Design and make an innovative and original container that is not a box.
Product
A vase in the shape of a boot made from concrete. Painted red with small silver heart sequins stuck on it.
Evaluation
Although my project didn't turn out as well as I would have liked it to, I am still pleased with the final product and the work I have done. I think my idea is innovative and original, and it is definitely not a box, like it specified it shouldn't be in the brief. It isn't very practical though!
The vase would be more useful and practical if it had a bigger hole to put the flowers in, the reason it is not very big is because when i was casting each half of the boot i didn't push the pole that was creating the hole into the concrete far enough on each cast, therefore when i stuck them together it wasn't a full circle, i helped this problem a bit by using a rounded rasp to rasp away some of the concrete to change the shape and size of the hole.
Also i made the two moulds separately, and stupidly didn't write down what size the first one was and therefore guessed the second size so they were different sizes. I got over this problem by firstly sticking them together and then filing, rasping and sawing excess concrete off so they ended up the same size, although this did take a lot of time. I didn't mix the concrete correctly on the second casting so the heel of the half boot didn't form properly and therefore it just crumbled away when i got it out of the mould. This problem then lead to the final product not been able to stand up properly.
I think that concrete was too heavy to use, it weighs an absolute ton.
I think I should have sat down and thought about what i was going to do and how i was going to do before I did it.
I used lots of different pieces of machinery that i have never used before, which was interesting and useful, including the CNC router and the 3D Digital Scanner, both of which i used to make my moulds. I also made lots of different mixtures that i could have use to make my vase including other types of concrete and plaster of Paris.
I am happy I chose to do this design for my project because i have used materials, technology and techniques i have never used before, so it has been a good learning experience and lots of fun. Overall i am proud of my project = ]
Testing
I haven't actually tested my project yet, but i think it will work, but it wouldn't be very useful for more than a couple of flowers. I think it would be better in a garden than on a table, in a house, like I first wanted it to be for.
I have asked various adults opinions on the design and they all liked the idea. I asked adults because they were the target audience.
Modifications
If i were to make this project again i would make various changes and modifications:
- Plan ahead.
- Use a different mixture to make the vase.
- Mix the mixture well.
- Apply a plaster or something along those lines to the outside of the vase to add a smooth finish.
- Think of a more individual finish to the vase.
