Spatula Design
Project Overview
Research
The spatula + Material (Beechwood)
The spatula can be divided into three parts: handle, neck and tool. According to their different designated functions (flipping, scooping, spreading, etc.), the proportion of each part is also different.
The final product will be be made of beech wood. Beechwood is a type of wood which is very stiff, hard and heavy. The grain is tight and fine, and the texture is even. Due to these characteristics, this material is more suitable for larger and simpler curves rather than smaller and more complex ones. In addition, as the product can only be made out of one material, the form should be simplistic and fluid in order to create a holistic feeling of the product.
Sketching
Working with Silhouettes
I started off by drawing the top views and the side views of the spatula. It is easy to work in this way because I can explore how the curves flow with each other and adjust them quickly. I work both by hand and digitally on computer. The advantage of drawing by hand is that I can feel the subtle change of the curves while moving my wrist and feel the speed of the curves. While working digitally, I can easily create a smooth curve with pen tool and smooth tool.
Working with 3D Form
Apart from 2D silhouette drawing, it is also helpful to combine the two surfaces into a 3D form by drawing to get a sense what it would look like in the real world. Compare to model making, drawing is less time-consuming and more iterative.
Physical Model
First Iteration
The handle part is too bulky, which makes people hard to fully grasp it. In addition, the conves part in the handle is too predominant, which draws people’s attention at their first sight.
Improvement
Rounding the Edges
