This is my portfolio for some of the projects that I have worked on this year in Aesdes. Overall, I have enjoyed this class as it is something different to what I normally have taken in the past. I liked learning about the various aesthetics throughout different time periods, and personally exploring some aesthetics that I find interesting has been fun. The main projects that I worked on for this class were the upcycling project, and the main class project.

Upcycling Project:

The purpose of the upcycling project was to take a used item, and transform it into some type of art piece that conforms to a certain aesthetic of your choosing. I chose to mimic the aesthetic of early 1980s computer terminals, and I used some old computer switches to create an interactive art piece. The buttons control a red, green, and blue LED to allow the user to create different colors. The auditory aspect of this aesthetic was also important in this project. I wanted to capture the tactile feel of older keyboards, as well as the sound that is produced. Overall the clicky blue switches on the wood base create a really nice sound, and the LEDs mimic the old monochrome displays from that era. The text on the screen is from an old text based game.

Concept Sketch:

Final Product:

Post: https://www.aesdes.org/2024/02/22/1970s-1980s-model-computer/

Main Class Project:

For my main class project, I decided to create a Sisyphus table, which is a table that uses a mechanism to draw designs in sand. This project required a lot of mechanical design work, but my main aesthetic focus was to create a minimalist table that was illuminated by LEDs. Due to some manufacturing issues, I had to redesign the table to be much smaller, so more of a tabletop piece. However I am pleased with the outcome.

Main Posts:

Post 12: https://www.aesdes.org/2024/05/08/post-12-sisyphus-table/

Post 11: https://www.aesdes.org/2024/05/08/post-11-sisyphus-table/