While taking my 3d art at Towson
this year, I had to make an ergonomically sound container from a tool box
prototype. The long nights work hard at the shop and at home paid off, I officially
finished it. Originally I wrote out ideas for the box transformation by wrote
down plenty of verbs and nouns that describe how to transport an object, and
objects that are transportable. When
writing down the verbs I there was one word that I kept going back to which was
sift. So I thought of ways one would grab a box to sift. Generally speaking it
would make sense to make it look like an inverted trapezoid, due to the fact
that a lot is going in and only a little bit would be coming out. Holes are in
the bottom panel in order for the sand or loose dirt to drop through. I also put angled hand grips on the side of
the box so one could shake vigorously and not lose control. On the top of the
box I made indents that guided the hand to grips. This feature also made a
comfortable hand space. Braiding the rope gives the box a more natural feel, if
the user wanted to shake the sifter, all they would have to do is hang the rope
to the side keeping it out of the way of the operator. There is a designated
handle on the rope so carrying the sifter wouldn't put much strain on
operator’s hand. I painted the inside of the box black for extra contrast
against the sun’s rays, making it comfortable for the users’ eyes. Sanding down the sides was another idea I had
so it would be soft to the touch. I did
some research and found that a 15 degree is appealing to the eye it guides the
eye to different directions and still fits together as a whole. By changing the bevel on the saw I made my
container more angular though I did round the edges. Rounding the edges of the box was crucial to
the design, simply because no part of the body is at a ninety degree angle; it
allows the carrier to sit it on the hip without discomfort. I think my piece came together as a whole in
the end, I am rather proud of it.
