Grade 10 Design Folio

Personal and Cultural Expression

Statement of Inquiry:
The particular cultural expressive choices Designers chose in their solutions, has a direct
responsibility on a Designs acceptance to different peoples, cultural identities and their
associations.
Global Context:
Personal and cultural expression
Key Concept:
Culture
Related Concepts:
Adaption, Perspective.

Criterion A – Inquiring and Analyzing

Design Situation:
In this unit, the global context we are focusing on is personal and cultural expression, two aspects
that are closely related to each other. Culture: meaning the language we speak with, traditions we
have, arts and literature that influence us; Identity: meaning the experiences we had, ways we
behave, things we like. In it, culture is an important part that builds our identity and identity an
important aspect that affects how we decided to take our own cultures. Anyway, both of them are
important parts that builds us as ‘ourselves’ and the way we express it takes a big part of our lives.

Culture and identity can be expressed in a lot of ways, easy as the way you
are dressed or the food you like. Something more difficult might be a piece
of art or a building. They vary between different people and cultures, but
all of them have they own color and a way to express themselves. As a
designer, a way to express the colors of different
cultures is by designing a product. Examples of
designs with personal and cultural expressions on
it could be something as a t-shirt with an anime
character on it, both expressing the anime culture
of Japan and personal preferences one has; or this other example of a vessel
made in the traditional Chinese way but with cartoon character ‘Peppa Pig’
on it. The designers were able to express both their identities and cultures
thought the products they design.

Being as an international student, I’ve lived in China and Mexico before, which each of them having
their own colorful culture, things that build me up as the way I am. Having multi-culture
background, I can fell the colors of each and every culture I had experiences. It’s beautiful how they
interact with each other. However, not everyone has the chance to feel those colors. There is a
chance for me, and I want to share how the colorfulness of the cultures I had experience to people
from another culture throughout designs I made. Therefore, I want to gather important aspects of
both Chinese and Mexican culture, making connections in between, and design a multi-cultural
product with which can show the beauty of cultural interactions.
Research Plan:
Area of Research Priorit Source
y
Aspects of culture
Research on: high Secondary
What are cultural elements from Mexico and China that I could include
on my design?
Survey on: medium Primary
Which of the cultural element are people mostly interested about and
wants to know more about?
Way to express
Conduct research on: high Primary
What are products that could show cultural believes to others?
Conduct survey on: medium Primary
Which are the products which people expect to have some kind of
culture on it? Which utensils does people would like to see with a
cultural connection with?

Research Findings:
Chinese and Mexican culture
Part 1: research
Both China and Mexico are countries with a rich history and cultural background, and in fact, too
many to add it all to a product. But still, in each of the countries they have some parts of their culture,
whether it’s its arts, tradition, history, believes, they have ones that stand out from all the others and
only by looking at them you know where they come from. In this case, I will research into several
aspects of both cultures and using pictures to shape a better idea of them.
China Mexico
Chinese New Year Dia de los Muertos

Moon festival Dia de Reyes

Art
Art

Ink drawing Calligraphy

 Aztec
China pot

Miaozu

Part 2: survey
For this part, I took the findings from the previous part and put them together into a survey where
people could pick the element that they are interested on each element.
The results were really equal. Most people seem to be on different parts of the cultures. But compared
to o theirs, traditional days had some attention to it. it has a slightly a greater number of people
interested on it, with similar reasons of “the events look interesting” or “the drawing on the scull is
cool.”
So as conclusion, in my product I should consider add that part of the culture in.

Possible Products
Part 1: research
Culture is wide and can be interpreted in nearly every way. In this case, I'm trying to make a product
that is touchable (actual object). To have possible ‘objects’ that I could made, I decided to go over
through some existing products online with a cultural value on them.
Part 2: Interview
For this part, I too a list of possible products an di speed and asked several people (Friends,
classmates, family, lower schoolers) about which of them they were most interested on.
The result was that quite equal. However, from 18 people that I asked, 8 showed interest on the key
chain, 7 people were interested on the cup. and 8 people showed interest on the bag. They gave
reasons such as “I haven’t seen a lot of bags with Mexican and Chinese culture on it” or “a key chain is
very useful for me a s a cultural expression.” Overall, these are probably the products I will focus on
the next part of the folio.

Product Analysis:

Thousand-mile Mountain glass cup

Aesthetics: The cup is made of a cylinder shape with triparental sides where the illusion of the famous
cheese ink painting ‘Thousand-mile Mountain’ is presented. With colors to simulate the color could as the
original painting and golden lines drawing the mountains. In
the base of the cup is design as a mountain which gives
more depth to the cup.
Consumer: this cup is probably directed to young age
people because the way it looks. Now in days the young
part of costumers tends to like this type of products.
Cost: the cost of this cup is 110 rmb, which isn't low for a
cup. However, considering the difficulties when
manufacturing this glass cup with so many details and color,
it is a reasonable price.
Environment: Glass itself is made to be a durable object and
design to be reuse. Compared to one-time cups, this cup is
very environmental.
Safety: this cup is don’t look to have any danger in it before
it breaks.
Function: The cup is to drink water. In this case it could be also used for an ornament since the design it
has.
Materials: glass.

Aesthetics: The main part of the bag colored with a soft yellow and some orange handles. In the middle of
the bag, they are some inspirational phrases in Chinese representing part our lifestyles.
Consumer: The consumer of this bag is probably Chinese young people interested on their countries.
Cost: the bag costs 14.5 rmb per one. The manufacturing price and the price for its materials is probably
inexpensive. This bag could easily made by a machine, and the materials are just normal fabrics.
Environment: the bag could be used to replace plastic bags, which could help reduce the damage towards
the environment. the materials this bag is made of in itself isn't damaging to the environment.
 Size: the size of the bag is enough to put some books or some personal
belongings. It has a good size as a personal bag.
Safety: the materials this bag is made of are safe to the human body, apart
from that they aren't any hazards on this bad towards its target audience.
Function: this bag could be used to carry personal belongings, for example
books, phones, computer, makeups, water bottles, around. If needed it
could also be used to carry around stuff.
Materials: fabric

Design Brief:
After the research, I seen a lot of things that I could include in my product. People are more into the arts and
traditions of each countries culture, and personally I think tey are the easiest ones to include in the final
product. In the second of my research, I found that people are willing to see cultural connections in cups,
bags, or key chains. After my product analysis, I thought and the best choice that I could take is making a
bag. Its achievable for me, and I think that it could combine both cultures pretty well. So, overall, I decide to
make a personal bag where elements of both China and Mexico are added.