An exploration of materials that are potentially conductive. A sketch book of process and notes that indicate the use, screen print possibility, cost, and aesthetic quality of the material plus whether or not it can conduct electricity. An on-going exploration into mixing conductive powders and materials with inks, paints and glues that could be used for paint or be pulled through a screen. Initial material choices was dictated by whether or not I thought it might have some conductive aspects. I essentially started with shiny and metallic inks, paints, and glues in the hope that some of them would possess conductive qualities. The process has helped me have a greater understanding of the electric qualities of materials and also the aspects of experimenting to make new hybrid inks.

I have found that powdered graphite will conduct electricity but is a variable resistor so a concentration of powder in ink at the right amounts is essential to making it work. Also I have been debunked by copper and silver powders mixed with gesso or clear base screenprinting ink.

These experiments drive at the idea that designers understand the world through making so my experiments in making conductive ink have given me an understanding of conductive material and its potential use in media especially print media.

check out thesis website : Marginalia: The Hybrid Textbook

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Bizomatic 2000 from Christopher Becker on Vimeo.

front and back

A Business card dispenser game and communication trick. An interactive system where users fill in there information, take a picture and get a business card. However the business card that the machine spits out to the user is not there own it is of another person who has used the system. The back of the card then informs the user to come to a specific location at a specific time to exchange the card they received with its rightful owner. The Bizomatic 2000 is backwards business card where instead of handing out your own information to others, you search out the person on the card.

Bizmatic 2000 business card game
As test in interaction, our team: made up of Chris Lauritzen, Nicole Chan and I set out to try and make an experience that would engage the Art Center Community. We chose the form of a business card as an access point at which to try and get students to meet people in there community through chance.

Bizmatic 2000 required branding to get across the idea, be intriguing and fun to approach. Branding requires a good name and a quickly understood purpose. I designed the logo for the interactive system and game to both be emblematic to its purpose but also illicit at the heart of what we were trying to accomplish which was connections.

Bizmatic 2000 trick and game requested users to show up to the cafeteria at The Art Center College of Design between 1 pm and 1:15 pm. to exchange the card they received with its rightful owner and to receive their own. In total the Bizmatic 2000 gathered and distributed 38 business cards. The out come of the exchange was not as high due to the statistical fact that for the Bizmatic 2000 game to work every user would have to participate. Although we had some no shows areas of forced communication occurred due to our game including early card delivery, emailed notification of delivery, and even delayed delivery of cards. The goal of the Bizmatic 2000 was to force users to engage the Art Center community in a new and different way. The small number card exchanges achieved that new form of communication and stuck up conversations between unrelated students all based around the Bizmatic 2000. Our total number of exchanges was 12 out of 38.

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when I was 17 I swallowed a toothpick

A Friend had made me laugh and I sucked it down. Right into my stomach

The toothpick caused a lot of pain but the emergency room didn’t know what to do they gave me some antibiotics and some pain medication and said ” Hopefully you pass it”

for 3 month the toothpick maneuvered its way through my system working hard at making it through all the twists and turns. How ever it path would become impassible

However the toothpick became jammed and then pierced its way through my intestine masking and feeling much like an appendicitis. The surgeon went in for my appendix and instead came out with a toothpick.

Moral: Don’t use toothpick its not worth the pain and aggravation. But it does make for a pretty cool scar

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2 color wood block and xerox transfer 14 x 22 edition 10