Construction Update – Hydroponics

I have completed the construction of my in-home hydroponics system. I have also cleaned out the cooler that we’re going to be using for a basin, and cut holes for the output and return tubes. The pump was set up and now runs. I Also set up the power strip with all 4 LED light…

Final Project Part 1: Folding Coffee Table

From the beginning I wanted to make something useful and aesthetically appealing. I wanted to make a folding coffee table that that stands at different heights and compresses to be put away. Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus pandemic and the social distancing policies, I was unable to access the appropriate tools to build my artifact…

Aesthetic Roots – Modern Hydroponics

My aesthetic roots likely ~stem~ (you’ll get that one later) from my father. My dad has a structural engineering firm that focuses on innovative modern houses. From looking at some of his projects there are a few where you are surprised by the artistic functionality of the piece; such as the glass stairs in the…

Main Project Construction Update

After design review 2, I poured the epoxy resin in two stages.  The first pour was about 1/3 of the resin and took 4 hours to reach that “sweet” spot to start the next pour.  I successful completed the second pour and used a heat gun remove the air bubbles.  I then let it dry…

Design Review 2: Epoxy Resin Art

  I have now positioned the wood in the mold and will place weights over it to hold it down. Now that the wood and mold are set up, I move to prepping the resin.  I chose 1:1 ratio of epoxy resin to epoxy hardener.  I received a blue pigment that came with addition black…

Main project Construction Update

At this point in my project, I was supposed to be done with construction, and have been able to use this week for any unforeseen issues.  Maybe I need to re-sand, or add a stain finish, or the table came out wobbly. However, due to the current state of remaining indoors, I had to resort…

Construction Update: From Dopamine to COVID Apparel

For my final project, I initially intended to create interactive apparel encouraging in-person interactions. Given the recent pandemic, I do not believe this project will have the positive impact I initially desired. With that in mind, I have decided to pivot, creating apparel that discourages contact (for the time being). The principles are the same…

Modern Jungle my Aesthetic *Roots* 😉

In keeping with my obsessive love for houseplants it makes sense that my aesthetic has to do with the way they interact with their surroundings. As I have posted before I love modern architecture. What strikes me about the following instagram posts is the way that the black and white is such an outstanding color…

Construction Update: LED Snowboard

My project is moving along and slowly taking shape. My biggest difficulty is getting the main sensor that I need to get this whole project to work. I gathered most of my materials before the quarantine hit and everything got shut down, however I was unable to acquire an accelerometer before everything got delayed. I…

Construction Update: Harajuku Clothing

With the challenging transition of COVID-19 and a change in vision for my final project, I have decided to create a piece of clothing from other clothing with the aesthetics of Harajuku and “the mode style” fashion. The combination of being expressive and confident in creating something new while maintaining a more monotone, minimalist approach…

Final Project Part 1: Speaker Enclosure

My final project started out as a simple speaker enclosure. The challenge of this project was going to be building the internal structure of the enclosure that caused sound of a certain frequency to be emitted in a manner that caused constructive interference (bass boost). While this would have been really complex to build, the…

Favorite Design/Build Video // Mark Rober

  My favorite YouTube design/build video is Mark Rober’s glitter bomb. I really enjoy his content because he eloquently describes his engineering process. As an engineer myself, I appreciate his tenacity to always learn new things and create amazing prototypes. I particularly enjoy this video because it is also aesthetically incredible. Mark’s ability to create…

Construction Update // Industrial Wedding Arch

Despite having some major setbacks due to COVID-19, decreased access to on-campus resources, and shelter-in-place orders, I am really proud of the progress I made on this project. Due to lack of access to a machine shop, I ended up overhauling my design such that I could make it with what I have. It took…

Construction Update: Stirling Motor

As the semester comes to an end, construction on the Stirling Motor is taking longer than expected and has been more difficult than anticipated, especially factoring the additional complications due to COVID-19. With that being said I have continued to try and create this project to the best of my ability utilizing the materials and…

Construction Update 2020 – Steampunk Headphone Stand

The construction update on my main project is pretty evident from the pictures attached. I am through with the whole construction process for my project. I completed it last week with the steampunk bulb installed and the steampunk gear decoration all over the product. Product Constituents – Headphone Stand Steampunk USB Fan Steampunk Edison Bulb…

Fave Youtuber Design and Build

Simone Gierts is my all time inspiration as a youtuber. She is a bad ass lady who has found a way to beat anxiety whilst doing something she loves. I have a whole blog post on my own personal website as to why she inspires me as a human which I will link here: https://jamiefrankelhonorsengineeringportfolio.wordpress.com/2019/02/06/who-inspires-me-and-why/…

Construction Update

As a reminder, my project has become to render two types of lighting and a clock and place them in a room setting. My process has been the following: Create models -> find an appropriate room in sketchup -> finish models and apply textures -> place the models in the room. As of right now,…

Construction Update 2020: Hand-Make Electrical Guitar

Construction Update Like many others, COVID-19 has affected my project and de-scoped it from it’s original vision. The main issue is having something functional/completes a task/dynamic at the end of the project. The progress so far (figure 1) shows my electrical guitar body. It took 10 hours alone band-sawing and outlining the frame of the…

Construction Update – Mountain Wall Art

Thus far, the construction of my final project has been going well, despite all things considered with COVID-19, and its impacts to university resources and the overall operations of life. Over spring break, I was able to purchase some wood (not entirely sure what kind it just caught my eye) and then proceeded to sketch…

Construction Updates- LED Sign

For my final project I am making an LED “neon” sign with the two aircraft I will fly at pilot training and the unit/program name. Before I began construction I had to finalize my design. I originally planned on making a wooden propeller, but due to COVID-19 I had to pivot to a new creation.…

Construction Update: Cardboard Grabber

Unfortunately, due to the restrictions and closures cause by the pandemic I will not be able to carry out my design vision as was originally intended. My access to safe cardboard and adhesives has been severely constrained, and the original plan was to use the ITLL laser cutters to shape the aesthetic pieces of the…

Final Project Update: Octopus statue

The past week I have been working on trying to create my final project I had painted cardboard to look like wood but when trying to cutout the cardboard I realized that I couldn’t get the curvy shapes using a box cutter, everything had become jagged and I had to make some serious design fixes.…

Construction Update: MTB jersey

Fortunately, I have bee able to make progress as listed in my timeline post. At this point, I made a “prototype” aka my first shirt ever! It turned out pretty good. But I used a fabric that was better suited for a button down shirt, since it is not very stretchy. Below you can see…

Final Part 1: Floral Mobile

Aesthetic Inspiration For my final project, I drew most of my aesthetic inspiration from the sculptures by Rebecca Louise Law, and the movie, Midsommar. While these seem somewhat opposing (sculptures and a horror flick) both use flowers to convey a story and represent beauty. I was drawn to Law’s work because she really makes it…

Construction Update: Mood Rings

As is the case for most of us, I unfortunately will not be able to complete a physical manifestation of this project due to COVID related closures. Despite my expedited ring manufacturing before the laser cutter closure, my order for custom buttons just barely did not get through. The shop announced closure the day after…

Construction Update

Design Update: Throughout my time in quarantine, I came to the realization that my initial prototyped design of an automaton-mobile hybrid was a bit too ambitious given my current lack of resources (no machine shop). So, I decided to pair down my design and focus on creating a large floor-to-ceiling mobile. Because my new design…

Construction Update 2020: Desktop Waterfall

Construction Update As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, I decided to re-scope my project. Instead of manufacturing anything, I am using this time to really focus on the design and create renderings and an animation of the device. I have also pivoted my idea. Previously, I was going to build a water clock: water would drip…

Aesthetic Roots: A Mix

My aesthetic roots are a large mixture of nature vs nurture.  I grew up in a wealthy, affluent area of New York. My nature is more relaxed and hippie-like than a typical New Yorker.  While there, I was told I had a laid-back look and was often told I was undressed by my siblings. However,…
minimalist art

Aesthetic Roots: Harajuku & The Mode Style

The new aesthetic for my project being a mix between Harajuku and “the mode style” fashion illustrates the ability for an individual to express themselves through their clothing. Harajuku is a movement against strict societal rules and pressures to fit in with the norm. It created a sort of subculture community for anyone to be…

Favorite Youtube Design Video

For this post, I wanted to find something that inspired me creatively. This video particularly stood out to me, after scrummaging through many “DIY” and “make it yourself’ videos. Specifically, I think it’s incredibly how the designer of this video was able to use text in order to express Apple’s message of the one thing…

Design Review Part 2: Sweatshirt

Logistics: With the current state of the world right now, I have had a couple difficulties that have transformed my original ideas but I actually believe will make for a more interesting project. I have included a new timeline below to show my plan for the upcoming steps for my project, as well as an…

YouTube Design/Build Videos –

In this video you can see a very cool and relatively simple way to create a wallet from even your own house. I follow this account because they show the skills and tools needed, as well as the talent to create some incredible leather works. I would say that watching these videos is very entertaining…

Wooden Sculpture Origins

The origins of wooden sculptures started from woodcarving, one of the oldest forms of art. This art form is so old it is almost impossible to trace its origin, and has been seen throughout different regions of the world. Though it is so hard to trace there are many cultures that have used wood carvings…

Rustic Ocean River Table – Aesthetic Roots

The aesthetic of a river table includes is rustic in nature with the natural/live edge aspect of wood/lumber, combined with a clean, glass like finish from the epoxy.  It is a mix between what nature has to offer combined with what man has to offer.  I have always been very attracted to this idea. Normally…

Islamic Aesthetics

When it comes to aesthetics roots, my roots go back towards the middle east. The aesthetic in the middle east basically falls under the Islamic aesthetic which is mostly inspired by religion, language, and culture. It can be seen in many different forms such as paintings, sculptors, poetry (I think it counts), building decorations, …etc.…

My Aesthetic Roots

I’m so thrilled that I can share about my own personal aesthetic exploration, artwork, and style as it has developed over the course of my life. I have always loved art and just creating. Something that I have always been drawn to is intricate details, like in paisley designs and mandalas. The way that those particular…

My Aesthetic Roots: Why Just One?

I don’t like the idea of using a single aesthetic to describe a person. People are complex, multifaceted beings that deserve more than a word with a two sentence Webster definition attached to it. So I’ve decided to write about all the different aesthetics that I feel encompass what being Mary Rahjes is all about.…

Aesthetic Roots: Industrialism, Bohemian Styling

I’m from Portland Oregon and as a result, my aesthetic roots run deep with hipster designs. My whole time growing up I was surrounded by a constant barrage of the bohemian, industrial and eclectic vintage styles that come from the hipster aesthetic. While I never completely prescribed to the hipster aesthetics, it was hard to…

Aesthetic Roots: Homemade

For this post I chose to incorporate aesthetic roots in both my project but also my upbringing as a child and something that I think played a role in defining my childhood and shaped me into the kind of things that appeal to me. When I think of an aesthetic that I used and was…

Aesthetic Roots – Simplicity

  My aesthetic roots are definitely grounded around the main aesthetic and overall idea of “Simplicity.” Exactly as stated by Leonardo Da Vinci, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” I truly believe in this statement along with the beauty found in simplicity. Not only is simplicity an aesthetic, but it is a way of life that…

My Aesthetic Roots

One of the aesthetics I like most is minimalism. I am not one to enjoy over-ornamentation. I think that this has its place in some contexts, such as historical architecture, but I would not purchase anything for my home of this nature. I prefer items with simple, sleek designs. This is especially true when it…

Aesthetic Roots: Industrial Chic

When one thinks of the aesthetic of industrial chic one might often think of a place like Rayback collective. Lots of exposed piping, lots of dark colors and dark metals, light bulbs in cages, etc. This is a really neat aesthetic which can be surprisingly expensive if one looks into getting an “industrial chic” table.…

Aesthetic Roots: Modernist Furniture

As discussed in my previous post, my final project is too design lighting fixtures and a clock to go into a 3D rendered modernist-influenced bedroom. Modernism as a whole has it’s roots in the post-World War Two era. Post-WW2 was a time of rationing and pragmatism, as shown by modernism, the primary design movement to…

Aesthetic Roots 2020 – Steampunk Headphone Stand

My aesthetic roots for my main project have been steampunk always. I looked a few other aesthetics but when I started ideating the product, I could not associate any other aesthetic to it. My whole design process, my procurement, all key aspects have been derived from Steampunk aesthetic. In the beginning, I thought of different…

Aesthetic Roots: Cardboard Grabber

In the beginning my project was focused entirely around the mechanics of the hand, with the intention of the entire design being out of cardboard. This was aimed at being low cost, but more so to lean into the fact that cardboard is such a versatile creation and can be employed to do countless things.…

My Aesthetic Roots: Flat Design

My main project, Dopamine, is intended to mimic the effects of a “like” on social media for real life interactions. As an example, your shirt lights up when you waive to someone else. Therefore, my project must utilize a similar aesthetic as those utilized on Instagram, Facebook, etc. One look that I will be particularity…

Aesthetics in Minimalism

I don’t see any aesthetic roots in myself. But as for my final project of making a hedgehog phone case , I’m choosing minimalism and perhaps a little bit of biomimicry, with that being said, it’s creating something with minimal shape that can represent its animal form. Above is the example of biomimicry, the product…

Aesthetics In Tiled Zones

My project which I’m nicknaming “Tiled Zones” draws from a lot of my earlier influences in coding and generative art. In our first blog post: Aesthetic Exploration, I chose Algorithmic as my topic because I had had so much time to tinker around with it. Coding itself is hardly glamorous and in my opinion differs…

Back to the Roots: MTB jersey

Just a quick reminder of what my project is: I am working on making a mountain biking jersey that has the aesthetic of action painting. Below are a couple of action painting pictures. Figure 1. Lady smearing paint Figure 2. Example of action painting The roots of the aesthetic I picked go back to the…

Aesthetic Roots

When it comes to my aesthetic roots, it comes from a rich background of life curiosity. When thinking about what im drawn to aesthetically, the first thing that comes to mind is my photography. For me, this medium has been my way of understanding the world around me as well as connect to it. Through…

Aesthetic Roots 2020: Streamline + Modern/Matte, Red

Streamline Moderne, Modernism Streamlining aesthetic has a very shiny, curvy, and aerodynamic look to it (As seen in figure 1), naturally intrinsic to electrical guitars I feel. The aesthetic emerged in the 1930s and was used in industrial design, namely: railroad locomotives, telephones, toasters, buses, appliances, and other devices conforming to the sleek and modern…

Aesthetic Roots: Floral Mobile

For my final project, I am drawing aesthetic inspiration specifically from the artist, Rebecca Louise Law, and the movie, Midsommar. Real flowers take center stage in Law’s sculptures and in the movie Midsommar. As far as relating these works to modern movements, I would consider this floral aesthetic to be rooted stylistically in the Arts…

Aesthetic Roots: Folding Coffee Table

Minimalism I thought that by having an obscurely ovaled table top, copper legs, and a clean finish to my coffee table, that I would be incorporating an organic, steampunk, minimalist aesthetic into my design. In turn, after doing more research and speaking to people, my folding coffee table falls under the minimalist aesthetic. Even though…