When I started this class, I wasn’t 100% sure what to expect. To me, aesthetics was just how things look. As I progressed through each class, and worked on the two projects that we were assigned, I realized there was so much more to aesthetics than how something looked. It was about how it was designed, the intent behind the piece, the environment it was created in or subjected to. Everything had an aesthetic, and sometimes it had more than one.

Working through the two projects helped me to explore my personal aesthetics, as well as aesthetics I didn’t think I really belonged to before now. It was fun coming up with my own designs and ideas, with no rubric to be graded against other than achieving what I set out to do. It was difficult, being left to my own devices to figure things out. It was exciting, seeing how everyone chose vastly different projects, and how each of their aesthetics were able to shine through.

COVID-19 threw a wrench in things, but in the end I was able to create something fun, unique, a little silly, but overall something I enjoy and am proud of. This semester was a lot of fun, a lot of frustration, and a lot of learning. Below you can see links to all my previous posts, where you can explore my journey and the two projects I made.

Links to Blog Posts:

Aesthetic Explorations: https://www.aesdes.org/2020/01/22/aesthetic-exploration-studio-ghibli-movies/

Upcycle Inspiration: https://www.aesdes.org/2020/01/29/upcycle-inspiration-bottle-caps/

Upcycle Progress: https://www.aesdes.org/2020/02/08/upcycle-progress-bottle-caps/

Aesthetics Game: https://www.aesdes.org/2020/02/11/aesthetics-game-2020-2/

Upcycle Final Report: https://www.aesdes.org/2020/02/11/upcycle-final-report-bottle-caps/

Main Project Inspiration: https://www.aesdes.org/2020/02/19/main-project-inspiration-21/

Main Project Plans and Alternatives: https://www.aesdes.org/2020/02/26/main-project-plans-and-alternatives/

Main Project Top 5 Constraints: https://www.aesdes.org/2020/03/04/top-5-contraints-desk-toy/

Design Review Part 1: https://www.aesdes.org/2020/03/08/design-review-part-1-detailed-plans-for-the-desk-toy/

Design Review Part 2: https://www.aesdes.org/2020/03/18/design-review-part-2-how-and-when-covid-edition/

Favorite YouTube Design/Build Video: https://www.aesdes.org/2020/04/01/favorite-youtube-design-build-videos-galaxy-witch-room/

My Aesthetic Roots: https://www.aesdes.org/2020/04/08/my-aesthetic-roots-why-just-one/

Main Project Construction Update: https://www.aesdes.org/2020/04/19/construction-update-desk-toy/

Final Report Part 1: https://www.aesdes.org/2020/04/20/final-report-part-1/

Final Report Part 2: https://www.aesdes.org/2020/04/30/final-report-part-2-desk-toy/