Post 13- Ari Matrajt

Throughout this course, I was able to learn new skills and improve my artistic abilities. I learned how to build things using wood, got to meet new cool people, and was able to use recycled materials and turn them into something new. I also got to learn many different aesthetics and explore ways of incorporating them into my projects. I learned about many great designers and trends, as well as how these have impacted every product and fashion produced. I am proud of the work I have produced and really enjoyed the class!

Upcycle Project

My vision for the upcycle project involved crafting a vase from egg cartons, drawing inspiration from Scandinavian design’s sleek and simple beauty. I wanted to balance simplicity and efficiency, which are both crucial aspects of Scandinavian aesthetics. I think egg cartons are not just a practical material but an artistic element that contributes to the overall aesthetic.

Upcycle project

Project links:

Upcycle Design Report: Egg carton vase

Upcycle Project Progress: Egg carton vase

Upcycle Project Progress: Egg carton vase

https://www.aesdes.org/2024/01/28/upcycle-aesthetic-scandinavian-aesthetic/

Main Project

For this project, I wanted to create something that would be challenging to manufacture and would expand my current skills. I have been cooking a lot recently, so I thought I could improve my current spatulas. My goal was to make a spatula with interchangeable “heads” to reduce the space needed to keep these utensils and streamline the cleaning process. I decided to make it out of wood and the attaching mechanism would be activated using magnets. The wood used was a piece of cherry wood, and I worked on it using several saws in the Idea Forge.

Final project

This project was especially nice because I learned many new skills. I had never worked with wood before so it was cool getting to use the different saws and machines at the Idea Forge. I also think that the end product came out like I envisioned and I have been able to use it to cook. Overall, it was a great opportunity to learn new skills, expand on my creative side, and get to build a product I will continue improving and using.

Project links:

Post 6: Main Project Plans and Inspirations – Ari Matrajt

Post 7: Main Project Aesthetics: Plans and Alternatives – Ari Matrajt

Post 9: Top 5 Specifications, Top 5 Constraints- Ari Matrajt

Design Preview Report: Ari Matrajt

Post 10: Progress – Ari Matrajt

Post 11: What and Why? – Ari Matrajt

https://www.aesdes.org/2024/04/23/final-report-post-12-how-ari-matrajt/

Overall, I really liked this class. I didn’t have the opportunity to take many creative classes like this throughout my time at CU Boulder, so it was a great experience to be able to work on artistic projects as well. I also learned useful skills along the way and had a lot of fun!