For this project in a sophomore studio called design principles we were asked to redesign a gardening tool to be more universally usable. I chose to focus on the watering can. Conventional watering cans are difficult to balance, heavy and put immense strain on the wrist.
For this project I worked through a series of sketch models to try out different concepts. This is when I discovered how much I like making fast prototypes and exploring that way.
The idea I decided to go with was to create a wide basin that is held with both hands to distribute the weight. Because it's wider it isn't necessary to bend the wrist as much to pour, and the user can pour from their elbows, which are stronger. I also chose this idea because pouring from the basin was evocative to many people who tried it of making an offering. It reinforced for them the idea of connecting spiritually to their garden. I tried an aesthetic approach that was more "Rubbermaid" and one was that was more "Smith and Hawken." Fact is, I'm not very satisfied with either, I think they look like bedpans.