side of the page back along the center fold so the the flaps and point are exposed on the outside. This creates two panels folded back-to-back along the center fold, with the notches and upturned point on the outside of the fold and the inside faces of the panels being smooth. Step 12 Rotate the page clockwise 90° so that the angled portion is to the right and the square end is to the left. Fold down the right wing. This fold lifts just the top panel created in step 11 and folds it "in half" so that the angled upper edge of the panel is parallel to and even with the original center fold (now at the bottom of the page). Step 13 Flip the page over, left to right so that the fold created in step 12 is down against the work surface and the angled edge is at the top and left and the square end (now possibly with the protuding tail of the wing created in step 12, depending upon the length-to-width proportions of the original sheet of paper) is to the right. Fold down the left wing. This fold is a mirror image of the one just completed in step 12. The angled edge is folded down so that it is parellel to and even with the original center fold. Finished Plane The plane is now finished and ready to fly! SOURCE: http://jdcard.com/engl3007/airplane.htm

How to Make a Paper Airplane.

Seeing as information and facts and figures is the focus for this initial research task I thought starting with definitions would be a good footing to build from.

Paper:

Material manufactured in small sheets from the pulp of wood or other fibrous substances, used for writing, drawing, printing on or as a wrapping material.  

Of or pertaining to paper; made of paper; resembling paper; existing only on paper; unsubstantial; as a, paper box, paper army.

Airplane:

An aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets.

Paper Plane:

A paper plane, paper aeroplane (UK), paper airplane (US), paper glider, paper dart or dart is a toy plane made out of paper or paperboard; the practice or constructing paper planes is sometimes referred to as 'aerogami'.


Facts and figures relating to paper planes/aeroplanes/airplanes:

- The world record for the longest flight is 27.6 seconds held by Ken Blackburn.
- Longest distance thrown is 58.82m.
- Smallest one ever crafted was made from a piece of paper 2.9mm square using a microscope and tweezers. It sits on top of a needle. 

Modernism / Postmodernism.

Modernism. 

Peter Saville, New Order - Blue Monday Vinyl Sleeve (1983).

Stripped down cover using geometric shapes and a focus on simplicity and clarity.

Joseph Muller-Brockman, (1958).

One of the pioneers of modernist graphic design. Again heavily structured and organized with a clear aesthetic quality by using san serif fonts and plain shapes. Removes any un-needed decoration. But you could argue do you need as many circles if that's your target?

Post-Modernism

Jamie Reid, (1980's)

The artist Jamie Reid is one of the more famous Post-Modernist designers and is known for his work with the sex pistols. A band which in it's very nature aimed to be anarchic. The design is controversial and rugged. It breaks most rules that the modernists tried to lay down as the law in design.

David Carson.

Not a massive fan of carson but he was most definitely post-modernist typographer. Limited use of grid. Uses serif fonts that have been cut into. Loose composition using photography. Modernist's would of hated it.

Lecture 3 - Graffiti & Street Art.

Graffito : Italian for little scratch.

People have been drawing on walls since ancient times. These famous cave painting's at Lascaux, France are a prime example. They are 17,300 years old.

Kilroy was here (American) or Mr. Chad (U.K.) was possibly one of the first examples of graffiti emerging as a platform to speak out. These were seem everywhere during WW2.

PARIS May 68' during the student riots was an important time for the art form. People used it as a voice against the government. A statement that can be seen by any man or woman.  It was a way of skipping the middle man of advertising or media and going directly to the source.

NEW YORK 1970's. Another important era for Graffiti. We see the emergence of the spray can as a fast and accessible medium. It evolved alongside Hip-Hop culture and was meant to make the language of the streets visible to all.

Jon Naar, Photographer, (1973). Documented the scene and culture. 

Jean-Michel Basquit. Created a character called 'SAMO'. Started as a private joke and grew.

Because it was seen everywhere it's popularity grew and grew until he declared it 'dead' in 1979. He then went into 'Neo - Expressionism' and even collaborated with Andy Warhol.

Keith Haring sketched images in black and white using chalk on black paper. Influential.

John Feckner, Broken Promises (1980). People started to experiment with surroundings as canvases.

The Berlin Wall became a world must for graffiti.

It then started to be adapted by the mainstream as popularity for it grew. Even by coca cola. TATS CRU (1997)


It even appeared in video games. It had broken into the mass market.

More recently the term 'Street Art' has been created as it shifts into a more conceptual nature.

The french artist Space Invader using mosaics spread around the world to give a more permanent message, however light hearted that may be.

It also begins to re-emerge into galleries with work from Banksy and Shepard Fairey.

People also practice environmentally sound methods such as reverse graffiti which works by removing dirt from a wall in order to create an image.

Paul Curtis (Moose), Reverse Graffiti.

Lecture Notes 2 - Post-Modernism.

Post-Modernism was a negative reaction to Modernism.

Modernism valued:
- Experimentation.
- Innovation.
- Progress.
- Purity.
- Originality.
- Seriousness.

Post-Modernism was basically the opposite in view:
- Exhaustion.
- Pluralism.
- Pessimism.
- Disillusionment with the idea of absolute knowledge.

They do however both share the fact that they are tied to the modern and technology. One being an expression of and see it in a much more positive outlook whilst the other is more of a negative reaction to this.

1917 - Writer Rudolph Pannwitz spoke of nihilistic post modern man.

1960's - Beginnings.
1970's - Established as a term.
1980's - Recognizable style.
1980's & 1990's - Dominant theoretical discourse.
Today - Tired and simmering. Fallen out of fashion.

Terms: After Modernism, historical era following Modernism, contra Modernism and equivalent to 'late capitalism'.

15th of July 1972 3:32pm. Modernist flatblock project demolished in St. Louis 4 years after it's build.
Charles Jencks claims this is the moment Modernism died.

The utopian ideals of modernism didn't seem to be working in reality as it stiffled individuality. Flat blocks around the world were being demolished as too were the dreams of Modernism.

The only rule of Post-Modern was that there are no rules. A direct reaction to Modernism's strict values and guidelines to design.  It starts as a critique of the 'international style'.

Park Hill Flats - Sheffield.

A good example of this is the Park Hill Flats in Sheffield. Seen as a progressive modernist structure but in reality they spawned crime, vice and depression among the residents who eventually had to speak out to the council and ask to be re-housed somewhere else. Unlike most of these structures however this had been granted listed status by the government and therefore the council were unable to pull it down. It was granted a very post-modern renovation.

Far less serious. It allows colour and playfulness into an otherwise overbearing eye sore. Interestingly enough however it is now being sold off to a different young professionals. 

They felt Modernism favored ideas over peoples needs and individuality. Meaning Post-Modern buildings aimed to be far more frivolous.

Guggenheim Museum - Bilbao.

 Writer and philosopher J-F Lyotard wrote some musings on the topic in his book 'The Post-Modern Condition (1979)'.
- Incredulity towards the meta narrative.
- Meta narrative being a total belief such as religion or communism which gave a structure to life.
- Result of which left people with a crisis in confidence and a lack of hope which total belief gives. Leading to anxiety.

It was a clash of styles. Complexity and chaos.

Roy Lichtenstein - This Must Be The Place.

Images like this began to spur a high art and low art divide deterioration. Posing questions like why can't comic books be hung in a gallery and be seen as art?

Mailshot's.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.


Tamish Ashwani - Self Promo Mailer. I like how he's used the flow of the folding technique to guide the viewer through the process.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.


Mario Sidoni - A.I. (2008)


Not exactly a mailer but the techniques used could be transferable. However this is a one off, to reproduce 5 different copies would be a painstaking task, something I need to bear in mind considering the timescale of this brief. 

The above 3 folding technique examples are taken from the book 'Mail It' by Pepin Van Roojen and could be useful due to their size and rectangular finish. 

5 Points On Why We Crit.

• Allows you to get used to showcasing your work for other to analyze. 
• Group discussions help with idea generation. 
• Gives mini deadlines which help structured progression. 
• Allows you to judge your progress. 
• Spurs group discussion around your work. 

D.I.E.T
Describing.
Interpreting.
Evaluating.
Theo rising.

Cabin Crew Image.

I'm pretty intrigued by this slightly sexist image surrounding the cabin crew profession. This 'immaculate' image seems to me to be slightly unfair in terms of expectations.

Profession : Air Steward.

The randomizer in all it's wisdom has decided to give me the profession of Air Steward. Also known as flight attendent's and cabin crew.

10 Facts:

1. They are the face of the airline so are required to excel in customer service.
2. This also means that they are forced to look 'immaculate' whilst working. 
3. The airline spends approximately £14,000 on each new recruit in order to get them fully trained and tested meaning interview processes are tough. 
4. Salary goes from £14,000 to £22,000 for senior cabin crew.
5. They are assessed for the first 3-6 months by a senior staff member after being hired.
6. They are also re tested every 12 months. 
7. For long haul flights cabin crew are known to be put up in 5 star accommodation for their entire stay in the destination. 
8. First recorded flight attendant in 1925 making the profession fairly modern. 
9. They are forced to pay for examinations in order to keep on working. 
10. Unusual working patterns means lots of time off. Typical shift patterns can involve 4 days on 5 days off.

After some group discussion we decided my facts with most room for progression are:

1. They are forced to look 'immaculate' whilst working. Girls: Preferably skirt suit or smart/work dress (skirt/dress - no shorter than knee length). Hair needs to be immaculate, ie, tied back in a bun, make-up, immaculate - red lips (I suggest having a look at how Emirates cabin crew dress and are made up - try copying it. Tips for Cabin Crew
2. They are forced to pay for examinations in order to keep on working. 
3. For long haul flights cabin crew are known to be put up in 5 star accommodation for their entire stay in the destination.

However lucrative the long haul destination jobs may be only a select few get this privilege. This is an interesting article from the daily mail.

- British Airways - The Daily Mail.