Mother, Baby, Printer
Tom Jenkins, Theo Humphries, Mark Hauenstein
Royal College of Art, October 2003
Brief
This project is about people’s lives and the objects, technology and services they use. How could printing technology fit into the lives of mothers and their babies? Would it have to take a new form? Would it become part of something they use already? Would it be hidden?
The ideas generated can be practical, poetic, or just fun. Beginning with rapid field research, deliver a concept that responds to your findings in 1 week.
Research interviews
Our insights into the daily lives of mothers and their babies, led us away from earlier more abstract ideas. It became more interesting to deal with practical issues affecting their lives, their relationship to each other, and the people around them who care for the child.
Concept
For inexperienced babysitters, and even parents, finding out what is upsetting a child or what they need is often a matter of trial and error. Mothers can print instructions for their babysitter directly on their baby’s clothes, with the added enjoyment of creating unique and funny clothing designs. The prints can be washed out and another print can be made on the same garment later.
Babygrow becomes wearable instructions for babysitter – bigger image