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Concept Statement

My mentor’s name is Cori Seifert, she is a 4th year Interior Design student. Our shared love for personal connections, old houses, plants, design, and stained glass is what drove my inspiration for the gift design along with quote selection. Cori and I got along quite well, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her and creating the final gift she will receive as a mentor before graduating. Typically, stained glass is seen telling a story or creating an image. Because she is a senior this inspired me to create a stained-glass picture that tells/shows her journey at Ohio State. The images I choose to represent her journey at Ohio State consisted of her own old home that she loves, her family’s racetrack that they own, her first interior design project, her dog Millie who she adores, her stain glass project that she did last semester, and finally Hayes Hall where design students spend most of their time. I chose these images by getting to know her and finding out what important things in her life have made her who she is today. The quote I chose goes hand in hand with the stain glass theme. The quote is, “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” – Steve Jobs. I interpreted this quote as; stain glass isn’t about how it looks or feels but how the pieces work together to tell the story of the image. The 3 materials I used included acrylic, magnets, and acrylic paint. I used an additional dissolving material to weld the acrylic together and hold the magnets in place. I used the laser cutter to etch and cut the acrylic. I obtained all the acrylic from Hayes and already owned acrylic paint. I acquired the magnets from fellow design students Aliina and Joe. They already purchased the magnets and had extra to spare, the price per magnet is around 10-20 cents each. I ended up using 6 magnets bringing my budget “total” to around $1. 

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Iteration

Once I selected my mentor I immediately reached out to begin getting to know her. My mentor and I got along immediately which made this process very smooth. Below are some of the notes I took about my mentor. 

Before starting our design process the class conducted an experiment to practice product packaging design. At random we were assigned a specific object that we would have to design packaging for. Below are images of my sketches for the ink bottle packaging design.

After sketching out my ideas I picked the idea that I thought to be the strongest and began constructing my design. The purpose of my design was to create a package that could hold the ink while also holding a pen and ink well to dry off the pen. Below are images of this construction. 

Following my idea of drying the pen off before placing it back in the pen holder I grabbed a bandaid out of the first aid kit and began ripping the cotton off of it. Below is an image from this process. 

After assembling my platform that was intended to hold the ink, pen, and ink dry well. I added paper to one side of the triangle packaging. This design was intended to sit on a desk and be a fully functional and transportable ink / pen holder and note book. Below is an image of my final product design. 

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Ideation and Production

After getting to know my mentor I found a lot of commonalities between us. Including a love for stained glass, old houses, animals, and traveling. From this I began to sketch gift ideas based on this knowledge. Below are images from this process. 

My first couple ideas revolved around the idea that she liked to travel. Below is a prototype from my early ideas.

Thinking back to our common love for stained glass I decided this was the route I was going to pursue moving forward. While looking for quotes I came across a quote by Steve Jobs. The quote is, “Design is not what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” Using this quote I decided to create a stained glass piece using acrylic.  The concept of my design was to use acrylic for both the packaging and gift. I planned to create a picture frame by layering the acrylic to create a box. 

Below are images of my sketches for the main design. 

After creating the sketches for my design I began creating a prototype. Below are images of my prototype. 

After building a cardboard prototype I decided to use the laser cutter to determine if it was capable of performing what I needed for my design. Below are images of my design printed onto wood. 

After realizing the laser cutter would not be able to etch into acrylic enough to create a divot I changed direction to find a different solution. The solution to my problem was to incase a magnet in between the different layers of acrylic. 

To create the stained glass gift of her journey at Ohio State I pulled pictures from a powerpoint she sent me about herself and then traced the images on Procreate. Once I traced the images I took pictures of them and uploaded the images into Illustrator. Using the image trace tool I was able to create an outline of the images.

Below are all the images I used as references and also the traced images. 

The images I selected symbolized  her personal story through college.

Below is the laid out version of my design on illustrator.

I wanted the design to be multifunctional so I made it the packaging to be able to fit a 4×6 Picture. My intentions were to add a design to one half of the frame that way she would be able to also flip the frame around and still see the image through the side without a design. 

After preparing my files I cut the acrylic.

Aftwardwards I began assembling the different layers. Below are images of me testing the acrylic glue. 

I reached out to my mentor to find out what her favorite plants are. I knew she loved plants and wanted to incorporate them into her present. I went to pinterest and found an image I traced and used the leaves from. Funny enough I have the same plant incorporated into my SKetchbook design.

 Below is the source of the leaf artwork and the design I created from it. 

Monstra Pinterest Art Inspiration

After preparing the files I etched the leaves and personal images onto the acrylic. As I intended for this to resemble colorful stain glass I flushed the engraved leaves with green paint. Below is the result of this process. 

Once the stained glass picture was engraved I painted over the lines with acrylic paint. Below is the result of painting the acrylic picture. 

    

After assembling all the pieces I came across a huge bump in the road. For whatever reason the magnets encased in the acrylic frame would not hold together. The magnets were not dead and I did not put them in backwards. This left me gutted as I had to restart the frame the same day I was meant to give it to my mentor.  Below is an image of the final frame.

Instead of encasing the magnets in acrylic the new frame left the magnets exposed to promote more magnetism. Below is the final result of the frame I had to redo the day it was due.

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Reflection

Going into this assignment I had high hopes for it to go smoothly and turn out exactly the way I intended.While I was still able to deliver the present to my mentor at the gift exchange party needing to reprint the entire acrylic frame set me back on starting on my portfolio process. Struggles aside I truly enjoyed getting to know my mentor and I think it’s safe to say I made a new friend during the process. Moving forward I will try to plan for unexpected errors but ultimately this critical error fell out of my control. Overall, I am very happy with how the gift turned out. I hope in years to come after Cori graduates that she will be able to take this gift with her and look back at her journey at Ohio State. 

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Final Work

View the final project at Gifting Design

Statement of Intent

This project focused on creating a composition that visually illustrates and represents deep space by using paper layering techniques to emphasize depth and space. Testing different elements of light to reveal a hidden or surprise element. Incorporating the elements and principles of design into the composition to efficiently emphasize deep space. To create deep space, we experimented with 3D to 2D forms and used image builder techniques through supportive vocabularies: gestalt principles, interior/exterior volume, positive/negative space, static and dynamic, organic/geometric, concrete/ abstraction. This project involved both hand and digital experimenting while exploring which method can best support our design intentions.

Concept Statement

For my composition I wanted to portray the feeling of good and evil. To create this narrative, I split my composition into two parts. I wanted the top layer to be centered around the good/innocent narrative and the bottom hidden layer to be the evil/chaos narrative. To incorporate the hidden element into my project I decided to make the bottom layer completely hidden from the naked eye. I wanted the bottom layer of evil/chaos to be a surprise and creepy element. This helped play on another narrative that nothing is ever what it seems to be. I was able to get inspiration from a tunnel book created by Andrea Dezso. I pulled images of silhouettes off the internet to use in my project. I altered each image slightly in Illustrator to make it my own before incorporating it into my project. To make details on the bottom’s layers standout when the light element was introduced, I etched the outline of the cave into the back of the first layer to thin down the material to help the light easily pass through the paper. I am very pleased with how my project turned out and enjoyed playing with the light element.

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Ideation

Before starting the assignment, we did an exercise to practice using vectors, exploring positive and negative space of our initials, and learning the importance of picking a font that provides exploration of positive and negative space. We were instructed to use the negative space of our initial to “hide” an image that communicates something about ourselves. Below are images of me testing out different fonts and personal images to include.

 We were also required to include a maximum of 3 removable “puzzle” parts per initial. This font will allow me to create “puzzle” parts by incorporating a mountain, climber, and fire into the negative space of a K.

Below is a sketch of my initial design.

This project required us to use the laser cutter and get familiar with the settings. To correctly save my file to print on the laser cutter the art board had to be 36” by 24” and the point had to be set to either 0.072 or 0.001. I decided to cut my initials out of acrylic to create a key chain.

I was very happy with how my initial turned out and I was easily able to slide a key chain through the hole I added to the top left of the K.

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Iteration and Production

Right away I thought of how light is a representation of life. I originally wanted to create a composition that showcased a man’s walk-through life. Starts as an infant and ends at death. I played with this idea and below are some of the iterations I came up with.

The other ideas I had consisted of a little girl looking through the door and when light was  introduced creepy furniture and monsters would appear around her, I also had an idea to create a scene of a camel crossing the desert and use the light to show the different hills, and lastly I thought about creating a scene of a man and boy on a park bench in front of a pond and use the light to create a reflection.

After talking with my professor, we agree that my composition displaying a man’s walk-through life was my strongest idea. However, my idea did lack deep space and after drawing different iterations to figure out how to combine my idea with deep space. Below are the many attempts I did to try and get this idea to work.

I tried to sketch the ideas out on paper and digitally to help get a clearer visual image in my head, but something felt like it was missing each time. After talking with my professor, I decided to change my idea completely. I found a tunnel book created by Andrea Denzo, below is the inspirational work I found.

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I decided to take a different approach and think of a different idea. This tunnel book inspired me to create a composition using the idea of innocent and evil. I wanted to use the light to reveal more than just a few details, so I decided to split the visual into two different parts. The top would be exposed and visible without using light. When I think of what resembles calm and innocent I think of a little girl, in the middle of the woods surrounded by deer eating grass. On the bottom hidden from first glance will be the evil chaos. I will incorporate fire, demons, chains, and cages to create a dark narrative. Below is a sketch of my idea.

Once I had a basic idea of the route, I wanted to take I looked online for silhouette art to use for importation. Below are pictures of the silhouettes I collected to use in my layers.

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Once I found all the images, I wanted I started creating the paper layers on Illustrator. I first started tracing each image by using the pen tool. I was a little worried because each image took me a while to trace and alter. I learned about the image tracing toll and began using that to trace each image. This technique worked a lot faster and created a more accurate vision of the image. Below is a picture of me using the image trace tool and ungrouping the image to remove it from its background.

After tracing and altering the images, I started to create the different layers. Below is a sketch of how I wanted the layers to turn out.

After creating the files, I used the laser cutter to cut my layers out of Bristol. My hope was for the evil hidden elements to be revealed when light was introduced. After printing my layers, I put them in an acrylic apparatus to see how they turned out.

Although you can see the demons well the front layer isn’t as transparent with the light as I would like it to be. I attempted to sand down the Bristol to make the paper thinner. This did help the details stand out more but still not as clear as I would like it to be. After doing a soft review with a small group of students I received the advice to work on making the front layer more see through, and  less detailed trees to enhance deep space, and add more detail to the bottom layers. After receiving this advice, I went back to my files and made some changes.

 

 

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Reflection

Overall, I am very happy with how my project turned out. Although my project focused more on a narrative, I believe I was still able to convey and focus on deep space. I was very intentional with every layer and used scale to convey depth. If I had to change anything about this project, I wish I would’ve iterated more with light. I could’ve displayed more detail and had the hidden element be more interactive. If I were to do this project again, I would design the demon/ghost spirts to be reactive to the light. I would like them to feel like they are moving by moving the light back and forth. Although I had a minor setback and a quick design change, I’m proud for working past some of the designer block I had. Throughout this project I would struggle to visualize my ideas, so I tried digital and then back to drawing and once I got stuck again, I went back to digital. I think this really helped me push past the initial designers block I had on my first idea. I was able to ideate enough to realize my initial idea would’ve turn out the way I wanted it to. I thoroughly enjoyed working on this project.

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Final Work

View the final project at Layers

Statement of Intent

This assignment allowed us to explore the relationship between 2D shapes and 3D forms by learning how to observe and construct a 2D object into a 3D form by practicing orthographic drawing both by hand and digitally. The goal of this assignment was to construct a 3D polyhedron using a single sheet of “14 x 17” Bristol or card stock. Throughout this assignment we practiced using accurate measurements and crafting technique when gluing our net template together. We were able to borrow a template we found online or create our own. Once we selected our 3D form, we focused on creating the net template. The 3D form I chose to use for this project was a Half Closed Hexagonal Kaleidocycle. I managed to find a template for my shape using this website.

Half Closed Hexagonal Kaleidocycle Net Template 

This assignment has two parts, the first part focuses on the raw 3D form and how it was originally designed. The second part allowed us to choose whether we wanted to incorporate Modularity, Negative space, Comparison, or Surfaces and Illusions into our original 3D form. Modularity could be used by repeating your 3D form and joining them together, Negative space could be used in this assignment to cut into our shapes and create doors, windows, etc., Comparison allows us to play with the dynamics of our form. Surface and Illusions could be incorporated into this assignment by using line, shape, shading, and mark making.

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Ideation

In class we did 2 different exercises before we choose which 3D form, we planned on using for this assignment. To better understand how a 2D form is translated into a 3D form we were first tasked with trying to create The Perfect Cube. This exercise helped me better understand how important exact measurements are and it also allowed me to practice the crafting skills I would use to create my 3D form.  

The second exercise taught us how to create a digital orthographic drawing of a perfect cube. This exercise helped me create an accurate digital template of my own 3D form. I also learned the difference between using a solid line versus a dashed line and what both lines represent.

Solid = Cut

Dashed = Fold

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Iteration and Production

While I was reading through the project brief, I started to think about a toy my friends and I would commonly play with when I was little. This toy was an Origami Fortune Teller and can be made from just a single piece of paper. This toy uses a specific folding pattern to create a fortune teller. Writing colors or words in certain folds that would only appear if a certain pinch pull motion occurred. This shape immediately caught my eye, and I began trying to find a 3D form of an Origami Fortune Teller.

I was successful with my research and discovered a shape called a Kaleidocycle. A Kaleidocycle is a flexible polyhedron that is formed by connecting 6 tetrahedra on opposite edges. While there were a ton of different templates to choose from, I narrowed in on the Half Closed Hexagonal Kaleidocycle. The website I got this design from had three different perspectives on what the Half Closed Hexagonal Kaleidocycle looked like folded up. I was drawn to the shapes the Half Closed Hexagonal Kaleidocycle created when it turned. When it turns the paper creates an equilateral triangle and hexagon. I was drawn to the natural negative space this 3D form created when it turned. My first attempt at creating this shape did not go very well. I mistakenly assumed the triangles pictures in the template were equilateral triangles, they were not. My first iteration did not turn at all due to this fluke.

        

After this discovery I made a new net and tried again this time I got the results I wanted.

                                 

I started to play with shadows and how the position of the shape altered the shadow it created.

      

I knew illusion would be a part of my final form, but I wasn’t sure how I was going to incorporate it into my shape. I wanted play and movement to be a part of my project, so I designed a box with a light on the top and a basket made from fish wire to hold the shape. My hope was that the light would create a shadow exposing the shapes the Half Closed Hexagonal Kaleidocycle created when it was turned. The shape could also be removed from the fish wire basket and rearranged to create a different shadow.

            

I thought my idea was good but looking back at the project brief I realized I might of stray a little too far from the goal this assignment. After talking to one of my professors I realized I had to completely change my idea. With the idea of my shape constantly turning I chose to use card-stock instead of Bristol.

I knew I still wanted to incorporate Illusion into my assignment while still incorporating negative space. This is the moment I decided to cut into my shape with the goal of creating an illusion by using the negative space.

I was happy with the outcome of this decision and decided to make it my final project using Option 3 (Negative Space) and 4 (Illusion).

Final 3D Form

  

Final 3D Form: Negative Space & Illusion

In Motion

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Reflection

This assignment helped me fully understand the importance of accuracy, craft, and translation between a 2D to 3D form. I really enjoyed exploring the different options this assignment focused on, Modularity, Comparison, Negative Space, and Illusion and Surfaces. I had fun learning how to properly create an orthographic drawing both by hand and digitally. Looking back, I am happy with the shape I selected, it allowed me incorporate movement, play, and surprise into my final assignment. Most Kaleidocycle can constantly turn, in the beginning stages of this assignment the first two iterations I created did not turn fully. It wasn’t until my professor walked over and pushed my Kaleidocycle past the resistance the Bristol was giving that I realized it did turn like it was supposed to., I just had to trust my design. For me that was a breakthrough in this project, and it really pushed me to want to trust myself more in the long run.

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Final Work

View the final project at Observation & Communication

Statement of Intent

For this assignment, we were instructed to use one-point perspective or two point perspective to create our own private studio space. In this space we were required to include an architectural detail, an object that defies gravity in some way, an object that signifies an activity such as work or play, and a personal item that is no larger than a person. We created a grid unit to use as a guide to measure and properly scale objects within our studio space. I’ve had an image of this room in my head ever since I was little and I couldn’t wait to make this room my own personal space.

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Ideation

To begin the design process for our studios, we first had to understand how to form objects using linear perspective. In class we first worked on drawing straight confident lines. 

   

Next we worked on creating planes by drawing 4 dots and connecting them to each other and then connecting the dots diagonally. 

     

We then worked on drawing an ellipse and incorporating planes into the ellipse.

   

After that we worked using one point perspective to turn squares into cubes by connecting the squares to a vanishing point. 

      

From there we worked on creating a cylinder, triangle prism, and a cube with a hole

   

After I learned how to use linear perspective techniques to better understand the units of measurement that we would be using to construct our studio space we were instructed to draw a still life using the skills we had just learned. 

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Iteration and Production

Before designing our studio space we practiced drawing objects like furniture, windows, and wall decor on a smaller grid to better understand what it felt like to design a space. After I felt comfortable with the way my couch, windows, door, and wall decor turned out I started drawing a grid for my studio space that met the room requirements for this assignment.

I started off by adding stairs into my space, originally I wanted to have a 2 story studio space.

 

After realizing I would have to change the grid completely by increasing the height of the ceiling I scratched that idea and began putting  the larger objects into my studio space.

  

After drawing the window into my studio space I decided to change the  appearance from a straight across ceiling to cathedral design, I felt the cathedral ceiling really complemented the size of the window. Throughout class I focused on adding a little sitting bench underneath the window, a desk, wall decor, shelving, and a rug into my studio space. While designing this studio space I focused on creating a space where I would feel the most comfortable to express my creativity and explore potential ideas.

I continued to add more personalized objects to my studio space like a calendar, whiteboard, couch and coffee table, desk chair, and objects onto the shelves.

I completed my studio space by adding a blanket and pillows onto the couch, and my object that defies gravity is the cat tree located in the front left of my studio space.

Below is my final composition

Architectural Detail-The window centered along the back wall of the room.

Object that defies gravity- Cat tower

Object that signifies an activity such as work or play- Whiteboard I will use to doodle or sketch ideas.

Personal item that is no larger than a person- my cat Oliver located on top of the cat tower in his box.

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Reflection

Every step of the way I enjoyed this project. Overall, what I think I enjoyed the most about this project was getting to learn how to draw in one point and two point perspective. I also enjoyed learning how to properly design a room and fill it with objects that are accurate to the unit of measurement I was working with. When I was little I would often come up with different designs for my bedroom but would fall short in the accuracy department. I truly feel I built my studio space around what makes me, me. If I had to change anything about this assignment I think I would go back and push myself to include a second story within this space. It was my original idea but because it was my first time working with a grid system I chose not pursue it. The biggest takeaway I have after completing  this assignment is to have fun with a blank space. In hindsight I could’ve designed this space anyway I wanted to within the restrictions of the assignment. Looking back with the knowledge I have now I would be excited to create a new space again and truly see what more I could add to my studio space.

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Final Work

View the final project at Structure