This Product design unit required me to design a laser-cut landscape, divided into several wooden layers, as contents within a 95 – 55 –  30 millimeter box. The box features a special location that we couldn’t visit due to Covid-19 related reasons. I occasionally visit cousins in Vancouver, British Columbia in the winter. However, The trip was unfortunately canceled due to the situation occurring. The environment I chose is in Manning National Park, Lighting Lake, a campsite we frequently go to during the remaining days of the visit. It’s a multicolored shed on an open field across a mountain range.

During this assignment, I learned several skills involved in the process of designing a lightbox. This includes merging objects, rounding edges, image tracing / expanding, and forming silhouettes from images. I used a software program known as Adobe Illustrator, which allowed me to laser-cut the lightbox. I also utilized websites, for example, the noun project for icons, and makecase

for the design of the initial box. I also received more practice in using acrylic paints, like using masking tape to isolate areas of the product, and blending colours.

There are several things I would like to change about the lightbox. I thought the initial box design was too complicated, and I despised some aspects of the design. I also wish I was less ambitious with the design because I had significantly greater plans that eventually were abandoned due to time issues. I would’ve estimated the amount of work, made reasonable assumptions of what I can do in that time, and started on level 1, and built it upwards from there.  I also would’ve opted for a less dynamic box, because the repeating chains of etched layers seem too diorienting and strange for my tasting. Now, I think a more bare-bones, simple design would be nicer.  Next, I think I’d blend more colours for the backround, using several colours rather than just one. Finally, I think I should’ve used more trees in the design, in less perfect shapes, so the natural aspect is more apparent. Imperfection is perfect.