Splashy Cup and Saucer Sets

The idea popped up while I was making my coffee one day. The coffee splashes and spinning milky ripples caught my eyes as I poured milk into the coffee. Black coffee usually tastes strong and bitter, while milk is pure and smooth. When the two opposite liquids run into each other, they generate interesting reactions. The collision on the surface generates splash in the shape of a crown. Then the crown will split into smaller drips and finally melt into the ripples. As individuals, we might be very different from each other in terms of our personalities and ideologies. When we open our minds to communicate with other people, especially those who have different thoughts and opinions, we may surprisingly get amazing new ideas and even a grow in our wisdom.

The project intends to capture the beauty of fluid by simulating random movements of liquid flows. When two liquids run into each other, the collision on the surface creates irregular crown splashes which then melt into the ripples. These random abstract shapes add interesting features to the tableware and makes the food more attractive. The solid structures allow the saucers to hold more food as well. Porcelain material provides minimalist aesthetics with senses of cleanness and ease. Smooth and clean appearance can deliver a psychological feeling of hygienic, which can improve people’s appetite to some extent.

I have applied design and appearance patent for this design. In the future I plan to expand this “fluid and splash” concept into some other product categories such as lighting, furniture and some other articles for daily use. Maybe even create a “splashy lifestyle” collection.

The inspiration for this set of works came from the collision of coffee and milk. When milk is added to coffee, the splash of water on the surface of the coffee and the process of the two liquids merging together create a dynamic and balanced beauty. Normally, cups are used to hold liquids, but I had the intention to reverse them and use "liquid" to carry the cups. In this way, the overall shape of the products may show a strong visual sense of exaggeration, thus catching people's attention. With the help of 3D modeling software, I managed to simulate the dynamics of the liquids, and captured the instantaneous shape of the splashes to serve as the overall shapes of the product.

The coffee and milk with distinct colors and textures, from the fierce collision to the eventual fusion into a fragrant milk coffee, reminded me of the collision and fusion of some cultural and ideological elements in life. What I aim to express is that sometimes apparently disparate ideas and cultures can also give rise to splendid new entities through communication and accommodation. Cultural collisions are not necessarily offensive.

Due to the high randomness of the dynamics of liquids, numerous simulations are needed to obtain optimal shapes for the products. Additionally, considering the final production and application scenarios, the shape of the product should not be overly abstract. It is necessary to guarantee the functionality of the product while making the liquid shape more vivid and natural. Adjustments to the details of the structure and size are also indispensable. To ensure the feasibility of the products, I used 3D printing to create physical mock ups after each major adjustments until I was satisfied with the outcomes.