Summing Up 2020

This semester I learned about the value of aesthetics. A properly expressed aesthetic gives the artwork, object, film, book, etc. a tone of it’s own. While being predominantly interested in the steampunk aesthetic at the beginning of the semester, I learned to explore other forms and contexts through my own projects and those of my…

Final Project Part 1: Folding Coffee Table

From the beginning I wanted to make something useful and aesthetically appealing. I wanted to make a folding coffee table that that stands at different heights and compresses to be put away. Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus pandemic and the social distancing policies, I was unable to access the appropriate tools to build my artifact…

Aesthetic Roots: Folding Coffee Table

Minimalism I thought that by having an obscurely ovaled table top, copper legs, and a clean finish to my coffee table, that I would be incorporating an organic, steampunk, minimalist aesthetic into my design. In turn, after doing more research and speaking to people, my folding coffee table falls under the minimalist aesthetic. Even though…

Main Project Aesthetics: Folding Coffee Table

Since I have wanted a coffee table for a long time, I am committing to my idea of a coffee table with folding legs. Although it is intimidating, I know I will learn a lot through the entire process. Minimalism My original idea classifies under the Modern Movement. More specifically, Minimalism. The concept originated in…

Upcycle Final Report: Egg Shell Egg

Ideation With carved egg shells and clay sculptures covered in egg shells as my initial inspirations, I set out to create a sculpture out of egg shells. Frankly, it was a masochistic challenge to my patience, but in the end, I feel proud and glad to have made something that is not necessarily useful but…

Upcycle Progress: Egg Shell Egg

The egg is going so much better than expected! Among my materials I have: egg shells (tanned and white) white cloth balloons paint brush Elmer’s Glue Also, not pictured, I used a plastic cup to hold my egg in place, a lid to pour the glue, and a hair tie to secure the cloth around…

Guest Lecture – Greg Whiting

With Greg Whiting we explored an ideation technique in which we picked a noun from one small box and an aesthetic from another. Regardless of their randomness, our task was to pair them together and redesign that noun with the aesthetic that we drew. After 10-15 minutes we were asked to draw our new design…

Upcycle Inspiration: Egg Shell Egg

For a while I had my mind set on making something useful. I kept struggling to find materials to efficiently replace, enhance, or re-imagine things that I already owned so I decided to settle on making a sculpture of some sort. Again, finding sufficient materials has been a limitation but I eventually decided on making…

Aesthetic Exploration: Steampunk

Steampunk is a branch of science fiction of a futuristic reality that embodies heavy machinery and steam engines rather than advanced technology. The Steampunk aesthetic is rustic and calls to the tinkering individual who plays with gears and gadgets. It alludes to historical elements from the 19th century Victorian Era with retro-futuristic inventions. If our…