For my final project I designed an LED neon sign. This was not my original design; until mid-March I had planned on constructing a wooden propeller. My original project was inspired by my love for aviation. The propeller is a classic symbol of aircraft; it is even used to symbolize the heritage of air power in the United States Air Force.
One such example of this is the prop-and-wings each officer cadet wears on their uniform (above). I wanted to commemorate this heritage by creating a piece of art that I could display on my wall. My design was based off the instructions found on “Make a Wooden Propeller” on instructables.com, but I planned to add my own color scheme and sizing. The initial CAD for my project can be seen in the image below.
After the closure of campus due to COVID-19, it became impossible for me to complete this project. For this reason I had to search for a new project fast; we were already a couple weeks into the ideation process and I had to catch up. My inspiration for my current project came from watching Chris Lehr’s design review presentation. While watching his presentation I thought about how I could save the aviation aspect of my previous project by creating a sign. My original though was to make an American flag with the unit I am going to be a part of at flight training, the 80th FTW, incorporated.
After some thought, I decided I wanted to make outlines of aircraft with the program name “ENJJPT”. My final design also included the unit as well and can be seen below.
This final design implements a minimalist aesthetic; each element is presented without ornamentation. The colors I chose lend to my patriotism, bringing in the colors and aesthetic of the stars and stripes.
Citations:
Seamster. “Make a Wooden Propeller.” Instructables, www.instructables.com/id/Desktop-Fidget-Spinner/.
4 Comments. Leave new
I really like how you were able to pivot to something that looks professional! Do you plan on doing something with LED strips like this in the future?
I really like that even with the changes you had to make due to campus resources shutting down, you were able to stay true to your original vision in creating something related to flying. I’m really excited to see how your final project turns out. It might be hard finding a proper mask right now, but hopefully the weather will stay nice for the next week or so, that way you can work outside and be safer!
Noah-
I think you did a great job making your sign look like real neon tubing. I don’t think anyone would have noticed if you presented your proof of concept as your final. Overall very creative use of your resources.
As a statement of meaning, I like how even though Noah pivoted, the new project remained in the same spirit of the initial plan, and was personalized to Noah and his interests.