Design Foundations - ART103, Blue River

Sketchbook

Organic-to-Inorganic Metamorphosis Project

Echolalia in Script

Unnamed Artwork

Copper Core Map of the Country of Palestine

Ritualistic Time Keeping Device

The Edge of Legibility

Mat-board Model of Finalized Design

History

Composition and Design

Breaking Down a Chosen Photo

Creation of Visual Concentration

Experimentation of Visual Texture

Final Design

Sketchbook

Front Cover

February 19th, 2025

Back Cover

February 19th, 2025

Spine and Front Cover

February 19th, 2025

Interior, Page Four

February 19th, 2025

This was an interesting project. The book looks somewhat haphazardly tossed together, in the span of ten minutes, because it basically was. To be honest, I had almost no clue what I was doing until maybe a class period or two later. There were communication issues (?), between the professor and me, nothing but respect for her, but I was just severely confused. It's the type of class where about 25 to 30 students are all doing different things to placate their own curiosity and selves. And I am happy for them, I am glad they get to figure out who they are, and find the ability to express themselves, but it is a quite confusing environment for learning, specifically for me.

I work best with explicit instruction, and explicit goals. This doesn't mean my thinking is 'flawed', or straightforward in any way. I excel in creative opportunities, it is just, to put it nicely, chaos on top of chaos flying over each other, so I had not a single clue on what to do. But, I finished it, and I actually talked about my difficulties with the professor, so now we both now how to complement each others learning styles, and teaching habits.

Organic-to-Inorganic Metamorphosis Project

Drawn on the 26th of February, 2025

For the actual metamorphosis project... It was also confusing. I did not know what to do for it, since the theme was consumer culture. I do not place value onto very many physical objects, it is mainly the emotions attributed, or etched into it, that I value. This project was difficult, as I had no frame of reference for anything, a problem I often have, which always leads me to question my own experience.

I ended up deciding on the transformation of my hand, into a book. I made that choice, as the most profound thing I have, is the ability to write. To spill words onto any medium that would receive them. I had no book in mind, so I chose one from a plastic tub in the classroom. It feels lax, and lacking, but I am satisfied with the intention behind, and in it.

This project also required an image and artist of inspiration from Art21, specifically the consumer culture section. I did not realize this was a required part of the assignment, so I had none in mind. However, I did see some of my classmates choose artists that were not present on the site, so I will emulate them.

Echolalia in Script

Sam Roxas-Chua, Orison Books 2017

I originally stumbled upon this artist through the Google: Arts & Culture website. This writing, this piece of the artists soul, did not speak out to me initially. I did not think of it more than it was, but since this assignment requires such an approach, I did.

Of course, I am not doing it disrespectfully, however I truly would not have given it a second look. This mandatory second look, allowed me to find what is called 'asemic writing'. I have never heard of it before, but my heart, is it beautiful. A language of feelings in script that only the author would know, and understand. It calls out to me heavily, for me to drown my own thoughts with the scent of parchment and the stain of ink, to let my feelings roam free for what they are, rather than be constrained in a small, tiny, and unremarkable shell.

The artist, Mx. Roxas-Chua, seems similar to me in that regard. A commonality I often find too uncommon. I want to create something that will let my heart fly out, and my soul to have a home. I do not know their aspirations, but it would surprise me if they were dissimilar.

Unnamed Artwork

Remer Hoekstra , N/A

Another required part of the assignment. Wahoo.

I am not annoyed at it, I am simply... lacking in words to properly express how I take in inspiration and material, and if I am even aware of it. So it feels disingenuous of me to write of 'A great inspiration to me and my project', when the only inspiration I had, was myself.

Other than the pedantic man wabbling above (Myself? What the surprise!), the primary thought I have, is that this artwork is very beautiful. I don't have many other thoughts, other than 'I strive for the day I have put in enough effort for something like this.'

Copper Core Map of the Country of Palestine

Fully sawed out on the 26th of February, 2025

Last bit of this project.

Since I assume this Design Foundations class is quite different than normal ones, we get to saw metal! So very fun, but loud, and a little numbing.

This riveting image a very nice hot pink, as we were going to etch the pieces with some type of acid, but I got occupied during the class period, and at the time of writing (2/27/25), I have not etched it, so it gets to stay it's riveting colour of pink.

Below is the mandatory set of instructions on how to load a saw-blade. So read it if you are curious, if not, then don't.

Now for a blithering and obtuse depiction and set of instructions to properly load and handle a jewelers saw.

Step One: Make proper sure the blade is properly tuned and the bottom edge, the flat one, on each tooth is set pointing towards the handle.

Step Two: Load the blade in the top most spacing, the one away from the handle. Make sure that the blade is fully set in, and touching the back-most edge of the interior. Then, tighten the space using the very obvious, glowing knob.

Step Three: Do the exact same for the bottom spacing. If I need to repeat it, then you must be a daft-apted listener.

Step Four: Ensure the chassis of the saw is tightened properly, and the blade is set straight, and single.

Congratulations. You will not be getting a participation trophy.

Ritualistic Time Keeping Device

Drawn on the 11th of March, 2025

For this ritualistic time keeping device, I plan on making an incense clock stamp. A metal sheet with a pattern cut out, that you pack incense into, and light from one end to track the time. My initial plan is for the 'ritual' in this case, to be to write for a set amount of time. I struggle with actively writing if I have no in-the-moment inspiration (even though I have lots of things I can write about), so I plan to use this as a simple, set time of the day to just write.

The initial idea was to create a stamp out of my asemic writing, a type of artwork combined with literature and calligraphy. Essentially an asemantic process, one with a lack of understanding, of spilling out feelings into ink, and onto parchment. These sketches above do not have any meaning at the current moment, but I can say, with almost full certainty, that they will once I have stamped and burned that incense more than a hundred times. That's the main aim I have with this. To create meaning out of use, rather than start with one.

For the sketches I made, I think I am going to base the final design off of number three. I like the idea of the start and end being in the same place, showcasing that as a concept. You will always be yourself, no matter how long it has been, or what has transpired. A mentality I hope to embody, and I think this will help with that.

The Edge of Legibility

Kameelah Janan Rasheed

A secondary part of the starting section of this assignment, 'an artist from Art21 that guided you'.

As usual, I did not have any initial artist that inspired me, but chose one after all of the work was done. This artist, Mx. Kameelah Janan Rasheed, is however still very interesting. They utilize words to create messages and tell stories, but not in a 'normal' way. The words they use are cut out from any written media, and end up organized and displayed to showcase a message, however, that message is never thought out from the start. It always forms during the process. This is almost exactly like the asemic writing I spoke of earlier. A creative process that you drive meaning from after the fact. Something I quite admire.

Mat-board Model of Finalized Design

Variant 1 of final Stamp design

Made on the 24th of March, 2025

Variant 2 of final Stamp design

Made on the 24th of March, 2025

Front of Wooden Top-Block design

Made on the 24th of March, 2025

Back of Wooden Top-Block design

Made on the 24th of March, 2025

Side of Wooden Top-Block design

Made on the 24th of March, 2025

Regarding the first variant of the final Stamp design, its is cut out at the top right corner because I was told to see if it would stamp properly. It did, it just sucked a little bit because of the actual material. I am expecting it to be quite a bit better when stamped with the copper cutout.

History

Incense stamp clocks were first used inside of China, in around the 6th century. It is a plane of steel, copper, or aluminum, with a maze carved out inside of it. Powdered incense is packed into the carved out section, and stamped onto a surface. It is then ignited, and it would burn for a set period of time. Each stamp has a set amount of time it will burn for, but it would also depend on the type of incense used.

Source, Wikipedia

Composition and Design

In the simplest terms, without much explaining, the professor and I decided to switch to a more traditional method of learning. Essentially an assignment sheet, that consists of breaking down forms on paper, rather than figuring out how to do so through metal or other materials.

Breaking Down a Chosen Photo

This section consists of breaking down a photo into its significant forms, the focal points, linear objects leading to the focal point, and the plane division.