Summing Up 2019 – Aesthetics of Design

This semester has taught me a lot in terms of the different aesthetics that have arisen over the years and the different design methods to reach the perfect aesthetic for a project. I enjoyed, most of all, the projects we worked on that allowed us to take what we were learning and put it into practice.

For the first project, which was the upcycle project, I decided to integrate two art forms into one project. I wanted to try my hand at this art form called string art. This technique uses a thread and nails to create amazing portraits. By wrapping the thread over the nails, images can be created. The other art form I wanted to incorporate was this new trend of using bottle caps. This has been an uprising way to create 3D portraits. Both of these art forms utilize recycled materials and thus, integrating them seemed like a great idea. I decided to make a skyline with the building constructed out of bottle caps. I gold and black painted caps to represent CU and then I used the thread and nails to make a purple night sky. Behind the thread, I placed string lights to act as stars.

For the final project, I decided I wanted to take on an aesthetic that encompasses more than one aesthetic. I wanted to build something that would have a surrealism aesthetic as well as a modernistic look. I decided I wanted to make an infinity mirror clock. This clock uses LEDs to tell time and the infinity mirror effect really adds a surrealism as well as a futurism aesthetic. I accomplished the modernism aesthetic through the frame. I kept the frame a simple square frame with a clear font for the numbers. The wood was stained dark and the numbers were burned on with a laser engraver.