Inspiration:
Much of the inspiration of this project arose from the large amounts of aluminum can projects that are out there. A simple google search on the aluminum can art provided many sources of ideas and inspiration. People have made cars, animals, flowers, furniture, and many more from simply using aluminum cans. For this specific project, however, I chose the flower because it was not only aesthetically pleasing and cute, but the skill level involved seemed appropriate for me as a beginner. Attached below are a couple images that I drew inspiration from.

Aluminum Can Aesthetic:
Within every landfill or trash can, there is always an abundance of cans that are lying around. These cans are seen as nothing more than a nuisance and a symbol of garbage. The aesthetic in this project is based primarily off of this idea. It is the act of creating beauty and art through these meaningless aluminum cans that are otherwise seen as trash. Furthermore, the abundance of designs and colors that exist on these cans allow for many creative projects. The smooth silver finish on the inside provides an aesthetic on its own as well.

Design Process:
The design process that I followed was pretty generic for this project. It began with me looking at the problem statement and then brainstorming ideas. This thinking process involved studying what type of materials to use, how large the object will be, what kind of aesthetic I wished to apply, and of the functionality of the project. Moving on, I began thinking about the practicality of the project. This was basically a sanity check to make sure what I was planning on making was not only possible but within my budget. Next, I moved on to the prototyping and troubleshooting phase where I began constructing the project and when certain problems arose I would find solutions to them on the spot. This was actually the most difficult part of the project because cutting the aluminum cans into a specific shape turned out to be much harder than I thought. Finally, the last step was to put on finishing touches and making the project look beautiful in general. The image below shows the complete flowchart that I used.

Construction:
The construction of this aluminum can was relatively easy despite the sharp edges of the aluminum and the difficult cuts that I had to make. The first step was to simply draw and cut out a petal template using paper. Next, was to cut off the top and bottom of the soda cans and flatten out the aluminum. Once flattened, the petal template was placed on the aluminum and the cutting began. I cut out a total of four petal layers using a Fanta and a Xing Tea can. Next, I cut off parts of a hanger to be the stem and placed all four layers of petals on to it. Finally, because the petals started to fall down I bent the top of the rod and used a rubber band to secure it from the bottom. The images below show my construction steps.

Future Improvements/ Additions:
In terms of future improvements, I would like to create more flowers and use them to fill a small vase. I think that a bouquet of these metal flowers will be beautiful and unique. Another idea that I would like to implement is to use a variety of different sodas to obtain a more diverse range of colors. Finally, one last idea that I would like to implement is to use certain green cans and cut out leaves that I could hang off the stem.

Video Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W2FiysHP19UILoeorJu9tVg00xiCYTtB/view?usp=sharing
Citation:
1. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/672654894314848744/
2. http://www.myrideisme.com/Blog/internet-barn-find-11-sandys-soda-can-hot-rod-masterpieces/coca-cola-hot-rod-1/
3. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/273875221062715978/?lp=true
4. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/381609768398443451/?lp=true