Psyche Inspired: Sam Hollasch

Institution: Rochester Institute of Technology

Major: Industrial Design

Psyche Inspired Class: 2020-2021

Reflections on Psyche Inspired

Reflections on Project 1: Heart of Gold

Billowing clouds of pink, purple, and blue ring a glowing asteroid, cut through by a pillar of bright light. The scene is backdropped by the rich, dark blue void of space, sprinkled with stars.

Heart of Gold

Sam Hollasch

November 09, 2020

Major: Industrial Design

Genre/Medium: digital illustration

About the work: The Psyche asteroid is hypothesized to be the remains of a protoplanet formed in the early solar system that underwent collisions that shed it of its outer layers, leaving exposed core material behind. The Psyche asteroid was named after the titular figure in Greek mythology – the goddess of the soul. I was inspired by the name and the story of the asteroid’s creation – the idea that Psyche is the exposed heart of a long-vanished planet. This illustration shows the luminous metal core just after the moment of impact, when its light first breaks through a cloud of debris.

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Reflections on Project 2: Psyche Light

A product presentation page, titled “Psyche Light”. In the center of the page is a large photograph of a lamp. The lamp has a short, cylindrical base made of cork. A translucent white dome sits on the base and diffuses an orange light. The dome is heavily textured with craters to mimic the hypothesized surface of the asteroid Psyche. Along the left margin is a black and white orthographic line drawing of the lamp.

Psyche Light

Sam Hollasch

February 3, 2021

Major: Industrial Design

Genre/Medium: sculpture and product design; made from clear-set resin and cork

About the work: This is a light, or mood lamp, made from cork and clear-cast resin. The base is laminated cork that has been sanded smooth with a natural finish. The dome is sculpted to mimic the cratered surface of the asteroid Psyche. The texture is double-layered: both the outer and inner surfaces were cast from heavily sculpted molds. The outside is finished with a hard-set clear coating, and the inside is frosted to reduce transparency. The shifting, translucent surface of the dome diffuses a soft orange light, which flickers gently at the heart of the form.

For this project, I was inspired to create a representation of Psyche’s potential as a source of knowledge and discovery. There is still much that remains unknown about the asteroid, and there is opportunity there to learn more about the universe, and about ourselves. The light of this little lamp represents that journey of discovery.

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Reflections on Project 3: Psyche on Tour

A brightly colored illustration, with shades of purple, pink, yellow, orange, and blue, depicts flowing organic forms overlapping each other in a psychedelic pattern. Three sets of hands break through the pattern, reaching up toward the Psyche asteroid, which is minimally drawn in shades of yellow. A starburst emanates from behind the asteroid. Overlaid above is blue and white text, which reads: Mission to Psyche 16, Mid 2022.

Psyche On Tour

Sam Hollasch

February 19, 2021

Major: Industrial Design

Genre/Medium: digital illustration

About the work: For this piece, I was inspired by music tour posters – the kind that would be used to advertise an artist traveling the world to perform. I decided to create a tour poster for the mission to Psyche. I wanted the color and pattern to be bright and exciting, to catch the eye of the viewer, and to invite the viewer to join in the anticipation for Psyche’s launch. I tried to emulate a psychedelic art style, similar to that of the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine. This illustration was drawn by hand and colored digitally.

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Reflections on Project 4: Molten Cradle

Psyche_Inspired_21-20_SHollasch_Project4_MoltenCradle_210508

Molten Cradle

Sam Hollasch

June 7, 2021

Major: Industrial Design

Genre/Medium: Woven textile, synthetic yarn/metal beads

About the work: A colorful woven tapestry mounted with copper piping. The tapestry depicts Psyche as a white ovular shape with rings of yellow, orange, red, purple, and blue radiating from the center. The yarn is piled on the edges of these rings to create a thicker, irregular texture. Thin yarn in accenting colors and metal beads of various sizes are woven in various places to create the image of dust and molten debris.

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The Psyche badge with no words on it.

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Psyche Inspired