Portfolio: Witt Young

Reflection

Taking Aesthetics in Design has completely changed the way I think about form, function, and creative intention. Going into the class, I mostly thought of design as a process of solving problems or making useful things. But over the course of the semester, I’ve learned that aesthetics are just as essential as utility—and that sometimes, they can be the entire point. I was pushed to think more deeply about how visual choices, material textures, and cultural references shape the meaning of a project. More than anything, this class challenged me to take risks, embrace ambiguity, and trust my instincts as a designer and artist.

Upcycled Fruit Bowl

My first project was a decorative fruit bowl made entirely from recycled cardboard and paper mache. The aesthetic I was aiming for was a mix of Memphis Design, Blobject, and Psychedelic Modern—full of bold colors, spirals, and organic, flowing forms. I wanted it to feel playful and alive, with coral-like curves and a sculptural, modern look.

The process was a challenge. Cardboard isn’t exactly the easiest material to turn into smooth, blobby shapes. I started out layering pieces to create volume, but the material didn’t behave how I’d hoped. Eventually, I scaled back the 3D aspect and let the shapes flatten out, then used paper mache to build up structure. I painted it a glossy green, which brought everything together and made it pop. In the end, the bowl looked more 2D and fragile than I originally planned, but it still hit the mark in terms of bold color, fun shape, and decorative energy. The aesthetic became a mashup of influences—just like Memphis and Psychedelic Modern encourage. It’s not super functional, but it definitely has presence and its more about the aesthetic than the functionality at the end of the day and I can confidently say my fruit bowl has the aesthetics I set out to achieve.

Mirror + Acrylic Painting

For my final project, I went in a totally different direction—away from function, and fully into visual impact. I created a layered acrylic painting inspired by the Early Virtual Aesthetic, using a clear painted acrylic sheet placed in front of a mirrored one, all held together in a laser-cut wooden frame. Nostalgic characters from early 2000s video games like Mario, GTA, Bandicoot and more were drawn on the acrylic with black line work only—no color—and floated in different directions, like sprites frozen in digital space.

Originally, I thought I’d add color and maybe LEDs, but I ended up cutting both. Once I saw how the mirror interacted with the linework and reflections, I realized keeping it simple made it stronger. The mirror added dimension, and people could see themselves behind the drawings, like they were part of the virtual world too. Even switching to a wooden frame—after my acrylic one didn’t work—ended up making the piece better. It brought a warm contrast to the cool, digital feel of the mirror.

Takeaways

This class helped me see that design isn’t always about solving problems—it can be about evoking a feeling, sparking curiosity, or telling a story through visuals. I learned to follow an aesthetic idea from inspiration through experimentation, and that sometimes the best decisions come when something doesn’t go according to plan. Both projects taught me to work with materials, accept their limits, and still find ways to meet my goals.

I’m walking away from this class with a deeper appreciation for aesthetics as a design tool—and honestly, I’m more excited to explore weird, bold, expressive ideas in the future. I’m proud of what I made this semester, and even more proud of how I learned to think like a designer who values not just what something does, but what it says. Thank you for a wonderful class Jean!