Upcycle Aesthetics 2021

Upcycle Aesthetics 2021: What is the aesthetic of your upcycle project? Why that?

Upcycle Sailing

February 3, 2021

Hello,I am looking at doing an upcycle of sailing. Sailing is already an environmentally friendly activity as it uses the wind as propulsion, so to me it seems fitting to upcycle some useless metal i have laying around into a lamp. I would like to be able to turn a sheet of metal into a…

Natural Home Decor – An Upcycleable Aesthetic

February 3, 2021

Jake Leicht

The aesthetic I will be exploring for my upcycle project is the one of modern home décor and plants. Modern home décor very frequently includes plants and greenery that bring a fresh natural aura to rooms. Many people also keep small herb gardens in or near their kitchens. One common thread in most of modern…

Rustic Upcycling

February 3, 2021

Amanda Tetrault

Inspiration For my upcycling project, my artifact design was inspired by my grandfather’s artwork. As a young adult, my grandfather served in the military as a pilot, and then later retired as a commercial airline pilot, but after his retirement, he was able to dedicate his time to his true passion. I of course only…

Retro / Classic to Modern Trends

February 3, 2021

Hunter Meissner

For my upcycling project I was having some difficulty trying to figure out what I wanted to do for the project. My inspiration for the upcycling project came from the famous picture of Bobby Orr celebrating a goal in the Stanley Cup Finals (featured image) that I have hanging up in my apartment right now.…

Climbing as an Aesthetic

February 3, 2021

Ben Husa

I was inspired by the aesthetic chosen by Maya Rudd involving climbing. As a frequent climber myself, I though it would be easy to incorporate climbing gear that I already have into my upscaling project. I decided to make my aesthetic for my project climbing, but focusing on the art of balance. Balance is a…

M.C. Escher Upcycle Aesthetic

February 3, 2021

Bryce Gallo

The Aesthetic that I would like to use for my Upcycle project is the M. C. Escher aesthetic. Escher was a Dutch artist who lived from 1989-1972, and he’s most famous for his graphic art that twisted perspective in a revolutionary way. Escher started out like most artists at his time, painting realistic snapshots of…

Minimalist Coffee Table with Mid-Mod Influence

February 3, 2021

James Brown

I unknowingly started this upcycle project last summer. I was at work, cleaning up, when my coworker Bo said to me, “Take those pallet toppers out to the trash. We don’t need them any more.” Being the broke college student that I am, I instantly saw them as an opportunity to get some free wood…

Lichtenberg Fractal Aesthetic: Vinyl Frame Upcycle

February 3, 2021

Chris Gibbs

With online classes, I’ve noticed that the background in my zoom lectures has been less than exciting, minus the vinyl albums on the wall behind me – this sparked an idea in my head to add an artistic feature for my backdrop. Since the most recognizable album is the Dark Side of the Moon by…

Old School Athletics Aesthetic

February 4, 2021

Valerie Welch

The old school athlete aesthetic is epitomized by black and white photos of famed athletes from the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s with “USA” or “GIANTS” written across their chest in the classic varsity font. This was the era of the toughest of athletes. Athletics equipment was nowhere near as advanced as it is today, so…

Solar Panels Upcycle

February 4, 2021

Ankit Shukla

For my upcycle project I hope to stick to the aesthetic described in my first post and possibly incorporate lighting inspired by Braden’s Futuristic aesthetic. Solar-powered lighting has been around for quite a while now, mostly in the form of street lighting and garden lighting. They are many times incorporated in the decorative aspect of…

Paper Mache Collage Aesthetic

February 6, 2021

Sidd Nair

For my upcycling project, I decided to use something that is plentiful and abundant that is usually thrown away as waste: paper. Paper Mache is an art and craft form that involves using all types of paper, mostly newspapers, in order to recreate something. Most of the time, Paper Mache creations are fragile and usually…

Viking Aesthetics

February 2, 2021

Gary Marshall

Viking art is estimated to have started at the end of the 8th century. It was first developed by the Viking tribes of Scandinavia in territories that we now know as Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. Vikings decorated almost everything with elaborate carvings and contrasting super-positioned materials. Currently, Viking art is mostly recognized by runes or…

Christmas Aesthetics

February 2, 2021

Branden Tangney

For my Upcycle project, I had to search for quite some time. At the beginning of the semester when we discussed our comfort levels with design I rated myself at the very bottom of the list. Therefore, it was easier for me to think about my favorite seasons and holidays as inspiration for my project.…

A Modern Approach to Upcycling

February 2, 2021

Natalie Jagelski

The modern aesthetic showcases simple, but cutting geometries; a variety of coordinated, well-balanced colors; a mixture of modestly used textures; and a conglomerate of natural materials. I am drawn to the minimalist, dynamic aesthetic that is modern design. While this aesthetic has a very “less is more” and “function over beauty” backbone, the dynamic accent…

Upcycle Spatula

February 3, 2021

Erik Skooglund

For my upcycle project, I will be making a metal spatula with a wooden handle. The materials that I will be using are a scrap piece of steel and a block of oak wood. The primary aesthetic of the spatula will minimalism. The minimalist aesthetic will mostly apply to the design of the spatula’s form.…

Upcycling with an Outrun Twist

February 3, 2021

Ben Masters

The famous painting “Great Wave off Kanagawa” w/ an outrun twist I already explored this aesthetic more in-depth for my “Explore and Aesthetic” post and that gave me a lot of inspiration regarding my upcycling project. To give a brief summary, outrun, or Miami Vice as I termed it based on my experience, utilizes…

Minimalism in Trash

February 3, 2021

Zack Lindsey

Making art from trash is an interesting experience, it incorporates creativity and recycling to generate something amazing. For my upcycle project, I used a combination of the minimalist aesthetic, but instead of leaving it devoid of emotion, as minimalism usually is, I tried to introduce some connection to my life to it. I chose to…

Rock Climbing Meets Modernist Aesthetic

February 3, 2021

Maya Rudd

My Climbing Crash Pad (To be used as cushion) For my upcycle project, I will be repurposing a rock climbing crash pad that I don’t use very much anymore into a couch. I will be using the crash pad as the main cushion for the couch and I’ll be building a frame out of wood…

Bicycle Wheel Upcycling

February 7, 2021

Sohan

For my upcycle project, I am planning on using a damaged bicycle wheel. This Idea originates from a few months back when I damaged the front wheel of my bicycle to a point where it was no longer functional. I’ve already installed a new wheel on my bike, so this damaged wheel has been sitting…

Tropical Upcycle Aesthetic

February 2, 2021

Andrew Thorson

The aesthetic I have chosen to incorporate into my upcycle project is the tropical aesthetic. I chose this because the topical aesthetics is one of my favorites. I think the tropical aesthetic captures a fun lifestyle that is missing during quarantine. I talk more about the things I like about the tropical aesthetic in my…

Modern but Magnetic

February 3, 2021

Hannah Moller

For my upcycle project I want to bring plants inside in a minimal clean style that can be multifunctional. So, I have decided to make small air plant holders that also act as refrigerator magnets because I never seem to have enough of those. Since I am still working on decorating my house, I did…

Japanese Gi Inspired Patchwork as an Upcycle Aesthetic

February 3, 2021

Michael Burns

Japanese Gi Inspired Patchwork as an Upcycle Aesthetic I have chosen to use the same aesthetic in my upcycle project that I wrote about during the aesthetic exploration blog post on, that being the Patchwork Aesthetic. However as to not restate what I have already covered in my earlier post I want to discuss the…

The Realism Aesthetic for the Upcycle Project

February 4, 2021

Thomas Boyd

For my upcycle project, I want to explore the aesthetic of realism. As the name implies, Realism is the attempt at making a piece of art look real. and true to its subject matter, with no speculation or deviation. While the Realism movement began in France in the 1840’s, specifically around the 1848 Revolution, it…

Cardboard Upcycling

February 3, 2021

Ryan Cochran

For my Upcycle project I will be using primarily cardboard. The aesthetic that I will be going for is a modern car look. I am going to use the cardboard and cut out pieces and try to mimic the look of a body supercar. In the following pictures you can see some examples of some…

Upcycle Aesthetic – Ski/Apres

February 3, 2021

Josh Negrey

Imagine this; you just finished getting your turns in on the mountain and are planning on walking back to your ski in chalet-which wasn’t as ski in as you anticipated. Loosening your boots and throwing your skis over your shoulder you decide to stop buy the resorts outdoor bar and grill before making the long…

Futuristic (lighting) Upcycle

February 3, 2021

Brayden Shelley

Continuing off of my initial aesthetic exploration of the futuristic style, I hope to incorporate this style into my upcycle project. One of the key aspects of the futuristic aesthetic is light and its seamless incorporation. To exemplify this incorporation, here are a few examples from a house designed by Geometrix Design. Notice how the…

Upcycle Spaceflight Aesthetic

February 4, 2021

Callum Schulz

The aesthetic that I have chosen to base my upcycle project on is spaceflight. I already explored the spaceflight aesthetic in my first blog post, so I’ll talk about my plans for my upcycle project as well as why I decided to choose this specific aesthetic. My plan for the upcycle project is to recreate…

Triumph and Adventure

February 5, 2021

Daedalus Muse

For my upcycling project, I want to take a look a visual idea that I find to be very captivating. It’s of a figure that stands upright or leaned forward, representing individual liberty and triumph. Something that can capture the strength and heroic nature of the human spirit. I also would like to work in…

Upcycle Aesthetic – Rave / Gaming Design

February 5, 2021

Alex

For my upcycle project I decided to incorporate both of my passions into it. I want to build a Rave/festival mainstage while incorporating a gaming aesthetic to it. With the previous year being super isolated my inspirations came from my wants and my daily hobbies. Before COVID-19 was in the US, I had several tickets…

Skateboard Grunge to Mid-Century Modern

February 2, 2021

Joshua Greenburg

My materials I am looking to upcycle are my old skateboard, and a lamp frame. This was the first skateboard I ever got (from 2007) and it definitely shows its character. Aside from the graffiti-like design, it features scratches, dirt, and weathering which all contribute to its grunge street skate aesthetic. The lamp frame was…

Neutral Earthy Aesthetic

February 3, 2021

Jillian Weber

For my upcycle project, I wanted to explore a neutral earthy aesthetic. This aesthetic often includes light, neutral colors, organic or naturally occurring materials, and a mix of bohemian and minimalist styles. I often see this aesthetic in interior design and home décor, usually expressed through light walls, wooden furniture, mirrors, plants, decorative organic materials…

Upcycled Incense Waterfall Aesthetics

February 3, 2021

Peter Geis

My plan for my upcycle project is to take some glass remnant from bottles or other trash to create a structure that takes inspiration from incense waterfalls. The general aesthetic of incense waterfalls is peaceful and serene especially when considered with the aromatherapy an incense may provide. Smoke tends to dance from pedals and collects…

Cardboard Rocket Ship

February 3, 2021

Thuc Le

As I look around my apartment for recyclable objects and materials, I noticed that I had an excessive amount of cardboard boxes just laying around waiting to be thrown away. So I thought to myself, “why not use the cardboards that I already have and make something cool out of them, that way I can…