Finally, Something I Enjoyed

This last week, I decided to go to a dance rehearsal with my boyfriend. Once in the HHP building, though, we passed some of our other friends in a dance class. Being friends with the teacher, Caitlin Spencer, we asked what they were doing. [roller coaster] It sounded fun and I asked if I could go with them instead of going to the rehearsal. We ended up on College Ave. with a bucket of chalk. Within this last semester of IARC, this was the first time that it was nice and sunny outside at a time that I wasn't in studio. (usually, it is either, cold, windy, raining, or a combination of the three) Caitlin, the instructor, was developing a site specific performance, that was meant to engage the audience and the dancers [behind] in the space.

We started out writing down words or sentences describing feelings and instances about how people interact in an environment and the concept of a personal space affects proximity of people. [i feel uncomfortable] Then we took some of the strongest words and ideas and wrote them in chalk inside of the grey circle in front of Jackson Library. In the center of the circle, we colored the center stone to celebrate the point. [ahead]

For the performance, the audience gathered at the start of College Ave. across from the Music Building. One of the dancers, Dominique, was with them. [i-40] The rest of us were stationed at the opposite end of the walkway, near Spring Garden. On cue, Dominique began to draw a chalk-line down the center of College Ave. Unsure, the audience followed her. Simultaneously, we began to make our way towards the grey circle, drawing designs on the pavement on the way, all the while calling out words and quotes from our previous brainstorm. [don't make eye contact] The closer the audience got to us, still following a silent Dominique, the more aware they were of what we were saying as well as our movements.

When we all met at the center circle, we formed a ring around it, with the dancers facing the audience. [really] Dominique stepped into the circle, stepped on the center block and began circulating through the circle. The rest of us followed her example, stepping on the center block, all the while calling out words which the viewers could now see were written inside the circle. [strangers] Then we moved out of the circle and began to move throughout the audience- weaving in and out of their personal spaces. Then, we all lined up on on the chalk-line that was drawn by Dominique. [hold hands] As we moved down the line, we focused on repeating the words as we tried to erase the line with our feet and hands. The audience was left to follow us, watching as we erased the very path that they had originally followed to meet us. [erase]

This performance was very fun, interesting and informative. With it, we investigated how people are willing to follow someone simply because the assert some presence of authority, as did Dominique. People also will follow by example, such as the audience did when we created a ring around the circle. It was exhilarating focusing on how we perceive our personal spaces and how we behave in groups, especially when we have little or no instruction. [idk]

When we started the process, I was immediately reminded of the pathways, edges and boundaries project. We were supposed to study people in the parking lot environment and how they interacted with the space. The performance I did, though, was equally as informative, but instead of relying on the subject having to choose their own pathway, we actually applied our own visual cues for the subject to base their actions on.

It was a great experience for me and I took a lot of good inspiration from it that I can definitely apply to my designs. (and it was through the dance department, not iarc!) Experiences like this are often the best learning opportunities, especially when you don't know what exactly you're getting into.

Road Rules opus

[this is a pic of my boyfriend in a dance he did recently.  he was portraying the life of his choreographer and the girl is portraying the man's mother.]

roots

Most people will say that it is important pay homage to your roots. Things from your past affect things in your present and future, and it is common to say that you should let your past shine through. However, I think that most arguments along this line are stupid. I feel that, yes, everyone has a past, but it is more important to live in the present and think about the future. Not to say that pulling inspiration from the past is wrong or dumb, but sometimes dwelling on past events can hinder and more contemporary event.
With design, there are obvious patterns, styles and techniques. These were set in the past and are still implemented today.

[these are two ideas that i've had for the window installment project.  my idea started out with simple, vertical lines and then developed into a combination of verticals and horizontals. . . i am still developing the idea even further.]

congruence

Congruence deals with how two or more items are related. In our design classes, our professors stress the development of our ideas into something beyond our initial inspirations. Every project we've worked on has been a distant extraction of the stories that we read at the beginning of the semester. In my French class I constantly try to relate things back to Spanish and Latin, which I have also studied, in hopes of being ale to better understand my teacher. These languages are all Romance languages and have many similarities. In this way, congruence relates directly with the idea of roots. Even when you have many differences with something, it is still possible to trace similarities back to something else.

[this is a drawing i did while eating lunch at uva.  the concept of the restaurant was to showcase artwork.  the walls were a bright periwinkle color and made it a very light, inviting area.]

concept

The concept of a project can always change, even if in the final stages of development. But, it is nonetheless important to have a concept to a design in order to make sure the design is unified and makes sense. Working with the concept of manipulating light, I’ve had to think about different ways to do this. There is the option to let in as much light as possible, to filter it or to block it out entirely. With our most recent assignment, I have decided on the concept of private light. At this point, I plan to arrange slats across the window at my desk that, to anyone away from my desk, would appear to limit the amount of light that passes through them. However, once seated at my desk, if I were to look at the window treatment, the slats seem to disappear due to the angles at which I have set them. The overall concept of the project is to have unified window designs throughout the class. Therefore, my own concept might change to better match the flow of ideas through the studio.

[this is a view of the kitchen space that i designed recently.  theoretically, i am using wood floors, stone work on the wall, granite counters, stainless steel and glass.  the column is meant to be a light fixture.]

materiality

Material choice is a hugely important decision in design. It determines cost of the project, the aesthetic ‘temperature’, textures, colors, et al. Materials such as wood, ceramics and plush fabric often create a warm and cozy environment. Warm colors, like reds, oranges, etc., also help. Metals, slick fabrics, plastics and glasses can induce a cool, active mood. They are more reflective and bounce light through a space.

Another decision to make is whether or not to use local materials, or materials that would easily blend with the environment or immediate surroundings. Choosing a material that comes from the site makes it seem a part of the area and usually doesn’t stand out as a impediment to the eye. You can also use materials that compliment the surroundings with texture, color, scale, etc., which will make a design look fitting to the environment.

[this is a drawing i did on site at fallingwater.  naturally speaking, there was an overwhelming amount of rhododendrons in the area that had a great presence in front of the house.]

compression : release

When we visited Monticello, the uses of compression and release were apparent in interior spaces versus the landscaping. Outside the structure are large lawns, wide paths and gardens and an amazing view of the horizon due to being on top of a hill. Inside the house, though, many rooms are small and tight. There are very narrow doorways and stairwells that can seem to make being in the space feel crowded.
More so, compression and release are the focus of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwaters. The mountain on which the house was built hugs the structure with its rocks, trees and other natural elements. The house has very strong horizontals that seem to bring the structure closer to the earth. Then, inside the house, visitors find themselves in a wide, open great room, flooded with natural light. Interestingly, Wright’s choice in uncommonly low ceilings create a cozy feeling, while keeping your focus at eyelevel and looking outward. The compression of the ceilings is reminiscent of a cave. The deeper you get into the house, the less natural light is incorporated, and therefore the spaces become more intimate. The overall celebration in Wright’s impeccable design is clearly the natural surroundings. Aided by the severe compression of the house, a grand sense of release is apparent when one goes from inside to out.

Grammer:Syntax

Audience, in design, refers to the intended viewer for whom the product was designed. Audiences can be put into many categories such as age, gender, family, mature, interest, subject, etc. For example, as school playground would have a very young audience where as a retirement home has a very old audience. Libraries are intended for a quiet, studious audience while a stadium is made for rowdy, cheering fans. Many public places are kept generic, such as medical offices as business places, to satisfy aesthetic needs of many types of people. Interestingly, the intended audience of an auditorium is an actual audience. In this type of space, seating is supplied in a way that the focus of the viewer is directed towards a stage or similar point. Abramovitz’ Lincoln Center in New York is home to the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. “From the ceiling, elongated hexagons were suspended as ‘acoustical clouds’ to disperse the sound to the audience (Roth, 82).”


However, there was a major flaw in Abramovitz’ design. “Among several problems, the sound was unevenly dispersed throughout the hall. Eventually, a number of important soloists and orchestras flatly refused to perform there (Roth, 82).” Thus, architect Philip Johnson and acoustical consultant Cyril Harris revised the design to make it more effective as a concert hall. Revisions are crucial if the first iteration of a design doesn’t fully realize its goal. Literally, a revision is a second attempt a realizing a vision. Many things go through revisions: constitutions, laws, term papers, movies, songs, buildings, etc. If it is found that the rules or ideas put into a product no longer apply or function, a revision is in order so as to replenish the usefulness of the product. It is like giving something a character uplift.


Character is what is unique about a design.

Macro to Micro, words of the week

Porch, Court & Hearth

The Megaron

The idea of a porch, court and a heart was first mainstreamed by the ancient Greeks. On a Greek temple, a porch refers to the colonnade that surrounds the building. The court is the open area inside the porch and can carry on into the temple. The hearth of a Greek temple is where the main focus is. It is often more enclosed than other features and can house artifacts and sculptures to honor the patron gods and goddesses. In the case of the Grecian Megaron, “at the center of the principal room was a raised circular hearth, suggesting the room was open at the top (Roth 186)”. These features, of course, can translate into any subject of design. In my designs, specifically when drawing or illustrating, I like to think of my subject of the image as the hearth. It receives the most attention and gets the most detail. The court would be the negative space around the image, which is framed by the porch. With a drawing, the porch could be the framing technique that is used to showcase the item.


Composition

Church of Santa Maria
Drawing for a friend-requirements:Libra scales, hummingbirds and cherry blossoms.

Composition deals with how something is laid out and why. In the time of Gothic cathedrals, composition played a huge role in achieving the purpose and style of the buildings. Many cathedrals are designed in a cross shape. The dimensions used are taken from various lengths of each cathedral, thus giving the composition unified proportions. A cross–shaped composition means that the visitor must travel a lengthy bit, all the while taking in the heavenly splendor of the building, before they reach the hearth of the cathedral where the choir, apses, etc. are. Also, the composition often includes a dome where the four wings of the building meet. A dome was used to symbolize heaven enveloping the earth. Also, “light is a most effective element in … the creation of shrines and religious buildings (Roth 74).” In the church of Santa Maria della Vitoria in Rome, “the action is lit by a window hidden behind… the stage…. Everything else in the chapel is dimly lit, so that one’s eye is automatically drawn to that brightest spot in the entire composition (Roth 74).”
It is important to think of the context of a design when developing an affective composition. For instance, I have been creating several artifacts as of late dealing with black and white materials. To make a good composition with these factors, I have had to create a sense of balance and harmony between these two contrasting aspects.


Diagram

Map of UNCG
Diagram of a [dance] Studio Floor

Diagrams aid in explaining and expressing features of a space that can’t always openly be observed. They often show “ the relative components of function in different building types (Roth xiii).” Throughout campus, we have been working to diagram aspects of several important buildings. Personally, I have been working with the Elliot University Center. To diagram this, my group has looked at the context of the location, the function of the building, the circulation throughout is and the designers’ intent in the design of the building. The EUC is intended to be a place utilized by students to eat, shop, relax and enjoy fine arts. Our diagrams show the different zones within the building, as well as surrounding features and walking patterns. Also, it is important to include accurate floor plans of a building to portray accurate proportions of what the different functions are of the space and so that the viewer can see how the different features interact.



Impression

Cathedral
Flying buttresses of Amiens

Impressions are key to design. They determine how a viewer perceives your work. Also, by repeating elements and ideas taken from preexisting sources, a particular style can become apparent throughout a region. Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance…these styles are achieved by taking from the impressions cast by other artifacts. For instance, “Renaissance architecture sought clearly expressed numerical relationships in their designs(Roth 359).” In fact, they made, “columns so proportional that they were spaced exactly as far apart as they are tall (Roth 362).”
For me, it is crucial to think about the impressions my work will give when shown. It is important to maintain a level of originality, effort and craftsmanship in the things I create in order to be taken seriously as a designer. This is true of all designers as well as someone in any career.



Detail

Ionic Column
Detail of Omelet

The details of a design are what make it interesting, unique and desirable. Sometimes, it is important to recreate an artifact. If this is the case, a designer must pay meticulous attention to the details of the original in order to be fully credible. Designers von Klenze and Schinkel followed the designs of ancient Greeks and Romans. “They can be called Revivalist because of the fidelity to Greek and Roman source material in their details (Roth 425).”

In conclusion, it is important to think when designing. Is this what I intended it to look like? Is my idea clear? Is there enough? First off, it is necessary to develop a good composition before you try to make something, even if it takes more than one try. If you don't think that your creation fully gets the point across as well as you want, make diagrams available to the viewer to explain different aspects of the piece to help them understand it better. In the diagrams, and more importantly in the actual piece, pay attention to the micro-scale and add details to better personalize the piece. This helps with the overall impression that a viewer gains, whether good or bad. Finally, keep in mind the context of the image or object you are creating. With a picture, consider matting and framing it to define boundaries and make the picture pop. In a space, create boundaries and zones using things like landscaping, colors, textures, lighting, furniture, walls, etc.

Voices

Source: wings.buffalo.edu

Metric is a little tricky. Unconventionally, is is the sum of the parts of a whole, working together under a certain function. "In the baths of Caracalla, the largest in Rome, more than 1,600 bathers of one gender could be accommodated at one time in its sprawling 33 acres"(Roth, 267) Bathhouses are made up of many rooms: frigidariums, calidariums, tepidariums, changing rooms, exercise rooms, etc.
In class, I feel that the metric that we are working with is our eventual portfolios. With every project we finish, we add one more piece to our collection. Our portfolios will show off our work, with all of the BLOOD, SWEAT, and TEARS that we put into it.

Filling up my Brita pitcher

Column of Ste. Madeline

Moments occur everywhere and at all times. They are the still-lives that make up our existence. In our drawing class, capturing these moments has been the focus of our assignments. As part of the group that I have been working with, I have been drawing different moments inside of the Elliot University Center on campus. Stationed on the third floor, I have sought out places in the building that are unique and offer an interesting view of the site and the people utilizing it. The image that I drew above is another moment that I captured. Something as simple as filling a water pitcher is considered a moment because it is a single act that occurs in a certain environment.
Patrick has also been sharing moments with us via historical buildings. One moment that I found to be interesting took place on the capital of a column in the church of Ste. Madeline. It was an intricate carving of people fighting with a snake. "...Movement away from structural directness in favor of ornamental embellishment occurred in the late Gothic Period. In France, this attention to ornament appeared in decorative forms...", (Roth 342)Details such as this are defining moments in a space.

Before and after for our concrete idea
Wu-Wu

Presence is all about impression. What you feel when you first see or hear something. For studio, my PEB group has struggled to find an appropriate form for our concrete structures. We had decided on large, donut shaped pieces that would come out of the ground two feet. They would have a strong presence due to their verticality. However, due to some factors (Stoel) we have changed our plan. We (Stoel) have decided to give the forms a more horizontal presence and to focus more with the ground plane. This way, viewers will not feel as if their pathway is obstructed and they will not be as visually distracted by the objects that they are to be walking alongside.
The Ancient Romans were also very aware of the idea of presence. Unlike their Greek counterparts, they were focused on the façade of their buildings rather than the 360 degree effects. "Roman life focused on temporal comforts and pleasures, as the Roman bath well illustrates" (Roth 2007). Perhaps, though, one artifact that had the most impressive presence in ancient Rome was the wu-wu. These freestanding structures were placed in spots that were highly publicly visited and seen. They were massive columns that were made to represent regional leaders or figure-heads.

Positive/Negative space model
General basilica/cathedral shape

Duality is similar to the zodiacal sign, Gemini. It is like two unlike personalities merging into one unit. Excited and apathetic, black and white, toothpaste and orange juice… they all seem to be opposites yet one can find a happy medium if one were to look for one. With the many black & white projects that we have been making in studio, duality has been playing a large role. For mine, I have been unifying these unlike colors through texture, form and function. My most recent model was based off the ideas of positive and negative spaces. These two ideas share a great duality because you cannot have one without the other.
In architecture, duality is a common theme when trying to combine ideas. In many church structures, the shape of a cross is a very common theme. It has many geometric conventions, which make it a prime form to build. The cross also has many Christian implications, which supposedly bring the architecture closer to heaven. Another form common to Christian cathedrals it the dome. A "building type favored by the early Christians had a centralized plan, whether round, octagonal, or square" (Roth 280). Domes are often placed at the crux of the cross form where there is generally a square area. Squares and circles are obviously different and don’t obviously fit together. But the dome shape acts as a symbol of the heavens, the eye of god watching as he embraces the congregation. This ideal combined with the cross structure creates a great duality that turns the building into a religious icon of its environment.

Groin vaults of bathhouse
Cathedral
Kristina and my pic.

Precedents are what people use when they need an idea or else need to know how to develop their idea. Last semester, our studio class used many precedents for our projects. They allow you to look at things that you like and give you a learning chance to improve on the idea and make it unique to yourself. For the PEB project, Kristina and I researched precedents for the class to help with making concrete molds.
Historically, "it is clear that the Romans relied on Greek prototypes... for their inspiration," (Blakemore 61). They used Greek structures for their temples, Greek columns for their facades, and Greek gods for their religion. Using some of their own technology, though, they developed arches and, later, domes. Barrel vaults and groin vaults became their precedent for their many public bathhouses. Christian architects actually borrowed from the Romans, using the layout of a basilica for the basis of their cathedrals.

Parts:Whole, week 4

Heirarchy
Heirarchy has been playing a huge role in all of our classes. It deals with a transition from important items to less important items. With drafting, a thick, solid lineweight indicates a higher importance than a thin and/or broken line. With other drawings, objects that are closer, or otherwise have more significance, might have bolder lines or color, or more detail than other areas. Heirarchy often puts into mind a triangle with the few elite on top and the common mundane at the bottom. In societies, there is usually a sense of social class, with the richest being on top and the poorest at the bottom and as you go down in status, the more company you have. Patrick talks constantly of the importance of heirarchy. In architecture, the idea of a centralized plan is very common. Stonehenge is a series of concentric circles with the smallest, center circle leaving room for only the most important participants of ceremonies. Pyramids have large bases that come upward into a point, where pharoes and priests would inhabit.
I kept all of these ideas in mind when I designed my tattoo last week. I decided on three rings of concentric dots which get small towards the center. In the middle of the center circle I included my artist symbol just like a Greek artifact/statue in the middle of a temple.


[My image is a sketch of the Roman Colosseum which implements the use of three types of columns developed by the Greeks: Doric on the bottom, Ionic in the middle and Corinthian on top.]
Source
Noting citations is very crucial to giving people credit for their work. We have been told time and time again to cite our sources whenever using images from the internet and other places. When referencing the work of someone else it is important that you don't seem to take the credit for the image or information.
In ancient Rome, it was well known that ideas were taken from Greek and Egyptian designs. The ever popular Wu-Wu form used in Rome as a symbol of masculinity and victory is actually a hybrid idea that came directly from Egyptian obelisks. Greek-inspired columns are found adorning facades of Roman structures, though in Greece columns were used more structurally. The Romans even borrowed the idea of orthographic planning, "and they soon made this the basis of laying out army camps," (Roth, 219).


Order
Orders are frequently associated with certain types of columns. Doric columns are the earliest and simplest order. They were slightly curved and were fluted. Their capitals had "annulets, an echinus and and abacus," (Blakemore, 26) Ionic columns were more slender than Doric columns and rested on a pedestal. These capitals had "pairs of volutes which were deeply furrowed and ribbed," (Blakemore, 27) and were spaced by a carved echinus. Corinthian columns were very ornate and were the most slender. They are most easily distinguished by their large capitals which were adorned by carved acanthus leaves and volutes which stem from the center of the column and are positioned on the corners.


Entourage
We have been working for a while on drawing vignettes. Vignettes show a moment in time. A brief glimpse of a space. Entourages take it a step further. These last few weeks, our class has been drawing scenes that take a step back from the moment and capture the setting of the moment. This is a sketch that I did while in one of the dance studios on campus. The moment I included was the three dancers watching the television. Stepping back I created a setting by including surroundings like the wall, windows, light reflections, chalkboard, etc. The Romans had a great understanding of entourages.


[This is a sketch of a Composite style column which is a hybrid of Ionic and Corinthian styled columns.]
Prototype, Archetype and Hybrid
The idea of a prototype is that it is something which is the first of its kind. A prototype becomes an archetype when the idea is reused and recreated. A hybrid combines both new and old ideas and technologies, or ideas from different sources, to fit the commodity of the user. Greek architecture is considered the prototype of all architecture. They felt that "Measure and [reason] [were] firm in a changing world," (Roth, 188). They sought balance and symmetry in every aspect of their lives (e.g., hot and cold, light and dark, health and sickness, left and right.) The archetype of Greek architecture has influenced all periods of design. They have provided us with marble columns for our legislative buildings as well as temple layouts. We have also carried on the ideas of symmetry and balance.

Words of the Week, week 3

Scale is not just a woman's worst enemy. It deals with the size of an object in relationship to another object. With architecture, scale is a comparison between the size of the building and a person. On paper, it compares a drawing to an actual object. In Stoel's class, drafting is making me crazy. We have been making different views of the furniture we designed and we have been doing them in different scales, such as 1":1' and 1.5":1". Possibly more importantly, though, is what we've been learning in Patrick's class. In ancient civilizations, large scales were often used in buildings to induce a feeling of unworthiness in commoners and an ego boost in aristocrats. Egyptians created hypostyles which consisted of sometimes hundreds of massive columns. Their large size and number dwarf inhabitants as the make their way into sacred areas of the temples in which they were in. In Greece, architects strived to achieve perfect scale. As Blakemore (30) says, “The module for heights of the parts was determined by the diameter of the columns.”


Unity is essential to design. It is the relationship of all parts to a whole. I feel that our teachers are trying to get us as students to discover how everything is unified at some point. Not only, as is obvious, do my IARC classes have similar themes and messages. In my other classes, I can pull pieces of information into something that can be used elsewhere. For instance, Suzanne is having us draw vignettes and figures and entourages. While in classes, I've drawn my teachers and classmates and lightfixtures, etc.



Boundaries have once again been set in our class. The Pathways, Edges and Boundaries project has been reintroduced as a way to influence traffic patterns in the parking lot. My group plans to install six concrete shapes along the side of the Studio Arts Center that will accent the existing plants. In history, boundaries were used to keep people both in and out of areas. The Great Wall of China spans many, many miles in the effort to keep out invaders. The Acropolis in Greece is another walled environment. It acts as a veil to outsiders to encourage them to enter the plateau and see the marvels it has. Features such as columns help to guide foot traffic so that people go to certain points in order. Other areas in Greece had more vague boundaries such as town markets. Roth (222) says that these " boundaries were defined by surrounding houses and public buildings."



Section was very important to the ancient Greeks. They strived to reach their ideals in architecture and each step they took in achieving it spawned its own style. With columns, Doric columns are among the simplest. They serve their basic function of supporting a roof structure but only offer minimal aesthetics. Composite columns, however, take ideas from the other previous styles of columns and emphasize the best features of each.



Vignettes are everywhere. I have certainly adopted vignettes as a great compositional format, capturing key elements to any setting. A vignette could easily be defined as an object and its immediate surroundings. Working with them has helped me make more interesting sketches because it helps me to find a balance with what all is important to the pieces that I'm drawing.

Entourages

Forney I05

For months now I have been searching for an excuse to check out the Forney building since it has been remodeled. When I got my computer last week, I discovered that I had to go there to have the people in there do something to it. Apparently the ITS people have claimed the once-dilapidated building as their new headquarters. Inside it is very nice and I loved the barrel ceiling! While I was waiting for them to download stuff to my laptop I drew the interior of the room. (Notice that I included a person in the space!)

Suzanne! Look what you've done to me!!!

Center Table Vignette

I had actually done a thumbnail sized drawing of the TA's before this assignment was given so I thought it was funny when Suzanne gave directions to draw the table. I think my quick drawings turn out really well, but I hope to learn how to stop dog-hairing my lines.

Foreshortening

I liked the foreshortening exercise that we did, but I don't feel like it gave enough experience. I hope to practice more with it because I feel that it is a very important technique to understand.

Gesture Drawings: Bootcamp Cabrera Style

When we did the gesture drawings in class I was pleased how they turned out. Like Suzanne suggests, I tend to start with the head, go to shoulders and arms and work down from there. I try to add in hair detail when I do the head and I draw the contour of the clothing when I do the body. If I have the time afterwards I try to go back and add clothing details (e.g. folds, pockets, prints, etc.). If I feel it is necessary because I know that I'll later develop the picture, I'll draw in a quick stick-man face to remind me of certain facial features and emotions.
For part of the homework, I used my roommate's Maxim calendar. I couldn't resist! I felt that it was a good opportunity to draw people who weren't wearing much as opposed to what I'm used to. Many of my other drawings came from observations in the dance studios here at UNCG and cheerleading practice at Greensboro All Stars gym.

Footy Goodness

These are the feet that I drew the other day in class. I didn't have a good vantage point, so I drew some feet in different angles.

Words of the Week, week 2

Illumination can mean several things. I can mean highlighting an item of idea that is important. Also it can mean to light something up with any light source. In classes thus far, we have "illuminated" several things. For the Illuminated Objects project, Suzanne had us draw five objects that are meaningful to us. I decided to draw my boyfriend, a bracelet, my Gameboy a stuffed dog and a plastic hamburger. Also, more recently, we have been learning to use watercolors. A big point that Suzanne has stressed is to try to capture light when painting to add more visual depth and interest to a picture.


Idioms, to me, are a type of inside joke. They are items that have a meaning beyond the skin. The fairy tales that we have been reading are meant to be idioms and our task has been to discover what they're deeper meanings are. In Sweatheart Roland, the moral of the story seems to be that Love Conquers All. The main characters have to flee from the wicked stepmother or else be killed. Much of the focus is on their adventures but, if you dilute the story into a broad generalization, you realize what the author was trying to tell you all along.


Materials have been popping up all over the place! In studio, we have been working with chip-board for the first time. Also, we are working with light woods, balsa and bassawood, to make models. And to dig up a dead horse for another beating, we will once again be working with concrete to finish up our project from last semester. In Patrick's history class, another turn has been taken. In the images that he's been sharing, we've seen different examples of civilizations using indigenous and transported materials for their structures. In the case of Stonehenge, rocks were imported over a long distance. In Egypt, however, structures such as temples and the Great Pyramids implement local materials. In these instances, the buildings blend in more with their surroundings, but without taking away from the buildings' uniqueness.

Commodity determines the function of a design. It explains how a space should be viewed, used and laid out. Stoel gave us the assignment to design a unit of furniture for a Mr. Pat that would serve as a chair, work bench, table and a server. The stipulations we had were that all pieces had to be attached and they all had to be cut from one piece of wood. In my final product, I have a chair and a table top that can be used for eating, working and serving. I also included several shelving spaces and even a foot rest in the table leg.


Firmness is greatly personified by the Ancient Egyptians. Firmness refers to how structurally sound something is. THe Ancient Egyptians were experts of firmness, considering how much stock they put into the idea of permanence and the afterlife. Many of their greatest structures are still around, such as the Pyramids of Giza and many other temples and tombs. Another lesson we have learned in firmness is of the structures at Stonehenge. These mysterious post-and-lintel constructs have withstood the test of time with the simplest of designs.


Delight is the easiest to comprehend of the wonderful trifecta of Commodity, Firmness and Delight. Delight refers to all the elements of design, coming together in a pleasing way. In design t deals with anything, ranging from color and contrast to lighting, texture and space. As a design student, delight is a very important thing. It is important to learn new techniques and also use old ones to come up with unique, interesting compositions that catch a viewer's eye and engages them.