Alexander Thompson – Aesthetics of Design

Hello again, for one last time! This is an extension to the “Rotary Candle Holder: Final Report Part 1” blog where I discussed the mechanics of the rotary candle project. The purpose of this post will be to reflect on the process of its creation, including answering the following questions: What does it all mean? Compare your…

Rotary Candle Holder: Final Report Part 1

April 26, 2017

Let’s start at the end. The featured image above shows my final product for my main project this semester in Aesthetic of Design. It mainly consists of two parts: The rotary candle holder and the base. The base was completely handmade, but besides my initial intentions, most of the rotary candle holder is the original…

Main Project Presentation: Rotary Candle Holder

April 23, 2017

Final Stretch Progress: Rotary Candle Holder

April 11, 2017

It is nearly crunch time! But honestly, this project is in a pretty good place right now. I worked on it quite a bit before break because I knew the next few weeks would be hectic in all my other classes as well. Last I worked on it, I finalized my sketch and prototype and…

Construction Timeline: Rotary Candle Holder

April 5, 2017

This project is in a pretty good place right now. I worked on it quite a bit before break because I know the next few weeks will be hectic in all my other classes as well. Last I worked on it, I finalized my sketch and prototype and started ordering parts. In fact, my first…

Project Aesthetics Compared to 20th C. Movements: Rotary Candle

March 22, 2017

For my main project, I would like to make a Rotary Candle Holder. I was inspired by one of my Aunt’s holiday decorations when I visited her last Christmas. She had a little tea light candle under a fan, which spun when the hot air off the candle rose past the fan’s blades. Physically, it…

Design Review/Prototype: Rotary Candle Holder

March 12, 2017

Background: For my main project, I would like to make a Rotary Candle Holder. I was inspired by one of my Aunt’s holiday decorations when I visited her last Christmas. She had a little tea light candle under a fan, which spun when the hot air off the candle rose past the fan’s blades. Physically,…

Top 5 Constraints: Rotary Candle Holder

March 8, 2017

For my main project, I would like to make a Rotary Candle Holder. I want to make my product as unique as possible. And I would like to gift it to my mom at the end of the semester. Thus, I decided I will make my tea light candle skating-themed. My mom is a figure…

Main Project Inspiration: Alex Thompson

February 28, 2017

For my main project, I would like to make a Rotary Candle Holder. I was inspired by one of my Aunt’s holiday decorations when I visited her last Christmas. She had a little tea light candle under a fan, which spun when air was flowing through it due to the change in density of the…

Skill Sets and Aspirations: Alex Thompson

February 20, 2017

Hi everyone! My name is Alex Thompson. That’s me in the featured image above (not the deer, the guy holding the deer) in Wisconsin last year. I was born in Madison, Wisconsin, but mostly grew up in Colorado Springs. I am currently a Mechanical Engineering student approaching the end of my concurrent BS/MS track. I…

Upcycle Final Report: Salvaged Hockey Stick Table

February 12, 2017

Project Goals and Material Selection: As a hockey player and sports fan, I have always loved the sports aesthetic. Whether you consider it to be sports bar-like or a man cave, I have Colorado Buffaloes, Green Bay Packers, and Wisconsin Badgers logos all over my walls. However, I do not have any sports-related furniture. How…

Design Loop: Hockey Stick Furniture

February 8, 2017

I started the upcycle project thinking I would carve a specialized and unique hockey stick out of wood. However, when I Googled, “Homemade Hockey Stick,” I was inspired by what I saw. Ever since then, I’ve been working on making something out of broken hockey sticks. The key constraint has been the number of sticks…

Upcycling Progress: Broken Hockey Stick Furniture

February 1, 2017

As a hockey player and sports fan, I have always loved the sports aesthetic. Whether you consider it to be sports bar-like or a man cave, I have Colorado Buffaloes, Green Bay Packers, and Wisconsin Badgers logos all over my walls. However, I do not have any sports-related furniture. How cool would it be to…

Aesthetic Exploration: The Wild West in “Westworld”

January 24, 2017