Cut Out The Darkness

[ndeewolfwood]

Just few word to talk to you about a great contest : the Cut Out The Darkness contest.
It's a project about sending solar lamp to people in area without electricity.
The project is mostly support by Panasonic.
They made a design contest for lamp shade using paper cut techniques.
The 100 most voted shade will get in production and give to population.

You can get more information here :
http://cotd.panasonic.net/about/ (english and japanese)

I've submit one entry, please take some time to check it out and click on vote if you like it.
http://cotd.panasonic.net/entry/detail/367

The contest  will close 15 02 14.

Some details view of my entry.
[attach=1]


more view here
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/63k39stnhioyxkd/1A49jqhK-_

[TheBadger]

Hi,

thanks for posting about this. I usually don't go in for this kind of thing. But this campaign actually has a degree of beauty mixed in with the practicality. Its a nice thing I think. Light is meaningful to everyone everywhere!

I voted for your piece too. And not just because I support the things people in this community do. But because I really think your design is very attractive and equally interesting. Also, it is far and away more thoughtful and well done than many of the other entries (no disrespect to them)

But some of those other entries are rather absurd. Some have meaningless symbols adapted from a western pop culture (phony tribalism) and some have imagery that is just kinda creepy. And then there are the ones that employ the written word, and I wonder how many people who receive these lights can read, or read in English.

The imagery in your work (at least aesthetically) feels optimistic and uplifting. And in terms of possible interpretations of your symbols, I think generally they are positive. That is, when I see birds in flight, or coyote or wolves in cultural works from other places, they are usually used in a way that says something good. The earth and the heavens and some connection between them (dreaming perhaps). Basically what I'm saying is that, I don't think there is much chance your work will offend people or terrify little children, as I suspect some of the other entries may. And like I said, it looks good too.
It can be read, and looked at, and thought about, and one could fall to sleep doing so.

I suspect the shade is just for late at night when some light is needed but not all the devise creates.

Its good

I could say much more. But I wont bore everyone with my rambling

There are a few other nice entries as well. But yours is one of the strongest if not the one I like best so far.

Good luck.

[ndeewolfwood]

Dammmm....thanks a lot Badger.
In fact i really get inspired by this contest. I made the visual in 12h without stop. 
The thematic is fantastic and very meaningful to me too.
I'm really happy when you say:  it's not  scary.
I was afraid of that but in the same time i wanted 2 faces in this work.
Something calm, peacefull and clear to read and something more abstract in a weird way at the same time.
Something who's not a dream, not a nightmare  : something in between.

I suspect the shade is just for late at night when some light is needed but not all the devise creates.

It's a shade you can add and remove and yes it's more for night/bed purpose .
The lamp is pretty powerful and not so cool for intimity purpose. You can use it for many tasks. In fact the nude version looks like a classic public garden ground lamp.

[TheBadger]

Hi Man.

I just looked again and saw that you have 15days left? I wanted to just add that there are two things that you may want to think about.

1) in the animation of your work (the turn table thing) I can see clearly that the shade extends upwards above the hight of most of your imagery. There is a significant amount of black space. Why? Without knowing what you know about your project, I was looking at it for a while and I thought there should be more stars, maybe even the planets? its really a stark dark space, when the shade is turned to what I would think is the back.

2) The main body of the bird in flight. Given how everything else around it is working, shouldn't this space have s little of the same treatment as the wolf? I realize that you could run the risk of making it "too busy". But maybe just two or tree well thought out lies would really balance that negative space in relation to what is in its area.

These are really the only two crits I can make. And really its fine the way it is. But something to think about.

Its really a cool thing. YOur work may go into the homes of a large number of people who don't own much property. Given the effort you put in, I would think that it is a nice feeling. Especially because the object will likely be given a honored/important place in the users home.

Thanks again for letting me look at it and talk with you about it.

Cheers