Xiaoyun Liu

Everlasting Light

 

This assignment is the most difficult but most meaningful I have done so far. I think I will need to write down every detail of the process.

I started to do this assignment last Sunday. Before that, I did not have any idea about what I need to do for this assignment. Then, I got a piece of bad news on Saturday morning, my grandfather was passed away. It was too sudden, I thought I was dreaming. Until I completely woke up and realized that it is true. I cannot stop crying. The memories between my grandpa and I are playing in my brain just like playing a movie. I felt so regret that I had learned filmmaking for three years but I even never shot a film or a video for my grandpa. And from now on, I will never listen to his voice anymore. So, I drew down all of the scenes I had thought about in my mind to make sure I will remember it. I drew and cried for a whole day. I was so sad that I could not go home to see him one last time. I researched online about what I can do for him. There were many people who said when the family passed away, they will need a lamp to find a good way of their next life. Usually, people will prepare this lamp for them. Families will also need this lamp to prayer for their passed family. 

Until Sunday, I started to realize that I cannot stay in my room anymore. I went up to my roof and sanded there for an hour. I finally realized that I had homework need to do, but my whole brain was full of the memory of my grandfather. I thought about the lamp and I had an idea of combing the memories I drew. Those memories can also help to reminds my grandpa that this lamp is for him, and give hime a direction that home is here. Also, when lights go through the whole of the box, it projects to the wall, it is just like playing a movie. It also completes my dream, to make a film for my grandpa. So I sketched down my idea, my lamp is different because I am using a light bulb to make it light up, the traditional one usually uses a candle. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After I sketched down the idea, I used Adobe Illustration to drew a direction for laser cutter. 

I used the cardboard for the first test cutting, it did not go through because I set the frequency too low. Then I tried a couple times, it finally worked. I also test if the light can go through to make a reflection. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the time I was finally going to do my final cutting, I saw another classmate who was doing a box that using a crisscross shape to make it stable. I changed my drawing. I cut two pieces of cardboard, it was working. So I used the wood to cut. I brought them home and thought I finally done. However, when I started to make them together, I realized that they all not match. So, I changed my drawing on Adobe Illustrator, I tried to match each column, but it still did not work. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While the time I felt so stressful, I saw the line I drew on each side of the box. I was trying to make make it looks full. I had the idea that I can cut two pieces of wood to go through the hole and connect the two sides of the box together. It can also be the holder for the light bulb. In order to make to pieces of woods not interrupt with each other, I moved two lines a little bit lower. I also bought some rubber bans to make it stable. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I changed my idea a little bit. I made a side of box a hole to put the light bulb in. After my redesigned, The top of the box I designed to make it lose, which I can use it as a candle holder or a light holder. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is each side of the box mean:

1. My grandpa picked me up from school on a rainy day. I did not want him to pick me up, I ran, and he held my hand did not let me go. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.   My grandpa made me my favorite meal. I thought I was the happiest girl in the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.  When I was 17, I left home and come to study in the US. At that time, my grandpa was disabled to walk, but he insisted to sent me to the airport by holding a crutch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.  I go home twice a year. Each year I have been home he changed. The second time I went home, I could only lay on the bed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. The time my grandpa passed away: 6:13 pm, September 21st, 2019.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I found in making this box is, I think it is very important to calculate the value of each side. It can help better to match each side. For using the laser cutter, I think it very important to do the test cutting, otherwise, it will waste time and waste money.