Upcycling a Sleeping Bag into a Lightweight Ski Touring Jacket Update
4 Comments
For my upcycling project, I am transforming a sleeping bag into a lightweight ski touring jacket. I purchased an EcoPro LW210 lightweight warm-weather sleeping bag from Goodwill to maximize fabric yield at a low cost. I have already deconstructed the bag by removing the seams, separating it into two large fabric sheets—gray on one side…
Upcycled Bicycle Stool
I am currently making progress on my upcycle project, a stool made from vintage bicycle parts. I’ve acquired a vintage bicycle seat from an old tandem bicycle. It is made with tanned leather and metal springs, and currently, it’s fixed to a seat post of 1-inch diameter, which fortunately is a standardized size from…
Pixel Art 3D Print Upcycling: Progress Update on Grid Mapping & Material Gathering
I haven’t started physically building or shredding 3D prints yet, but I hope to get to that this coming weekend. As of now, I’ve gathered all the materials I should need: a picture frame, a clear acrylic sheet, and all my 3D print scraps. Soon, I’ll start sorting the prints by color to determine what…
Ghibli Lamp Update
My project is about upcycling a lamp shade to the aesthetic of Studio Ghibli. So far, I’ve collected the material of the light source and the lamp shade. I had trouble finding a lamp shade that has wired structure. I originally wanted to implement a beaded lamp structure (Figure 1). Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to…
Upcycle Progress/Process: A Witch’s Cabin
My upcycling project is “A Witch’s Cabin” diorama. After settling on a concept and drawing plans, I grabbed the cardboard box that I’d be using for the base and sketched the design inside. Initially, I wanted to turn the box on its side to decrease work, but the proportions were off. The ceiling would’ve been…
Violin Lamp Progress Update
My upcycle project is currently still in the beginning stages, but I have collected several necessary materials. The first, and most important material, is the violin itself. I was lucky enough to have been given the violin for free, but it has a few issues that I will need to fix. The main issue is…
Upcycling Progress: LeBron James Hennessy Lamp
I did not start the physical building this past week, but I did most of the preliminary work on the project. I measured the dimensions of the Hennessy bottle using calipers to ensure that I got an accurate fitting on my base and the lamp conversion. Based on the measurements, I determined that I would…
Artificial Nature Upcycle Project Progress Update
With the Artificial Nature aesthetic guiding my upcycle project, I’ve made solid progress in gathering materials and refining my fabrication plan. My goal remains to create a scorpion sculpture using dismantled circuit components, blending organic form with technological remnants to emphasize the idea of a synthetic ecosystem evolving from discarded electronics. While I haven’t started…
Upcycling Progress – License Plate Frame
My project is a wooden frame built to display old license plates that I previously mounted to my walls using sticky putty. The aesthetic that I’m trying to achieve is Rustic Americana, basically just trying to emulate western American culture while combining it with the use of old, weathered looking wood to try and evoke…
French Gothic Stained Glass Light Fixture: Update
Over the past week, I have begun collecting my materials as well as conceptualizing how my piece will fit together. For my project, I hope to upcycle old broken glass into a light fixture that mimics the effects of the stained glass windows often seen in churches. When I first began ideating on this project,…
Upcycle Project Process
My Upcycle Project is a lamp that takes inspiration from the Steampunk Aesthetic. This has parts like pipes, cogs, metal wire, etc. I have collected all the material I believe I will need in this project. I have a bunch of small plastic gears that are all bronze, gold, and silver to match the color…
Upcycle Project Progress – Soda Can Planters
For my upcycle project I decided to make small planters out of empty soda cans. These planters will be designed with the earthcore/granola aesthetic in mind you can read my previous post if you want to see more detail on that specific aesthetic. Currently I am in the material collection stage of my project. I…
Recycled Aluminum Spoon Post 3
My project is an upcycled aluminum camping spoon. So far I have sourced the material and started machining it. Progress is slow but steady. I believe I am on track to finish it before the deadline. First, I milled the “slot” for the scoopy part of the spoon. This was the most difficult part so…
Quilled Weather “Tile”
The Idea As a senior in college I have an entire drawer full of old assignments that I don’t have much purpose for. Both in celebration of finishing my engineering degree and desperation to clean out the cabinet I have decided to make a rolled paper craft using these old school papers in the style…
Upcycled Project: Light Academia Coffee Tray
For my upcycled project, I will create a food and coffee tray for use in a coffee shop, repurposing old books. This design aligns with the light academia aesthetic, which is often reflected in coffee shop decor. Idea Generation Principle of Design – Keep it simple yet fun. First Idea Coming up with an idea…
Patchwork Teddy Bear
For the upcycle project, I plan to create a classic teddy bear using old fabric scraps from clothes and incorporating mending and patchwork techniques such as the Japanese mending style of sashiko. As an artist who makes toys and plushies and has a great fondness for stuffed animals, I often make silhouettes more modern, with…
Golf club headcover
As I was looking around for inspiration for my upcycle project my attention focused on my golfclubs in the corner of my room. Not only did I want to make something creative but also something I could use and not just put in a corner for the rest of my life. That being said, I…
Upcycling Project – Post 2
The fruit bowl I want to create for my upcycling project is a blend of organic fluidity and playful modernity, incorporating unique curves, spirals, bubbly shapes, and wavy shapes to create a design that feels natural and futuristic. Inspired by multiple aesthetics like Blobjects, Memphis design, and Retro-Futurisim, the bowl will have a flowing sculptural…
Transforming 3D Print Scraps into Pixel Art
My project transforms leftover 3D print scraps into colorful pixel art portraits. Over the past two years, I have been storing my PLA scraps in bins, waiting for the right opportunity to upcycle them. 3D printing often produces extra pieces, failed prints, and support structures that usually go to waste. Instead of discarding them,…
Beauty in Death: Strangler Fig Lampshade Concept
[2] Strangler Fig Growth Animation A strangler fig is a parasitic plant typically found in a dense, tropical environment. It evolved to adapt to the nutrient competitive environment by entrapping its victim with it’s aerial roots, limiting growth and stealing it’s nutrients. As the host tree dies and begins to rot away, the aerial roots…
Artificial Nature: Bringing Discarded Circuitry Alive
For my Upcycle project, I have chosen the Artificial Nature aesthetic, an aesthetic which fuses organic lifeforms with mechanical and electronic elements and creates a vision of nature that has evolved through technology. This aesthetic blurs the line between the biological and the synthetic to present a fantasy in which machines take on the form…
Upcycled Bed Frame – Rustic Minimalist Aesthetic
Featured Photo: IKEA TARVA Bed (TARVA bed frame, pine/Luröy, Queen – IKEA) For my upcycling project, I will be creating a custom bed frame for the inside of a shuttle bus that I have been building out. I will be upcycling bed slats and beam components from an IKEA bed and turning them into a…
“Stained Glass” Lamp
For my Upcycling Project, I am going to be making a “stained glass” lamp out of recycled acrylic scraps. Stained glass window at the Notre-Dame de Paris Stained glass has been around for thousands of years, starting with the Egyptians and Ancient Romans. It gained popularity in Europe around the 12th century with some of…
Upcycling Concept: A Witch’s Cabin
For my upcycle project, I’m making a diorama of a part of a witch’s home. Originally, I wanted to upcycle an old spice bottle for the project. I was looking into aesthetics that could use that bottle and found witchcore. My initial plan was to turn the bottle into a potion bottle, but that felt…
Upcycle Project – Baroque Introduction
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 of classicism and naturalism. Annibale Carracci and Caravaggio are among some…
Upcycle Project: “Ski Bum” Hat
“Ski Bum” is a term that typically evokes a specific image in people’s heads. A caricature of someone who makes skiing their number one priority, sometimes over jobs, homes, or clothes. “Ski bums” are known for being resourceful and making ends meet in order to spend as much time on the slopes. The aesthetic around…
Recycled Paper Mosaic: The Great Wave
For my upcycling project I decided to go with a mosaic aesthetic and replicate ‘The Great Wave Off Kanagawa’ , a Japanese inspired woodblock print. I chose this aesthetic because I think it would fit well with the materials I will be using which are paper, cardboard, glue, and acrylic paint. I like how…
Upcycling Project – Frutiger Aero
For my upcycling project, I wanted to attempt to make something stylish and functional for my desk that matches the Frutiger Aero aesthetic. It is one of my favorite aesthetics that has come out of the 21st century, and I actively follow several people online who create or collect items related to Frutiger Aero. This…
The Sports Bar Aesthetic: An Upcycled Bottle of Lebron James Hennessy
My upcycling project repurposes an old bottle of special edition LeBron James Hennessy to create a table lamp that follows a sports bar/athletic aesthetic. This project will be an exciting endeavor that creates a one-of-a-kind piece of functional decoration for my bedroom. The sports bar aesthetic is commonly associated with local bars, which have…
Upcycling 3D Printer Scraps
For this assignment, I would like to upcycle 3D printer scraps. In the 3D printing hobby, prints don’t always come out perfectly. Many objects fail during printing, resulting in an excess amount of scrap. Additionally, I often encounter excess filament being pushed out of the nozzle when loading new filament. To prevent clogging, I have…
Upcycling aesthetic: French Gothic Stained Glass
For my upcycling project I decided to follow the aesthetic of Gothic Stained glass. Often seen in cathedrals and churches, these fixtures can be used to fill viewers with any sort of emotion. These stained glass windows are characterized by their use of vibrant colors (usually blues, reds, and greens), and their complex designs. While…
Upcycled Fantasy Helmet
For my upcycle project I am taking inspiration from this leather helmet I found last December at an art market. It was being sold by a local leather artisan. I unfortunately lost his business card, so I can’t cite him accurately, but I did take this picture. The aesthetic is “Medieval Fantasy” along the lines…
Upcycled Mirror Project
My upcycle project is a set of powered vehicle fender mirrors, designed with inspiration from the sleek, classic aesthetics of the 1960s and 1970s. These decades were known for their distinct automotive styling, where form and function blended seamlessly into striking designs. I want to capture that same essence while integrating modern functionality through powered…
Suspended in Mid-Century
Mid-century modern design is defined by clean lines, organic forms, and an innovative approach to materials. Rooted in the post-war optimism of the 1950s and ’60s, this aesthetic thrives on the interplay between natural and industrial elements. My piece—a stone suspended in a web of delicate threads encased in translucent epoxy—embodies stylized lines and organic…
Hyperbolic Distortion: Upcycled Paper Beehive
Aesthetic For my upcycled artifact project, I am drawing inspiration from my Aesthetic Exploration on Non-Euclidean Art, which challenges conventional rectangular geometry by distorting space into surreal, otherworldly perspectives. This exploration of warped and unconventional forms will be seamlessly integrated with Bee-core, a nature-inspired AI generated Honeycomb with Negative Curvature [1]sub-aesthetic that celebrates bees, honey,…
Upcycle Project: Looney Tunes Backgrounds
Looney Tunes Aesthetic Project I’ve always admired the aesthetic of the backgrounds that take up a lot of the space of Looney Tunes cartoons. There actually used to be an Instagram account dedicated to showcasing these backgrounds, but I believe it got taken down due to copyright issues. This takedown was probably justified, but it…
Retro Futurism
What is Retro-Futurism? First coined in the 1960s, this aesthetic is best described as “a vision of the future from the past.” It is characterized by a mix of futuristic technology and old-fashioned styles. Humanity has always been intrigued by the idea of the future, and what the world could be like given the technology…
Shoe cleaner Upcycle Project with Brutalist Aesthetic – Post 2
I plan on building a portable and ergonomic shoe cleaner out of recycled materials. I intend to create this project with the intentions of following a brutalist aesthetic. Brutalist Aesthetics emerged in the mid 20th century from the UK in efforts to reconstruct bombed cities from the second world war. A notable example in which…
Ghiblicore Upcycled Lamp Shade
Through my research of Studio Ghibli, I really enjoyed the overall colors, animations, and aesthetic of ghiblicore. I have an artistic vision and approach to this aesthetic and I want to utilize as much of my ideas for this upcycling project. I plan for my upcycling project to be upcycling a lamp shade. I have…
Natured inspired pencil holder made out of recycled PLA
What is your Upcycling project? For my upcycling project I will being using recycled PLA from the ITLL to make a nature inspired aesthetic pencil holder. I was recently doing research on wood-based PLA and thought this would be really interesting to do. What is the aesthetic and why? The aesthetic is nature.…
Camping Spoon Upcycling Project
For my upcycling project, I have decided to machine a “camping spoon” from a small block of aluminum. I sourced the aluminum bar from the scrap shelves in the ITLL machine shop. I enjoyed this part of the process because I believe that it is often easier to think creatively when you are constrained. I…
Upcycle Project Aesthetic – Earthcore/Recycling/Granola
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…
Upcycle Project – Steampunk Introduction
To get this project going, I started with brainstorming and had three main parts I took into consideration: What Aesthetic I wanted to have my project embody What I wanted to make What resources I had at my disposal realized I have always loved the look of Steampunk. I loved the metallic, darkish colors, and…
What Is Cartooncore? Exploring the Colorful World of Animated Aesthetics
Cartooncore is a vibrant and nostalgic aesthetic that celebrates the exaggerated, colorful, and playful world of cartoons. Rooted in childhood nostalgia, this aesthetic draws from iconic animated shows and movies, particularly western animation from the 1990s and 2000s. It has become a beloved aesthetic, combining bold visuals, quirky designs, and a sense of…
The Dark Fantasy Aesthetic: Struggle Amidst Shadows
The dark fantasy aesthetic is a timeless medium which blends elements of high fantasy and ever-present existential horror. Amidst the setting of fantastical creatures and constructs, it envelops the medieval set pieces with themes of decay, despair, and moral ambiguity, leading to a world which is simultaneously captivating and unsettling. As an aesthetic which has…
Earthcore
Earthcore (also referred to as the Granola aesthetic) is a style that focuses on appreciation of nature, while continuing the advancement of technology. Earthcore emphasizes themes of sustainability and highlights the importance of a symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. It likely began to emerge after the 2nd industrial revolution during the environmentalist and hippie counterculture…
Utilitarian Design “Aesthetic”
The History and Application of Utilitarian Design Utilitarian design, rooted in the philosophy of “the greatest good for the greatest number,” has played a crucial role in shaping both functional and aesthetic aspects of our daily lives. This design approach emphasizes practicality, efficiency, and usability, often at the expense of purely decorative elements. The movement…
Cabin Core
The aesthetic that I’m choosing to explore for this post is one that makes me personally feel at home. A key theme found in cabin core is one of comfort, with the intent of creating anything under a cabin core aesthetic being to make that thing as cozy and welcoming as possible. While this warm,…
Scandinavian Minimalist Design
Image 1: Agnieszka Krzcuik on Pinterest – useful storage space in a risen bedroom nook. Origins Scandinavian minimalism originated in the Nordic countries of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland, where functionality and simplicity are prioritized in home and lifestyle designs. The style became popular in these regions partially due to the climate. Long, dark…
Maximalism is More
Maximalism is an unapologetic grandiose collection of colors, patterns, and art centered around the joys of its creator. Its attitude is ratified in the ‘more is more’ opposition to minimalism. Maximalism’s formal aesthetic emergence occurred in the late 20th century as a response to minimalism. Its aim and often success pull viewers into a rich,…
Post 1: Aesthetics Exploration – Gothic Architecture Aesthetic
In my exploration of different aesthetics, I chose to focus on the Gothic Architecture aesthetic. I have always been drawn to this aesthetic from a young age, particularly to the attention to detail and the collection of little features that all fit together as one to make up one masterpiece. Last spring, I was able…
Cyberpunk Aesthetic Exploration
Altered Carbon Bay Cityhttps://altered-carbon.fandom.com/wiki/Bay_City?file=Site-background-dark The Cyberpunk aesthetic is one of the most iconic and visually enduring in popular culture. Characterized by vibrant neon lights, urban decay, and the powerful interplay between advanced technology and societal downfall. This aesthetic presents a scenario that is both fascinating and concerningly plausible. It is a dystopian future where humans…
The Pop Up Headlight Aesthetic
The automotive popup headlight aesthetic characterized by sleek front ends and aerodynamic inspired stylings represents one of the most adored design stylings in the automotive community. They’re iconic and represent an era of automotive design that combined function with flair. Popular from the ’60s to the early ’90s, they give cars a sleek, clean look…
Zenitism
[1] Composition 77 by Mihailo PetrovFollowing the end of World War I, the former country of Yugoslavia was founded by the joining of the Kingdom of Serbia and the State of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs. During the war, these former states saw devastation and the losses of millions. Seeing first hand the desolation of Europe,…
Aesthetics Exploration – The Vintage Aesthetic
Nostalgia is an intrinsic part of being a human. We are naturally sentimental of the past and long for what once was. Vintage and cultivating a vintage aesthetic is an effect of our yearning for a past period. It is a celebration of timeless design. Vintage has been gaining increasing popularity in the past decades,…
Aesthetics Exploration: Rustic
The aesthetic that I chose to dive deeper into was the rustic aesthetic. This aesthetic takes inspiration from 17th and 18th century rural architecture, and focuses heavily on natural woods and stones. Rustic architecture was popularized in the United States during the mid 1800’s my landscape architect Andrew Jackson Downing. There are many components that…
Aesthetic Exploration: River Deltas – “People of the forks”
The fascinating natural features of a river delta, where at the mouth of a river into a greater body of water create vast amounts of forking waterways provided individuals with immense amounts of resources to settle for centuries. This aesthetic exploration will explore what has resulted from this culture and lifestyle out of an aesthetic…
Aesthetic Exploration: Restomods – Reviving Classics with Modern Innovation
Restomods, short for “restoration-modifications,” blend the timeless design of classic cars with the advanced technology of modern vehicles. This approach retains the aesthetic and historical significance of vintage automobiles while enhancing their performance, safety, and comfort. For car enthusiasts, restomods offer the best of both worlds, celebrating nostalgia while embracing innovation. The concept of restomods…
Post 1 – 2025: Aesthetics Exploration – Raygun Gothic
Rising to popularity during the early days of the Space Race. Raygun Gothic represents a popular art aesthetic from the 1940s – 1960s. It commonly contains bright, distinct colors similar to those found in comic books, depicting a science fiction-esq “Traditional American” future. Artistic works often include a bright and optimistic outlook on the future…
Aesthetics Exploration – Post 1 Dirt Theory
The paper Dirt Theory and Material Ecocriticism [1] by Heather I. Sullivan “speaks for dirty aesthetics. Although aesthetic landscapes readily inspire environmental thinking, a case can be made for grappling with the truly local dirty matter right at hand. Dirt, soil, earth, and dust surround us at all scales: we find them on our shoes,…
Non-Euclidean Geometry in Art: A Gateway to Otherworldly Visuals
Imagine stepping into a world where lines curve endlessly, patterns repeat in mesmerizing ways, and the very fabric of space seems to shift and bend before your eyes. This is the essence of the non-Euclidean geometry art aesthetic, a style that incorporates the principles of curved and distorted spaces to create visuals that challenge our…
Aesthetics Portfolio
Recap Throughout this semester I have managed to complete two successful projects! For the upcycle project, I designed and built a clock which utilizes a moving chain as opposed to clock hands to tell time. Second, for the final project, I designed a PCB lamp for my room. Upcycle Linked here: [https://www.aesdes.org/2024/02/24/chain-clock/] is the link…
Emilee Novak Project Portfolio
Aesthetics in Design Course Throughout my projects for this Aesthetics in Design course, I utilized my current skills and also learned new ones. I was able to reach out of my comfort zone and also learn a lot about aesthetics. I learned that engineering is not only about the functionality and efficiency of a product,…
Virtual Assistant: Final Report Part 1
My final project is a home/virtual assistant using a Raspberry Pi. With AI being very popular, there are many ways to create a virtual assistant. I followed an online tutorial to set up the main program. The aesthetic and design aspect of the project is in the enclosure of the Raspberry Pi and hardware. I…
Post 8 – 2024 Design Preview Report
My main project will be a home/virtual assistant using a Raspberry Pi. With AI being very popular, there are many ways to create a virtual assistant. I plan on following an online tutorial to set up the main program. The aesthetic and design aspect of the project will be in the enclosure of the Raspberry…
Post 13: Portfolio
Post 13: Portfolio This semester I worked on two main projects for MCEN 4279: Aesthetics of Design. Project 1 The first project was a paper mache head that was inspired by the art work of Duane Flatmo. Duane is an artist that is based out of Eureka, California. This project challenged my drawing abilities and…
Main Project
Overview My main project will be articulated wings integrated into a corset. I will be buying the corset due to the time constraints of this project. I intend to fashion the wings after large birds of prey or angel wings. This means that the wings should have a decent wingspan but not so large…
Final Part 2 – Western Jacket
The process of making this outfit was to make and solidify a template of the jacket, papercutting designs onto the jacket, sewing the jacket together, to then adding the fur, vinyl, and snap details onto the jacket. \ I started to laser-cut the floral design onto a pre-bought jacket and it was going great until…
Design Preview: PCB Lamp
Project Overview: For my final project, I will be designing a PCB Lamp. This lamp will be constructed using PCBs, generally a very unique building material. Some of you may recall from my previous posts, I was planning to work on a completely different project. Originally, I opted to design and manufacture a dual purpose…
LED Matrix Final Report Part 2
Made by me Starting on the twentieth of March I finished finalizing my CAD model and ordered all my materials, my materials being wood, LEDs, and cables. I also ordered a raspberry pi and soem things to make soldering eaiser. Simultaneously I learned how to code on a controller for the panel.I used a Raspberry…
Abby Rindfuss
Adam Hosburgh
Airyl Dayrit
Alex Jessop
Xander Johnson
Allister James Sequeira
Annie Cai
Andrew Chamberlain
Anjali Shadija
Anthony Makuch
Andrea Marks
Anthony Papaianache
Andrew Perper
Andrew Widner
Ariana Ramirez
Arjun Ramachandran
Arden Villanueva
Ayesha Rawal
Ben Erickson
Ben Harming
Ben Haley
Brian Ahn
Bryce Johnson
Bryan Moreno Najera
Brenton Yu
Cason Lane
Cecelia Shoenfeld
Chris Adami-Sampson
Chrisanna Bertuccio
Witt Young
Claire Markus
Clemens Pacher-Theinburg
Cooper Kramis
Cole Romig
Cole Sites
Cort Sommer
Daniel Carranza Valenzuela
DawnMonique Cantu
Seth Strayer
Danny Vesselovskii
David Whisnant
Delos Ashcraft
Dev Mahajan
Ellyse Jensen
Elise Johnson
Eli Skelly
Eric Fiechtner
Evan McCleary
Francine Palmos
Garrett Jimenez
Garrison Nazare
Rauba, Grady
Reilly, Greg
Grant Thompson
Isaiah Straubel
Jamie Blanco
Jacob Foley
Jack Franz
Jacob Krajnik
James Overberg
Jaks Praeger
Jax Whitham
Jessica Vo
Joe Yoder
Jules Fischer-White
Kalin Myers
Keith Hemenway
Kyle Chinn
Lia Cucuzzella
Lindsey Trussell
Luke Gordon
Matt Bloomfield
Matthew Cumpton
Mateo Esteve
Matt Sherman
Max Van Cleave
Max Williams
Mila Bergmann-Ruzicka
Min Than
Mia Winstead
Nile Brown
Nita Byati
Nick Rios
Pisay Suzuki
Robert Forstbauer
Rystan Qualls
Sam Nicastro
Scott Ehrlich
Seth Dry
Sean Ostrander
Senayt Wolde
Shreya Pradeep Sekar
Sofia Fernandez
Sylvia Robles
Tay Cummins
Tanmay Mhatre
Taylor Wittwer
Thomas Brentano
Tyler L'hotta
Tyler Lloyd
Zoe Cooper
Sammie Duran
Jean Hertzberg
Student Test