CyberCrystal Vest: My Personal Aesthetic in Motion
Defining My Personal Aesthetic My personal aesthetic is an intersection of futurism, cyberpunk, and kinetic self-expression, blending elements of high-tech wearables with bold, attention-grabbing visuals. The CyberCrystal Vest, my main project, is a direct embodiment of this aesthetic, which melds LED driven interactivity, crystalline inspired geometric forms, and punk-inspired fashion to create a piece that both…
Retro Futurism and Can Crushing
When thinking about what could be my own personal aesthetic, I had difficulty narrowing down a style. I am generally an enjoyer of things and don’t tend to follow one type of aesthetic or subculture very strictly. Thinking about my music taste, personal fashion, and even my interior design choices for my room I often…
Personal Aesthetic & Main Project Ideas
My aesthetic doesn’t really have defining boundaries. It’s built upon my experiences and the things I’ve grown to love over time. Generally speaking, I consider it to be comfortable, whimsical, subtle, functional, and intentional. And if I separated it into smaller categories, I could better define the things that make up my aesthetic. Furniture When…
Eclectic Aesthetic and Project Inspirations
I have many personal aesthetics depending on the context and situation—from clothing to decoration to general lifestyle. Regarding clothing, I follow a generally minimal and comfortable aesthetic. I do not have many bold colors and prioritize clothing that looks good while still comfortable. For decoration, I consider my aesthetic to be eclectic. The decoration in…
Continuation of Minimalist Aesthetic with More Functionality
Featured Image: Functional bedframe aesthetic inspiration from Timber Van Kits Because all designs are continually improving, I have chosen to continue my upcycle project into my main project. As I described with my motivation for my upcycling project, I have recently been building out a Ford Econoline Shuttle Bus. This has been a very interesting…
Buzzfeed told me “Cottagecore” aesthetic. But is it true?
Throughout the beginning of this course, I have been contemplating my personal aesthetic and how to define it, whether that be through style of dress, interior decoration, preferred media, etc. When polling my loved ones, the consensus was a blend of “earthy industrial” and “normcore,” perhaps typical of the Colorado region. According to the Buzzfeed…
Personal Aesthetic
I wouldn’t necessarily say that I have a personal aesthetic. I suppose I take different bits here and there from other aesthetics, but I definitely do not conform to one or even a couple of aesthetics. Instead, I’ll just give examples of some aesthetics that are around me that might influence my personal expression. One…
Eclectic Minimalism
My personal aesthetic lives in eclectic minimalism with undertones of light academia. It’s a space where carefully curated minimalism meets the joy of abundant collections—my rapidly filling bookshelf standing as testament to this duality. Throughout my apartment, storage spaces burst with craft supplies and project materials, revealing my creator’s spirit while maintaining an intentional approach…
Traditional Galician Aesthetic
Personal Aesthetic My personal aesthetic can be best described as yacht core. I just see a lot of yachting in my future with a ton of friends and music and even more friends. But thats the future, right know my personal aesthetic is probably closer to 8th grade nerd core. Looking around my bedroom I…
Adventurecore and Vinyl Art Speaker
Personal Aesthetic I think my personal aesthetic most aligns with adventurecore. Adventurecore is an aesthetic that portrays ideals of exploration, adventure, and the unknown. It also highlights curiosity and the desire to see and experience everything life has to offer. It has similarities with the aesthetic wanderlust, which portrays the curiosity to travel the world…
Custom Pressed Longboard Deck
I have always been a fan of board sports, living in Boulder for the last few years I have found longboarding to be my primary and most favorite mode of transportation. Over the years I have made several longboard and cruiser decks that I really enjoy, but they have all suffered from a similar material…
MCM and Modernist End Table: Plans and Alternatives
Main Project Plans and Further Exploring Inspirations Last week I settled on a few aesthetics I will draw from for my final project in this course. My personal aesthetic is a combination of many aesthetics, including MCM, modernism, post-modernism, and contemporary. While these are slightly conflicting aesthetics, I think that they can all come together…
Personal Aesthetic – Alternative Minimalism
When I reflect on my personal aesthetic a multitude of things come to mind. I think this is quite common. Most of us are some amalgamation of many aesthetics. Throughout my life I have experimented with different fashion styles and living space aesthetics. Ultimately however, three main themes come to mind. Minimalism, the general alternative…
Main Project Plans and Inspirations
I think that it is super hard to pin down a super specific aesthetic for myself. I draw from a lot of different aesthetics and change mine a lot. I also think that my aesthetic with clothes and fashion differs from my aesthetic with decorations and interior design. This assignment has made me reflect a…
Personal Aesthetic: Reminiscing Aesthetic
Throughout the exploration of my aesthetic, I find myself drawn to memories and reminiscence. I often think back from childhood memories where I played in the park, or hung out with my cousins. Having these occasions where I think/look back on life often revolves around my everyday life. It helps me appreciate the present more…
Personal Aesthetic
When thinking about what my personal aesthetic is, I found it hard to identify one. In reality, all my life is random and I find the weirdest things interesting. How I dress is different from how I decorate my house in terms of aesthetics. I found what I am interested in and how I decorate…
Plans & Inspirations: Toy Piano
I have a clear idea of what I want to create for my main project. I write and produce music, so I have a solid collection of instruments, but some of my favorites are actually just kids’ toys or cheaply made semi-instruments. About 10 years ago, Jimmy Fallon introduced a segment on The Tonight Show…
Modern Bohemian Planter
Repurposing waste into functional and aesthetically pleasing objects has always intrigued me. For my upcycle project, I decided to transform discarded glass items into stylish planters and terrariums for small plants such as succulents. I sought inspiration from the modern bohemian aesthetic, blending clean lines, natural elements, and contemporary materials to create a unique piece…
Rugged Minimalism
My aesthetic is best described as Rugged Minimalism—a mix of function, durability, and simplicity. It’s about stripping things down to what’s essential while keeping a tough, ready-for-anything edge. I appreciate materials that age well, like wood, metal, and leather, and designs that emphasize purpose over excess. My approach to aesthetics is rooted in practicality, but…
Minimalist aesthetic
For my upcycle project, I chose to create a patchwork denim bear. The type of aesthetic that falls into is the patchwork aesthetic, but combined with the fabric I chose, it developed a bit of a maximalist vibe. Due to that, the opposite aesthetic to that would be minimalism and maybe even industrial. Industrial would…
Hidden book compartment espresso box
Idea generation and final inspiration Initially, I struggled with ideas due to the vast number of possibilities. I was drawn to brutalist art and first designed a brutalist-style coffee coaster resembling a two-story structure. The top half mimicked a brutalist prison room, while the bottom half held the coffee cup, using heat as part of…
Soda Can Tab Guitar Strap
For my upcycle project, my goal was to create a guitar strap out of soda can tabs that adheres to the punk aesthetic. I wanted the finished product to be flashy and robust enough to actually use on a regular basis. I had never attempted a “crafty” project like this before, so this served as…
From Snowboard to Coat Rack: Ski Town Aesthetic
Somewhere, I once read that art is about finding that feeling, concept, or thought that the whole world subconsciously relates to—and being the first to transform it into words, paper, or canvas. That feeling is exactly what ran through my head the first time I visited a ski town back in 2013. There was something…
An Homage to Stuffed Animals: Childhood Stuffed Animal Recreations
In this upcycling project, I aimed to explore the aesthetic of nostalgia and the concept of comfort through nostalgia. This idea came to me back in the pandemic when there was a huge resurgence in childhood favorites, like Avatar the Last Airbender, Pokemon, and more. In the pandemic I found myself rereading the books I…
Patchwork teddy bear
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vRqmL_lUgWkXZo5ukly1fDZ4hwADFw5gIT6s7Jny0GdALZHiiT47StyXQUAyxW28fz92Rb0sha0LoH0/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000 First, I want to discuss the aesthetic I chose for my upcycle project. I decided on a Patchwork and Folkart aesthetic, but it turned out to be more of a Patchwork or maximalist Aesthetic with Japanese Sashiko designs incorporated into the bear. The patchwork aesthetic can be dated back to ancient times, with Hidepark’s…
License Plate Frame
For the past few weeks I’ve been working on a new way to display eight license plate frames in my room. The license plates that I was trying to incorporate came from three different states, Colorado, California, and Arizona, and while the California plate is rather neutral in its design the other two have unique…
Cybernetic Scorpion: An Upcycled Circuit Sculpture
Introduction The Cybernetic Scorpion is a sculptural upcycle project that fuses elements of Artificial Nature with discarded electronic components to create a biomechanical creature. This project reimagines e-waste as a living entity, blurring the line between technology and organic life. Using fried PCBs, resistors, capacitors, and integrated circuits, I constructed a scorpion sculpture that reflects…
Upcycle Design Report: A Witch’s Cabin
As my upcycling project, I created a diorama of a witch’s cabin (or a corner of one). Inspiration, Aesthetics, & Design The aesthetic and concept of this project were roughly decided around the same time. While looking for a topic for the aesthetic exploration post, I had decided to use that aesthetic for my upcycling…
Pop Art with 3D Print Scraps
For my upcycle project, I originally sought to use 3D printed scraps to create a pixel art image within a wooden frame. My initial vision was to take discarded 3D prints, shred them into small, uniform pieces, and arrange them into a pixelated design. However, as I started working on this concept, I quickly realized…
Soda Can Succulent Planter
For my upcycle project I have decided to try and repurpose waste produced by many people every day including me, empty cans. I plan to take empty soda, tea and beer cans and repurpose them into planters for small plants such as succulents or cacti. The granola or earth core aesthetic will be the guiding…
The Pink Embroidered Tote
For my Upcycle project, I originally planned to embroider a pink corduroy jacket, but after realizing the material wasn’t ideal, I switched to a tote bag. My goal was to create something that fit the cute and pink aesthetic, inspired by Kawaii culture. This aesthetic is soft, playful, and nostalgic, filled with pastel colors, rounded…
Upcycle Project – Coasters from 3D-Printer Waste
Purpose & Inspiration For the upcycle project, I knew I wanted to utilize 3D-printed waste as my main material. 3D printing is a fantastic tool for both functionality and artwork. The library of printable objects is constantly growing, offering innovative ways to create and design tools, knickknacks, and whatever random thing you can think of!…
Upcycle Steampunk Lamp
In class, we were tasked with researching an aesthetic and creating something of interest with said aesthetic, as well as incorporating recycled parts. This is how I approached the project. I love the steampunk aesthetic and decided that this project must represent the steampunk aesthetic. After that was decided, I wanted to find something to…
Ghibli Jeans Upcycle
For my initial project ideation, I wanted to upcycle a lamp shade and make it into a Studio Ghibli inspired lamp. Studio Ghibli’s aesthetic has natural, earthy, and cozy aspects. I wanted to bring those elements into my design. When beginning my material search, I went to the thrift store and looked how lamp shades with…
Collage Cards Design Report
Inspiration For this upcycle project, my inspiration was to combine my love of multi-media art with thoughtful design to conform to a desired aesthetic. I noticed I had a lot of paper scraps, paper bags, magazines, and various art utensils laying around my house that I wanted to put to good use! I also knew…
Progress on the Upcycled Helmet
For my upcycle project I am taking inspiration a leather helmet I found last December at an art market. The aesthetic is “Medieval Fantasy” along the lines of Lord of the Rings, Dungeons and Dragons, or the countless other properties that incorporate knights and swords and dragons and the like. I will be using cardboard…
Four Point Hat – “Ski Bum” Aesthetic
“Ski Bum” is a term that typically evokes a specific image of someone who makes skiing their number one priority, sometimes even over jobs, housing, or financial stability. The classic ski bum is resourceful, finding ways to live cheaply to maximize time on the mountain. Their aesthetic reflects this lifestyle: thrifted, functional, and often homemade…
Organic Patchwork Platters
For my upcycle project, I made a set of small platters that embody an organic patchwork aesthetic. In the context of the woodworking world, this aesthetic is often defined by pieces that are slightly askew in character. By leaning into the power of asymmetry and negative space, the organic shapes and characteristics of the wood(s)…
Tired Peacock Chair
For my upcycle project I made a chair out of tires in the style of the iconic Peacock Chair. My inspiration process began with a chair that I made for another class, CVEN 5544 – Solid Waste Management and Resource Recovery. I really liked working with rubber on that assignment, and was really impressed that…
Vintage Americana Chalk Bag Made From Thrifted Levi’s
Inspiration After my mom got me a sewing machine in 2018, I have been making various items such as skirts, pants, and bags. Since I enjoy thrifting, I had an idea to make a bag out of thrifted Levi’s or Wranglers. Fig 1. Denim Tsuno Bag Bags made from this material evoke a feeling…
Baroque Violin Lamp
The aesthetic that inspired my upcycle project was the Baroque aesthetic. Arguably one of the most famous classical aesthetics, Baroque is a famous music and art style that grew popular in Western Europe from 1600 -1750. Baroque has many defining characteristics, often depicting dramatic and tense scenes. Baroque art is commonly described as a mixture…
Opposite of my Upcycle Project: Brutalist Aesthetic
Instead of a brightly colored, bubbly, organically shaped fruit bowl, the opposite of my upcycling project aesthetic would be brutalist and geometric, my fruit bowl would have minimal earth tones, rigid, industrial shapes. This alternate bowl would be grounded in a world of harsh structure and stark minimalism. This alternative fruit bowl would embody Brutalism,…
Ornate Wood Carving
I believe the closest opposite aesthetic for my upcycle project, using the same materials would probably be the aesthetic of Ornate Wood Carving. This type of woodworking bridges all different cultures and woods and has been around for thousands of years. It has only progressed to be more and more ornate as tools have improved…
Opposite Upcycle Aesthetic – Cyberprep
My upcycle project is being made to fit the Old Western aesthetic. This aesthetic highlights dry arid environments, colors like brown and orange, old wooden buildings, and open desert terrain. While I am focused more on the cowboy aspect of the aesthetic for my project, I feel that when looking for the opposing aesthetic to…
The Opposite of Artificial Nature: Pristine Futurism
My Upcycle project embraces the Artificial Nature aesthetic, where discarded electronic components are reimagined as an evolving, biomechanical creature. It merges organic and synthetic elements, creating a scorpion sculpture that feels like it belongs to a digital ecosystem where technology has adapted like nature itself. The rough and uneven surfaces of old circuit boards and…
Opposite Aesthetic of Upcycle Project
For my Upcycle project, I am making a lamp that has the influence of the steampunk aesthetic. I am using materials and parts that are wood, metal and plastic gears, wire, parchment paper, and my old rear wheel bike cassette. I thought these parts really met the steampunk aesthetic since steampunk is overly complicated, metallic,…
Opposite Upcycle Aesthetic: Realism
Realism The opposite of my upcycle project’s aesthetic, which is abstract, would be realism. Realism focuses on imitating life as closely as possible. The realism aesthetic focuses on accurately replicating real-life forms, textures, and environments. It emphasizes detail, authenticity, and naturalism, creating designs that closely resemble objects or scenes from the natural world. A realistic…
Upcycle Project Opposite Aesthetic – Modernism
In my previous blog posts, I have described the Baroque aesthetic associated with my upcycle project as being a very dramatic, and tense aesthetic, depicting scenes often also associated with naturalism and classicism. Baroque is scene as a very elegant and classy aesthetic, and it follows relatively strict rules. During my research into what could…
The Opposite of the Pixel Aesthetic
What is Pixel Art: Pixel art is a visual style that creates images using small, square-shaped pixels, typically arranged in a grid. This aesthetic became popular during the early days of video games due to hardware limitations, with classic titles like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Mega Man defining its early use.…
Opposite to Beauty in Death: Y2K Futurism
My upcycle project is creating a lampshade simulating a strangler fig tree/pattern. In nature, the strangler fig tree steals nutrients from it’s host tree until the host eventually dies. Once it rots away, the aerial roots of the fig remain, displaying a beautiful pattern. This effectively portrays an aesthetic of beauty in death. I believe…
The opposite of the sports bar aesthetic: Upscale cocktail lounge aesthetic
People associate sports bars and the aesthetic with a noisy, casual, high-energy area for people to drink and watch sports. The sports bar aesthetic is widespread across the United States, given the many sports bars scattered across the country. The opposite of this is somewhere that is quiet, formal, and intimate. An aesthetic that pushes…
Opposite Aesthetic: Minimalist Kitchen Space
For my upcycle project, I’m going for a witchcore and rustic aesthetic (which was somewhat forced by my own inability to mold tiny figurines smoothly). As it turns out, everything that I sculpted has some kind of imperfections, and I’ve already accepted that. The opposite of this aesthetic would be simple and clean. It would…
Opposite Upcycle Aesthetic: Cyberpunk Maximalism
Featured image: AI-generated image through chatgpt.com As I have discussed in my previous posts, I am currently creating an Ikea-inspired bedframe to add to my shuttle bus build. For my chosen aesthetic, I wanted to go with minimalism to give the limited space a simple and clean feeling. Additionally, I wanted to implement a natural…
Opposite Upcycle Aesthetic – Industrialism, Consumerism
Since the granola, earthcore, recycling aesthetic is all about recycling materials and respecting nature the opposite aesthetic would be brutalism and consumerism. The earthcore aesthetic is all about incorporating nature into your design and brutalism incorporates concrete, little to no plants and is heavy on industrial engineering. Above you can see some classic images…
Opposite of Earthy Neutrals? Neon Futurism.
For my upcycle project I am making a chalk bag for climbing in the earthy neutrals aesthetic using upcycled fabric. My chalk bag will feature an unconventional magnetic closure. The chalk bag is made in an earthy color palette including light tan, green, and blue. I really like these colors and the earthy neutral aesthetic,…
Opposite Aesthetic: Corporate
My upcycling project is on an Indie aesthetic, which is characterized by individualism and self-expression. Because of this, I believe the corporate aesthetic is its opposite. This aesthetic is largely based on fitting in with a mold, with a distinct lack of variety and expression. (Figure 1): A business suit Corporate outfits are typically suits,…
Seeing vs Feeling: The Divide Between Realism and Abstract
Abstract art, with as broad as it is, can loosely be described as using form, color, and texture to convey emotion and a message from the artist. It can often be interpreted in many ways, affecting each person in a different way and that’s part of the beauty in it. Abstract art shines in its…
Industrial Steampunk
My project is based on the aesthetic of Studio Ghibli. Because Studio Ghibli is an animation film studio, I wanted to find its opposite aesthetic in the animation realm. As I was researching, I thought about the recent show I just watched called “Arcane”. This show offered an artistic lens on the steam/cyberpunk aesthetic (Figures…
The Opposite of Patchwork Aesthetic
While the patchwork aesthetic of my Upcycle Project relies on organic, plant-based shapes and materials, the aesthetic of Industrial Minimalism relies on neatness, geometry, and hard materials like metal, concrete, and brick. Not only is this opposite aesthetic a ‘trendy’ vibe, but it is known for being sleek and sturdy in home spaces. It is…
Brutalist Sculpture: Vision to Reality
My vision for this project has undergone several transformations throughout its development. The initial concept drew inspiration from Mid-Century Modern aesthetics, envisioning a piece that would combine modern epoxy material with natural rock elements to create an illusion of floating, complemented by bold colored accents and suspended threads suggesting motion around the central rock element.…
Looney Tunes Upcycle Progress
My Upcycle Project is coming along nicely. To recap, my plan is to build a little sculpture based on the Looney Tunes aesthetic. This will feature a cardboard box as a base. I have decided to use a shoebox for this because I have many of them that I keep for storage. I will paint…
Upcycle Progress – Futuristic Memphis Aesthetic Fruit Bowl
What excites me most about this design is how it blends futuristic and organic elements. The bowl doesn’t just hold fruit—it becomes an art piece, a sculptural form that feels alive, as if it’s constantly shifting and flowing. The spirals, curves, and bubbly protrusions make it look both playful and surreal, like something plucked from…
Opposite of Upcycle Aesthetic
The aesthetic that I focused on for my upcycle project was the “ski bum” aesthetic. This aesthetic reflects a mindset where skiing is the number one priority. This mindset is accompanied by bright colors, fun fabrics, second-hand clothing, and a care-free attitude. There are a few aesthetics that come to mind when I think of…
1960’s Office Aesthetic
What is the opposite of a Parisian Jazz Aesthetic? Is it Mongolian rap, or maybe Canadian heavy metal? Im not exactly sure, but I know that Parisian Jazz is often characterized by its bright, vibrant colors with a flowery, light aesthetic that is not afraid of being original. Figure 1: My Parisian Jazz Aesthetic lamp…
Post 3: Upcycling Progress
This past week, I’ve gotten a pretty good start on my western saloon style cabinet dartboard. Last tuesday, I went to Recourse Central – a salvage yard with everything from cabinets, to old fireplaces, to refrigerators. Here I looked for a cheap cabinet which could fit my 18″ diameter dartboard comfortably. I wanted my cabinet…
The Dive in to Neuroaesthetic Design
The deep dive into neuroaesthetics has been quite an adventure; I honestly found myself in the land of analysis paralysis with all the opportunity for creativity and demonstration of this unique aesthetic. I started reading the book Your Brain on Art as I started this class, and that has been extremely formative in my study…
Stuffed Animal Recreations: Upcycle Progress
My upcycling project follows the aesthetic of nostalgia/childhood nostalgia. I will be making a small series of stuffed animals out of recycled and found materials that will be recreations of the actual childhood stuffed animals that my friends and I cherished growing up. I would like to make 3 ideally- 1 out of leather scraps,…
Headcover progress
Thank you for tuning back in. My concept drawing is above and gave me a lot of insight to what I need to look for when designing this project. It will definitely be difficult to make it exactly how I drew it, but I am interested to see if I can get the colors and…
Decopunk Assassin’s Teapot, Update 1
With twelve days remaining until our due date, the creation of my assassin’s teapot is progressing smoothly and steadily. While there have been some unexpected hurdles, such as sourcing materials, I have been able to adapt and move forward without major disruptions. As previously mentioned, I will be using laser-cut acrylic to parse out the…
Upcycle Project Progress
I am a day late in posting this because I was taking the FE exam yesterday so that took a bit of precedent. So far since last post I have gone deeper into the design of the wall hanger, including sketching more and getting some CAD drawn up. You can see in the featured image…
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