Drawing (In class and out)

A Midsummer Night's Dream

This movie tells the stories of several people in love. We all, based our backgrounds and experiences can relate to a different character from this movie. The characters themselves all come from different backgrounds and therefore react to things in very different ways. Throughout the story the director decides to include certain artifacts that may seem random but serve a specific purpose. Some of the objects included are a bike, and a flower. The flower is what the nymphs use to enchant the different characters, and change their perspectives on each other. This starts out as a game, but they have all become so accustomed to each other's normal reactions, that once they change they become completely confused and upset.

The Willow Wren

For one of my classes i was assigned to read the fairytale "The Willow Wren." This story taught of why birds act the way that they do. In this story there are many different artifacts included, such as a hammer, and a barn. There is so much description that the reader knows exactly how to view this tale. 

Week 1

Each week we are given a prompt. From this prompt we are to draw things from everyday life, each class, each meal, each day, and each night. We are expected to include sketches of anything we think of when hearing something to do with our prompt. 

This week our prompt was a grouping of five words. Cycle, Translation, Story, Multi-view, and  Artifact.

"Artifact" was one of the hardest words this week. I thought about my own artifacts. Some things that tell a story about me, and my past. Objects that tell my own history. I was asked to choose five objects for one of my classes and i took into careful consideration which items i chose. I wanted them to portray who i am accurately and creatively. Each item represented a very important part of my life.

Then i began to think about other historical artifacts, from architecture, from the history of the world, and how, in fact, EVERYTHING is an artifact. Everything tells a story of the world. We become so used to certain things in our everyday lives that we ignore them. These prompts help us to stop and really take in our surroundings. To actually sit down and think about what an object, an animal, a plant, anything teaches us about the world we live in.

The word "Multi-view" also comes in to play. Each artifact can tell many different stories, and can mean many different things to different people. We all see things in many different ways. In a physical sense, we talked about in History of Architecture, each building has many different sides. There are many different ways to view one place, object, or person. Each side looks different. Each person sees each side differently.

The word "story" was one of the easiest words to write about. Keeping the word in mind i was able to think about the stories behind the items that i drew, the life behind each object. When reading the Grimm's tale "The Willow Wren" i thought more about how stories are created and for what purpose. I came up with these reasons; to teach lessons, to record history, and to entertain. 

While sitting in my history of architecture class i'm learning the story behind architecture. Why and how it started, and how it developed, and continues to develop. It taught of commodity, Firmness, and Delight, which are all very important to architecture, but in a broader scheme, anything you do in life.  
Translation was a more difficult word to comprehend. It got me thinking about how stories translate over time. Their meanings, along with the meaning behind architecture, or any other art form change over time. Human perspectives change, therefore people will see things differently at different points in time. For example, the world trade centers once represented a place where people from all over the world come and work together. But after September 11, 2001 these buildings mark a devastating point in American history. 

This word also got me thinking about literal translation of languages. How we as a planet interact in different tongues. One of my favorite languages is french. When learning this language i would say sentences in english, but i would begin to translate them to french in my head. This was not only fun, but a very good way to learn. Thinking about this in more depth i wonder if we do the same things with other things that we learn. 

The word cycle, especially at this point in my life while i build new relationships and try to hold on to old one's , made me think of my friends and family.  Any relationship is a learning process. Whether it be best friends or boyfriends, you learn from each other, and work off of each other's wants and needs. Any relationship teaches you a lot about yourself as well. What your wants are, what your expectations are, and how you react to different situations. There is a very intense cycle of emotions with any relationship.  But in the end you learn, you learn from every new experience. The cycle of life. 

What was most intriguing to me was how intertwined all of these words are. Artifacts tell stories, there are multiple views to each artifact, there are cycles of how people will react to different artifacts, or stories, and how those stories translate over time will change. 

FIVE ITEMS

The items in the images above and below are all very significant to me, and who i am. 

In these sketches i included a change purse that is in the form of an owl. This small leather change purse is a remnant of my last trip to Brooklyn, NY and i cherish it. I enjoy my journeys to NYC very much because i get to spend time with my older siblings. 

I've also included a backpack. This backpack has come with me to so many important places and times in my life. It was given to me by my older sister. It came with me on my trip to France, it was my backpack through all of highschool, and now it's my backpack for college. 

Below i've drawn a bowler hat that i got from a thrift store three years ago. I included this item because it represents my unique style, and general unique outlook on life.

I've also included a pair of boots. These boots were a christmas gift from last christmas. They are currently my favorite item of clothing because of both their comfortability and their cuteness. 

In the picture below i drew my cell phone as well. I have learned so many things from it. This cell phone has caused so much anguish and happiness. So much anxiety stemmed from one simple item, and yet i can't go anywhere without it. It's incredible.

Presentations

The projects that i listened to this semester all made me extremely excited for the upcoming four years. There are so many different details to focus on. I imagine it would get very tedious but i know i will enjoy it. 

On of my favorite projects that i got to see and hear about was the space entitled "sprouts." I really liked how the presenter spoke of her design and she was very thoughtful with every detail of her design. She presented very clearly and got straight to the point. You knew, just by listening to the way that she spoke of her work that everything she included had a very specific purpose.

I cannot wait to design like this.

The Final Product

For our final presentation the group designated to create the final display of our plans and models set everything up in the lobby of the studio art center. They displayed photos of students working on their cement pieces and also included the plans and section views we created, and some of the thought process or "throw up" sheets. The background of brown paper created a perfect datum line that really pulled all of the pieces together. 

After explaining our designs to some of onlookers outside in our designated spaces we came inside to our display and one person from each group explained what their group designed, and how they came up with it. 

The audience seemed to like what we said, but, since we are first years, we definitely had a lot to fix, so they had many helpful criticisms as well.

This whole process was a great learning experience. I learned how to speak more clearly about and make my thought process more understandable.