Portfolio – Garrett Miller

In this class I learned new skills and tools to utilize in project planning, ideation, and especially design. I learned the most through doing, by creating both of the projects required in this class.

My first project was for the upcycle project in this class, where we had to take some used and/or old materials and turn them into something new. For this I decided to make a cigar box mandolin. I saw someone who made cigar box guitars years ago, and have always had it in the back of my mind to make one, and decided that this project was the perfect excuse. While it did not turn out as well as I had hoped for it to, it still is not fully functional, it looks amazing and was a big learning process into both creating instruments and woodworking with small and soft pieces of wood. Here is how it turned out, and al my posts detailing the process below:

1. Aesthetic: https://www.aesdes.org/2024/01/31/my-upcycle-aesthetic-creole-and-cajun/
2. Initial Progress: https://www.aesdes.org/2024/02/08/upcycle-project-progress-3/
3. Opposite Aesthetic: https://www.aesdes.org/2024/02/14/opposite-upcycle-aesthetic-suburbia/
4. Project Report: https://www.aesdes.org/2024/02/21/upcycle-project-cigar-box-mandolin/

For my second project, we had to make something dynamic, so I decided to make a camping table for my car. It took me a lot of ideation and thinking to decide on it, but I am very happy I did. I have wanted one since I got my car, as I camp a lot, so I decided to build one that folds up nicely and can be stored in my car easily so I have plenty of space for all my other camping gear. I used a lot of the wood working skills I developed building the cigar box mandolin, and other skills I have from working on the house with my dad to build the table. It took a lot of work and several design changes, but I came out the other side with a project I am really happy with and can hopefully use for a while to come. Here is how the project turned out and all of my posts detailing the process:

1. Plans and Inspiration: https://www.aesdes.org/2024/03/01/main-project-plans-and-inspiration-6/
2. Aesthetics: Plans and Inspirations: https://www.aesdes.org/2024/03/06/main-project-aesthetics-plans-and-alternatives-western/
3. Design Preview Report: https://www.aesdes.org/2024/03/13/design-preview-report-western-camping-table/
4. Constraints and Specifications: https://www.aesdes.org/2024/04/08/camping-table-specifications-constraints/
5. Progress: https://www.aesdes.org/2024/05/08/car-camping-table-progress/
6. Final Report Part 1: https://www.aesdes.org/2024/04/24/final-report-part-1-12/
7. Final Report Part 2: https://www.aesdes.org/2024/05/07/final-report-ii-car-camping-table-how-and-why/