This project has been selected to participate in the "Studies in Creativity Exhibit"
by juror Riva Nayaju.
photos from the exhibition
Title of the project
“Year of the OX” blind box
“Year of the OX” blind box
keywords
3D Character design
3D Printing
Laser printing
Packaging design
Surprise
excitement
Gift
Amuse
Exhibition
Interest stimulation
Backgrounds and motivation
I figured that nowadays, no matter kids or adults, more and more people are interested in buying blind boxes. I’m curious, how does blind box culture attract people? Why do people like to spend money on uncertain stuff? You know you are not guaranteed to get the one you want.
According to some analyses online, the biggest reason is people want to be surprised. When you open the box and expect to see the thing inside, this kind of excitement is just like when you are opening your birthday or Christmas gifts. Moods of Surprise, expectation, and excitement are what bind boxes could provide to us. They are all positive moods that we need in our life. When you are tired and bored of studying or working the whole day, spend a little money to buy a blind box, you could receive those positive moods, which are relaxing and will satisfy you. It’s a good interaction between people and products. People will feel a sense of achievement if they finish collecting the whole series, making them buy one after another. I think that’s the major reason why blind boxes are so attractive to people.
Blind boxes, in some ways, could also be promoting business development. For example, we could think about MacDonald’s happy meal, and you could get a free toy by chance if you buy the meal. They introduced new series of toys
frequently. Most of us were attracted to MacDonald’s toys when we were kids. To collect the whole series of toys, kids would require their parents to buy happy meals repeatedly.
I believe a blind box toy could also help to promote an event.
Summary
To design a series of blind box toys for the “Chinese New Year” event. People who come to the event could get one free blind box as a gift. Use blind box toys to promote the event and attract people to come to the event.
Audience and goal
The audience will be people interested in Chinese culture who intend to participate in the event. The goal is to use gifts to promote the event. The blind box will bring a sense of excitement and surprise to people, making the whole event more interesting and memorable. The blind boxes are also collectible, and people may have the impetus to tell and invite their friends to the event.
Approach/methods
2021 is the year of the ox in Chinese tradition. I will design an Ox as the main character of my blind box series. I will design eight oxen with different body actions or facial expressions. Each of them will also match with an alphabet standing beside them. Eight of them will form the phrase “the year 2021”. I will make the toy useful and playful. Each could be used as a keychain, card holder, and pencil holder. People could keep and use them according to their own needs. After finishing the 3D character design in Rhino, I will 3D print my eight characters. I will separate the “ox” from the base and the alphabet, just like a spicing toy, by creating a plug between the ox and the base. In that case, I can print the ox separately, with a different color. This function will make the toy more playful, and you can pull the ox off the base and plug it back. If you have several of them, you can make them switch positions just for fun.
I will also design a box for them because it’s a series of blind boxes, so each shares the same box. At last, I will make an acrylic showcase for them. The function of the showcase is to display the whole series of toys and to tell people what kind of items they may get from the blind box.
Results/outcomes
Eight 3D-printed characters with eight boxes and an acrylic showcase. Hopefully, they are fascinating designs that are attractive enough to people. Also, my design can create a good interaction with the audience and make people want to use and keep them. It could provide people with the feeling of excitement, expecting, and surprise while they are opening them.
Step 1: Transfer 2D charactor into 3D (Use IA & Rhino)
I chose to use the 2D Ox character I previously created for the spring festival, and this animated sticker set has been published on Wechat for people to download and use. The design elements in this sticker set include features of the Lunar New Year. For example, the red packet, firecracker, and couplets. The Chinese texts, besides the character, interpret the meaning of each action. The main topic of the sticker set is: celebrating the festival, blessing for good luck, and the happiness of the new year. People could express their blessings and celebrate the spring festival by sending stickers. Transferring the 2D character into a 3D character in Rhino is the biggest challenge of this project.
Each ox is standing by a letter. Together, forming the year 2021.
There are texts at the bottom too. The Chinese texts said: Happy oxen year.
I add a joint between the ox and the base and print it separately. In that case, I could print my ox with another color.
Step 2: 3D print them
You can take the ox off the base and put it back, turn it around, and switch their positions as well. For some of them, they don’t have to be exactly matched with their base. I use blue, grey, and orange to print my oxen because these three colors will turn out the details better than other colors.
I also made my toy functional. Instead of just being a toy standing on the office desk, it could be used as a key holder, card holder, and pen holder.
Step 3: Design a box
Because it’s a blind box, I need to design a box, eight of them share the same design. Here is the layout. I laid out all the 2D versions of each character on the side of the box, so people could see what they may get. Also, I give each of them a name based on their actions and characteristics, which may build up more emotional connections between people and products.
I also set a hidden one, the one you may only know how it looks like once you luckily pick it. Usually, the hidden one is supposed to be special, so I put two oxen together on one base and printed them in multiple colors. I print their faces with color-changing materials.
Step 4: Design an acrylic show box & laser printing
I use clear acrylic laser printing to create my show box. 9 pieces form the box, and the size is based on my design pieces. Through the comparison and lineup, I just set their actual size in illustrator and uploaded them to the output center. I put the text: year of the ox 2021 on the front face.
Final interaction video