Arts_1311 Shelter Project Reflection

The original concept was made by Celeste. She wanted to make a shelter that could re-create the same feeling she had when she listened to her music. This involved an enclosed shelter that had mirrors hanging from the top. When we started conceptualizing and looking at the budget we had, we saw that the original idea wouldn’t be possible. Especially with our time constraint. So instead, we tried to make the new version of our shelter as similar to her original idea as we could. In the end, even though the final structure wasn’t what we had originally planned,  we were still able to create the feeling that Celeste had wanted people to feel when sitting in the shelter.

We used almost the entire budget when we looked for supplies. Most of the money went towards the cups that we got from a restaurant supply store for $18. We didn’t want to buy a bunch of tiny mirrors since it would have been too expensive, and we also didn’t want to have to buy a big mirror and shatter it. The next best thing we could think of were the glitter paint that we used and the tiny jewels we glued onto the cups. Celeste was able to bring the jewels from home so the only things we needed to buy was the glitter paint which was about $6 or $7 at Hobby Lobby, and the glue which was about $3.

The workload was fairly equal. It was hard in the beginning to actually meet up together since our schedules never lined up, so instead of meeting up at the same time we decided to just come in whenever we could. We figured that it would be better to at least get some of it done so that we weren’t waiting week long intervals before we could make any changes. When we were able to meet up together, no one ever just sat there and did nothing the entire time. If anything two of us would work while the third took a break and then we would switch off. Even when we were only using one glue gun the third person would be either helping with keeping the cups in place or sorting the cups out so that we knew which ones went where.

The strength that I added to the group was when we were conceptualizing. Celeste and I did come up with an idea to hang the structure since the material was light enough for string or rope to carry, but the problem was the shape. Since it was Celeste’s idea, I didn’t want to pitch anything that could take away from her original idea, so I thought about the concept of the structure hanging. I felt like it would be difficult to not only create the pyramid, but to also have it hang from a tree while there were tiny mirrors hanging inside. This was when I drew out a cylinder shape and asked Celeste whether or not that could work out for her vision. This is where we got the idea to focus on a cylinder shape for the shelter. My only weakness in the group was my availability. My classes kept me from being able to come in during the week, and I’m scheduled to work every weekend. So I couldn’t meet up on a regular basis. Getting together was our biggest problem since all of our schedules differed so much, but even then it didn’t really get in the way of finishing up the shelter. Whenever we were able to get together we would always be able to knock out a good chunk of the shelter and finish it up, even with our conflicting schedules.

Roles weren’t really a big thing for our group. We all shared the work equally and we all had input on what the final shelter would look like. If there were any roles within the group Celeste was the coordinator because it was her vision. Whatever Gabe and I knew was just whatever we had sketched out or what Celeste was telling us about her shelter concept. Even then, it wasn’t just me or Gabe putting the structure together while Celeste told us what to do. There was never a point where one person was doing all the work. We would switch off if someone wanted to take a break, or all three of us would work together in gluing the cups together and putting the all the parts of the shelter together.

The best advice that I could give to the next group of students is to think about how possible it is to create the original shelter idea, and to make changes accordingly in order to meet the requirements. When we were throwing ideas back and forth, we thought about having a pyramid that hung from a tree. Then, we would have mirrors hang from inside the pyramid, or at least something that could shine or have a reflective effect. Obviously our final shelter was far from our original idea. Instead of focusing too much on what we originally wanted it to look like, we focused on what would have been manageable. This is why the final structure looks so much different than what Celeste originally wanted. Since cups took up most of the budget, we had to think of something that could replicate the glimmering effect that we expected from the mirror. That is when we decided to use tiny jewels and glitter paint rather than mirrors. It was a lot more manageable to do and it had met our budget. It’s better to create and finish a shelter that is similar to the original idea, than stressing out over re-creating an original idea that may not even be possible to do within the given restraints of the project.

Arts_1311 Reading #4

1. I don’t think Warhol doesn’t care about his work, I think that he just doesn’t think too much about it as most people do. At the end of the article he says that its too hard to care, and I think that means that it’s much easier for him to work if he isn’t stressing himself out over what the the outcome will be. That’s probably why he also said that he doesn’t get too involved in other people’s lives. Making that personal connection with a client results in having you base your work on what their expectations will be, and constantly worrying about whether or not you will end up disappointing them with the final result.

2. The issue that I think many people had was that the last project required 200 pictures that weren’t objective. I think that going about taking the 200 pictures involved a little bit of a “I don’t care” attitude, otherwise too much work or thought would be put into one picture. Putting all that effort into one picture would have resulted in the project taking much longer than necessary to complete. Since we then had to choose the top 10 pictures that we liked, the other 190 essentially didn’t matter. The best way was to have some amount of effort put into the project, but not to worry to much about what every single picture looked like.

1. I always feel self-conscious about anything that I make. When it comes down to presentations, papers, art projects, or just a personal project I always tend to worry about what other people may think about it. Even when I ask numerous people how good something looks, it never looks good enough to me.

2. Having a nothing-to-lose attitude can be useful when you’re just working on a personal project. It’s something that you are doing for you, and all that really matters is that you like the final outcome. However, this isn’t a good mentality to have if you are under contract to work for someone. If you go into project that you were hired to do thinking that you have nothing to lose, then you will end up performing poorly on your assignment. In this scenario you do have something to lose, and that would be a job or your pay for the project.

Shelter Reflection

Based off of the different images, definitions, and the links that were provided, the definition of the world “shelter” can vary depending on the context it is used in. The definitions that were provided vary from offering protection (verb), to physical protection such as a house or a building (noun). At the same time, off of the images that I found off the internet, visuals for these definitions can vary. For a baby kangaroo, shelter will refer to the mother’s pouch and to a clown fish, shelter will refer to their anemone.

I don’t believe that these varying definitions can cause any kind of confusion. Whenever someone uses the word “shelter”, the definition that they are using is pretty obvious. You don’t really confuse the term when it’s used in “animal shelter” as opposed to “He has lived a sheltered life”. Most of the time you know the definition of the word and how it’s being used.

Taking all this into account, the general definition of the word centers around some sort of protection from something. Whether it be referencing to someone who has lived a “sheltered life” or referencing to the more common use such as in “bomb shelter” they both generally define protection from some kind of entity.

Arts 1311 Reading #3

In the second reading by Paul Rand, design is not meant to function in the realm of art. Instead, it’s primarily meant to be a tool of business and making money. This is a completely different definition than the one that is given in the reading by Clement Greenberg. In the case of this reading, there is the discussion of design and its relevance to art that is minimalistic, as well as novelty art. The Flusser reading discusses design as something that is associated with deception and machinery (Laying out traps, creating something out of a basic material such as wood, machinery, technicians, etc.).

Having multiple definitions of a word, in this case design, could possibly cause confusion in regards to the expectations when someone discusses “design”. All of the readings essentially contradict one another with their distinct definitions. Some associate design with art, and define it as such. While another defines it as a way to conduct business and create profit. These drastic differences in definition can make it difficult in how design would be perceived. Is it something that is simplistic and relevant to art? Is it a form of business or defined as something involved with complex machinery? It becomes difficult to understand whether or not design is something that is overly complicated, or incredibly simplistic. Whether it’s about expression in the arts, or all about making money and creating complex structures or machinery from something as basic as wood.

I think a way to better myself regarding aesthetic objects and ideas is to try and develop an eye for fine detail, as well as develop a better sense of patience. Whenever I compare drawings that I constantly tried to perfect to a drawing that I kind of just slapped on paper because I got bored, there is a considerable difference. If I were to treat any piece I work on with the same eye for detail and patience as I have on drawings I try to perfect, most if not all of my work show consistency in terms of quality.

I exercise my creative muscle by looking at and trying to imitate the different styles that I see. Looking at the different styles and techniques that I see from another’s work inspires me to take that person’s style and adapt it to my own. By doing this, I learn new techniques to improve the final product of my work, as well as improve and expand upon my own unique art style.

Arts1311 Reading #2

1. According to the Interview with Asa Nacking, priority on projects is dictated based off how it can effect the public. When asked about the “biogas project”, Nacking claims that the project was already a possible success since it was part of a public debate.

2. When it comes to making decisions, designers will make decisions based on the practicality of the design. In Maria Lind’s reading, it discusses the “What if” factor. The designer will try and make something to accommodate different kinds of scenarios. In the same reading, I got the impression that artists base there decisions to have a cultural or social effect. This creates a type of discussion between the artist, his/her audience, as well as other artists.

Personal Reflection

1. Most of my decisions are based off of prior knowledge from experiences and projects that I’ve worked on. If something worked in the past, I’m going to center my decision around whatever made the project/experience work out.

2. I know something is working when what I’m working on produces the desired outcome. In regards to Art, a project is “good” when it has met my expectations.

3. Whenever I have a project that doesn’t work, I essentially just keep modifying small parts in order to improve it. With art, I just keep adding or removing details until the final product is at least similar to what I intended.

ARTS1311 Reading #1

The role of the designer is to create a physical representation of an idea. When creating the design, the designer has to prioritize function over aesthetics. As long as the desired function is achieved, the way it looks does not really matter. Whether it be another business, a person, or society as a whole, the designer is always trying to design something for someone else. Not necessarily himself.

Like a designer, an artist can work for someone else. Commissions can be requested by an artist’s client, and the artist will do their best to meet whatever demands the client has. However, even in a situation like this, an artist will most likely show a bit of themselves in the work. This can be done in the form of their personal style or a signature. Since this is the case, every piece of work will show some form of self expression from the artists, regardless of how much is shown.

The problem that a designer faces is that there is constant communication and critique required in order to meet the needs of the designer’s client. The designer has to constantly explain, edit, and crate numerous visual examples of everything he does, and is strongly held back by this much communication. This problem is not something that an artist faces too often, and an artist has much more freedom regarding giving form to his ideas. Due to these differences, the designer/artist cannot exist.

 

I believe that difference between artists and designers is how much freedom is given to them. An artists has control over everything he or she does. They aren’t always restricted by someone else’s wants or needs. Others may still critique a piece, but the artist ultimately decides whether or not their work is completed. This is not the case for the designer. Every decision that the designer makes must be communicated with the client. If they client isn’t impressed or doesn’t approve, then the designer has to come up with something different. A designer is held back by the wants of a third party, while an artist has the freedom to make their own decisions with little to no restrictions.

I believe that I would categorize myself as an artist. Whenever I draw or work on something, I’m not having someone else telling me how it should look or whether or not the piece is done. I may ask for input, but that person doesn’t get to decide what should be taken out or what should be added in. My work meets my own standards, not the standards of someone else.

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