Student Work

Retrofuturism is a contemporary art movement combing visual aspects of the past with imagined technology of the future. The style is quite broad, and is explored in various art mediums and media franchises. Retrofuturistic pieces are generally characterized by smooth, clean lines, bright primary colors and shiny metals such as chrome. The pieces are generally…

For my first aesthetic exploration, I have chosen to explore the Retrofuturism aesthetic. Building upon the concept of futurism, retrofuturism has the distinction of showing retro styling and perspective at odds with a futuristic depiction, especially regarding technology and machinery. Visually, retrofuturism eschews the blocky form in favor of curves and contours, often featuring vibrant…

It is possible that this post will be divisive in some way. The majority of my peers in engineering shun Apple computers either because of the price, the “weak” computer specs, or the inability to run certain softwares. Regardless, the aesthetic of Apple and the careful consideration put into its products is a big reason…

Today we went over ITLL and Idea Forge resources, heard from Mo Woods in the Project Depo, and talked about major art theories. Andy Goldsworthy as an example of Formalism. Lecture notes.

Mercedes-Benz unveils scale-covered concept car inspired by Avatar movie

In our first class meeting (Monday 1/13/20) we started with the Strandbeest bicycle video and did a little critique of it. The walking mechanism was derived from Theo Jansen’s work. Then we went over the syllabus and the initial assignments.  Here’s an example of upcycling that I didn’t get to show. t’s a giant ball…

https://jeanluc.cornec.de/arbeiten/tribut/?fbclid=IwAR1kZUm-6aEyyApdyBr-Te-FDxpqDJAFzwi07VXbv9Q1Z65vVIkyQFC86Zs Great use of coiled cords; now in short supply.  

This class afforded me the venue and justification to culminate the work I have created over the last fifteen years. The projects and posts I created are listed below. I was also able to run a film series, which proved to be underattended but incredibly fun nonetheless. Those posts are listed below the class posts…

To sum up my time in this class, I was able to really hone in on my wood working skills, sketching ability, and ideation from start to finish on both of my projects. I created something very practical out of a random stump and something that looks awesome and is useful to me. My previous…

I was able to get everything I wanted out of my projects this semester. My end product did not stray too far from the original other than the change in hex design and GITD circuit design I was planning to do. The biggest thing I learned from this project is that spray painting can be…

To begin this project I was concerned about the difficulty of creating a cosplay sword out of pure wood. Especially one with complex edges and contours. I wanted to pursue creating something that I would actually use and as I am planning a Cosplay of the character (Emiya) from Fate Stay Night: UBW as shown…

To get you up to speed, I managed to put together and otherwise ruin two perfectly good combo bass amps. The electronics were fried after I attempted to wire them up with the switches and pots relocated to the front of the new cabinets. I designed these amps to fit a Star Wars aesthetic. I…

Interesting and exciting, but it was during engineering senior year. I had fun doing this class within the extreme schedule so I think I couldn’t show off my full potential during the final project, but I am satisfied with other projects. It was a great experience to think about aesthetics itself because we usually don’t…

This semester has taught me a lot in terms of the different aesthetics that have arisen over the years and the different design methods to reach the perfect aesthetic for a project. I enjoyed, most of all, the projects we worked on that allowed us to take what we were learning and put it into…

UPCYCLE PROJECT – Design an object with recycled materials. I built a lampshade using mostly newspaper. Upcycle Inspiration/Progress Upcycle Final Post   MISC.  Skillset and Goals   FINAL PROJECT – Design an object with a clear aesthetic that is dynamic in one way or another. I built a puzzle lock box that has the aesthetic…

Boy, what a ride it has been! I enjoyed learning about the different aesthetic movements in class. I developed the vocabulary for describing the aesthetics, both in class and in the Movie Nights that were curated by Tyler. To me, the most memorable thing that Dr. Hertzberg told us in class is that art is…

This semester I created two pieces of art that I am proud to hang up in my room. One of them was a mirror with a paint stick background and the other was a wooden plaque with string art on the front. I really wanted to explore a different type of project than the ones…

We’re in the final stretch and I have made significant progress on my box. I 3D modeled and rendered what I would like to build, I have bought the wood to cut out all of the individual pieces that I have laid flat by thickness in a separate 3D model file to stay organized. All…

I designed and created two projects this semester. The first was an up-cycling project that utilized used or unwanted materials.  I loved the chance to breathe new life into something old and make it new again. For the project I designed and welded a balancing wine holder.  For my final project I wanted to design…

This semester I created two artifacts. The first artifact I created was an up-cycled lamp. For this artifact I focused on the appearance and how to make common trash into a beautiful object someone would want to keep inside their home. I achieved this with a very floral aesthetic. The second object I created was…

I am very pleased with my final project. It is not what I originally aimed for aesthetically, but it still turned out very well. My original aesthetic was fairy tale with a combination of a log cabin aesthetic. I achieved my fairy tale aesthetic. My fairy tale aesthetic was achieved through the miniature house, butterfly/fairy…

Why and What next? Reflection on the semester. I had a great time in Aesthetics of Design this semester. I thought that it really helped me improve my ability to incorporate an aesthetic into a project when I’m just starting instead of considering it an afterthought, and it even gave me an entire mental library…

The Top 5 constraints for my project will be: functionality and ease of use I want to make something that, while it will be aesthetically pleasing, is functional and usable as a camera tripod. I want it to be able to be used as a lightweight tripod for backpacking, camping and climbing. Also this means…

I learned a lot over the course of this semester about many different aesthetics, including how they can be created and what they convey when used in a design. I really enjoyed working on my final project where I had the chance to apply this knowledge to my own design. Here are all of my…

This semester I created two projects.  The first was jewelry made from an old, broken mug.  This project involved shaping and drilling pieces of the porcelain and incorporating the pieces with woven hemp and metal jewelry clamps/hooks.  The links to all of the posts regarding this project are below. Upcycle Final: Jewelry from a mug…

The two projects we worked on for this class were the upcycling project and the final project. For the upcycling project, I chose to upcycle scrap steel and create bookends. The process helped me to combine multiple different skills that I learned throughout my years as a mechanical engineer. Some of these skills included metal…

Summary of Work: This semester, I have learned a lot about different design techniques that helped shape up my definition of aesthetics. I got to improve my sketching abilities through my sketch notebook, and I learned a lot from the peers I have been working with. In the Upcycle project, I was given full freedom…

Final Project Report Part 2 Final Project Report Part 1: https://www.aesdes.org/2019/04/29/final-report-part-1-jaguar/ Main Project Final Stretch: https://www.aesdes.org/2019/04/10/main-project-final-stretch-3/ Construction Timeline: https://www.aesdes.org/2019/04/03/construction-timeline-10/ Project Aesthetics Compared to the 20th Century: https://www.aesdes.org/2019/03/18/project-aesthetics-compared-to-the-20th-century/ Design Review Report: https://www.aesdes.org/2019/03/14/design-review-report-3/ Top 5 Constraints: https://www.aesdes.org/2019/03/06/top-5-constraints-19/ Main Project Inspirations: Apple Watch Dock: https://www.aesdes.org/2019/02/27/main-project-inspiration-apple-watch-dock/ Skill Sets and Personal Aspirations – Tyler: https://www.aesdes.org/2019/02/20/skill-sets-and-personal-aspirations-tyler/ Coaster Collage: https://www.aesdes.org/2019/02/11/coaster-collage/ Upcycle Project…

This semester has been a great experience. After this class, I am much more confident in my ability to apply aesthetics to the designs I make in the future. Not only do I have a better understanding of what aesthetics are, but I also have strengthened my ability to think critically about aesthetics and the…

During my final semester at the University of Colorado this course, Aesthetics in Design provided an introductory immersion into the world of design. Each week I wrote a blog post pertaining to an aspect of design which interested me or about my progress in the different assignments. There were two main projects, the first one…

This has been a very enjoyable class that has given me some new skills and new methods of thinking. I learned a lot about design and how to incorporate aesthetics into the design process. I learned how to evaluate aesthetics, critique designs, and use some tools of industrial designers to made engineering designs more appealing.…

Aesthetic Exploration: Soviet Propaganda We were assigned an upcycling project. I got an old piece of metal duct and made it into a switch panel. I was trying to mimic the look of a Russian aircraft cockpit with teal paint and industrial toggle switches. Upcycle Progress / Design Process Upcycle Project Progress Upcycle Final: Switch…

This semester, I created an organizer out of scrap metal in a char aesthetic and then a table top fountain out to look like a Chinese garden. This semester gave me the freedom to pursue anything I wanted and to challenge myself to learn skills I wouldn’t have learned otherwise. It was a lot of…

https://www.aesdes.org/2019/04/29/24469/ Part 2 Final Project https://www.aesdes.org/2019/04/29/shut-box-2/ Part 1 Final Project https://www.aesdes.org/2019/04/10/shutbox-final-stretch/ Final Stretch https://www.aesdes.org/2019/04/01/construction-timeline-5/ Construction Timeline https://www.aesdes.org/2019/03/18/design-movement-comparison/ Art Style Comparison https://www.aesdes.org/2019/03/10/shut-box-cdr/ Critical Design Review https://www.aesdes.org/2019/03/06/shut-box-constraints/ Top 5 Constraints https://www.aesdes.org/2019/02/27/shut-box/ Final Project Idea https://www.aesdes.org/2019/02/19/skill-sets-and-p…al-aspirations-7/ Skills and Aspirations https://www.aesdes.org/2019/02/11/draw-string-t-shirt/ Upcycle Final https://www.aesdes.org/2019/02/05/upcycle-inspiration/ Upcycle Inspiration https://www.aesdes.org/2019/01/29/drawstring-t-shirt/ Upcycle Idea https://www.aesdes.org/2019/01/22/cest-normal/ Upcycle

This class gave me the opportunity to explore my own creative process and further develop my skills. Throughout the semester I was able to work on two projects: A set of voronoi planters and a geometric art piece. The voronoi planters was the creation of an up-cycling project in which we were not allowed to…

Reflection My final project ended up going down a different path than I had originally intended. When we were first assigned our final project I wanted to create some sort of art piece with moving parts. I wanted there to be motion on top of the aesthetic that I was displaying. Unfortunately, things did’t go…

Overall, I really enjoyed this class as it was a mix of technical challenges and creative expression.  Working through the various steps of the project and documenting them as I went along helped me to understand my project better, and the feedback from my peers in the class encouraged me to make my final project…

This class was a mix of learning and fun. I have learned a lot and I made designs which I am proud of. During this class, I had the chance to learn how to make things that I always wanted to do myself. I made different designs of candles and flower vases that I still…

Overall, I’ve had an amazing experience in this class and I learned a lot. Whether it’s the various styles of art that have existed throughout history or simple skills that are necessary for sketching, this class gave me a new perspective on design and allowed me to explore my own sense of art. While many…

Throughout the semester I have gained valuable skills relating to my projects, both in this course and outside of it. I have learned how to focus on the aesthetic of a design rather than solely the functionality, which has helped me in my design processes. Both of my projects this semester have contained some sort…

This class gave me a new perspective on how I see things around me. I always believed that I had an artistic eye for things, however, I never cultivated my skills by studying art. Whatever I knew was self-taught. After this class, I am happy to say that I, now, know how to distinguish between…

This class was exactly what I needed to improve my design skills. It taught me how to balance between functionality and the aesthetics of a project. I have gained a huge amount of knowledge on the different type of aesthetics and its variations. The open ended final project was a challenge as there was not…

This class had taught me a lot throughout the semester! I feel much more comfortable now in making my designs aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, I learned more about the different types of arts and the effects of different colors and shapes, which are very important when making a new design and a new aesthetic. What I…

For my final project, I created a tap handle that emulates a lava lamp.  For this class, I wanted to create something that was technically challenging and a well-put together creative design. With this project, I do feel like I captured the aesthetic I was going for, recreating the groovy, mellow aesthetic that a real…

This semester has had a lot of ups and downs for me. I’ve learned a lot about how to apply aesthetics to mt designs and how to distinguish certain aesthetics from others. This class has really shown me the importance of an aesthetic and how it can change how people perceive your device or product.…

The basis of my design was a planter that would give me the ability to add greenery to my living area, without taking up too much space.  As a result I created a basic design of a vertical shelf planter.  At the beginning of the process I was under the impression that I would possibly…

This semester began with very little understanding of what aesthetics are and how to design with one in mind. From there exploring a single aesthetic was the first step, with then creating a small scale upcycle project around an aesthetic. The result of that exploration and project was a LEGO mosaic depicting the Immaculate Heart…

My work in this class was centered around two main projects: A tinfoil tree sculpture, and a wire-mobile structure. The former was an up-cycling project, meant to repurpose refuse and raw material as components for an artistic project. The latter was a kinetic sculpture in the vein of the work of Alexander Calder, taking inspiration…

Before this course, I had no experience with industrial design or building things. Coming from a media design major, I have had experience with designing posters, magazines, ads and brand identities but not designing physical things, so I was intimidated at first. Looking back on my upcycle wine rack and bauhaus shelf, I have learned…

This semester, I have done two interesting and adorable projects in the class ‘Aesthetics of Design’. Beginning with the Upcycle project, I made a pop-up book in LEGO Upcycle Progress- Pop-up Book https://wp.me/p74uWv-6xE Upcycle Inspiration: Bear with Panda https://wp.me/p74uWv-4Ld Upycle Final Report: Pop-up LEGO Book https://wp.me/p74uWv-4PL Then I turn to reobserve oriental aesthetics theory. Dougong…

This semester began with an up-cycling project where learning about aesthetics first started. The next project was for the final project where I made a hanging desk modified with an LCD screen I learned new skills including wood working, electronics, and coding. This semester taught me how to get out of my comfort zone and…

Looking back on the course, I successfully completed the upcycle project and the main final project, learned a lot about aesthetics and their importance in every project, and picked up a few new skills along the way. I learned how to recognize and discuss different project aesthetics, how to effectively critique other colleague’s work, how…

In this semester I have learned a lot of aethestics design knowledge and had lots of fun. The two projects I did are the: Upcycle Project and Final Project. For the upccycle project I modified a old motorcycle helmet with a Japanese cartoon theme. For the Final project I made my own wall clock. I…

This semester started with my up-cycle project where I made a 50s style dress out of paper. Then for my final project I was inspired by The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, a show on Amazon set in the late 50s. I decided to learn a new skill for my project: sewing! I made my own sewing…