Design Project
dreamcore
dreamcore
dreamcore
dreamcore
Between Memory & Dream
Between
Memory & Dream
Between
Memory & Dream
Translating the uncanny, fleeting nature of dreams into visual fragments that echo a collective dream archive. The work lingers in the space between memory and imagination, where the familiar becomes strangely unfamiliar.
Category
Pyschological
Dreamscape
Type
Interactive
Editorial
Deliverables
Riso Animation
Posters
Journal
Post-its
Postcards
Team
Duration
4 months
Duration
4 months
[01]
research
What is Dreamcore?
Dreams trick us into believing we’ve been
here before. Half memory, half invention.
Dreams trick us into believing we’ve been here before. Half memory, half invention.
Dreamcore is less an aesthetic than a feeling: the strangeness of being in a place you don’t recognize but somehow remember. It borrows imagery from Weirdcore, but leans into the liminal and dreamlike, where nostalgia becomes unsettling.
Commentary on Dreams:
Dreams have many layers, exploring the complex relationship between our subconscious and conscious minds. This exploration involves questioning the fine line between our own dreams, such as why we dream of being chased or experiencing free falls. We wonder about the mystery of entering dreams without remembering them, the control we can have through lucid dreaming, and the unsettling experience of sleep paralysis. Sometimes, events fade away like mist, leaving us with hazy memories, while other times they are so vivid that it's hard to tell where the dream ends and reality begins.
Deja vu is another intriguing phenomenon, making us wonder if we've encountered something in a dream. We might clearly recognize faces, but struggle to differentiate between those we've known in reality and those that emerge from our imagination.
The dream worlds we visit can feel both familiar and strange, creating an uncanny atmosphere. Upon waking, we might feel disturbed by lingering emotions from our dreams. Dreams evoke nostalgia, whether they are the beautiful fantasies we never want to leave or the frightening nightmares that make us wake up in a cold sweat. These themes are what we explored and uncovered in our project
[02]
fallen down by undertale
Why Music Shapes the Dreamworld
Dreams are not silent. They carry the rhythm of half-remembered songs, the hum of repetition, the sudden swell of emotion. To anchor my exploration, I chose “Fallen Down” from Undertale: a piece of music steeped in nostalgic eeriness.
Its looping piano progression comforts with a warmth that feels almost lullaby-like, yet it also haunts with its uncanny familiarity. The repetition mirrors the cycles of dream recall, echoing how fragments return and dissolve.
This soundtrack became the emotional architecture of the project. Every visual choice responded to its atmosphere, building a world where music shaped the tone, rhythm, and emotional undercurrents of the dreamscape.
[03]
concept development
What is a
dream journal?
Dreams resist capture. They vanish when we wake, leaving only fragments behind. A dream journal is simply a place to write them down as soon as we wake up, a way to hold onto those fleeting impressions before they fade. Even though it can never be perfect, it becomes a fragile record of the unconscious.
I designed this project as a kind of collective dream diary, not just my dream but a space for others to inscribe their own fragments. In this shared format, the act of recording, misremembering, and piecing things back together became just as important as the final forms.
Risograph Development
Footage
We took inspiration from a specific type of dream where a mysterious guide, whom you may or may not know, leads you. This concept made it essential for us to capture one person guiding another in various settings, simulating the experience of being led by an unknown figure in a dream. Using the footage, I created a 15-second animation.
Frames
I exported the frames as PNGS with a frame rate of 16 frames per second from AfterEffects.
InDesign
I created 11 x 17 documents on InDesign, placing 64 frames on a single page. There were 4 pages, totaling 256 frames. This was to allow for a smooth transition from the editing in After Effects to a cohesive contact sheet that visually summarizes the animation’s development.
Risograph
I used Spectrolite to separate the colors into 3- pink, blue, yellow. Each contact sheet was split into these colors (3 colors per sheet). I then scanned the printed sheets with a high-quality scanner. This step was crucial for capturing the subtle details and textures from the riso process.
Splicing
I opened Photoshop, where each frame was carefully sliced from the digitized contact sheets. This process allowed me to have precise control over each frame and set the stage for the final animation.
Animation
With the sliced frames ready, I went back to After Effects, reintegrating all the frames and making adjustments to refine the animation. This iterative process, involving multiple tweaks, supported a smooth transition from physical prints to digital animation. The ongoing back-and-forth between the tangible and digital elements adds depth and richness to the final narrative and visual experience.
Footage
We took inspiration from a specific type of dream where a mysterious guide, whom you may or may not know, leads you. This concept made it essential for us to capture one person guiding another in various settings, simulating the experience of being led by an unknown figure in a dream. Using the footage, I created a 15-second animation.
Frames
I exported the frames as PNGS with a frame rate of 16 frames per second from AfterEffects.
InDesign
I created 11 x 17 documents on InDesign, placing 64 frames on a single page. There were 4 pages, totaling 256 frames. This was to allow for a smooth transition from the editing in After Effects to a cohesive contact sheet that visually summarizes the animation’s development.
Risograph
I used Spectrolite to separate the colors into 3- pink, blue, yellow. Each contact sheet was split into these colors (3 colors per sheet). I then scanned the printed sheets with a high-quality scanner. This step was crucial for capturing the subtle details and textures from the riso process.
Splicing
I opened Photoshop, where each frame was carefully sliced from the digitized contact sheets. This process allowed me to have precise control over each frame and set the stage for the final animation.
Animation
With the sliced frames ready, I went back to After Effects, reintegrating all the frames and making adjustments to refine the animation. This iterative process, involving multiple tweaks, supported a smooth transition from physical prints to digital animation. The ongoing back-and-forth between the tangible and digital elements adds depth and richness to the final narrative and visual experience.
[04]
animation & print
Deliverables
Risograph Animation
and Print Materials
The 16-second animation and printed materials—postcards and posters—extended the dreamworld into multiple formats. Distorted legibility, offset colors, and halftone textures mirrored the fragmented and surreal nature of dreams, amplifying the uncanny atmosphere.
Post-Its
I compiled 100 unique 3 x 3 inch squares from frames and graphics inspired by the risograph animation. These were cut and stacked in an accordion-style format using repositionable glue, allowing them to function like real Post-Its.
They were easily removed, recorded on, and replaced. Each square became a fragment of a dream, inviting participants to interact with and contribute to the narrative.
dream journal
The Dream Journal consisted of 50 risograph-printed spreads, visually designed to support both personal reflection and storytelling. Each spread was printed with a unique blue tint, creating a cohesive yet textured background for note-taking.
The journal included a notes section at the back and featured removable pages, allowing participants to record, share, and reintroduce their own dream fragments.
4.21.23
I dreamt I was waiting in line at the DMV, but instead of people, the line was full of raccoons in little business suits, all clutching clipboards. When it was finally my turn, the raccoon at the counter told me I was missing “Form 87-B: License to Nap,” and handed me a pillow as paperwork.
4.21.23
I dreamt I was waiting in line at the DMV, but instead of people, the line was full of raccoons in little business suits, all clutching clipboards. When it was finally my turn, the raccoon at the counter told me I was missing “Form 87-B: License to Nap,” and handed me a pillow as paperwork.
[05]
sight of sound
Exhibition
Sight of Sound
The Sight of Sound Exhibition transformed these deliverables into a living dream archive:
Posters and postcards floated from fish wire, evoking suspended dream fragments.
Post-Its and pages from the Dream Journals were available for visitors to write their own dreams and clip them back into the installation.
The space became an interactive, evolving collective dream diary, where individual contributions layered on top of each other to create a shared, uncanny experience.
[03]
concept development
What is a
dream journal?
dream journal?
Dreams resist capture. They vanish when we wake, leaving only fragments behind. A dream journal is simply a place to write them down as soon as we wake up, a way to hold onto those fleeting impressions before they fade. Even though it can never be perfect, it becomes a fragile record of the unconscious.
I designed this project as a kind of collective dream diary, not just my dream but a space for others to inscribe their own fragments. In this shared format, the act of recording, misremembering, and piecing things back together became just as important as the final forms.
Risograph Development
Footage
We took inspiration from a specific type of dream where a mysterious guide, whom you may or may not know, leads you. This concept made it essential for us to capture one person guiding another in various settings, simulating the experience of being led by an unknown figure in a dream. Using the footage, I created a 15-second animation.
Frames
I exported the frames as PNGS with a frame rate of 16 frames per second from AfterEffects.
InDesign
I created 11 x 17 documents on InDesign, placing 64 frames on a single page. There were 4 pages, totaling 256 frames. This was to allow for a smooth transition from the editing in After Effects to a cohesive contact sheet that visually summarizes the animation’s development.
Risograph
I used Spectrolite to separate the colors into 3- pink, blue, yellow. Each contact sheet was split into these colors (3 colors per sheet). I then scanned the printed sheets with a high-quality scanner. This step was crucial for capturing the subtle details and textures from the riso process.
Splicing
I opened Photoshop, where each frame was carefully sliced from the digitized contact sheets. This process allowed me to have precise control over each frame and set the stage for the final animation.
Animation
With the sliced frames ready, I went back to After Effects, reintegrating all the frames and making adjustments to refine the animation. This iterative process, involving multiple tweaks, supported a smooth transition from physical prints to digital animation. The ongoing back-and-forth between the tangible and digital elements adds depth and richness to the final narrative and visual experience.
Footage
We took inspiration from a specific type of dream where a mysterious guide, whom you may or may not know, leads you. This concept made it essential for us to capture one person guiding another in various settings, simulating the experience of being led by an unknown figure in a dream. Using the footage, I created a 15-second animation.
Frames
I exported the frames as PNGS with a frame rate of 16 frames per second from AfterEffects.
InDesign
I created 11 x 17 documents on InDesign, placing 64 frames on a single page. There were 4 pages, totaling 256 frames. This was to allow for a smooth transition from the editing in After Effects to a cohesive contact sheet that visually summarizes the animation’s development.
Risograph
I used Spectrolite to separate the colors into 3- pink, blue, yellow. Each contact sheet was split into these colors (3 colors per sheet). I then scanned the printed sheets with a high-quality scanner. This step was crucial for capturing the subtle details and textures from the riso process.
Splicing
I opened Photoshop, where each frame was carefully sliced from the digitized contact sheets. This process allowed me to have precise control over each frame and set the stage for the final animation.
Animation
With the sliced frames ready, I went back to After Effects, reintegrating all the frames and making adjustments to refine the animation. This iterative process, involving multiple tweaks, supported a smooth transition from physical prints to digital animation. The ongoing back-and-forth between the tangible and digital elements adds depth and richness to the final narrative and visual experience.
Footage
We took inspiration from a specific type of dream where a mysterious guide, whom you may or may not know, leads you. This concept made it essential for us to capture one person guiding another in various settings, simulating the experience of being led by an unknown figure in a dream. Using the footage, I created a 15-second animation.
Frames
I exported the frames as PNGS with a frame rate of 16 frames per second from AfterEffects.
InDesign
I created 11 x 17 documents on InDesign, placing 64 frames on a single page. There were 4 pages, totaling 256 frames. This was to allow for a smooth transition from the editing in After Effects to a cohesive contact sheet that visually summarizes the animation’s development.
Risograph
I used Spectrolite to separate the colors into 3- pink, blue, yellow. Each contact sheet was split into these colors (3 colors per sheet). I then scanned the printed sheets with a high-quality scanner. This step was crucial for capturing the subtle details and textures from the riso process.
Splicing
I opened Photoshop, where each frame was carefully sliced from the digitized contact sheets. This process allowed me to have precise control over each frame and set the stage for the final animation.
Animation
With the sliced frames ready, I went back to After Effects, reintegrating all the frames and making adjustments to refine the animation. This iterative process, involving multiple tweaks, supported a smooth transition from physical prints to digital animation. The ongoing back-and-forth between the tangible and digital elements adds depth and richness to the final narrative and visual experience.
Footage
We took inspiration from a specific type of dream where a mysterious guide, whom you may or may not know, leads you. This concept made it essential for us to capture one person guiding another in various settings, simulating the experience of being led by an unknown figure in a dream. Using the footage, I created a 15-second animation.
Frames
I exported the frames as PNGS with a frame rate of 16 frames per second from AfterEffects.
InDesign
I created 11 x 17 documents on InDesign, placing 64 frames on a single page. There were 4 pages, totaling 256 frames. This was to allow for a smooth transition from the editing in After Effects to a cohesive contact sheet that visually summarizes the animation’s development.
Risograph
I used Spectrolite to separate the colors into 3- pink, blue, yellow. Each contact sheet was split into these colors (3 colors per sheet). I then scanned the printed sheets with a high-quality scanner. This step was crucial for capturing the subtle details and textures from the riso process.
Splicing
I opened Photoshop, where each frame was carefully sliced from the digitized contact sheets. This process allowed me to have precise control over each frame and set the stage for the final animation.
Animation
With the sliced frames ready, I went back to After Effects, reintegrating all the frames and making adjustments to refine the animation. This iterative process, involving multiple tweaks, supported a smooth transition from physical prints to digital animation. The ongoing back-and-forth between the tangible and digital elements adds depth and richness to the final narrative and visual experience.
[04]
animation & print
Deliverables
Risograph Animation
and Print Materials
The 16-second animation and printed materials—postcards and posters—extended the dreamworld into multiple formats. Distorted legibility, offset colors, and halftone textures mirrored the fragmented and surreal nature of dreams, amplifying the uncanny atmosphere.
Post-Its
I compiled 100 unique 3 x 3 inch squares from frames and graphics inspired by the risograph animation. These were cut and stacked in an accordion-style format using repositionable glue, allowing them to function like real Post-Its.
They were easily removed, recorded on, and replaced. Each square became a fragment of a dream, inviting participants to interact with and contribute to the narrative.
dream journal
The Dream Journal consisted of 50 risograph-printed spreads, visually designed to support both personal reflection and storytelling. Each spread was printed with a unique blue tint, creating a cohesive yet textured background for note-taking.
The journal included a notes section at the back and featured removable pages, allowing participants to record, share, and reintroduce their own dream fragments.
4.21.23
I dreamt I was waiting in line at the DMV, but instead of people, the line was full of raccoons in little business suits, all clutching clipboards. When it was finally my turn, the raccoon at the counter told me I was missing “Form 87-B: License to Nap,” and handed me a pillow as paperwork.
4.21.23
I dreamt I was waiting in line at the DMV, but instead of people, the line was full of raccoons in little business suits, all clutching clipboards. When it was finally my turn, the raccoon at the counter told me I was missing “Form 87-B: License to Nap,” and handed me a pillow as paperwork.
4.21.23
I dreamt I was waiting in line at the DMV, but instead of people, the line was full of raccoons in little business suits, all clutching clipboards. When it was finally my turn, the raccoon at the counter told me I was missing “Form 87-B: License to Nap,” and handed me a pillow as paperwork.
4.21.23
I dreamt I was waiting in line at the DMV, but instead of people, the line was full of raccoons in little business suits, all clutching clipboards. When it was finally my turn, the raccoon at the counter told me I was missing “Form 87-B: License to Nap,” and handed me a pillow as paperwork.
[05]
sight of sound
Exhibition
Sight of Sound
The Sight of Sound Exhibition transformed these deliverables into a living dream archive:
Posters and postcards floated from fish wire, evoking suspended dream fragments.
Post-Its and pages from the Dream Journals were available for visitors to write their own dreams and clip them back into the installation.
The space became an interactive, evolving collective dream diary, where individual contributions layered on top of each other to create a shared, uncanny experience.
