Lesson video

Hello, and welcome to what is our fifth lesson in the Design and Technology Textiles unit of work.

My name is Mr. Wicken, and it's great to see you here again today.

In our lesson today, we're going to look at what makes an effective range of initial design ideas.

And before we get into that, actually how we create some sketches and some objects which we look at to then create the objects on a page.

So let's have a look at today's learning objectives.

Now, before we go into the learning objectives, as always, if you haven't yet done the intro quiz, pause the video here now and go and get that done for me, then we'll carry on.

Okay, now that's done.

Let's have a look at our learning objectives today.

The first one is what your design task actually is.

We need to actually understand and create a document that actually lays out exactly what you in this unit of work are being tasked with designing but also manufacturing, based around a textile product.

Then we're going to look at actually how we create some freehand sketches, and we're going to have some practise, some sketching activities in that area in today's lesson.

Then we're going to produce our actual initial design ideas for the product that you are going to be designing and manufacturing.

And then, as always, we're going to finish off with our exit quiz, just to conclude all the learning that you've done in today's lesson.

Now, to be successful we need to make sure we've got the right equipment.

So we're going to need the following.

The first thing you're going to need is an exercise book or some bits of plain paper.

It's up to you which one you want to use, either will be suitable for what we're doing in our lesson today.

The other thing you're going to need is a pencil and make sure that pencil is good and sharp and ready to be used for the design work that we're going to be doing in the lesson.

If you haven't got those bits of equipment, pause the video here now, go and get them for me, and then we'll carry on.

Okay, now we've got the equipment.

Let's have a look at today's keywords.

We've got three keywords that we need to focus on today and they all link together quite nicely.

So the first one is sketch.

So I'm going to say it, then you're going to repeat it.

So sketch.

Sketch.

Sketch.

Excellent.

Well done.

Now a sketch means, in essence, actually just making a rough drawing of a given object that you might be trying to represent on a piece of paper.

So a sketch is just something that you can do very quickly without a great deal of thought that is trying to represent your ideas, your thinking behind the designs that you've got for a given task that you are working on.

The next keyword that we're going to look at is form.

So let's say that together.

So form.

Form.

Form.

Excellent.

Now form is where we're talking about a specific shape or design that actually is needed for a given object so that you are making, or it will be made, in that given shape or design for whatever you are trying to create, which obviously links to the sketch work.

So you do the sketch work and actually through the sketches you create, you're creating the form of the product.

The next and last keyword for our lesson today is function.

So again, let's say that together.

So I'll start: function.

Function.

Function.

Excellent.

Well done.

Now function in this sense of the word, 'cause function can mean a variety of different things, but we're talking about design and technology, is actually the usefulness of that thing, actually, how it is intended to be used.

So the function of a given product.

So if we think of a pen, the function of that pen is to be able to write with it to create a document.

So we need to think about what the function is of that product when we are designing it.

And there's a little saying that form follows function.

So what that means is that it's really important that the function of the product is the most important part when creating the designs and then the form follows it.

Because, actually, if we think about the form before the function, we might not have a product that works as we intended it.

So it's really important that we are thinking at all times about the function of our product and that's going to be really crucial for what we're doing in today's lesson with our designs.

So let's go into our first learning objective.

So our first learning objective in today's lesson is actually what your design task is for this unit of work.

Now, before we get into that, we need to just look into a really important document that actually helps us with the design task.

Every time a designer starts a new project, the document that leads and actually defines what they are going to be designing and making is something called a design brief.

A design brief is just that, it is a very brief statement of intent as to what the designer is intending to create.

And when we're writing a design brief, we can break it into four key areas.

The why, the what, the who and the where.

What that means is each one of those four areas is something that we need to answer in our design brief, which gives us a really clear indication as to what we are trying to design and manufacture for our intended end user.

Now, I've got an example here that I want to just go through so that you've got an idea as to how a design brief should be written and what it should look like.

So it's for the backpack that you see in the picture here.

And the first sentence would be something as you see on the screen.

So children need to have a safe and reliable way to carry items to and from school.

So that would straightaway be the why, okay? So that would be our why statement as to why we are creating this thing.

The next thing would be I am going to design and make a school bag with built in security.

So, again, that is the what.

What are you actually going to be designing? So you've got the why and the what, then the next sentence would be: This will be sold to children at primary school.

So that's then the who, that is then telling us who we are designing this backpack from.

And, finally, our last sentence within the design brief is the bag will be used whilst children are going to and from school to keep their items safe.

So that's the where.

So all four of those areas have been covered in that design brief to give us a really clear and broad overview.

It doesn't define what it's going to look like.

It doesn't define any sizes or anything like that.

It's just giving us a very brief, design brief, very brief overview as to what this bag could actually be.

So that's to do with the bag, but actually we need to look at your design task and here it is.

So in this unit, you are going to create a fabric, because we're doing textiles, so it's going to be using fabric, mobile phone protector.

So this mobile phone protector will be used by you, by me or somebody who you want to target it towards that can actually hold a person's mobile phone and protect it from any damage that it might get in either a bag or somebody's pocket.

Things like scratching the surface, maybe some dents and chips, whatever.

But this mobile phone protector made from fabric is what you are going to be designing and then manufacturing.

You need to write, now, your design brief for the mobile phone protector.

So we need to think about those four key points, okay? And I'm going to show an example in a moment of what a design brief might look like for a mobile phone protector.

Remember, when you're writing the design brief, you must make sure that you are actually clearly defining those four different areas: the why, the what, the who, and the where.

And that you and me are getting a clear understanding as to what you are intending to manufacture.

So here's an example.

So the first one is a well-designed phone protector can help keep a person's mobile phone safe and protected.

So that straightaway is the why.

So that is why this product is going to exist, it's to protect the phone.

I am going to design and make a fabric mobile phone holder.

That is the what, so that is telling you and me what I am intending to actually design and manufacture, a mobile phone protector.

The mobile phone protector will be designed for somebody who is concerned about damaging their mobile phone.

So that's the who, and that would be someone like myself, maybe your parent or carer, maybe somebody that you know who doesn't want to scratch or damage their very expensive mobile phone, 'cause mobile phones are very expensive these days aren't they? And that's why you need to look after them.

And this product is going to create that solution.

The last thing is obviously the where, so the mobile phone protector will be designed to ensure that it can be used when a person is outside of the home.

Now that's important.

What that means is we're not looking to design a product that they're going to use within somebody's home.

Actually, it's when they're going out and about into the town to go shopping, maybe they might go out to a restaurant.

They might be going to work or school, whatever it is, it's when they're leaving their house taking their mobile phone with them.

This is going to protect that mobile phone of theirs.

So you're going to pause the video here now and actually go write your design brief for your mobile phone protector.

You've seen my example but you might want to add further detail.

You might want to put something in there about actually more specifically who you are designing this for, maybe a specific location as to where it's going to be used, and you might want to add in something to do with the design element.

It's entirely up to you, but whatever, that design brief is going to then lead the project going forward because that is going to be a key document to influence our designs that we're going to move onto in this lesson.

So pause the video here now, go and get writing a design brief and I'll see you in a bit, good luck.

Welcome back, and I hope you got on really well with writing your design brief for your design task.

And now you know what we are going to be designing and making for this unit of work, which is a mobile phone protector.

So let's move on to our secondary area of learning in today's lesson which is: what is freehand sketching? Now, freehand sketching is something that really does help us as designers.

It allows us as designers to really quickly and quite effectively just sketch out some rough ideas as to what we are thinking of trying to create.

Sketching doesn't need to be perfect.

It can have mistakes, it can have errors in it.

It might not actually look as you want it to intend it to, but that's fine.

It still is a rough sketch.

Just to give us an idea as designers as to what we're thinking about.

Now, when we're freehand sketching, it's important that usually as designers we only have a pencil, maybe a pen, okay, but realistically no other equipment.

I definitely don't want people to be rubbing things out.

If you make a mistake, do not worry.

That is the whole point of freehand sketching, 'cause actually that mistake could just help you, as a designer, better create ideas at a later point.

Make sure that anything you do on the page, you keep it there and you don't rub it out.

So let's have a look at actually doing some freehand sketching before you go off and do it yourself.

Okay, so I've got some everyday objects that I found just around my house that I'm going to use to just do some freehand sketching with, just to practise some drawing techniques just to get me working with my pencil.

Now I've got my pencil here.

It's a nice, sharp and ready to use pencil.

And hopefully you're going to have yours sharp and ready to use as well.

And you can find any type of object you want to sketch at home, it's entirely up to you.

This is just practise that we're doing together before we go into our initial design ideas.

So I've just got some random objects.

So I've got a hand sanitizer bottle.

I've got a little key ring that's got some different sort of tools on it around.

It's quite a nice little tool that I got given from Father Christmas.

Actually, I loved it.

It was fantastic.

I've got a toothbrush as well.

So I'm going to actually sketch to start with, I'm going to take out the hand sanitizer, and I'm going to take out the tool, and I'm going to use the toothbrush.

So if we look at the toothbrush, there's obviously different parts of the toothbrush that we could sketch.

We could sketch the whole thing as one object or we might want to sketch different parts.

We've got the handle.

We've obviously got the bristles.

We've got different elements that we could sketch.

So I'm going to start by actually sketching the head.

So I'm going to hold it at this angle.

I'm going to come over to my page.

I'm going to start by just drawing the top area of this toothbrush.

So, actually, if I look at it, it's got sort of a flat base here but then it sort of goes up in a sort of curvy angle, okay, to a sort of a slight tip.

Now, obviously it's not actually a solid object.

What I'm doing is I'm creating so that the structure for the brush's head to actually then allow me to draw in all the different bristles.

Now that would take me quite a little while but I could start to build up the bristles inside, okay, to create what is the head of the toothbrush.

And then off of that, I can start to draw on the plastic that goes at the bottom of the toothbrush head as well.

And all I'm doing is just very rough.

It's not perfect by any stretch of imagination.

There's loads of issues with my drawing.

It's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it's giving me a really good idea of the toothbrush's head.

So I'm not going to draw the whole handle.

I'm just going to draw an element of it.

'Cause I'm actually just taking one part of that toothbrush and sketching it out for the time being.

So that's like so, and then I could carry on drawing in the bristles that go at the top just to make it look more realistic as a toothbrush head.

Now, again, it's not perfect.

There's loads more that I could do to this to make it far more realistic as a toothbrush head but it just gives me a starting point for sketching our product, okay? It needs loads more work and I'm not nowhere near done, but it's just a starting point.

And then I might want to go on and actually you know what, I'm going to do the side of the handle.

So actually, if I look I can see that it sort of goes up and then curves down to the toothbrush head and that kind of curves around it.

And then it goes down that way and I can go off and I can there's some little ridges just at the top of this toothbrush here.

So I might just stick those in at the side, and it's just to take different elements of the design and sketch them onto the page.

And then we'd come over to the toothbrush head and then I would go along like so and then like that, and then I might just draw on the bristles just as a block for the time being.

And I could obviously put in the lines to sort of represent the toothbrush head.

Again, nowhere near perfect.

But I could start to label things on there just to sort of identify different parts to the design.

It's entirely up to you.

I would recommend that you do add different labels and notes and annotation on there just to give an idea, but listen, that is nowhere near good enough design as far as I'm concerned but I'm doing it very quickly and you'll take far more time.

But what I can then do is move on to a different object.

So I could then take my little tool that I got from Father Christmas.

I might want to then go onto my hand sanitizer bottle.

And I want you to fill up the page that you've got so that we can get some really good freehand sketching, just to practise before we go into our initial design ideas for the mobile phone protector.

So now we've just gone through the demo of how to do some freehand sketching.

It's over to you.

So I want you to pause the video here in a moment and I want you to go and get your piece of paper and pencil and some objects from your house that you can then go and sketch.

It doesn't matter what the objects are.

I just want you to practise freehand sketching before we move on to our initial design ideas in the later part of this lesson.

Do make sure that when you're sketching the objects, you're trying not to rub out things.

You saw mine were nowhere near perfect and I'd made mistakes on different parts but I didn't rub it out.

I kept it there and I worked with it.

And that's what I'd like you to do with your sketching as well.

So pause the video here, go and get sketching and have lots of fun, see you in a bit.

Welcome back, and I hope you had lots of fun practising your freehand sketching using odd objects in the house.

And you're now feeling confident and ready to move on to our last learning objective for today's lesson, which is to produce a range of design ideas.

Now with our design ideas, it's really important that we refer back to what we did at the start of today's lesson, which is our design brief.

That design brief is a really key and crucial document to help us with our designs.

Without it, we can't be successful, truly successful, in creating that mobile phone protector.

So we need to make sure we've got our design brief to hand and ready to refer to when we are creating our designs.

These initial ideas are just that, they're initial ideas, doesn't mean it's the final idea.

We're going to go into development in a later lesson but today we're just going to come up with some ideas that are really interesting, unique and different.

When we're designing, we need to make sure we're not being boring and safe.

I want them to be really creative.

I want those designs to show me, and yourself and anyone else, who you are as a designer.

Be truly out there, be really interesting.

Don't be boring, nobody likes boring, do they? We want to be really interesting and really fun.

So make sure that when we're going into the designs that we are thinking actually, how can I make them really interesting? So let's go and have a look at how we can create some really interesting initial design ideas.

Now let's go over to our page and start to create our initial design ideas.

So I've got a new piece of paper.

It doesn't matter if you're using your blank pieces of paper that are loose or you're using your exercise book but also you need to make sure you've got your pencil nice and sharp, ready to create your designs.

So when we're doing our designs, we need to make sure that we are coming up with a good range of ideas.

So I don't want to just see for our mobile phone protectors just simple sort of rectangular shapes with some sort of design drawn on to the front.

That actually doesn't look that interesting.

That's not really what we're after.

We want really good, interesting ideas.

So things like this, what about a mobile phone protector that's in the shape of a lightning bolt? Hey, why not? That sounds like a really good idea.

And what I can do is with my design here, I can then say, right, well, actually this is where the mobile phone is going to be located, okay, in this area.

Okay, and I can label that.

So I can say mobile kept here, right? And then I might actually put a little button just at the top here, so that there's a flap that comes round over the top of my lightning bolt that then protects it.

So I can say flap holding mobile in, yeah? And what this is doing is it's giving me a really interesting and unusual design for my mobile phone protector.

Now in this area, what I might actually suggest that we do is we don't just leave this blank because obviously it's not going to be really useful as a waste of space in your pocket or indeed in your bag.

So actually this could be used as a little pocket inside, right? That could be used, okay, pocket for money.

How about actually, we use this as another area for a different possibility.

You could put some, you know, bank notes or some loose coins into this little part of the lightning bolt.

So it's now got multi-purposes to that actual part.

It's not just holding a phone, it's actually using the phone to hold, but also some money.

So it's almost representing a wallet pretty much, but it's given us a really interesting idea.

And then I could move on to a completely different idea over here to then show a completely unusual and unique design again.

I've obviously started with a lightning bolt.

I could go onto anything.

How about something that might be in a heart shape? Why not? Actually, why can't we have a mobile phone holder that's protecting the mobile phone in a heart shape? So it's almost hugging, it's loving that mobile phone as it is in there.

'Cause that's what we want to do.

And there might be the opening for the mobile phone there.

So we can say, again, opening for mobile phone.

And we can then talk about other parts of the design that you might want to add to it.

It's entirely up to you, but you then need to go off and add more annotation, more ideas to those designs.

And as I say, this is not just boring squares or rectangles.

This is really unique shapes and designs that you are then going to go on and manufacture with the different fabrics that we'll talk about in a later lesson.

So now we've had a look at what makes an effective range of initial design ideas.

It's over to you to actually start creating your initial design ideas.

So using your exercise book or some plain pieces of paper, I want you to come up with a range of initial design ideas that are really creative, that are completely out there, that are something that is going to truly change the way in which we protect our mobile phones.

Now, we need to remember that when we're creating these designs, they are going to be used to actually eventually manufacture one of those designs as your actual mobile phone protector.

So remember this product is going to be made out of fabric.

So you need to think at all points, actually, how is this going to work with different fabrics? We think about our clothes and stuff.

These products are going to be made using fabric.

Make sure that when you are designing, you're using a range of different skills that we've obviously spoken about with the sketching, but any that you might know personally too.

You need to also, as I was showing you in my example, label those design ideas so that you're giving yourself the information about what part of the design is what, and finally I would like you to make sure that you have at least six different initial design ideas for your mobile phone protector and each one of those six designs must be completely different from the other.

And I mean truly different from one another.

So you saw that I had the lightning bolt and then I went to a heart shape.

I mean, they're completely different shapes, aren't they? And look in a different way as well but that's the whole idea.

I want six really interesting initial design ideas for your mobile phone protector.

So pause the video here, go and get your equipment and then start creating your initial design ideas for your mobile phone protector.

Good luck have lots of fun and be really creative.

Welcome back, and I hope you got on really well.

We've created your initial design ideas and that you've got six unique and completely different initial ideas for your mobile phone protector.

Now make sure those designs are kept because we're going to need them in a future lesson.

And then eventually, obviously we're going to take one of those designs and actually manufacture it for real out of fabric.

And that's it for today's lesson.

Thank you so much for being here.

We've learned so much in today's lesson.

We've now been able to write our design brief for the project and we know what the project is.

We had a practise doing some initial hand sketches just with random objects that we found in the house.

And lastly, you've now gone on to create six initial design ideas for your mobile phone protector.

I hope you've had lots of fun doing it 'cause I know I've had lots of fun showing you today.

As always, I would love to see your work, especially your design ideas.

And if you can get your parent or carer to take some photos and they could share those photos online so that we could see what you've created, but make sure that when they're doing that, that they are using the #LearnwithOak.

I look forward to seeing you in our next lesson.

Take care, bye-bye.