Résumé
Potholder , Graphic Design
2019
A laser-engraved Araucaria tree node pattern on a cork coaster, forming a symmetrical snowflake.A laser-engraved Araucaria tree node pattern on a cork coaster, forming a symmetrical snowflake.A laser-engraved Araucaria tree node pattern on a cork coaster, forming a symmetrical snowflake.

The Code of the Araucaria: From Giant Tree to a Single Snowflake

Design Process ：Observation, Sketch and Adobe Illustrator
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Production Application Selection：Laser engraving


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Materials：
IKEAHeat Insulation Pad，Wooden cork
A Choice Against the Grain

At the very beginning of my design journey, the first assignment from my first Graphic Design class taught me a profound lesson in "observation..." While my classmates flocked to the graceful, colorful blooms of spring, I found myself drawn to a silent giant—the Araucaria tree.

Trapped by a Giant's Scale

"Realistic, symmetrical, characteristic." The teacher's three requirements felt like three locks, blocking any path of convenience. The challenge I faced was immense: how could I condense this dozens-of-feet-tall giant into a single, small graphic?

Seeking Answers, Branch by Branch

I started with its overall silhouette... I even climbed the tree, carefully snipping off a small branch, and brought it back to my studio to study under the light... I filled my desk with countless sketches, but the "Eureka!" moment remained elusive.

The Revelation in a Node

The breakthrough came late one night... My fingers traced the little nodes along the stem... And in that moment, I saw it. In that miniature node, the leaves radiated out in perfect axial symmetry. It was a complete, intricate universe in itself.

Crystallizing an Idea: The Snowflake

Inspiration flooded in. If its shape resembled a star, why not push it to the extreme? I refined and purified this nodal graphic, arranging it to extend evenly in six directions, until it finally crystallized into the form of a snowflake.

A laser-engraved Araucaria tree node pattern on a cork coaster, forming a symmetrical snowflake.A laser-engraved Araucaria tree node pattern on a cork coaster, forming a symmetrical snowflake.A laser-engraved Araucaria tree node pattern on a cork coaster, forming a symmetrical snowflake.
A laser-engraved Araucaria tree node pattern on a cork coaster, forming a symmetrical snowflake.
A Physical Manifestation

To bring this graphic from paper into the physical world, I chose to laser-engrave it onto a cork coaster... As the laser burned the dark, woody pattern into the surface, it felt as if a condensed piece of the tree's life was being awakened once more.

The Code and the Beginning

Looking back, this project may not have been perfect, but it was the most valuable lesson... It taught me that when a macro perspective offers no solution, one must dive into the micro. What I found was not just the graphic code of the Araucaria, but the beginning of my own design language.