09 Upcycle Specs and Perspective Sketching
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Today we went over the explicit expectations for final documentation of the Upcycle project: presentations and next week’s blog post. Then we went over basic use of vanishing points in 1, 2 and 3 point perspective, starting with cubes, of course. 09 Upcycle specs, Perspective sketching
Up-cycle Project : Inspiration and Progress Report
This blog post is supposed to be about my inspiration for the up-cycle project. But since I described that process in my last blog post I am going to focus on the progress I have made since that post. Project Background: If you haven’t read my last post, the general idea is that I am…
Movie Night: Helvetica
Our first movie night will feature Helvetica, a movie about the impact of the most widely-used modern font. Yes, an entire feature-length film about a font. One font. A font which you have to pay to use (unless you have a mac, in which case you are already paying to use it). The film documents…
Upcycle Progress: Kintsugi
Kintsugi is a pottery technique that glorifies imperfection and embraces the cracks that bring us together. The art-form dates back to the Japanese shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa, who sent sent a piece of pottery back to China to be repaired. After the piece return, lackluster held together with only staples, he decided to have it mended…
Up-cycle Progress: Jewelry from a mug
For my up-cycle project I wanted to find a way to repurpose one of my favorite mugs I recently broke. I did some research, and found a bunch of projects where broken porcelain was repurposed into jewelry. Shown in the images below. For my own design I chose some pieces of the cup that were…
08 Teams
We listened to my favorite wisdom on teamwork, from This American Life, and then the teams all met for the first time. The TAL episode focused on the work of Will Felps, now a professor of business at the University of New South Wales. During his PhD thesis in 2006 or so, he found ‘bad…
Upcycle Progress: My Design Process
This is my upcycle design process. My way of thinking is that this project require a lot of research. The challenge of finding an idea which posses three conditions. First, it has to be aesthetic. Second, I have the skills to accomplish the plan. Finally, I should have most of the product materials. I built…
Upcycle Process: Safety glove for cutting in kitchen
I started brainstorming with thinking what I need first and think about if it is doable by upcycle. And, here is the flow chart. I love to cook so I cut a lot of vegetables. While cutting vegetables, such as garlic or pepper, I always hated the smell and the spiciness stuck on my fingers.…
Upcycle Progress: Patterns of Circles
I was considering repetitious use of circular designs in my sketches. Also there is a possibility of using the bottoms of the water bottles as flowers. I had envisioned an upcycling project that would use either water bottles or these 3-inch dia. lids in repetition to make a sculpture. There’s a caveat when it comes…
Upcycle Progress: Ideation & Materials
To begin this project I thought about which material I wanted to use. I wanted something that gave me a lot room for creativity and didn’t push me into a certain style. I also thought about what functionality do I want to get out of this project and not make something that has no purpose…
Upcycle Progress/ Design Process
The design process that I took for this project so far is pretty standard. As you can see in the image of my flowchart below, I began by looking at the upcycle project that was assigned. I then began brainstorming ideas that involved what kind of materials I should use, what kind of function will…
Upcycle Progress: Layers
I was very intrigued when I heard the first project we would be working on was going to involve upcycling. Upcycling is the process of creating something out of waste materials or products for a better purpose. I thought this challenge would be fun since it puts constraints on what materials we are allowed to…
Upcycle Progress: Wall Mount Piece
Multiple Sketches for Further Conceptualization More Detailed Skateboard Mount Guitar Experimentation I have not completely decided on a final project to get working on but I have a far greater understanding of how I will achieve my aesthetic goals as I sketch more and more. I am currently considering the different applications of reused guitars…
Upcycling Paper Towel Cardboard Tubes
As a warm up assignment we are recycling low value waste into aesthetic pleasing objects. Deciding what to do isn’t always easy however for me this time around it was simpler than in the past. Over the winter break I read “Creative Confidence” by David and Tom Kelley ( I highly recommend it to anyone…
Upcycle Progress: Drawer
Design Process: Available Materials: due to the requirement of the assignment, my first concern was what materials do I have in my disposal that can be used. Since I have amazon prime and being lazy, I end up with a lot of shipping boxes. 2) Brainstorming: my biggest concern in this step was to come up with as many ideas as possible. However, the option to build something out of card boxed are endless. Thus, i have decided to do something that would be useful. 3) Objective of product: after coming up with multiple ideas, I have decided to do a drawer because it was something I wanted to buy for my apartment and doing this project will save me money. So two birds…
Upcycle Progress: Board Game
My family is coming for my graduation and I decided to make a board game for them. It’s called Jakaroo and it’s a really good game. I decided to go with acrylic instead of wood because it’s lighter and it will take less time in the laser cutter. I got the acrylic sheet and it’s…
Upcycle Progress: Silverware Holder
Cutlery holder by Bianca Barreto and Sueli Pacci [1] For my upcycle project, it took me a while to decide what I am going to design. I am interested and focused on making something out of the stuff I have in my kitchen since I find cooking as a hobby and having an organized kitchen…
Upcycle Progress / Design Process
Here is a block/bubble diagram representation of my upcycle project design process. The rectangular blocks represent more defined portions and the round bubbles are more obscure. I’ll walk you through my journey so far. The assignment. Pretty straightforward. We are tasked with creating something out of something less good. It must be reasonably sized. Frugality…
Upcycle Progress: 3D Product Design Sketch
To recap my ideation process so far: I started out with no idea what I wanted to do. In an in-class sketching brainstorm, I decided to think ideate with toothpicks in mind as a material. I started coming up with ideas related to toothpicks, teeth, icepicks, and trees. Of the 3, I liked the idea…
Upcycle progress: Helmet Decoration
I didn’t know what I wanted to do for this project until today, when I saw my friend’s abandoned helmet in my garage. My friend was into racing his car when he was studying at CU he eventually graduated and went back to China. The helmet is still in OK shape but the mechanism that…
Upcycle Progress 2019
A lot of my project so far has consisted of paying more attention to my surrounds and available material. We have a program at my work where we take the hard to recycle materials and bring it to the CHARM facility here in Boulder. Because of this, I’m currently loaded with charger cables, plastic bags,…
Upcycle Progress: Fabric
Brainstorming an idea for this assignment was one of the hardest processes I’ve done in the past few years. I have abandoned my creative parts of my mind for a long time. One of the reasons that made me enroll in this course is to nourish my creativity. I was lost, I didn’t know where…
Up-Cycle Progress: Power Line Insulator Lamp
When considering what material to use for my up-cycle project, the first thing to come to mind was a power line insulator. During my grandfather’s career in the power industry, he acquired a decent sized collection of retired insulators that have yet to been put to use. Additionally, I have always been intrigued by the…
Upcycle Progress – Wood Veneer Scraps
For my upcycle project I’ll be using scraps of wood veneer from a custom ski shop I used to work at in my home town of Telluride, CO. Wagner skis creates custom designed skis, and customers have the option to have a wood veneer as the top sheet for their ski. About 12 – 16…
Upcycle Progress: Cardboard Lamp
For this project I knew what object I wanted to create, but I did not know what I wanted to make it out of. To determine what I was going to make it out of I used my go-to design-process. This process always begins with an initial idea and I then ask other people for…
Upcycle Progress
My upcycle project is still in the works design-wise, but a great deal of my design process has centered around the materials that I intend on using. My cheap-o wooden IKEA bed frame recently gave up the ghost, and with its passing came loads of recyclable materials. Primarily, I’m interested in its plywood slats and…
Upcycle Project – Colorado Flag
Being born and raised in Colorado I have always had a general obsession for the Colorado flag. I love its colors and the uniqueness of it compared to many other states. Ever since I’ve lived in my own place I’ve had at least one Colorado flag hanging on the wall so my idea for an…
Upcycle Progress: Miniature Landscape
I have always been interested in miniature-style art. I have seen it a lot in both movies and in real life. One thing that I always been interested in is when major companies have 3D models of miniature cities. This really caught my eye because it is really interesting that those companies use these models…
Upcycle Progress: LEGO Mosaic
Originally having no idea on what to do for the upcycle project I struggled trying to figure out what to create. While thinking about this I was focusing on the final product, what do I want to make? Then the idea of using LEGOs was brought to my attention. LEGOs are a very versatile material…
Upcycle Progress: Leftover Cardboard
It took me a while to decide what material I was going to use for my upcycle project, but I think I have finally found the material I am going to use. It is abundant and easy to work with, and it’s my leftover Blue Apron boxes I’ve been saving for the past few months.…
Up-cycle Project
The biggest challenge in starting the design for my up-cycle project is trying to figure out what material I want to use to create the project and what it is that I want to make. I began by walking around my apartment trying to figure out what material I had that could be transformed into…
07 Process and Sketching
We talked a bit more about individual design processes, and looked at traditional industrial design sketches; how they vary through the design process. Ended with a bit of sketch practice, starting with straight lines, circles and ellipses. 07 Process and sketching lecture notesDownload
Upcycle Project: Zoetrope
I have spent sometime thinking of what I wanted to make for my upcycle project. What I knew was that I wanted something which involved something I learned here as a mechanical engineer. I remembered seeing a toy which had a small circular platform, had evenly spaced slits on it’s top with still images of…
Wine Bottle Holder
I was throwing a lot of ideas around about what I should create for the upcycle project. I knew I had and an old wood palette in my backyard and I thought that would be a good idea to put that to use. The wood has a dark color to it, it looks kind of…
Upcycle Progress: Beer Can Furniture
It took me a while to come up with an idea for this upcycle project. I looked around my apartment trying to find a lot of unused material that I could use to make a project with. I came to the realization that I have a lot of trash. More specifically, I have a ton…
Aesthetic Exploration: Steampunk
Steampunk can be most closely described as a mixture between industrial steam-powered machinery and 19th century British Victorian style. It is a very striking and recognizable aesthetic often envisioned coming from an alternate timeline in which the modern era never made the switch from steam to internal combustion engines. Credit: Omar BrentCredit: Getty ImagesCredit: ILeatherCraft…
Upcycle Progress: Mechanical Countdown Calendar
For my Upcycle Project, I am making a device that will allow the user to countdown days, much like an advent calendar or a countdown clock, but with far less utility. The basic design will have a spring, similar to the leaf spring on a vehicle. This will be bent back and connected to a…
Upcycle Project: Wooden Paintstick Mirror
For my upcycle project, I was doing some research online and was also looking around my room for inspiration. However, as I was looking around my room for some inspiration, I realized my walls are kind of empty. I don’t have much decoration around my room. From there, I looked up decorations and was thinking…
Upcycle Progress: Plastic Waste
Plastic waste has a significant impact on the environment. Since most plastics are not degradable i’ve decided to use this material for my upcycle project. I’ve also been inspired from companies like Parley and Adidas who created products from plastic waste in the ocean. These types of products satisfy customer demands while also helping the…
Upcycle Progress: Pennies
It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do for this project and a couple ideas were bouncing around in my head. I was originally going to make some sort of plant based project that would grow within a glass bottle, as seen in the picture below. However, after contemplating the…
Up-cycle Project Progress : Paper Dress
For my up-cycle project I decided to make a dress out of paper recycling bags. These bags are provided at grocery stores and are also handed out at the dorms on campus. The reason I wanted to make this dress is because I am attending a time travelers ball in mid February. Last time I…
Upcycled Skyline
http://www.designturnpike.com/pop_soda_and_beer_bottle_cap_art_and_maps.html I found two upcycle ideas that I was truly torn between. One of them was this idea of using bottle caps to create some crafts. I figured that since we are in a college town, bottle caps have to be one of the most abundant items that can be used for upcycling. Also, the…
Up-Cycle Progress: Book Ends
We spend a lot of time reading and I’m sure everyone has that one shelf of books that is either held up by another book or a different random object. Rarely do I see a stack of books held up by the very object that is made to fulfill this purpose and provide an aesthetic…
Drawstring T-Shirt
My upcycle project is based on the t-shirt design above. I felt inspired by the design because when I was in high school I would wear a shoe lace belt instead of a normal belt. A regular belt holds up better but I liked the style of the shoe lace belt more. It gave more…
Upcycle Progress: Cardboard Fire Pit
For my up-cycle project, I am making a fire pit out of cardboard. The idea is to laser cut pieces of cardboard and put them together such that they have some structural integrity while using little to no adhesives. Right now, the design is pretty basic, with no real artistic elements added onto of the…
Upcycle Progress: Cork
The appealing look of a cork caught my eye instantly. I found cork projects all over google images, pinterest, and my friends houses. Corks can be used for apparel, furniture, jewelry holders, and decoration. The cork gives a house a very unique down to earth feeling. There are also associated unique wine and champagne labels…
06 Ideation and Process
Since a good fraction of you are still unsure of your Upcycle project, we practiced a couple of ideation techniques, and then talked about the design process. 06 Ideation and Process lecture notesDownload
Upcycle Progress: Tin Can Candle Holder
For the upcycle project, I have decided to make a candle holder with a tin can. I will need an old soup can, soda can, or something similar. Additionally I will need paint, a hammer, nails, and a candle. I have all of these materials and am excited to get started! I have not decided…
Tinfoil Insects
Looking at the materials I’d have available to me for the up-cycling project, I decided to use paperclips and tinfoil. After some brainstorming with friends, I landed on insects as the subject-matter; I felt the wiry nature of the paperclips lent themselves well to the construction of limbs. I also felt it best to take…
Aesthetic Exploration: Android Jones
Andrew “Android” Jones is a U.S. visual artist. His art can be described as Electromineralism with an influence of Pop-Shamanism. He started his career with George Lucas at Industrial Light and Magic, he also worked as a concept artist for the Japanese gaming company Nintendo. In my opinion his artwork has a psychedelic tendency infused…
Upcycle Progress- Pop-up Book
Recently I noticed that LEGO just released this year’s IDEAS set- Pop-Up book. It’s really a impressive create! They also provide user manual on the website so I try to search the demand material in my house. Following picture shows pieces I found. After double checking with the building instruction, I had sufficient component to…
Aesthetic Exploration: Topology Optimized Designs
Recently I have been hooked by “Topology Optimized” designs I think their aesthetics can be very attractive and the engineering behind them is very interesting. Topology optimization is a branch of computer aided engineering (CAE) that seeks to mathematically optimize material layout within a given design space to sustain a set of loads and boundary…
05 Aesthetics Tour 3
We did polls for office hours: Mondays at 3 pm was most popular. Appointments are available whenever you need to talk, and drop in any afternoon when my door is not fully shut. Tyler has volunteered to curate our Movie Night. Monday at 6 pm was voted best. We did sketching practice, and then continued…
Aesthetic Exploration: ASAP Rocky
https://www.complex.com/music/2019/01/asap-rocky-janelle-monae-single ASAP Rocky is a person who is hip-hop artist. He grew up in Harlem named after the one of the greatest rappers Rakim. As his family is hip-hop lover, he has built his talent since a toddler. However, his financial situation was not so good that his family were vulnerable within the environment of…
Aesthetic Explorations – Biomimicry
Nature has been evolving structures for billions of years, constantly searching for better and better designs for the nearly infinite needs of living things. And it’s done and extremely good job. Biomimicry is the idea that we can imitate these designs created by evolution and use them for our own needs. The aesthetic of biomimicry…
Aesthetic Exploration: Calaveras
The Aesthetic for Calaveras first began appearing around the 17th century but has had roots in Aztec, Mayan, and Toltec cultures. Calavera directly translates to skull but has a certain style differing from the style more prevalent in American like Gothic, Biker, or Pirate themes. It stems from not only honoring the dead but creating…
Organic Design
Organic design is centered around using nature as your biggest inspiration. It has been around since humans first began making tools, as early humans were working with the forms that nature provided them. Organic design saw a resurgence in the 1930’s through the works of Frank Lloyd Wright(2). He wanted his work to “create harmony…
Aesthetic Exploration 2019: Water-cooled PC
In this day and age, technology is everything and everywhere. People can’t seem to avoid technology and it’s massive advances within the 21st century. With the development of computers and the improvement of data transfer rates within PCs, the capabilities of these machines seemed endless. Some people however, chased a different type of capability in…
70’s New York Punk
I came to the punk scene through bands like Blink 182 and Sum 41 in mid 90’s. The songs were well-produced, the lyrics were unnecessary, and the videos were intentionally childish. The trappings of traditional punk were present (fast rhythms, screaming vocals, and haircuts that were only appropriate in jobs that required hair nets), but…
Aesthetic Exploration: Product Design Sketches
Sketching by hand is not lost in today’s digital age. The ability to sketch by hand allows designers to quickly put ideas onto paper, make changes, and flesh out concepts. Hurricane Lantern sketches by Mike Serafin Early stages of design sketching often looks like this. Many simple images on one page. Often in a side…
Aesthetic Exploration: Minimalism
The aesthetic that I chose to explore is minimalism. Originating from the 1950s and prospering during the 1960’s and 1970’s, minimalism arose from the idea that art should not be limited to societal standards. Rather than being a luxury only affordable to the rich, minimalism demonstrates art in its purest form and is something that…
Super Computer
This is the Digital Storm Aventum PC. The design of this PC is very compact, yet it demonstrate superb performance. In addition, the layout of its components are aesthetically pleasing. The cooling system implemented on this PC is a water cooling mechanism that maximizes heat decimation in order to protect the critical components of the…
Rocky Mountain Underground
For all my life I have enjoyed skiing the Rocky Mountains. There’s something about the cold, fresh air stinging your lungs after hiking to the top of a fresh peak and looking down at all the fluffy white powder about to be carved up. It’s a freeing feeling that I will continue to chase for…
Aesthetic Exploration: Glitch
An aesthetic that I have fallen in love with is the Glitch Aesthetic. Glitch, in a sense, aims to reveal and enhance the beauty in mistakes that would otherwise appear messy and unwanted. It really took off in the mid-to-late 20th century. Malfunctions in technology that would otherwise be undesired are taken advantage of in…
Aesthetic Exploration – Mosaics
Mosaics are a style of art the creates a picture by using small pieces of colored stone or glass as the medium. The origins of this art style traces back to Mesopotamia, around the 3rd millennium BC. Later in the 4th century BC, they became popular in the Greek culture, usually depicting an aspect of…
Aesthetics Exploration 2019: CU Boulder Architecture
When driving into Boulder from the east, you reach the top of a hill and then a beautiful view of Boulder and the surrounding mountains opens up. It’s hard not be taken away by the view each and every time. Almost as hard to miss as the mountains is the grouping of red buildings. This…
Aesthetic explorations 2019
The ancient greeks were known to be one of the most influential civilizations to mankind and are known to have shaped the way we think about the world and ourselves. The ancient greeks dabbled in many things including art and pottery. Pottery was very important to the greeks as it was a means of storage…
Aesthetic Exploration: The Third Eye
The photographer has the chance to capture moments that not everybody sees and that’s the beauty of photograph. The camera is the third eye that captures memories with all the emotions with it. One of the most special days in our lives are wedding days. I can’t imagine a wedding without a photographer that’s ready…
Aesthetic Explorations 2019: Dieselpunk
The steampunk aesthetic is to steam as the dieselpunk aesthetic is to diesel. It is important to understand both aesthetics as they are considered to be close cousins. The steampunk aesthetic deals with industrial steam power found in the Victorian era mixed with attributes of Tesla and sustainable energy. Dieselpunk draws from the interwar period…
Aesthetic Exploration: A-frame Houses
A-frame houses are composed of slanted support members joined at one end to create thee image of an equilateral triangle. For added structural support there is cross member connecting the two main support at about the midpoint of the building’s height. This cross member is what gives these unique buildings thier name. While A-frame like…