12 Twigs Project

When I started my project my three ideas were based on making things out of the twigs. The chair and the cedar shake roof were both ideas made of twigs. From the critique I learned that these ideas were too literal of what they were- taking away from the twigs, and not establishing a place for the twigs. 

My second idea was to focus on the small details of the twigs such as their tiny eye shaped natural engravings. I created a sanctuary sh

aped like an eye with the "eyes" of the twigs hanging down within the eye sanctuary. This idea did not work as it didn't hold together well and the colors I chose to paint the eye did not relate or help the project. 

Inspired by a wooden puzzle box in my mother's living room, I decided to create a puzzle box like paper box. My mother's puzzle box had many boxes within and around the main box/shape. The box was made up of these little boxes. In simplifying I decided to create a triangular box having three identical corners, however one would slide out encasing the 12 twigs. 

In my first iteration I created exactly that. Interactivity being one of my main goals, my problem was that there was no way of making the observer want to engage with the box as the twigs could not be seen and the observer would not know how to open the box.  From talking with Stoehl I decided to make another iteration with a window going through the box showing the twigs. I also later decided to make it so one corner had a handle to show that that was the one that came out. I chose the orange and dark gray colors to complement the inside and outside colors of the twigs. The inside box/tray had the twigs weaved into it so that when looking through the hole there is negative space between the twigs as you see through to the other side. My goal of interactivity was met as the T.A. who examined my box looked through and pulled out the twig tray within. 

Class Portrait

Rain Boots

Contour Desk

Dog Wood

Little Shed Inside Lobby

Cross Contour Chair

Ambidextrous Hands

Negative Space Bike

It was hard spacing the wheels as well as the frame parts of the bike. 

12 Twigs Interim Critique

Today I learned about how the twig project must most importantly be able to tell its story by itself. My project, which had many microscopic details, was not perceived as what it was supposed to be. In describing it as an eye I soon learned from the critique that it was really a Venus fly trap, or a wave. I now know that paper strength and “Tommy/ Stoehl proofing” the project is part of the sustainability. Something, which holds anything, should be able to be held and perhaps even swung around a little without falling apart. My project doesn’t have a central focus and relies on the observer to get closer to examine the details, which identify my project. Those details are important but if there is no highlighting or datum to bring the observer in to interact, those details fail.Parts of the project should be altered so that they give a “wow” rather than a “just.” The little Styrofoam ball we discussed was described using “just” by a student. Understanding how to enhance that small detail so it is no longer just a ball is important. How can that ball emphasize centrality better or how can color draw the observer in better. I think during our personal group session we learned how although the little innovations each of us had were cool, we have to either tie them into our project’s message or drop them altogether. If something innovative is there but we don’t understand why it is (in relation to the twigs or their place) the significance is lost and in distracting from the project it hurts the project.

Response To John Linn's Lecture

I’ve driven by the Proximity Hotel many times and wondered about those solar panels on the roof and the windows. To me all of those innovative implementations are very much aesthetically pleasing. The rows of solar panels look sleek and clean and as we’ve learned in class are very small details (as they are seen from the ground) that make a huge difference in how we perceive the structure. On a hotel- having the large windows as the primary source of light works very well as there is no breach in privacy as there is no one on the other side to see into the windows. From what we learned of Architecture 2030 and the idea of increasing sustainability through loose building we understand how these buildings are making a difference in decreasing environmental impact. From only seeing pictures of large scale buildings winning LEED awards I wonder if these goals are only being relegated to these large scale types of buildings…

 From working past summers and breaks in the construction sector with my father (roofing contractor) and Chuck Atkinson (home/apartment renovation construction contractor) I’ve seen many practices generally in new home construction which go against this goal of sustainability and quality. If you’ve ever heard the radio commercial about “KHovnanian Homes” then you know of what types of new homes I am addressing. These mini neighborhoods are springing up overnight made of mass-produced cheap houses with no trees cramped in on top of each other. Because I have either worked with my father or Chuck repairing various houses I know that these houses were “built to code” but not built to last. The roofs, the vinyl siding, the soil, the chimneys and perhaps everything else underneath we cannot see are of the cheapest materials. They give the appearance of being large in that they are vertical (but really aren’t as they are shallow in width) and the vinyl siding gives the appearance of looking like many of the more expensive homes. They are made this way to be sold to low-income families on long payment plans. From what I’ve seen these homes may not even last the duration of their payment plans. My father and I are amused whenever we drive by these houses and have named them “rich ghettos.”  Something must be done about these building practices as no matter how large and innovative a LEED building is it cannot offset the impact these rich ghettos are making.

Lettering Lyrics

I chose one of my favorite songs by my favorite artist Eric Johnson. His mastery of tone along with his combination of lyrics which stray from the norm results in beautiful music.

Leaf Project

Here's my final leaf project along with two of my earlier builds/drafts. The first leaf (with all white paper parts) fit together the best out of all of my builds prior to the last. Out of frustration I decided to replicate its parts into my final leaf which worked out really good. The thicker paper of the final made it very stable and strong. The final leaf has eggshell colored paper weaved through it and two different eggshell colors on the stem to define the different parts. The final also has a gray base, which I changed from the green base of the final critique. The bases on the other models show how I played with different base colors until I could find the best fit. 

12 Twigs Precedent: Eye of Ra/Horus

The eye of Ra/ Horus can be connected to my project in that it is an eye and in that it was used by ancient Egyptians in calculating fractions. Each part of the eye represents a different fraction and was used in calculating sums of grain, land etc. In that way the eye is a system just like our twig project. It's multiple parts are like the multiple twigs (12) we are to use.  

Blind Contour Portraits

Negative Space Chair

No Lift Pencil Leaf

This is a sketch of my final leaf project where we were required to not lift our pencils. This actually helped me to understand the linearity of my leaf better. 

Lettering Quotes

My 3 Twig sketches

My Five Mess Sketches

Hand Drawing and Blind Contour Drawing

Lettering Page

My 5 Random Sketches

My Upside Down Drawing

My Place for a Leaf Sketches

Foot Sketch

My Foot drawing