Final Portfolio: Anthony Makuch

Over the course of this class, I had the opportunity to engage with design from both a conceptual and hands-on perspective. I learned how to communicate through aesthetics, adapt creatively under constraints, and translate technical goals into expressive outcomes. My two major projects this semester, the Upcycle Project and the Main Project, each reflect different sides of this experience. Together, they show how engineering and design can intersect with art, storytelling, and sustainability.

The Upcycle Project: Pop Art from 3D Print Scraps

Originally, my plan was to create a pixel art piece using shredded 3D print scraps, arranged inside a grid system like a low-resolution digital image. However, I quickly ran into real-world limitations: inconsistent shred sizes, a lack of color variety, and technical constraints with grid resolution. These issues made it impossible to realize my original pixel aesthetic.

Rather than abandoning the project, I pivoted to a new visual language inspired by Pop Art. Drawing on Andy Warhol’s repeated celebrity prints, I reimagined my pixel subject, Ditto from Pokémon, in a new aesthetic context. I repeated its silhouette in bold color combinations. This new approach allowed me to celebrate the material limitations of 3D printing rather than fight them. The use of scrap plastic as color “pixels” became not just functional, but conceptually tied to Pop Art’s ethos of mass culture and reuse.

Read the full project description here:

https://www.aesdes.org/2025/05/01/building-a-steam…-aesthetic-focus/

Main Project: A Steampunk Strandbeest

For my main project, I tackled the challenge of creating a kinetic sculpture inspired by Theo Jansen’s Strandbeest, filtered through the rich, ornate aesthetic of steampunk. I sourced an existing printable model by Engineezy and focused on adapting it to my vision. I wanted something where mechanical elements were not hidden but emphasized, and where motion was as important as visual texture.

I 3D printed the components in white PLA, primed them, and hand-painted them using metallic spray paints to simulate brass, iron, and aged copper. Every stage of the process, from researching linkage motion to painting U-clips and fine-tuning tolerances, required iteration. Failed prints, jammed joints, and accidental oversprays became part of the timeline, not setbacks but moments of learning and adjustment.

One of the biggest takeaways from this build was how much aesthetic choices impact mechanical performance. Too much paint made the joints stick. Too little spacing caused axles to bind. I constantly had to weigh form against function, which taught me how closely they are connected.

Read the full project description here:

https://www.aesdes.org/2025/02/19/pop-art-with-3d-print-scraps/ ‎

What I’m Proud Of

Creative Resilience
I am proud of how I pivoted my Upcycle project from pixel art to Pop Art. Rather than letting constraints block my creativity, I adapted and produced a result that felt even more personal and expressive.

Combining Engineering with Aesthetics
In both projects, I found ways to merge my mechanical background with design. From linkage motion in the Strandbeest to the color balance of recycled plastic, I made technical decisions with artistic intent.

Craftsmanship and Detail
My focus on small details, such as using masking tape to protect joints during painting or sorting shredded plastic by color, helped elevate each final piece.

Thank you for following my journey this semester and to everyone who offered support, feedback.