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Design project Essay For this project and the particular way in which I chose to construct this clock I was extremely lucky to be benefited with the knowledge of how to use the timber cutting and sanding equipment. However the skill of decoupage was one I still had to achieve. I was lucky enough to have Miss Brett provide some scrap pieces of timber left over from previous work done by design and technology students. I researched my theme, which was a retro style. I wanted something different to everybody elses, as this was my project. I soon found clock ideas on the Internet and used them as my inspiration. Finding these was a great help. They helped me create an innovative design. Deriving from the French verb decoupage, meaning to cut out. Decoupage is a way of decorating almost any object or surface with cut out pieces of paper. The raw materials are all very easy to find, for example: magazines, greeting cards, wrapping paper, postcards and illustrated catalogues. Surfaces for decoupage need to be clean, dry and smooth. Lightly sand wood surfaces, then wipe with white spirit (paint thinner), porous surfaces should be sealed with matt emulsion (latex) paint. I did not encounter many problems in the making of the clock. Not any significant problems. The only problem I did encounter was the black numbers and hands of the clock, I found you could not clearly see them so I used red paint and brushed it over them. The only other problem was that I did not know at one stage what I was going to use to connect the pieces together. THE 70S The seventies were a very hip and happening time, when fashion and design were at a peak. Some of the most peculiar yet interesting objects came out of this era. I have just included some pictures as an example of what I mean by retro design. Research The following research has been carried out: 1. Research of literature: I made reference to many books about clocks to make sure that this had not been done before. There were slight comparisons but nothing great. A number of ideas and technical information had been included in this section as well as technical information. I also made reference to decoupage books and to books about woodwork. I made reference to the woodwork books for more information about the machinery. When I first received this project I decided on the theme of the 70s retro design. I then took myself as soon as I could to Newtown for this is a place where retro is a theme of many stores. I was Unfortunately I was unable to take photos of most of the stores because I was asked not to, so I respected that. After going to Newtown I had an instant idea of talking to a designer who was designing in the 70s. It was then that I phoned my uncle Terry Doyle and asked him what it was like to design during the seventies. He told me that it was the seventies that bought his products to the market for he said to me had bold ideas, which many did not necessarily like. However because everyone became more accepting of new ideas and thoughts, his ideas were now accepted and he had become a hit. He told me that the seventies was the best era. He said he absolutely loved it. So my idea had to be bold, however not to bold. Today I went to Newtown and I a spent the day looking for recycled pieces to make my clock. I found a record, which I am going to use for the back of the clock. I will have to however experiment on making the hole in the centre of the record larger, so that I can fit the clock mechanism through it. I also bought an old clock to use as an example and to use pieces from it. For this project and the particular way in which I chose to do this clock I was extremely lucky to be benefited with the knowledge of how to use the timber cutting and sanding equipment. However the skill of decoupage was one I still had to achieve. I was lucky enough that Miss Brett had some scrap pieces of timber left over from previous work done by design and technology students. I researched a theme that was a retro style; I wanted something different to everybody elses so this was the project for me. I soon found clock ideas on the Internet and used them as my inspiration. Finding these was a great help. They helped me create an innovative design. This pattern was the major inspiration to my whole design. It features squares in the way in which I created my clock. I was then going to create squares just like these and so I searched through my mums wrapping paper collection and I found one which would be perfect. So I adapted it to my design and I was away. With the design process underway I was nearly finished and only one minor problem was stopping me as to how to join the squares. This would be a great area for investigation. What was I going to use to join these slightly out of shaped squares together? What kind of adhesive or nail was I to use to then join these pieces to the plywood? The plywood is recycled scrap from the year sevens work. This plywood then has the pattern decoupage sealed to it and this would be the square/rectangle. The back of the ply is where I wanted to fix whatever I was to use to join the square/rectangles together. I also researched about decoupage and this enabled me to understand the technique and how to complete this section of a clock. I wrote up an experiment to which this will be what I will do with apiece before I try it on the other projects. I made reference to many clock books to make sure that this had not been done before. There were slight comparisons but nothing great. A number of ideas and technical information have been included in this section as well as technical information. I also made reference to decoupage books and to books about woodwork. I made reference to the woodwork books for more information about the machinery. When I first received this project I decided on the theme of the 70s retro design. So I took myself as soon as I could to Newtown for this is a place where retro is a theme of many stores, I went to the stores and unfortunately I was unable to take photos of most of the stores because they asked n me not to, so I respected that. After going to Newtown I had an instant idea of talking to a designer who was designing in the 70s. It was then that I phoned my uncle Terry Doyle and asked him what it was like to design during the seventies. He told me that it was the seventies that brought his products to the market for he had bold ideas, which many did not like. But because everyone became more accepting of new ideas and thoughts, his ideas were now accepted and had become a hit. He told me that the seventies was the best era. He said he absolutely loved it. So my idea had to be bold, however not to bold.