For my final project, I plan to create a 3D-printed strandbeest. This is inspired by Theo Jansen who create Strandbeest, “Sand Beasts”. They are self-propelling walking sculptures. One such example of Jansen’s work is the picture above. I plan to take his designs and shrink them down to a more manageable design, about the size of a cat or small dog. I will be 3D printing it and using PLA as the base material. The image below is an example of a 3D printed Strandbeest…

To ensure my idea was possible to execute, I first needed to build a prototype version of the board, with only a 4×4 grid of squares. This prototype version uses 16 Hall Effect magnet sensors and 1 grid consisting of 256 Neopixels. The goal with this prototype was to ensure the internal wiring was done in such a way that it could be scaled up for the final version of the Chess Board. To accomplish this, I use a multiplexer to pair down the 16…

I have always wanted to create a timepiece from scratch and sought the opportunity create one focusing on the aesthetics. I had already watched tutorials on how people build their own wristwatches. I finalized the mechanism I’d utilize to the ST3600k, a skeletonized version of ST3600 which is a hand wound mechanical watch movement made by Seagull which is said to be a clone of the Swiss movement ETA6497/6498. I then had a starting point and found examples of watches using this movement. Some of…

As mentioned in my Main project plan and inspiration post, I have initiated my work on building an anamorphic sculpture. The main function of this sculpture is to act as a model to cast shadows from two views. The dynamic aspect of the project requirements will be met with the anamorphic design of the sculpture. It will cast one shadow when illuminated from the front view of the model. And another shadow when illuminated from the side view. I plan to 3D print this sculpture,…

Introduction: In today’s fast-paced and technology-driven world, we often find ourselves seeking solace in nature. But what if we could combine the best of both worlds and create a unique, calming experience that blends technology with natural aesthetics? In this blog, I will take you through the project’s concept, the reasons behind the chosen aesthetic, and the progress made so far. The Interactive Geometric Rock is designed to feature 13 LED surfaces that light up individually, with each surface having conductive properties and functioning as…

What I’m Going to Make I’m going to make a Lego Generative Art Web App. It’ll be a little application that rubs on a web browser, and it will allow users to create their own procedural environments. Each environment is unique; no two environments are the same, and that’s because of the nature of generative art. Users will be able to initialize their environment, randomize it, move it around, and edit the density and kinds of other random objects that appear in the environment. All…

Overview: For my final project, I am creating a piece of artificial moss wall art that has an interactive component. I plan to embed LED strips into vertical CNC milled grooves in a rectangular piece of wood I have. I will program the LED lights using the Arduino microcontroller so that when a person walks up to the installation a sensor triggers an LED sequence that mimics a waterfall behind the moss. In addition to the LED lights creating a waterfall effect I plan to…

What I want to build a mechanical drawing machine that produces spirograph style images. My inspiration comes from various artists doing this, but in particular James Gandy: Mr. Gandy produces beautiful artwork with his drawing machines. His primary machine has a clean looking, industrial aesthetic using intricate machinery. I think there’s something nice about being able to produce artwork that people can hang on their walls, but I also like the idea of producing impermanent art with these sorts of mechanisms as well. Originally I…

This project is a unique and innovative clock design concept that blends modern minimalism with nature-inspired elements to create a positive and tranquil atmosphere in any space. The inspiration for this clock comes from modern buildings with vertical gardens, where the greenery adds a calming effect to the surrounding environment. My plan is to incorporate live plants or preserved greenery in its design to replicate this effect. The clock’s body should ideally be made of wood, as this material preserves the natural look of the…

What I’ll be making The project I’m working on is a geometric textile sculpture of a peacock. The final piece will be made of yarn primarily, along with some wood, plastic and electrical elements for structure and motion. The yarn to be used to crochet the structure of the piece was sourced from a region in India known for its handicrafts, and the colors and product design are inspired by art pieces seen in that area. The primary goal that I have for this project…

I’ve been thinking about buying a truck and building a camping set up for it for a number of years. I finally bought a Toyota Tacoma about a month ago, which really got me thinking about the specs for the camping set up. I want to be able to use it year round, but I really want to use it for skiing. I started the project by making a CAD model of the truck based on dimensions I found on tacomaworld.com. [1] Tacoma bed dimensions…

For my final project, I wanted to choose something that was decorative and ornamental as well as functional and purposeful. I landed on a puzzle box, which is a box with a complex, hidden, or convoluted mechanism of opening. Often, these boxes require sliding, pushing, spinning, and reorienting in order to unlock various portions and storage receptacles, and my design is no different. My design’s aesthetic is focused around Celtic designs, which have been used since the Bronze age – these time-honored symbols can represent…

I cut out the geenral shape of pieces that I needed to make sure I had enough fabric. I used sewing needles as sewing pins for the time being, since I did not have my full sewing kit at the time. The image below is all the pieces cut out to sizeandlayedoutonthefloor. Since I did not have my full sewing kit, including a sewing machine with me at the time, I settled with hand-sewing a double running stitch for the leaves. A double running stitch…

DESIGN: MATERIALS NEEDED: 1.oven bake clay (white, pink, blue, orange) 2. Recycled beads 3. String 4. Jump Rings 5. Glasses hinges (TBD on this) 6.  Glue FABRICATION PLAN create clay frames in individual pieces bake at 175 for 15 min let cool Fit check frames on face Adjust as needed assemble individual pieces (glue or hinges) Second fit check Final documentation and submission

In the past, I have used 3D-printed business cards to display my expertise in this style of manufacturing. Now, I would like to expand their influence to showcase my design aesthetic principles and talents. These cards will be mounted on a portable DIN-rail system with a bold carrying handle design. The dynamic aspect of the project will be a trigger-like system for releasing and distributing the individual cards. To read my blog post, click here.

Background For my project, I’m going to make a cantilever suspension setup for a SN-95 Mustang with a maximalist and functional upcycled aesthetic. The suspension is meant to relocate the standard suspension for functional reasons as well and aesthetic reasons. I want the suspension to have an upcycled and understated aesthetic with its construction while having a maximalist aesthetic with its general design and placement. My goal is to design and fabricate a suspension system that I can drive on the street and on the…

https://www.aesdes.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/video1563886475.mp4 Not much has changes in terms of the layout of the front panel, but the back panel slightly changed to fit all of the connectors that will be feeding the device. There will now be two XLR connectors in the back next to the power input. The main Aesthetic is still the swiss mechanical watch aesthetic, and the piece will high light this with the use of a Cote de Genève finish on the front panels. This finish adds depth to the metal and…

. For the main project, I am designing a custom forend for a rifle I have been working on for the past few years that will allow the barrel to free float, which is a desired feature for consistency and accuracy. It will also retain the option of using a front sight, which is usually not compatible with free-floating the barrel on this particular style of rifle. For a dynamic aspect, the mount for this forend will also allow for attachment of a bipod. With…

While pursing this project one thing I keep coming back to is how cool it is that all of these consoles and games can be emulated with just one small device, and I want my final product to reflect that. Also, as I’m about to graduate and will be moving soon, (and all that I want to bring with me will have to fit in a Subaru Crosstrek), I realize it would be silly for me to put time and effort into a wall-mounted device…

For my project I am creating a wooden escapement mechanism modeled after the aesthetics of antique clock internals and wooden kinetic sculptures. I really wanted to work on my mechanical design skill in parallel with my aesthetic design skills. I also wanted to create an interesting artifact that could be displayed as a kinetic sculpture. I chose the aesthetic of antique clock internals and wooden kinetic sculptures because they both generally have a celebration of gears, linkages, and mechanisms. To this end, I wanted something…

Inspiration For my final project, I will design and build an alarm clock based on the aesthetic of late 70’s futuristic and science fiction design. This style is often called “Cassette Futurism”. The modern product design of the 70’s was very sleek and minimalistic, as pictured in the cover photo [1], while the science fiction of the time portrayed technology as over-engineered and rugged whilst still being dated and very analog. The set designs of the films Star Wars and Alien are representative of this.…

Vision For my final project I am building a desk drawer for my custom built desk. The drawer is primarily intended to fill a gap that exists between the riser and the main portion of my desk. Currently, the space is occupied by books, pencils, and other miscellaneous items. Having a bunch of junk visual on my desk is not the most aesthetically pleasing, and the space could be utilized more effectively with a drawer. The aesthetic of the drawer is modern industrial to match…

As stated in other posts my main project consists in designing and building a manual press with organic shapes. By now I have designed the CAD model without the generative part done. That is due to the fact that my laptop is not powerful enough for handling such a topology optimization, so I will use the University ones that migh be more powerful. At the moment, as I haven’t been able to finish the CAD I haven’t started building or protoryping anything. One I finish…

For my project, I have decided to create a brutalism water wheel. With the brutalism aesthetic, the specifications I would like to meet are that it is as geometric as possible and also looks closely like concrete. My design will be driven by water being poured onto it from above (utilizing gravity to rotate it). An example picture of a water wheel made out a metal is shown below. This is the closest example to what I will be going for, but is still missing…

Discovery of ideal chair proportions so that anyone can use the chair rather than it being optimized to my dimensions. More refined sketches. More refined sketches. More refined sketches. Origination of the idea is based on a logo I designed. Origination of the idea is based on a logo I designed. Ideal chair angles and proportions. Inspiration for this chair came from a logo I designed for a brand I was working on. Other than that all other inspiration was subconscious. The vision I have…

Initial Ideas: When I was initially thinking of ideas for my final project, I was drawn to making a mechanically programmed sculpture after seeing a video on Youtube Shorts from JBV create where he created a mechanically programmed ball bearing sculpture, as seen below: https://youtube.com/shorts/JIV7mBg3Rls?feature=share Based on the video above, my initial idea was to create a CU logo where the logo moves in and out of view as the camshaft spins. The aesthetic I planned for this idea was a clean, minimalist look with…

For the final project, I am creating a Wood Bathymetric Map. I feel this title accurately captures the aesthetic of the project as well. I will be creating this map for Lake Vermilion, MN, a lake I spent many summer weekends growing up. https://www.aesdes.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/LV2.mp4 (Google Earth) To create this bathymetric map, I am using Digital Elevation Data courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The MNDNR has the digital bathymetric data for all major lakes in the state. https://gisdata.mn.gov/dataset/water-lake-bathymetry Using ARCGIS, I am able…

[1] Mirror inspiration In order to create the dynamic mirror I am hoping to create involved a lot of research in order to create a plan of attack for my project. To begin, I have been looking into how to create a mirror. I was considering three different methods, 1) upcycling mirrors  2) using 3 glass picture frames and utilizing mirror spray 3) creating a mixture of silver nitrate, ammonia, and distilled water with rochelle salts dissolved in distilled water [2] I think the best…

(AI-generated imagery) Background  The design I decided to go with is a Minimalist/Contemporary miniature tabletop water fountain. I was mainly inspired by minimalist architecture and interior design aesthetics when creating this design. The aesthetic I was going for is characterized by minimalism, a light color palette, geometric shapes, sleek lines, and modern design. Design Goals Must easily fit on my coffee table Not too difficult to model using Solidworks Minimal yet aesthetically pleasing Doesn’t require more than one water pump Creates a steady water flow…

For my final project, I will be making a puzzle box in the form of a model ship with electronics built into it. It will follow a maritime aesthetic by incorporating imagery such as sails and anchors, and I will also include the aesthetic in the puzzles by relating them to some of the functions of a ship. For the structure of the ship, I will be purchasing a model ship kit off of Amazon and constructing it. Below is an image of the model…

When it comes to my design, not much has changed since the last report. The biggest thing to note is that the actuation is no longer going to be automatic. I am currently having too many problems with the 3D prints to be able to effectively create a final design by the end of the semester. Instead, I have changed the design to manually open and close. This will give me the freedom to focus on creating successful prints without worrying about a base or…

As with my previous project, I wanted to create something that fits within the coffee house aesthetic. The earthen tones and subtle flashes of greenery are incredibly soothing, and conducive to productive work. The natural material of furniture often found within a coffee shop also has a certain appeal, and whether it be leather couches, a potted plant, or wooden tables, the subtle hints of nature and dark tones pair very nicely. An example of the coffeehouse aesthetic can be found below: As a lover…

Background: Inspirations Contemporary Mid-Century Modern Specifications Wood Articulating Variable light settings Stable Folding Constraints Compact Durable Energy Efficient Light-weight Simple electronics Initial Plans: Initially I planned to make the lamp in a contemporary and minimalist design. This means that it would be constructed of wood and have minimal complexity in terms of wiring and construction. To create the lamp, I planned to utilize resources at the Idea Forge wood shop.   Current Plans: Mainly made of wood Articulating joints Cutout for LED strip Sturdy base…

  Project Plan For my project I plan on making a scaled down turntable model that incorporates aesthetics from some of my favorite bands from the 1960’s to the 1990’s. This would include Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Van Halen, and Queen to name a few. The turntable will be driven by a small motor and a knob to control the speed of rotation. I want to incorporate aspects of the bands famous album art work as well as aspects that makes each band recognizable and…

For my final project, I knew I wanted to make something relatively small that I could easily take with me wherever I end up following graduation. I knew I wanted it to be a desk or tabletop product to build off of the theme of my upcycle project, following the same sleek, minimalist aesthetic but with some added versatility and mechanical complexity. Finally, I knew I wanted it to be a reminder of this class and my engineering degree as a whole, combining many of…

After deciding that I would be creating a light fixture for my final artifact, and finding inspiration to drive the progress of my design. I was finally able to start detailing the necessary pieces and materials needed to construct the fixture. Since a lot of the inspiration for my project came from the studio Luke Lamp Co in NYC, I decided it could be helpful to reach out to them and see what kinds of processes and materials they use in their designs. What I…

Ebike Battery Enclosure I built a custom ebike a few years ago. The battery I built for that project has since left us (RIP) due to some unfortunate electrical oversights. For this project, I have been designing a new battery with the proper safety equipment. To mount this to my bike and protect the batteries, I have begun designing an enclosure. I took some ideas from the first enclosure I made as well as the basic designs seen on commercial ebikes. Old battery enclosure I…

For my final project I have widdled down my idea to an adjustable tensegrity table that expands on what I learned from my first table below.  I plan to use only two cables in my next table, one for the center, and another that acts as the four outside cables using a pulley-system as shown in the CAD model below. The above image doesn’t show the cables, but one will start at the top of the center bar, go through the bottom bar’s hole, and…

The artifact I will be producing is a Ferris wheel that has become overrun by nature. This goes back to the very first aesthetic I explored! Depictions of this aesthetic include imagery of nature flourishing despite man-made obstacles – how humanity has abandoned, neglected, or mistreated a space that was once vital to everyday life. This style was popularized by multiple forms of media, ranging from photographs, paintings, films, shows, and video games. As concern for climate change and other environmental impacts grew, it was…

As with any good engineering project, I started with a problem that I wanted to solve. I frequently entertain myself with PC gaming, and some of that involves flight sims, including Atmosphere and Newtonian space. As such I have a decent collection of joysticks, throttles, and pedals that unfortunately frequently end up in a pile beside my computer itself or at the end of my bed. Both places are ugly and messy looking and difficult to get what I want when I want it and…

Initial Ideas and Inspiration For my final project, I wanted to create a custom deck box for Magic The Gathering cards and was inspired by this flower night light. My initial idea was to create a deck box that opens like a flower. I decided on a natural aesthetic mirroring the real forms of a flower as closely as possible. This decision is intended to accent the deck contained within the box which is built around a card decorated with a serene field of lotuses.…

Inspiration: Carnovsky RGB art Works by https://www.carnovsky.com/works.htm Carnovsky is a Milan based art and design duo comprised of Francesco Rugi and Silvia Quintanilla My notebook Carnovsky create and exhibit their unique style of art under different lighting colors and conditions revealing and hiding different aspects of their work. Layering different compositions with different tinted colors, making the magic happen when it interacts with the lighting and your perception. This art style uses some of the same basic principles used in ‘low tech’ 3D imaging (like…

INSPIRATIONS As I have mentioned in my previous posts I am continuing with the Art Deco style jewelry box with the stained glass arrangement on the lid. My inspiration comes from my fascination with the intricacy of church architecture mainly seen in European countries. I have a decent amount of jewelry so I think creating an expressive box that resembles the church architecture will be cool.  Funny enough over spring break the mesh bag that I keep all my jewelry in completely tore apart so…

The inspiration for my final artifact has sprung out of personal passions. As a visual artist and filmmaker, I’ve always had the desire to create a largish installation of some sort. I’ve thought of ways to display video works on a larger scale than just a computer or phone screen. I’ve been fascinated by large led screens like the ones in Times Square or even the CASE building here at CU. I think this is a crazy cool way to display art or moving pictures.…

For my artifact, I want to continue the spacecore aesthetic I used for my upcycle project. I think it would be cool to have a set of decorative items from this class that share a similar aesthetic. My upcycle project was a sort of cardboard poster I keep on the wall in my house. I figured I should stray from wall decoration for this piece, so instead I’m making a desk ornament. I feel particularly inspired by kinetic sculptures like Newton’s cradle, as I’m sure…

My final project is going to be a mechanical watch holder. The goal is to have two bevel gears attached to a base and powered by a hand crank. Above are two bevel gears that I have borrowed from Thingiverse since I am not skilled enough in CAD to make my own[1]. I also plan on borrowing the base from the same designer and adding a few modifications that will allow my watches to sit on top. Right now my biggest goals are to print…

For my final project I am building a stand for a model Lego Saturn V rocket. I want the stand to support the rocket vertically so that the rocket is standing upright and I want the stand to be steady enough that I don’t have to worry about the model tipping (especially considering the fact that the rocket is quite tall and narrow). In addition to this, I want the stand to be covered in LED lights and then covered in loose cotton so that…

Skateboarding has been around since the 60s and has changed quite a bit since its introduction. Over the years, advances in manufacturing, materials, and general deck knowledge have caused the skateboard deck to evolve significantly. For my final project, I will be making my own skateboard deck using a homemade press and mold. The mold provides the contours into which the deck will be pressed, while the press provides the force which tightly adheres the wooden veneers together with glue. This method of manufacturing, while…

Aesthetic For my double pendulum violin design, I want to make this with a pair of artistic styles that will complement each-other. I want to combine Arts & Crafts aesthetic with a Baroque antiquity aesthetic. Because the Arts & Crafts movement was inspired heavily by the Baroque this should not be too challenging. For this project I am going to give an arts and crafts feel through my use of materials and how I work with these materials. ID 137800980 © Ekaterina Arkhangelskaia | Dreamstime.com As seen above,…

For my final artifact, I’m choosing to go with a minimalistic hourglass. I originally was deciding between a modern and vintage aesthetic. However, after doing the sketching exercise, I was really inspired by the minimalist design. This is an artifact I want to keep on my desk and my room has a minimalistic style, so I believe it will match well. For my top 5 specifications 1.) I want the material of the “shell” of the hourglass to be 3D printed using carbon fiber onyx.…

Three-Position Ice Tools My goal for this project is to design and manufacture a pair of ice tools for use in both competitive and natural settings. I’m hoping to make a tool that is optimized for the technical movement of competitions, has three positions for optimal movement, and yet can still be swung into ice. Currently, no tool like this exists, the pick angle math just doesn’t line up to allow for all three of the above considerations. However, I think I have a design…

The project that I will be undertaking for this class is a High quality wooden desk drawer. The aesthetic for the drawer that I am trying to achieve is industrial modernism. The drawer is complimentary to a desk that I have built previously in this same style. Top Specifications: 1. Must match aesthetically. Given that this drawer is being made for a desk that already exists, it is vital that it does not stand out too much from the rest of the design. The color…