Project #1 Lost & Found:

The Loss of the Lost

Description

In this project, we were asked to recreate a lost object in a classmate's memory through their written description of the item. I got to work on a pearl necklace my classmate Nicky lost.

Design Process

Nicky's description of her pearl necklace was as follows:

It has gold chains and once worn the chain rests around my collar bone area
The necklace has 1 pendant made out of pearl attached to it
The pendant is a round white pearl held by a silver pendant holder
Pearl is in the middle and pendant that holds it molds to the pearl on the top like the pearl is wearing a hat
The pendant holder is rectangular

I first drew out basic components Nicky laid out in her descriptions, and matched them with the 2D primitives we learned about. The pearl (being a perfect white circle) and the pendant holder (given the description of being a rectangle) were very straightforward to depict through the 2D primitives. The chain was a little trickier, but the color detail Nicky provided was enough to convey the image of a gold necklace chain.

Wanting to add details beyond the design of the necklace, apply functions like rotate(), push()/pop(), and blendMode(), and to learn additional p5.js features, I explored ways to convey the meaning of losing an object. Through the teardrops that follow the cursor, I wanted to illustrate the sentiment of losing a meaningful item, and with necklace's frowny face, I wanted to personify the loss on the part of the necklace as well. When you click the screen (symbolizing a "search" for the lost item), the frown momentarily turns into a smile, denoting a moment of hope that the necklace may feel when it feels missed.

Reflection

Given the image of a "pearl necklace" I had in my head, interpreting Nicky's language wasn't very difficult. Even minor details that could've been tricky to either interpret or illustrate digitally were all solved by following her descriptions (i.e. "gold" chain, "rectangular" pendant holder).

When I first began drawing the object using 2D primitives and simple curves, I wasn't really seeing the benefit of using code vs using vector graphics editor like Illustrator. But once I started playing around with mouse interactivity like location coordinates and clicks, I was able to get a lot more creative with not only the visual expression, but also the interpretation of the lost item & what it means for the ex-carrier and the object. I am very excited to learn more and apply new concepts with intention and creativity!

Credits