My Github Project

Project: ArtSpark- A pocket sized art teacher

Hi, my name is Debjyoti Bhowmick. I am a Digital Game Design student at the National Institute of Design, Bangalore. This is the Atelier project for my Exchange Program in Media Design at HEAD, Geneva (23.10.24-24.01.26).

Devlog

23.10.20

The aim of this project is to create a playful AI assistant like experience either in an exhibition or a product design context attuned for beginner/ amateur artists. Exploring ways to use user emotions to have the AI create and print art for the user to collaborate with. I have begun to conduct interviews, both telephonic and online. I am also planning to conduct art sessions with peers to try and guage insights into impromptu art. Insights and details will be detailed in research update devlogs further down the line.

23.10.25

Currently thinking of fixed emotional states to choose from to denote a set variety of emotions to create with. I am hoping to translate these inputs into line weights/ thicknesses to create randomised artwork outputs. This idea shows promise.

23.10.30

Today was the first prototype test day. My prototype focused on inputs from three emotional states but Alexia had a comment that stuck with me "Is there any emotional expression option for me, pregnant and tired?" Most of the other testing went fine but now I am wondering whether fixed emotional states to choose from is really a good option if I want the user to be able to connect with the experience I am building.

The gist of my research until this point has been linked herewith:

Research Update_30.10.23.pdf

Another problem I have run into is with the projected user journey.

I received unanimous feedback that I am trying to target too wide of a target audience. Douglas said that a good product can be not for everyone, we must pick our battles.

23.11.5

Last prototype update was a few days ago. Have no been able to definitively solve the problem with user input for a variety of emotional spectrums yet. Thinkng of implementing emotional slider input methods into the user expereince to allow for the 'device' to recognise a wide variety of emotional inputs. Hoping this idea works out. Inted outcome will be somewhat on these lines:

23.11.11

Today's work has been about moving away from purely color based user input and coming up with user input ideas focused more on shapes and sensors. Maybe placing certain objects in the device could generate the automated visuals I have been seeking?

23.11.15

The latest thought explorations have led me to work on a device with art exercises packed into a small exercises. My next prototype will be an attempt to create a device that holds up pieces of paper while it makes the artist do simple drawing exercises based on two attributes :

1. A timer.

2. A difficulty/ proficiency level.

3. Feedback/achievements through an app.

User tests:

Test 1. feedback insights: The timer and in one place are too confusing. Hard to notice timer going down as time changes. Too focused on drawing. Finished drawing too fast.

Test 2. feedback insights: Hard to understand what the timer is, focus first went to diffuclty part of slider.

Device changes 1: added timer slider to the right.

23.11.16

Feedback (Mid crit presentation with Caran d'Ache)

1. Could the sliders be integrated into the screen and turn it into a touch screen to decrease the elements in the experience?

2. Maybe reimagine how the diffculty is spoken about, instead of judging the user with terms like 'beginner' or ,novice', the parameters could be visual. Eg: a turtle to a hare.

3. Try to reimagine the feel of the smartphone like device, think of the act of flipping a sketchbook to make sketches. How could an experience like this fit seamlessly into a sketching session? This could help me move out of that 'tech' device like direction.

Sophie (from Caran d'Ache) asked multiple times for feedback about the user experience. Maybe auditory/visual feedback for successfully completing tasks? Or touch feedback in the form design of the device?

The presentation pdf used has been attached underneath:

Carah d'Ache Presentation_16.11.23.pdf

IMPORTANT FEEDBACK FROM SOPHIE TO DOUGLAS REGARDING MY PROJECT: "Sophie wondered about whether the device could teach you stuff like shading? How do you turn this device into a methodical/ organic teacher? Think of how you can have a conversation with the device during the user experience, a sort of back and forth that can happen to create a mentoring experience for the user."

My feelings- Does it matter? :/ Gotta iterate! A lot! Scared about the upcoming electronics sessions! Slightly relieved because the faculty assured us that the device doesnt need to be entirely functional. Happy to have received positive feedback today! Looking forward to implement the changes as per the feedbacks!

Personal note: diversify the experience now. imagine a variety of sketching exercises that arent neccessarily challenging, but could move into different parameters of growth as an artist?

23.11.19

Not much to add, thought of the topic over the weekend. I am wondering about how I could changed up the usage experience to make it feel more natural, akin to using a sketchbook? Some other user experiences to keep in mind are the natural usage of pencils, erasers and sharpeners? Could they inducted into the product design?

23.11.22

Nothing much to add. The past few days have been pretty hectic , with the podcast assignment and the Lausanne travel daily. I will get to sketching for a little while tomorrow though, based on how I want to integrate the semblance of the act of sketching on a sketchbook into the user interaction with my device. That could really help unlock avenues of seamless integration into user psyches. I hope to revisit this thought later when working on the product's shape and feel.

23.11.26

Nothing much happened over the weekend. Thought of the interaction changes over the weekend for a bit. Was pretty busy with placement work back in India. Pretty excited and scared for the electronics classes with Pierre, starting tomorrow.

23.11.29

Third day of electronics classes just wrapping up today. Properly experimenting on working with the potentiometer along side a variety of components as it is going to be really important to me. Excited to try this stuff out on working towards my device soon.

23.12.09

I have attached a pdf that shows the initial ideas regarding possible design identities herewith:

Design Identity Exploration.pdf

The sketches and research work have been primarily leading me towards designing a device that looks analog, has simple functionality and reminds one of art. The primary decision to have a 15 degree tilt to the screen is because of the potential familiarity it will bring with drawing on evelated surfaces. Not to mention, it will definitely help with better viewing angles when the device is places on a flat surface facing the user.

23.12.11

Been a hectic few days. Finished up my job interview rounds for my Graduation internship in India. Focused on the 3D Modelling and sketching for the past few days after that. Updating my electronics documentation today. Ordered all required parts for the project finalisation and finishing up my 3D modelling over the next few days.

23.12.12

A/B Testing 1: The aim will be to do interaction testing with two seperate product designs. the base body will be the same but the difficulty meter will be set differently. One will use a normal potentiometer and another will use a slider potentiometer.

1. Slider potentiometer will be set to the top of the body.

2. Normal pot will set to the side of the body.

The in-screen interaction will be the same but the exact placement of buttons and potentimeters are yet to be tested out.

A/B Testing 2: Test audio feedback for task completion/ failure versus analog feedback for task completion/ failure.

23.12.13

Updated the testing plan a bit for tomorrow. Finalising the testing prototypes.

Soldering exercise done. Made a few mistakes. Burnt a finger slightly. Made a cold solder joint and then tried my best to fix it with a desoldering pump. Fucked up a bit here and there. Overally, I liked my progress. Not bad for a first timer I'd say. :D

Morning Session:

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Feedback (Katya):

- "Amazing! Lets do this again!"- Wording unclear. Makes it seem like the same drawing will be repeated. (Normal Pot Device)

- Would prefer buttons on the side, would prefer slider pot device shape because of personal bias. Would not prefer normal pot because it sticks out. Feels the slider pot device has more originality of shape.

Feedback (Flore):

- The bird iconography was unclear.

- Forgot to press 'Finish' after completing sketch. Was very involved in the process of timing the sketch right.

- Struggled to find Power button in Slider Pot potentiometer.

- Two seperate buttons for Reset/ Finish are neccessary.

- Found the overall experience to be clear mostly.

- Make clear instructions in a manual if possible.

- Volume button/ slider- Lower volume option/ No volume option.

Feedback (Dorian):

- Visual iconography beside the slider/ normal potentiometer could match the visuals on the screen as a sign that user is supposed to use the pot to select from among options.

- Does not like the term 'Reset' as it could mean the repitition of the same drawing.

- After drawing completed/ failed, a Retry menu could be brought in again with same format as Difficulty selection menu. Then the slider/ normal pot could have multiple uses for the user experience and be as mono usage.

- The slider pot looks like a desk only device, the slider could be damageable. The normal pot device could be very portable with the normal pot having a small head to make it tkae up less space.

- The normal pot device could also be used in one hand, if the pot and buttons could be pushed towards the middle. A smaller potentiometer head could be the difference between whether the user intuitively uses the device with one hand.

Afternoon Session:

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Feedback (Leonie & Hanieh):

(Leonie has an artistic background and had important insights)

-Add options to timer? Allow pausing to timer?

-Remove judgemental features

-Focus on personalisation of the experience.

-Move away from trying to cater to all types of artist and try to focus further on a single type of artist. For example, either learning practice for beginners to intermediates or pure practice for experts. The product shouldnt cater to all types of users. Choose a lane.

- Hanieh did not like the timer ending and the failure screen at all. Hated the experience of seeings iconography like right and wrong. Focus on positive exposure for artists.

((PERSONAL REMINDER TO GO BACK TO THE RECORDINGS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH))

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23.12.21

3D modelling work mostly done. Feeling pretty confident about the 3D work done as of yet. Set an appointment with the Digital Atelier for opening day, Jan 8. Feeling under confident with the code and electronics work because I have not received my Electronics stuff I ordered yet. Will try and learn processing for Pi a bit during the break so that I am atleast somewhat prepared for when I receive the stuff.

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Christmas holiday update:

Above: Simple ARPG developed on Godot.

Above: Simple ball catching AR game I developed to teach myself the basics of Unity.

Spent the holidays working on learning Unity, prototyping a couple of new games om Unity and Godot respectively. I tried my best to set up my laptop as a display for the Raspberry Pi I borrowed from school but I couldnt understand and implement the complex technical requirements for it. Gave up and focused on further ideating the User Journey and polishing the 3D model of my prototype.

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24.01.08

Started applying finishing touches to the 3D model, Laure helped me figure out the design required to set up buttons on the final prototype. Still have not received my Electronics I ordered for the prototyping. Currently contemplating whether or not to making a non-working prototype and set up the user interface showcase through an interactive design created on my pc.

24.1.11

Current emotion: DESPAIR.

I have given up on receiving the electronics and am currently halfway into building the Interactive experience on Unity. Still have not received the ordered electronics, soI have decided to just display a static screen on my device when I do receive it while I design and showcase the bulk of the demo interface from my laptop on Unity. Crating the first presentation draft for Douglas's revision today.

Douglas's feedback regarding the Unity Demo:

1. Find a way to make the design appear scalable and crisp for a smaller screen size. Refer to Rabbit OS (recently released hand computer device)

2. Current design langugae doesn't appear very 'Swiss'. Fix the buttons, find a way to exaggerate the Caran d'Ache font.

24.01.16

Panic mode on. Made many many concessions regarding my 3D model because I received the electronics a couple days ago, in a Friday evening 5 minutes after I left school! Gave up on making a very polished model entirely now because I had too much work to do in order to make a good Unity demo. Pretty satisfied with the Unity demo's functionality. 12:15 AM now, I have a massive headache from the stress. Signing off for the day.

24.01.17

JURY DAY

Feedback:

-Felicien and Pierre seemed unconvinced about the need for the product as compared to an app. My reasoning from the very beginning has been simple, the devices themselves( smartphones, Ipads, computers etc.) on which drawing apps are generally available also contain a plethora of other distractions incredibly well designed. In a world of distracting apps and short attention spans, this potentional product seperates the User Experience of learning to draw from these distracting devices and platforms. A straight forward, analog like gamified experience ties the experience together into focus-inducing educational art sessions.

-Douglas jokingly remarked that adding a sling to this device allows for a very artsy look for an artist visiting the Lourve haha/

-Laure questioned the color visibility issues that could potentially rise out of trying to place a piece of paper over the screen to draw. I had not thought of that angle of the user experience earlier. My aim was always straightforward with tis device, to design a device that facilitates learning through pencil drawing.

Lauren seemed to be very convinced by the product. She said that she has had experience with art classes and the UX emulates that experience well.

The pdf attached is that of the final product pitch/ documentation and encapsulates the final vision for my product:

240117_HEAD-MD1_Caran-d-Ache_Debjyoti-Bhowmick_ArtSpark.pdf