Glenn

Hi! Welcome!

In this video, you'll see an example of how brainstorming could look. The project is a lantern design. Earlier, I decided to use a traditional style lantern as my inspiration.

First, let's break the project down into separate parts. Then, we can brainstorm each part and sketch possible ideas.

[Speaker holds parts of an partially constructed lantern to demonstrate the following concepts.]

Parts of the project could be the frame for strength, infill, what we build inside the frames, the covering over the frame, and an electrical lighting solution.

Another possible area could be brainstorming shapes for a cap or a base. Here are the four parts [frame, infill, lighting, covering].

Let's brainstorm ideas for the frame. Remember, the frame must be strong, but also hold a translucent or see-through covering.

I'm sketching the front view of a container and where I could cut it in half. The part I'm using, I'm now sketching in isometric view. The cardboard used on the outside looks like a frame, but really the shell structure of the container gives the strength.

Here's a front and side view of a cardboard container and an isometric sketch. Cutting away the sides will form a frame, but I'll need to access the inside for the light.

Now I'm exploring the classic look of a timber material. Thinking here in 3D of how a frame could be arranged. My idea here is to use bamboo sticks. Sometimes brainstorming is helped by manipulating your materials to spark ideas and certainly to help visualise and sketch them.

This wooden frame uses Popsicle sticks with an experimental covering of baking paper.

[Speaker sketches the different views of a piece of the lantern frame.]

Here's how it appears in side view [text overlay reads 'Orthographic side view'] and the front view with covering [text overlay reads 'Orthographic front view']. Here's an isometric view.

If your inspiration is a modern aesthetic, make a list of the modern materials surrounding you. A colourful construction set is one idea.

[Visual depicts a frame made of a construction set as the speaker sketches. Text overlay reads 'Orthogonal side and front view.]

During brainstorming, have fun finding some out there alternatives. In other words, options that are not obvious or common. This construction set may not be my first choice, however, it may help to leapfrog to the next idea.

Here's an isometric sketch showing just how easy it would be to snap together these components.

This frame is made using coffee stirring sticks. [The visual depicts a rectangle frame of sticks with two cross beams for support.]

Here I'm sketching the front and left hand side view as well as an isometric view. These small and quick sketches are sometimes called thumbnails.

Here I'm brainstorming ideas on how to fit the frames together. They could assemble like that, [two pieces of frame flush against each other with corners aligning] or maybe I could have the corners touching. That would be hard to glue together, so maybe what I need is an outer frame that the frames fit inside, and the same idea using some craft materials.

Moving on to infill, ideas could include painted directly onto the covering, made on a 3D printer or woven from air-drying clay.

The design for the infill could be more traditional or creative. Do this by sketching loads of thumbnails. A traditional way of allowing timber infill to cross over is by cutting halving joints.

Next part covering the frames. You could brainstorm a list of materials that could include tissue paper from a gift box, fabric from a shirt, baking paper, a traditional rice paper that has a texture or pattern, or even some tracing paper. How will you then attach your material to your frame? Will you consider staples, sewing, an adhesive tape, or even a traditional rice glue?

And now the lighting part. Your brainstorming could include, for example, a three volt battery and LED, a plugin USB, a torch, a microcontroller with a strip of LED lights that automatically turn on when it's dark or change colour dependent on temperature. Packs of LED candles are a cheap option.

To visualize the whole lanterns some guidelines may help. Here I'm drawing isometric guidelines by tracing around a template.

And here are three possible shapes for the cap. This cap uses layers of curved cardboard. This cap is based on a pyramid. This one is a sculptural freeform idea.

Thank you for joining in. I hope you have a lot of fun brainstorming ideas for your project.

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