Allay
A tea mug and saucer pair for tea lovers
I initially thought very broadly in terms of creating a vessel type. I wanted to create a mug that could be used for either coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. The mood board that I created emphasized feelings of comfort and warmth one receives from taking a sip of a hot drink during cold weather in the fall. The colors I focused on were brown, yellow, and orange. I also created 15 sketches based on the mood board that related to the mood I was trying to create.
After realizing my category of drink was too broad, I decided to focus on one specific area of mug: a tea mug. Different from the ornamental aspect of a teacup, the tea mug would emphasize design features that one could only find on a mug meant for tea. I then made 3 refined concepts based on this new idea.
From this point on, I wanted to emphasize comfort and relaxation in the design and form of my mug. Tea has many health benefits, mental and physical, and I want users to feel soothed when drinking tea from my mug.
I also created 3 models out of clay to test the volume of the mug, and to user test whether they would be comfortable to hold or drink from for any user.
I decided to go with concept 3 for my final model. For modeling in fusion, I did away with the spoon indentation, and refined the form of the handle. Additionally, I 3D printed this initial model to test the volume and comfortability.
For my final model, I needed to refine the details of my mug. I first made an indentation right under the slot for the tea bag to be wrapped around the entirety of the mug, and then put two notches within the handle for the bag to be secure.
Additionally, I made a saucer that would solve the issue of where to put the spoon when in use. I did not want the saucer to have an ornamental feel, rather modern, so the shape is very aerodynamic. The mug fits into a small indentation on the saucer.
After modeling the final version, I 3D printed the set. I was able to print my mug piece, but unfortunately due to printing issues my saucer was unable to print. I tested the tea bag with the wrapping method on the mug, and the string stayed in place even when I picked the mug up to take a sip.
The name of my mug is Allay, a word meaning to relieve or calm. In the form of the mug and saucer, I created soft and organic curves that would feel comfortable in the hand and would not hurt the user’s lips when drinking.
