Design Portfolio – Abby Rindfuss
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My Design Aesthetic and Design Interests Over the course of this semester, I had the opportunity to explore my personal design style through multiple mediums. One of my main inspirations is Scandinavian interior design, particularly the combination of natural, colorful, and practical elements. My first mini project for this class was a design exploration and…
Snowboard to Coat Rack – Ski Town Aesthetic
At this stage in my upcycling project, the vision has evolved significantly—but the core aesthetic inspiration remains unchanged. From the beginning, I’ve aimed to create a functional, personal piece that reflects the ski town aesthetic: an intentional blend of ruggedness, simplicity, and repurposed charm that captures the spirit of mountain life. My original concept centered…
Opposite Aesthetic: From Ski Town to Hyper-Urban Pop Art
The aesthetic of my current Upcycle project is firmly rooted in the Ski Town aesthetic, defined by rugged minimalism, natural materials, and functional charm. It captures the quiet, raw beauty of mountain life, blending upcycled elements with a strong connection to nature and place. But if I were to flip that aesthetic entirely, to explore…
Aesthetics in Design Project Portfolio
Portfolio Blog: Creative Engineering Projects Welcome to my project portfolio! This post showcases a selection of my work focused on our upcycle project and main project – showcasing sustainable design and aesthetic engineering. From upcycling 3D printer waste into functional art to designing a custom LED sign inspired by neon and pop art, each project…
Eli Skelly’s Portfolio – AesDes Spring ’25
My time in Aesthetics in Design Like much of my graduate education, you got out what you put into this class, and that brand of open-ended creativity catalyzed my growth as an artist and maker. As an ATLAS student dabbling in engineering courses on my way to earning a certificate in Mechanical Design and Product…
Mid Century Modern Nightstand Final Report Part 2 – Fabrication
Schedule First I would like to go over the schedule of creation, shown below in Figure 1 is my post creation Gantt chart. This is the actual schedule that ended up occurring, and while I would have liked to have been completely done a week earlier to properly present my oiled project to my pod,…
Opposites Alike – The Two Outcomes of Opposite Aesthetics
The Aesthetics and Design class embodies much of my current major, Environmental Design, but gives everyone a further sense of freedom than we typically have. With this in mind, my goal was to always fully encompass the aesthetics of my choosing and challenge myself in my skills, conceptually and physically. Given what felt like endless…
Material & Motion: A Semester of Aesthetic Exploration
This semester has been a transformative experience in exploring physical design and computational aesthetics. Through both my Upcycle project and Main project, I’ve pushed beyond my comfort zone to develop works that engage viewers through form, movement, and interaction. My Upcycle project began with a Mid-Century Modern vision but evolved into a Brutalist sculpture when…
Final Report Part 2 – Retro 80s Ski Boot Warmer
Timeline: The timeline above outlines the five-week process behind designing and building my retro ski boot warmer. In Week 1, I purchased all necessary materials—including a 12V PTC heater/fan, plywood, PVC, and a power converter—and began preliminary sketches to size the enclosure for portability and proper boot fit. Week 2 focused on fabrication, where I…
Aesthetics Of Design Portfolio: Max Van Cleave
“The Storm on the Sea of Galilee” is an oil painting by Rembrandt in the year 1633. When I first saw it, I couldn’t help but stare. It was incredible the way the light bounced off the sea and into the sky and the way the ship helps lead the eye to the light. Now…
Magnetic Shoe Display – Fabrication and Construction
After developing the aesthetic direction and functional goals for my magnetic shoe display, the next phase of the project focused on physically building the piece. This stage was where ideas on paper were translated into tangible form through sketching, cutting, gluing, carving, wiring, and assembly. My goal was to bring together all aspects of the…
Dual-Perspective 3D Sculpture: Final Report – Part 1
Project Overview: Dual-Perspective 3D Sculpture For my main project in Aesthetics in Design, I explored the concept of dual perspective using 3D extrusion—a visual technique that allows a single object to reveal two distinct identities depending on the angle of view. This type of illusion requires precise planning and spatial manipulation, as each perspective must…
Final Sliding Bedframe – Part 2
After some shipping delays, I finally completed the assembly of my project. I was able to get the aluminum tubing I needed just in time to manufacture in slots, and my project came together just how I envisioned it. With that, this post will describe my entire process of building out my bedframe. The goal…
From Concept to Completion: Aesthetic Fabrication Journey for my Tree Frame
Figure 1. Final Outcome Introduction The creation of my final project, the layered laser cut tree wall art piece with a hidden photo frame, was more than just a build. It was a journey of aesthetic exploration, emotional connection, trial and error, and iterative design. From the earliest sketches to the final stain and screw,…
Minimalist Spice Rack – Part 2
This project was something that I progressively worked on over the course of many weeks, starting with ideation and progressing to the creation of my final product. I am pretty happy with how this project turned out, and while it may not be the fanciest or most complex project, its something that should be functional,…
Multifunctional Quilt: the “How”
Fabrication Process Below is an image of my fabrication timeline. Compared to my original planned timeline, this one ended up getting shifted back by a couple weeks, which was anticipated. I’m glad I budgeted for more time than expected. One of my biggest takeaways from this project is that quilting is a very time consuming…
Coffee Accessory Organizer: Part 2
Fabrication Process 1. Preparing MaterialsI started by cutting the pine plywood sheet down to laser-compatible dimensions. I then uploaded the CAD files and laser-cut each component—sides, back, drawer panels, and mug dividers. 2. AssemblyOnce cut, I lightly sanded each piece before dry-fitting everything. Each individual panel was then stained with a walnut finish. I started…
Coffee Accessory Organizer: Part 1
The journey of this coffee organizer project began with inspiration from multiple design sources that shaped both its form and function. My initial aesthetic leaned toward an “urban ivy” look—a blend of industrial-modern elements and organic greenery, inspired by Seattle’s shipyards and skyline. As the project evolved, so did my visual language. I shifted toward…
Ski Bookends – Part 2
Once I decided on my idea for the project, it was time to begin the design and fabrication. The first step was to find a pair of skis. This was almost more important than the overall design because the type of ski I found would drive how I supported the bookends and how I painted…
Building a Steampunk Strandbeest: Assembly and Aesthetic Focus
Timeline of the Design Process When I started this project, my goal was to bring a popular kinetic sculpture to life by blending the famous Strandbeest mechanism with the popular aesthetic of steampunk. This creation would celebrate both motion and artistry and become a sculpture where every gear and linkage wasn’t hidden, but proudly displayed.…
Stained Glass Terrarium Final Report Pt.2
For my final project, I am focusing loosely on the reminiscence theme. Since a lot of my childhood is surrounded by stained glass, I wanted to do something with stained glass and/or have the stained glass look. I am making a glass terrarium. I want to use mixed materials like glass, and wood to make…
5 Constraints and Wants
As I move further into the design and planning phase of my coffee accessory shelf, I find it helpful to define the top priorities that will determine whether this project is a success. Having shifted from an industrial concept to a rustic-bohemian style, I now have a clearer picture of what I want this piece…
Final Project Part 2: Bamboo Lamp Creation
For my final project I created a lamp using bamboo poles to create the structural body. To actually create this, it took meticulous planning and accounting to ensure that the lamp was standing straight. Below is a timeline of the major components of my project. Preparation There were two rounds of preparation that I had…
Grandma’s Piano: A Miniature Replica – Final Report Part 2
With projects like this, it’s easy to focus most on the fabrication process, given it is time-consuming and can seem to take forever. The meaning of a piece is important. It is the reason for making the thing. However, there is art, too, in the construction and creation process. I spent the most time working…
Moon Phase Lamp Part 2: How
In my last blog post, I described in great detail what my final project is, as well as the aesthetic, Lunarpunk, which has dark, lunar related, characteristics. In this post, I will describe, in detail, my timeline for this project, how I designed this project, the different parts that I ordered, how I put them…
RailGlow: Timeline and Fabrication Process
Design Timeline Overview The RailGlow project spanned over two months, starting in early March and wrapping up in early May. While the process was generally structured, it included plenty of loops and adjustments as I moved between design, fabrication, and documentation. Below is a breakdown of each key phase and what took place during that…
Medieval Castle Fortress Final Report Part 2
Part 1 of my final report went over some of the inspirations I took, specifications I created, aesthetics I wanted to achieve, and displayed the final product. This post will be going more in depth on how I actually created the artifact, what steps were involved, design challenges that arose, and where I want to…
Almost the Look
1. Timeline: The Making of the Hexagonal Bookshelf Below is a visual timeline representing my build process, highlighting the cyclical and non-linear nature of design: Week 1–2: Exploration & Planning Brainstorming 1970s-inspired aesthetics Sketching geometries Defining functional requirements (book storage, compact corner fit, modular potential) Week 3: CAD Design & Dimensioning Modeled in SolidWorks Solved…
Coffee Table, Final 2
After figuring out the table to build, I began mapping out the timeline to construct the project. It was planned to be completed in 4 weeks. The wood was to be bought the week 4/5, the board assembled and cut 4/5-4/9, the board sanded 4/14-4/18, edging and staining, 4/28-5/2, and the legs fully cut/assembled/sanded/stained 4/29-5/6.…
Magic Crystal Bedside Lamp
For my final project, I wanted to try and create a special bedside lamp that contains a variety of useful features making it not only aesthetically interesting but uniquely functional as well. The Problem: I currently have a small electric candle by my bedside that I use as a low level light while I”m getting…
Hex – The Final Product Pt2
In part 1 of this final report, I covered: The Intention: To make a clock representative of personal identity The Aesthetic: Art Nouveau Inspiration: The human eye/iris Modeling: Modeled in Rhino to be laser cut Materials: Acrylic + MDF In this part, I will be covering the prototyping process, final fabrication process and the…
LEGO Formula 1 Display – How it was done
To create this project, there was a ton of work that wen t into this. I had several different phases of the project. There was research, design, build, prototyping, reevaluation/problem solving, and the finished product. I started with some research for the project and then applied that to my design/planning. I did some prototyping with…
Light AMG GT RC Car – Final Report Part 2
Developing and finishing my vision for this project required that I plan out every step I would need to take to complete it on time. Timeline breaking down major tasks, according to completed dates. Even though I had already been thinking of making an RC car before I started making this project, I still had…
Neon-Inspired 3D Printed LED Sign Final Report part 2
Introduction For my final project, I set out to create a neon light-inspired 3D printed sign. This idea was born from a desire to add personalized decor to my home office—something that felt both unique and reflective of my interests. As a big fan of Marvel and DC comics, I wanted to incorporate elements of…
Optical Illusion Cutting Board: Final Report Part 2
Intro This is my final post on the optical illusion cutting board. This has been one of my favorite projects during my time at CU Boulder and I have developed a love for woodworking. The intricate process was a blend of engineering and design, which is something I love most about my major: Creative Technology…
Retro-Futuristic Robot Can Crusher: Part 2 – How
While the aesthetic direction of my retro-futuristic robot head can crusher was driven by mid-century sci-fi, the actual construction process was far more iterative, mechanical, and at times, experimental. In this second part of the report, I’ll walk through the real-world process of turning a sketch into a functional, wall-mounted robot. This post documents my…
Mid Century Modern Bookshelf – Part 2: How
Project Timeline Timeline Overview: Ideation (Weeks 1–3): Explored inspirations, designed three separate CAD files: A spinal column shelf with movable shelves An entryway table with kerf-cut corners Final iteration: a hip-height, mid-century modern inspired bookshelf Prototyping (Weeks 3–8): Built cardboard and 3D printed prototypes to test proportions, joinery, and leg designs. Material Shopping (Week 8):…
Aesthetics Portfolio: Seth Strayer – Custom Electric Guitar and the Bookframe
They gave me tools and said I could make anything I wanted. How often does that happen? Aesthetics in Design was a “go-and-build-it” class, highlighting form where function is commonly the emphasis in engineering education. Armed with a graduate-level skillset and full access to the campus’s myriad of resources, we were turned loose to find out what creative…
Hidden Compartment Art piece
My project vision was to create a hidden compartment behind a fantasy-inspired art piece. I envisioned a chameleon-like aesthetic that hovered between minimalist and fantasy styles. I have always loved fantasy and soft science fiction stories such as The Lord of the Rings, Dune, and even modern narratives like The Last of Us. This love…
Final Report Part 2 – How – Vinyl Lamp
For my final project I built a vinyl lamp in the retro futurism aesthetic. I picked a vinyl lamp because I wanted to build something functional I could use long after this class is over and I picked the retro futurism aesthetic because I felt it fit well with the lamp design and vision. Retro…
Final Quilt – the “What”
Project Inspiration To develop inspiration for my project, I first defined my personal aesthetic. This was difficult, because I, like many others, feel like there are many different parts of my life that join together to create my aesthetic. However, I know my aesthetic is rooted in a love of the outdoors, warm weather, colorful…
Post 11: What IS the Space Cowboy Lamp
The Space Cowboy Lamp is the marriage of my personal love for sci-fi and space aesthetics and my recent appreciation for the American southwest, named throughout my post as the cowboy or wild west aesthetic. This lamp aims to convey this combination of aesthetics to anyone I have in my apartment, acting as a warm…
CyberCrystal Vest: Final Report Part 1 – The What
Project Overview The CyberCrystal Vest is a wearable, motion-reactive fashion-tech piece that blends cyberpunk aesthetics, interactive LED lighting, and personal expression through movement. Inspired by rave culture and sci-fi design, the vest uses individually addressable Neopixel LEDs embedded within custom-designed 3D-printed crystal structures, all mounted onto an upcycled black fishing vest. The result is a…
Keyboard Key Vest
Cyber Netcore Fashion Project Documentation Part 1: What Inspirations & Citations My project draws inspiration from several existing works in the realm of tech-fashion and upcycled wearables: Hiroshi Fujiwara’s Fragment Design – Hisapproach to repurposing technology components into wearable fashion demonstrates the balance between technological references and wearability that I’m aiming for. (Source: FragmentDesign Archive,…
Final Sliding Bedframe Design – Part 1
Featured Image: final CAD rendering of my telescoping bed frame design My motivation for this project was rooted in a shuttle bus I had been building out over the past year. It has been a long-term endeavor that I have really enjoyed. Most of the functional components—like the solar power system, heating, and insulation—had already…
Retro-Futuristic Robot Can Crusher: Part 1 – What
For my final project, I wanted to make a wall-mounted can crusher that fits a certain aesthetic. While exploring different aesthetics online, retro-futurism ultimately caught my eye. Essentially, this is a futuristic vision from someone who lived in the 1950s and 60s. Instead of simply being a bland crusher, I wanted to create a robot…
Rustic Cottagecore End Table Final Report Part 1
For my main project I made an end table for my couch with a folding leaf extension in the rustic cottage core aesthetic. I chose this aesthetic because I really enjoy it and it matches my current living room decor. I also knew I wanted to use wood to create this end table due to…
Light AMG GT RC Car – Final Report Part 1
For the main project for this class, I decided to make an RC car to aid me in learning how to drive radio control vehicles. However, I couldn’t just stop at making a simple car. I wanted to make something unique. RC cars mostly come in either a base car aesthetic or a race car…
Zen Matcha Stand
The What? I love to make matcha tea and I think the craft of it is so beautiful and delicious. I recently got a new matcha making set and have been keeping it all in my drawers in my kitchen. I also think that I have my matcha making skills down, so if anyone needs…
3D Printed Strandbeest Final Part 1
Finding the Right Inspiration Since I enjoy working with 3D printing, I knew early on that I wanted to use this method to bring my kinetic sculpture to life. The next step was finding what kinetic sculpture I wanted to make. My first ideas were to make some sort of marble machine or something that…
Optical Illusion Cutting Board: Final Report Part 1
Inspirations and Citations The concept behind my main project—the optical illusion cutting board—is rooted in an aesthetic I’ve been fascinated by for years(unknowingly until recent): Reality Distortion. This aesthetic dwells in the uncanny space where the real and surreal blur, provoking questions about the stability of perception. Visually inspired by films like Inception (2010), where…
New York Loft Style Clothing Rack – Final Report Part 1
Introduction Throughout this project, I intended to create an item of furniture that would not only work successfully in my bedroom but also aesthetically benefit the room as well as itself. I intended for it to be versatile to adapt with me as I advance beyond my existing living arrangement. I have a dream to…
Scandinavian Modern TV Stand
For my final project, I wanted to make a sturdy piece of furniture that I can feature in my home for years to come. This piece of furniture would not only have to mesh well with my current aesthetic and existing furniture, but also work well with whatever I choose to buy in the future. …
Ski Bookends – Part 1
Designing my final project has been a super fun experience. It is not only a practical decoration for my room but also a representation of my aesthetic and the aesthetic I have been looking at all semester: ski bum. I have really enjoyed getting to explore both of these through the process. This project has…
The Vision Behind the Build
1. Introduction: From Concept to Creation What began as a solution to a practical storage issue in my bedroom evolved into a functional tribute to 1970s design. This project documents the development of a locking, hexagonal bookshelf, a piece that balances aesthetic nostalgia with structural ingenuity. My goal: to blend artistic exploration with hands-on learning…
Horreo Jewelry Box–Fabrication
Introduction Jewelry box’s are so lame. There are just classy wooden boxs that are timeless and beautiful, so I plan on reinventing them. But what do I plan on changing the shape of a jewelry box to you might ask…a Galician horreo!!! Now I am aware that is seemingly random. However, this is because I plan…
Medieval Castle Fortress Final Report Part 1
After much CAD design, painting, and various jobs and adjustments I needed to do by hand, I have a piece which I am quite pleased with. However, I don’t feel that it is done as time constraints limited some of what I could do. This being said, I will walk through the inspirations I took…
Minimalist Spice Rack – Part 1
For my final project, I opted to create a lazy susan style spice rack that fits into a minimalist aesthetic. My main goal with this piece was to create something that would be functional in storing spices, that could also fit in to any kind of kitchen and not look out of place. The design…
Moon Phase Lamp Final Report Part 1
For my final project, I have decided to create a dynamic Moon lamp that replicates the phases of the Moon in real time. This Moon lamp has been designed to match the real time phases of the Moon, and fit within the Lunarpunk aesthetic. The Lunarpunk aesthetic was a very important and heavy consideration that…
Grandma’s Piano: A Miniature Replica – Final Report Part 1
As the first part of my final report, I will focus on the product itself and it’s final form. I’m proud of the work I put into it, so that has it’s own space, but I want to present this final product first. For my main project, I wanted to build a handmade toy piano…
Organic Minimalist Puzzle Holder – Answering the “What”?
Inspirations Thrift Diving’s puzzle holder with drawers, which served as inspiration and a fabrication process tutorial [1].For this project, I knew from the beginning that I wanted to make something that would be of use to me and was aesthetically pleasing to me. After some thought, I ultimately decided to create a puzzle holder. I…
Levitating Shoe Display: Inspiration Design and Plan
Overview For my final project, I wanted to create a magnetic shoe display that blends futuristic levitation technology with a handcrafted, organic wood aesthetic. My inspiration stemmed from a standard design I found repeatedly online: a sleek, U-shaped black frame with an integrated LED strip illuminating the suspended shoe. The aesthetic of these displays is…
Wöddha Finale: Part One
For my final project, I was inspired to create some form of user-driven product, one that combines my love for woodworking with my love for creative technology. With a special focus on aesthetics as part of this class, I also wanted the user’s contributions to add to the overall aesthetic of the project in a…
Glass Block Lamp Final Report: The How
Introduction: For my main project, I made a mid-century modern furniture inspired floor lamp. I used glass blocks and diffused LED strips as the primary lighting element, and the frame is manufactured using pine hardwood. The overall height of the lamp is ~3.5 feet tall, and is powered by a wall plug. The LED strip…
Glass Block Lamp Final Report: The What
Summary For my main project, I made a mid-century modern furniture inspired floor lamp. I used glass blocks and diffused LED strips as the primary lighting element, and the frame is manufactured using pine hardwood. The overall height of the lamp is ~3.5 feet tall, and is powered by a wall plug. The LED strip…
LEGO Formula 1 Display – What and Why
As mentioned previously in other posts. I am a major LEGO and F1 fan. Recently, with the collaboration between the two, they produced some sets of some of the teams’ F1 cars. These are the McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari. Over the years, I collected and built them all. The one issue is that…
RailGlow: Final Design
With RailGlow now fully built and ready to debut at the Design Expo, I wanted to reflect on the journey, from initial inspiration to final form, and break down the ideas, influences, and techniques that brought this project to life. This lamp isn’t just a lighting fixture. It’s a solution to a real problem, a…
Naturalism
A Vision of Nature For my new project, I’m going with a naturalism approach, focusing on creating a realistic stream as the main feature. I want to capture all the little details you’d see in nature—the way water moves over rocks, the plants growing along the edges, and how sunlight breaks through the trees. I’m…
