Process and/or Research

Outline your approach to the project? What ideas did you generate and how did you refine or reject them? What did you research and explore? What methods or techniques did you use? What tools and technologies were involved?What challenges were encountered and how did you resolve them?

I first needed to think of what kind of book I will be making, and I jumped to an illustrative children's book. Although the book will only be 2 pages, it will tell a story about an astronaut kid exploring space.  I will be using the methods and techniques that we learned in the first day of class, which includes soldering and connecting wires to the gemma controller. 

I needed to think about how I will include the somewhat awkward and bulky materials into the storybook (the battery pack, wires, Gemma controllers, and copper paper.) I wanted to include them in a fun and creative manner that diminishes their awkwardness, so I thought of making holders for the battery packs on the binding outside edge of the hardcover book. I wanted to incorporate the gemma controllers, wires, and LEDs in the illustrative pages themselves. So I thought of creating copper paper in the shape of planets, and the viewer can connect the wire from the gemma controller to the planet to turn the light on and off. The lights themselves will embody important characters or subjects, such as a glowing alien or a rocket. In order to cover up messy gemma controllers or wires, I can also envelop or overlap them with soft fabrics and wool on top (making hills, or adding stars), adding another dimension to the landscape. This will give the pages a slight pop-up 3D effect also.