Personal Aesthetics in Engineering

This class has been one of the more creative ones I’ve taken during my time in mechanical engineering. It gave me the space to explore aesthetics in a way I’ve never really thought about before. I got to make things that actually had meaning to me and that I would be proud to show other people. Both my Upcycle and main project ended up being things that were deeply personal. I also got to learn some new skills that I’ll definitely carry with me outside of this class.

My Upcycle project focused on making a planter out of recycled soup cans and wire. I was originally inspired by Mexican metal tin art and wanted to see if I could recreate that kind of aesthetic using only upcycled materials. I ended up using soup cans that I had cleaned and cut and then punched patterns into them. Then I spray painted them to give a consistent metallic look. I used wire to attach them into a spiral form that could hold small succulents. It wasn’t perfect and there were some sharp edges and a lot of learning as I went, but I was really proud of the final product. It had a rough and homemade look to it that matched my aesthetic goals. It was also my first time working with metal in this way and even though it took a while, it felt really rewarding to reuse what would have just been trash.

For my main project, I decided to make a spice rack spinner for my mom. Food and cooking are a big part of my Mexican heritage and something I’ve always associated with home. I wanted to make something that reflected that. I started out by researching traditional Mexican ceramics and looking at ways I could recreate that aesthetic in a more rustic or handmade way. I ended up making painted clay lids for each jar and mounted them into a rotating wooden base. The lids were hand-molded from polymer clay and painted with simple ceramic-inspired patterns. The base was made from stained wood and used a lazy Susan bearing so it could spin.

The process for the main project was a lot more physical than I thought it would be. I had to learn how to use different power tools, how to sand and cut wood, and how to work with clay. I also learned how to stain wood and how to make sure everything actually fit together. It took a lot of trial and error and honestly way more time than I expected but I really enjoyed the process. I think the most time-consuming part was painting all the clay lids because I did a few coats and then added protective sealant on top. Even though I made some mistakes with the wood staining and I had to make changes along the way like switching from air-dry clay to polymer clay, I’m really happy with how it turned out.

Looking back, I’m really proud of how personal both projects were. I didn’t just pick random aesthetics. I made things that tied back to my heritage and my family. I think that helped me stay interested in the process even when things got frustrating. It also helped me take more creative risks. I wasn’t trying to make something perfect. I was trying to make something that felt like me.

I think one of the biggest challenges this semester was just managing my time. A lot of these tasks took longer than I thought they would, especially when I was learning new skills. But the structure of the class helped because it broke things into smaller blog posts and check-ins. That helped me stay on track even when my schedule got busy. Another challenge was figuring out how to visually document everything. I’m not always great at remembering to take pictures during the process but I tried to get better at that for this class.

You can check out both of my projects using the links below:
Link to my Upcycle Project Post
Link to Main Project Part 1 – What
Link to Main Project Part 2 – How

I feel like this class gave me a chance to reflect on how aesthetics play a role in engineering and in everyday objects. I also feel like I came out of it with a small portfolio of work that I’m proud to show off. I’ll probably include a link to this post on my resume or CV just because it shows a different side of my work as an engineer. One that’s a little more hands-on and creative. And I think that’s valuable.