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Concept Statement

For this project, I had Brooke Koch as my mentor. When I met with her, she placed a heavy focus on sentimental gifts and the emotional connections she has with them. Only having known her for a short period of time, I thought the best way to incorporate this feeling of sentimentality and nostalgia was through her progress as a designer. I chose the quote, “Innovation is often the ability to reach into the past and bring back what is good, what is beautiful, what is useful, what is lasting” by Dorothy May Kinnicutt because it fit well with the idea of look through her design history. I demonstrated her journey from her first year of college as an engineer major to her experience as a second year interior design student through different patterns and abstractions. I kept the shape of the form similar to that of the Hayes Hall arch to emphasize the impact this design program has had on her. For the color, Brooke said she wanted to learn more about color theory, so I implemented a split complementary color palette into my design. The panels are removable so she can add more as she develops in her discipline. Overall, the purpose of this piece is to highlight Brooke’s past and future path as a designer.

Research

I met with my mentor Brooke to get to know her a little better.

I looked up designers Charles and Ray Eames and I took inspiration from these images:

Eames Chair

I loved the simplicity and the soft edges of the chair, which I sought to incorporate into my design.

Ray Eames Pattern

This pattern, while it is structured, has a sort of randomness about it, which intrigued me.

Exercises

Exercise 1

I made a container for my compass. The packaging looks like a directional compass as a play on words and to give the viewer a hint as to what is inside.

Iterations

I then decided I wanted to make a display for the charm bracelet her grandma got her.

View full iterations at Package and Gift Iterations

I then realized that I wanted to incorporate more of her as a designer into the gift.

She said her favorite style was minimalism, so I wanted to keep the outside packaging simple, while the actual gift challenges that idea.

Refined iterations:

Prototypes

Here are a few from prototypes I made with chipboard and paper.

Production

Materials Used:

Paper

-printer

-card-stock

-water color

-chip board

Glue

-spray adhesive

-tacky glue

Paint

-acrylic

I began making abstractions from the rooms 224 and 225, since that it where Brook spends and will spend most of her time in Hayes and turned them into a pattern. I took abstractions from the chairs, tables lights, pipes, racks, windows, and the room numbers.

I then started making my files in illustrator in order to cut them on the Cricut. The abstractions for the first panel are mathematic symbols from her first year of engineering, and the second panel serves as the transition from that to where she is now.

I cut one of the abstractions from each panel to encourage Lauren to keep opening them. I then started to paint them with acrylic paint. I liked the way the brush strokes looked because it added some much needed depth/texture. I thought the color palette enhanced the idea of color theory while keeping it minimalistic on the outside.

 

I added highlights in blue, yellow, and white, which are split complementary to the pink/red.

After that, I used a combination of tacky glue and spray adhesive to hold the paper together. I then added the definition of history according to dictionary.com to give a hint as to what the gift was. I included her quote on the inside of the back panel and her initials on the outside (cut on Cricut).

Final Images

Here is a video of Brooke that shows the interactive removal of the packaging and the revealing of the inside.

Overall, this project was a great way for me to design for a specific person in mind. I had to incorporate not only my interests, but also Brooke’s. I would have loved to use different materials, but I needed a flexible material to form the shape of the piece, so paper seemed to be the best option. One problem I ran into was my paper being warped by the paint, but I was able to fix most of that by placing a heavy book on top of it.

View Final Portfolio Project at Gifting Design

 

Narrative

There once was a time, not so long ago, that Man had to take on a new battle. The Covid-19 pandemic shook Man to its core. There was a heightened sense of confinement due to a newly isolated lifestyle. Alone and fearful, there seemed to be no way out. The most hopeless days turned into hopeless nights, and the darkest months turned into the darkest years. But, out of the ashes arose a small, yet mighty glimmer of hope. Nature, in all her beauty, stood strong. Where Man felt stuck, Nature began to thrive. Vibrant greenery and odorous flowers sprung up everywhere. A new relationship began to develop, not within Man itself, but between Man and Nature. In Man’s imprisonment, Nature reached out her hand to release it from its binds. She offered it an escape from its constraining way of life. Where there once lied two separate entities, now lies one unbreakable bond. While man still faces many challenges, Nature has planted a new seed of hope within it.

Research

When starting my mask, I had to research what material would work best.  My original thought was to use cardstock and Bristol.

Paper tests

I liked the rigidness of these tests, but the paper would not give me the tight fit I was looking for.

I then began to experiment with fabric, and while I was in my dorm room, I saw some extra storage bins I had. They were covered in a rough, gray fabric, which I thought would work really well with my concept.

I was looking for a template to get inspiration from, and I found this one on Etsy. Unfortunately the link is no longer available, but the shop name is “Stassklass”

Iterations

In class, Megan and I created potential forms for our concept of Man and Nature. We traded forms every ten minutes and added our own elements on to them. Here are the results:

I used Sketchbook and Illustrator to draw other iterations of my mask.

View Full iterations pdf at Mask Iterations

Exercise 1

I listened to the podcast “Masking for a Friend” to learn more about the use of masks, and get a better foundation for my mask.

Production

I began my process by creating a template based on the one mentioned in the “Research” section.

I cut out two pieces of the fabric from the template. I used a “running stitch” to connect the two pieces of fabric. I used embroidery string to sew almost all of my mask.

I ended up disconnecting the neck and face parts because I found it looked better so sew them separately. In order to give my mask more support, I sewed in a wire into the neck part and the outer lining.

I felt the outside of the mask looked too bare, so I laced a leather string through the  stitches.

I created a template for a lining on the inside to give it more support. I thought of doing it in green, but ended up using gray to emphasize the feeling of confinement.

On the outside of my mask, I added green fabric to the back, which tied it more into Megan’s.

For my “lock” mechanism I thought about using strings to tie it closed. However, that didn’t provide nearly enough support, so I decided to use the same wire I had sewn into the mask to make the clasp. With the lock, I also wanted it to tie into the idea that Nature sets Man free, so I used the same leaves as Megan’s mask. I punched holes into the leaves so my wires could connect and secure the back of the mask together. To put the leaves on my mask, I used hot glue.

The clasp was the last major part on my mask. I then secured some of the raw edges on the inside with hot glue to give it a cleaner appearance. I also added black string to the front of the mask in an “x” pattern to make the mask look even more suffocating.

The interaction between our masks was her unclipping my mask then taking a flower off of hers and handing it to me.

Final Images

Overall, this project was a great way to build my teamwork skills within my class. Along with working with another person, I was also able to develop my skills in other areas as well (sewing, hand-cutting, prototyping, etc.).

View final portfolio project at Mask-Up

Research

Exercises

Exercise 1

For exercise one, we had to use one of our initials and use the negative space to form a picture (Gestalt Principles).

Gestalt PowerPoint used in class Gestalt Principles

I began researching different fonts that could work for my composition.

I tried Zapfino, Courier New, Copperplate and American Typewriter.

I also had to decide what I wanted to fit into the negative space of the “R.” I made a list about some of the most prominent parts of my life/things that I enjoy.

Exercise Ideations

I decided on American Typewriter because I felt the square shape and relaxed look would pair well with the coffee theme

In Illustrator, I continued with the idea of the coffee cup and manipulated the font to better fit the outline of the mug. This meant that I had increase the width of the whole letter.

I used the laser cutter to get the “R” into a physical form.

To get an idea of what “deep space” was, my group and I created a list of words that made us think of depth.

I used a mind-map to visualize what deep space actually means. I thought of more physical ways like mountains, caves, but also more metaphorical like the process or deeper meaning of something.

When I was choosing the concept of my project, I was quarantined. Being unable to go to class and be around others left me feeling very isolated from the outside world. Therefore, the concept of “isolation” became very real to me and inspired my project.

Later research I did was on the two figures in my composition. I do not have much experience drawing people, so I needed a guide.

View guide photos/ research at Figures & Hands

After the project was complete, we practiced more with color theory and hue/saturation.

Concept Statement

In 2021, more people are familiar with the meaning of isolation than ever before and are seemingly disconnected from the outside world. In this project, through layers of card stock and the use of contrast and scale, isolation is portrayed in a more tangible, visible way to connect to the world’s current state. Two figures are placed at a great distance from each other. They are noticeably a stark white in comparison with the landscape separating them to highlight their connection and desire to be together. The contrasting sizes between the figures and the outstretched hand emphasize the vast distance and isolation between them and creates a deep sense of longing. The inside of the house is left noticeably bare to show that the large figure is completely alone in addition to being disconnected from the other. Through the layers of the cave, waves, and the house, the hope of contact is out of reach.

Iterations

During class, I created a few iterations that I felt represented that strong feeling of loneliness/isolation. I used aspects of nature like trees and mountains along with forms of people. I was drawn to the use of scale and contrast, so I continued to build off of those principles moving forward.

 

View more iterations at Project Iterations

Production

I began changing the settings in my illustrator file to make the layers suitable for the laser cutter and Cricut.

When I used the Cricut for the first time, I realized that for my project, the Cricut would be the most effective in that I had a few small cuts, and there was no risk of burning my paper.

I cut out waves using the Cricut and began to experiment with how I wanted to put my whole layers together. I tried the accordion method.

For my cave, I planned on using the Cricut, but due to limited available time, I decided to cut them by hand. I then used a nail file to smooth the edges.

My figures were cut with Cricut as well, and I made sure to that the difference in scale was drastic.

After I cut-out smaller pieces, I used the Cricut again to cut my back piece. I cut out stars and a moon so the composition was lit on the inside.

I tried another way of layering my pieces with cardboard, which made the layers closer together and offered more stability. This is the method I ultimately decided to move forward with.

 

I drew a rough sketch to create a game plan for how I was going to finish the assembly.

For the front of the composition, I made a couple versions of a wall with windows with the Cricut. I went with the second one because there was less obstruction, and I added tabs. I was not original going to include a house, but it added a much needed layer to enhance the feeling of isolation

I then hand cut a front piece to attach my large figure to and used tacky glue to connect them.

I then attached the waves, cave, and the back panel to the front of the house with glue.

After I had the inside complete, I began to work on the outside. I cut everything on the outside (roof, walls, side pieces) by hand.

I wanted to clean up the edges like I did with the front panel, so I made a lining for each side of the front.

I wanted to make the sides and back cohesive to the inside, so I cut out more mountains to glue on them.

Final Outcome

See previous pictures for back and side view

Overall, this project was a great way to become familiar with new tools like the Cricut and laser cutter and also improve my hand skills. Due to the long period of time we had to work on it, I was able to develop my concept even further and explore new ideas. In the future, I would love to be even more ambitious with both my concept and craft.

View Project Portfolio Page at Deep Space

Research

I found examples of natural and man-made patterns and created some abstractions. I found that many of them had similar movements and shapes.

See full citations list at Abstractions Citations

I also looked up the history of mandalas to get a better understanding of their significance. Below are the links to the websites I found:

Website 1

Website 2

I found that they are of great spiritual importance in Buddhism, and represent a joyful/peaceful world. Knowing the background of the mandala gave this project so much more importance.

Exercises

A4 Exercise 1

I used an abstraction from a peppermint candy and a grapefruit for my pattern. I used varying sizes and changed the orientation, which created a sense of rhythm within the pattern. I chose these specific abstractions because of their underlying movement.

Production

I began by creating many iterations and ideas of mandalas. I was focusing on the principle of directional movement with rhythm as my secondary principle.

Iterations

Mandala Abstraction Organization/Grid Design

I experimented with different mandala grids to put my abstractions into. I found a few online as my guides. I also tried different abstractions from a fan, cartoon sun, volleyball, rock, tree, peppermint candy, and grapefruit. View full mandala iterations pdf at Mandala Iterations

View Mandala Grid Inspiration at Mandala Grids

 

I reviewed one of my mandalas and evaluated it based on different categories. It was very useful in that it determined what was working well and what needed to change.

Color Experimentation

I tested out many different color harmonies using Adobe Color. I tried analogous harmonies, but found I was most drawn to monochromatic and split complementary palettes because the hues seemed to flow into each other and amplified the directional movement.

We uploaded our mandalas to Miro to receive feedback.

After reading my peer reviews, I began to experiment with the white space by adding a background color and an inner circle.

Final Mandalas

In addition to the changes I had already made, I decided to experiment with the direction of my arrows and add another inner circle (shape of peppermint candy). I chose these color harmonies because they added depth and a sense of movement withtheir contrast and gradients. On the split-complementary mandala, I added a gradient to emphasize the rotational movement. I did end up keeping the same abstractions though (tree, fan, cartoon sun, grapefruit, and peppermint candy).

If I were to do anything differently to my mandala, I would add more detailed abstractions and experiment with more complex grids. Overall, this project was a great opportunity to learn more about a different culture and design techniques. I have a much greater and appreciation for color theory as well.

View final portfolio project at Patterning and Abstractions

Research

I began my research by revisiting my shape from the Point, Line, Plane, assignment to find a shape for my 3D Translation.

I decided on this cross shape to begin my process because it was simple but still contained many interesting components.

Exercises

The first exercise we did was creating a perfect cube. I found a template online to follow, and I used glue to put it together.

The first exercise we did was creating an orthographic and an isometric drawing of the letter “F.” I realized how much simpler using these drawings can make the actual construction part.

After I completed my drawings, I constructed the “F” with my Bristol. I used tape to hold the form together for efficiency instead of glue.

Iterations

I made my cross shape into a 3D form.

 

View Full PDF of iterations at 3D Iterations

For our final exercise, I began by creating a few variations for my final shape. I wanted a shape that added a lot of dimension without becoming overwhelming and distracting. I ended up combing two of my variations to create my shape.

Production

I began by creating templates for my 3D shape. After I made a hand drawn template, I finalized it on Illustrator.

 

 

I then constructed it, and after I was complete, I made some notes for measurements and parts to fix.

After making some of the minor adjustments, I decided to scale the whole shape up by 1.5” to make construction easier.

 

 

I used that template to construct my 3D shape.

Then with my test shape, I experimented with negative space to add more dimension and interest to my shape.

I liked the negative space concept, but I did not like the tunnel because it seemed too open. I ended up using windows instead of tunnels to incorporate negative space.

In my shape, I added square pyramids inside of the windows. I had 2 2.5” pyramids and one 1.5” pyramid.

In this project, I learned the importance of exploration. There is no real failure with exploration because it is simply trying new things that excite you. I also learned the importance of craft, which I want to improve in the future. Overall, this project got me thinking outside of the box and made me eager to design more.

Comparison

Both of my figures still contain the same cross plane. For my second figure, I decided to go with negative space as windows because I wanted to evoke a sense of surprise. The pyramids are a kind of hidden treasure in the form. There is an excitement that comes when one looks into the shape because the added dimensions are unexpected.

Overall, this project pushed me to develop my form building. Despite errors with craft, I was able to develop my skills an extremely beneficial way.

View final portfolio project at 2D to 3D Translation