Thiva's Environmental Design

What is Less is more? Or More is Less? From my understanding, less is more means an artwork with less designs can be highly appreciated for its uniqueness and creativity even though the quantity is small. In this case only the quality matters. For an example, an advertisement with less elements of the product can also be famous and totally reachable among the people. It shows that even though less elements are used, they can be straight to point. Other than that, they can also be very understandable by the users. For a conclusion on this part, a less designed artwork can be more appreciated than the more designed one.

This is a very simple advertisement that shows power and simplicity.


But this also can be mean that an artwork with less efforts and hardwork can be the one which receives more complaints and negative comments. Those who feel lazy in doing research and precedent studies before carrying out a project can be highly not appreciated. It shows that they are not eligible to be a designer.On the other hand, more is less means the opposite. Sometimes when the artwork consist of too many elements of design, it may just confuse the audience. Too many information can be uncomfortable for someone to look at. It just will overcrowd the design and will receive less responds from the audience.


For an example, my friends and I did a documentary  about a radio dj recently as our assignment. The actual documentary is about 5 minutes long. But our footages were 6 hours long. It was very difficult for us in the end to edit the video because of the overcrowded footages. Our work was not the best in the class either because we were confused which video will be the most suitable. This shows that having too many elements or styles in one artwork can be difficult to handle and to reach to the public.

What is form follows function? And what is function follows form? According to wikipedia, Form follows function is a principle associated with modern architecture and industrial design in the 20th century. The principle is that the shape of a building or object should be primarily based upon its intended function or purpose. What I understood from this phrase is that a design or a style or a shape of an object follows the function of the object. For an example, a chair's shape is designed according to the exact purpose of its existence. If the chair is built for people to have a quick nap, the chairs shape must be long enough to make the people feel comfortable and cosy. Another example is flat shoes. The shoes are designed flat to make sure to meet the function of the shoes which is to make the users to feel comfortable to walk around.

The basic rule for any design is “Form follows function.” If an object has to perform a certain function, its design must support that function to the fullest extent possible. This also goes for industrial design and even more for Web design. This rule is also equally important for web designers as well as architectural designers. A web designer must make sure the structure of a particular website suits the typical users of the website. The typical users can be the function here. But definitely the purpose the website was created is also very important. The typical user must feel comfortable and convenient in using the website.  The design and basic structure must be user friendly.


Then what is function follows shape? In this case, the shape plays a more dominent role in design than the function or purpose of the particular object. The shape of an object determines the function of the object. It might say that the object is first designed and then was experimented to explore more on the functions part. For an example,we can talk about Iphones. Iphones has a special features that everyone loves : touch screens, unlimited softwares, interesting games and everything. It has accomplished a special design and shape for itself. We now even have Iphone  shaped cushions. I saw my friend holding a 'Iphone' the other day. I went near to ask when he bought that expensive phone and he said its a RM800 worth Ipod. But the shape and the touch screens looks exactly like Iphone. The function of a Ipod follows the form of a Iphone.

According to wikipedia, Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials - typically stone - or marble, metal, glass, or wood. Softer ("plastic") materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals. Sculpturing requires real talent and passion. It needs a lot of effort a sculpture efficiently. I saw some of sculptures in Internet that is build using plants, wood pieces and many more. I totally agree that even though the end products looks nice and presentable, the hardwork required to finish it is really extraordinary. Here are some of the examples:

Chocolateis always finger licking good. Chocolate can be symbol of friendship and love. Even, chocolate makes happy moments to a family. Chocolate makes girls be cute. Chocolate can be an enemy to the elder age people. Besides, chocolate can make girls fall in love with a guy who give the chocolate. Chocolate can  create  smile on a person. Furthermore, forgivingness also can be solve by a chocolate. Chocolate makes a person to be selfish too. Then, chocolate create sharing and caring feelings. Chocolate can be a game such as hide and seek. Chocolate make a romantic moments for a couples. Chocolate is a health food when eat with fruits. Happiness equal to chocolate.

Yuumy colorful chocolates!!!

Recently, I watched a marriage proposal video. The man proposed his girlfriend live on air.It make me to think every time there is a wedding proposal different way is used to propose.Everyone use their own creativity to impress their loved ones. The proposal of marriage is an event where one person in a relationship asks for the other's hand in marriage.For example, every man propose tot heir loved ones using a different media. Some hides the special ring in a yummy chocolate cakes. Some hide it in wine. Some hide it in  sea shells. Some hide it in ice-creams. Girls love it when a guy propose to them in a unique and creative way. Here is some examples of proposal that I saw in Internet. There are really nice and romantic.

As a design student, I am required to design a lot typo play for my assignments. So I started to observe for creative typo play in my surrounding since that day. Typo play is actually about arrangement and formation of texts that we play with. I realised  that we can design a lot of stuff with this typography. It plays an important role even in drawing portrait. Human faces can be drawn using only texts. It creates a different kind of style for the drawings. Here are some of the examples of typography:

Everyone nowadays are addicted to facebook. Facebook is a medium for them to see the outside world and to see what is happening in their friends' life. It helps them to save their time. Thinking about it : Is facebook a good thing or a bad thing that ever happened to someone. Everyone that I know including myself update their facebook profile more often than they revise their textbook or do their daily responsibilities. Facebook is even considered to be the main factor of decrease in students' reputation in studies. But elderly people in this world can use this medium to get to know their long lost friends. Facebook is a famous social network nowadays.

I love to watch korean dramas very much. I have to admit that I am addictive to them. One of my favourite is Boys over flower. The drama is about  Jan Di who is an average girl whose family owns a dry cleaning store located near the luxurious and well known Shin Hwa College. Jan Di meets the four richest and most spoiled boys known as the F4. After saving a boy from jumping off the roof of Shinhwa High School, she is admitted into the school on a swimming scholarship. Jan Di tries to avoid confrontation with the F4 at all cost because she knows what happens to those that stand against them. However, when Jan Di's friend, Oh Min Ji, accidentally gets ice cream on the leader of the F4's shoes, she's forced to declare war on the leader of the F4, Goo Joon Pyo. But she end falling in love with Goo Joon Pyo. Its a very nice love drama. Language is never a barrier for me to watch korean dramas.

 The heroes in the drama.
 The girl with the boys.
 My favourite boy in the drama.

One fine Sunday, I was at home relaxing. I was watching tv while chatting with my parents. Suddenly, I saw AR Rahman's face in the  TV. It was a song from his album. The video's editing was superb. This continuation between black and white footages and color footages are well-developed. You can have a look at the video and you will know what I am talking about. Aishwarya Rai is definitely a major highlight in the video.The song is named Changing Seasons.

I noticed that a lot of people are giving perfumes as gifts to their friends. When I asked my friends about it, some said that it is not appropriate to give it as a present. But what actually bothers me is, the friends do not know what kind of smell or fragment that their friend like. It can be inconvenient for the friends to receive such gifts if they end up not liking the fragment isnt it?? Hmmmm...So I googled for perfumes to see what is very special about it. Then I realized perfume bottles have very interesting shapes and textures. They look nice eventhough the fragment is not my style. The bottle itself can be a gift for me..hehehe..

I was bored. So I went online yesterday and just browsing through some furniture's website and saw lots of furniture designs. Some were really simple but some were creative and something different from others. I was focusing more on beds since I am looking forward to buy a bed for myself. All the beds were good. They have their functionality and usability right. Some of the beds can be even used as decoration. Have a look at them :

 Burger bed..something different..

My friend, Rooben's family is building a new house in Klang. His father has hired a professional interior designer to design the entire house. As far as I know, its a very big house with spacious rooms for everyone including himself. Recently he brought some pictures that the interior designer sent the father to MMU. He showed us the pictures. The designs were simply superb. One thing that amazed me was he designed everything in 3D. I am currently working on an assignment that requires me to design an internet cafe in 3D. Only i know how am i struggling to do that. The designer just designed it as if there is no difficulties at all. But definitely he is getting a good pay for it!! Interior designing is very expensive it seems according to my friend. The design in 3D also looks very realistic. Here are the pictures for you to look at :

 Staircase in the living room.
 This is the kitchen.
This is the living room i think.