Design Development: Creating The Spheres

Special Inks being used in the game:

Thermochromic Ink: Thermochromic pigments and coatings are temperature sensitive and change colour at certain activations temperatures. This product is perfect for hiding a hidden layer. This could be an image, colour or some secret text. When the thermochromic ink comes into contact with a heat source exceeding 27°C, the coating will become transparent revealing your hidden layer. This temperature can be achieved by touch (with warm hands) as well as using heating equipment such as a hair dryer or radiator. 

Hydrochromic Ink: loses its opacity when it comes into contact with water. You can use this product to hide hidden messages, images or colours. Once the hydrochromic ink is applied to your chosen application, it will appear to be white in colour. When water is being implemented to the finished article, the hydrochromic ink will become translucent. This will reveal your hidden layer. This ink reverses back to its original state again and again. 

Photochromic Ink: changes in the sun by introducing a dramatic appearance of colour. It is a microencapsulated dye that changes colour in the sun or under certain fluorescent and UV light sources. The reversible pigment is almost colourless out of the sun and vibrant colour in strong sunlight. This product can be mixed with water-based and nonwater-based mediums.

Glow in the dark Ink: is an industry standard photo-luminescent ink that has a powerful afterglow and a lengthy glow time. This product appears to be white in colour during the day. After this coating has charged in daylight for up to 10 minutes, it will emit a bright green glow when the lights are turned off. 

Liquid crystal sheet experimented with but rejected:

monochrome colour scheme of the branding was more appropriate

External Examples:

The student starter pack ordered:

The design then tested each ink, looking up ways to apply the produce that would best work on the varying materials / spheres, to ensure the concepts were translated well.

The photochromic clear ink was mixed with the apple pigment and painted onto the beech wood sphere.

Thermochromic green pigment was mixed with water and painted onto the hemp string. It was then coated with PVA glue to prevent shedding. 





Gold, copper and silver leaf were applied to the graphite sphere with PVA glue and a brush to remove its excess.




The glow in the dark gel was mixed with PVA and painted on top of the leafed graphite sphere.

The hydrochomic ink was not to be applied with a brush as it came as screen printing ink which needed to have an even spread to work in application. As the design required it to be painted onto a sphere, alternate methods of application needed to be considered.

The ink was applied using a sponge as a test. The design produced a blotting effect that worked well with the concept of smog, which it was meant to visually communicate. As a result, a new sphere was made with plasticine and this method was used to apply the hydrochromic ink. The design purposely is uneven oncemore aid the visualisation of smog around the atmosphere.  

Looking at the experiments as a complementary series:

Outcomes: