Sketchbook Brainstorms-
Design Review in Class
Post-Class Research of "Fruit Socks"
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Materials- Sustainable Project- Brainstorming, Review, and Research
Okay so here is what I have so far, feel free to leave any feedback or information for me <3
Sketchbook Brainstorms-
Sketchbook Brainstorms-
J2. Project 1- Reflection
Working with the different metal surfacing was a unique opportunity I will carry forward throughout my work. The surface of a piece is the first thing that someone sees when they interact with a piece. The physical sensations the surface creates gives the viewer an initial response to the work. The color and texture create the mood and feel of the work.
I am in love with creating texture with the hammer to the metal. It can be layered and made to interact with the metal in different ways. It also shows the hand of the artist. I also like how many natural textures can be mimicked in the metal using the layering and stroke of the hammer. I also enjoy etching because it allows the metal to look the way I drew it and conceptualized it in my sketchbook.
The process that I find the most frustrating was the roll printing. There are so many conditions that have to be perfect in order to get an output that is desirable. I want to practice more of this in the future because I feel that a lot can be done with this technique. I also found that patina work with a torch can produce beautiful colors but, it is rather hit or miss for what comes out. I think that more practice with this as well can get some very nice results.
I really liked this project. I found that my theme being dreams allowed for a lot of different representations of the same idea and allowed for a flow of ideas throughout the process. I think that I should have limited myself a bit more though because I feel a few of the pieces did not quite seem as part of a collection of work where a lot of the rest of it did.
I am in love with creating texture with the hammer to the metal. It can be layered and made to interact with the metal in different ways. It also shows the hand of the artist. I also like how many natural textures can be mimicked in the metal using the layering and stroke of the hammer. I also enjoy etching because it allows the metal to look the way I drew it and conceptualized it in my sketchbook.
The process that I find the most frustrating was the roll printing. There are so many conditions that have to be perfect in order to get an output that is desirable. I want to practice more of this in the future because I feel that a lot can be done with this technique. I also found that patina work with a torch can produce beautiful colors but, it is rather hit or miss for what comes out. I think that more practice with this as well can get some very nice results.
I really liked this project. I found that my theme being dreams allowed for a lot of different representations of the same idea and allowed for a flow of ideas throughout the process. I think that I should have limited myself a bit more though because I feel a few of the pieces did not quite seem as part of a collection of work where a lot of the rest of it did.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Materials- Creative Caffiene
10 Things That That are Unsustainable to Sustainable!
1. Cars
- cars run on fossil fuels that are from nature but, the way we treat and process them it makes them into something new and unnatural.
- things exist that are more sustainable, for example hydrogen-powered engines and corn (ethanol) powered engines
- the transition to these is simple but, it would have to be more wide-spread
- have large public transit systems all over the United States and make it not taboo to ride the public transit.
2. Plastics
- generally made of pvc and toxic chemicals
- when it is burned it is very bad for the environment
- there are more natural alternatives, like bio-polymers and natural resins that could be used as an alternative
- they also tend to be biodegradable and better for environment
3. Insulation
- is starting to get hot out and the winter was pretty cold, I had to go upstairs to check something the attic and I got the nasty fiberglass insulation all over me. It was gross!
- I remember that last semester, there is alternatives like denim that can be used instead of this nasty stuff
- fiber glass is harmful if you break it in, and as it breaks down it becomes airborne and ends up in your lungs and in the air.
- change the way we use air conditioning with opening windows and naturally insulating houses with heat pipes ect.
4. Plastic Water bottles, tea bottles, soda bottles
- we could always replace the material to be something biodegradable but, I don't think that is truly a solution. I mean yes it will solve the problem of the bottle in a landfill for 1000s of years but, it is still going to the landfill, we are still paying to ship it around and dispose of it. Instead, let's think of ways we could rethink the bottle!
- make fountains of your favorite drink in public locations where like a vending machine you put in your change take out your change and get a drink, but instead you take out your refillable container and fill it up with your favorite drink right from the fountain. There could be local distribution centers that pump it to these fountains or even have local soda shop manufactures and juicers that you get it in a pipeline directly from the manufacture.
5. Clothing
- we are in a culture of "style" where we don't make clothing to last, all it is good for is that fashion season
- I was seeing that Hanes has come out with a line of sustainable clothing, which is kinda cool, but it still would become useless over time
- if we rethought fashion and made it so that we were a "fashion-less" culture and you wore clothes that made you look good (not necessarily whats in style) and clothing that lasts repeated wear there would be less clothing waste.
- If we made clothign that was out of organic materials they tend to be softer hold up longer and be less harmful to your skin
6. Food
- the problem with food prices right now is directly connected in the rise in gas prices there are ways to make food more sustainable and cheaper
- there are plenty of things that we get shipped all over the country. There is a reason you can find oranges in your local grocery store all year round, it is because they are being shipped from all over the world to your neighborhood and this is EXPENSIVE
- what if we ate in season, this is what they did for hundreds of years before power and cars and it worked! and ya know what they didn't have as many problems with obesity as we do today
7. Electronic Waste and Planned Obsolencence
- so I work at an electronic store and I am constantly hearing "this didn't last as long as my old -insert electronic that is now broken", they are told when it is broken that it is cheaper just to buy a new one
- where does that old one go? most of the time to a landfill sometimes to an electronic recycler that just takes out the parts
- we can make electronics better for the environment but no matter what parts of it will be bad, i mean you can't make "bio-mercury" or "bio-lithium" it is just not a part of the element
- what if we went back t o making things that lasted, yeah they wouldnt be as cheap the first time around, but still, what if it lasted 5-10 years and then you could FIX it? I mean it would make the costs of electronics cheaper
- what if we made it so our old electronics could be upgraded to the "lastest and greatest", don't program them to be obsolete in a year or two
8. Cell Phones
- there is no reason we should get a new cell phone every year just to get the latest trendy model! I mean really now!
- cell phones need to be universal, if you change carrier or whatever you should be able to keep your phone if its in good working order, plus there should be a universal system of chargers.
- the only reason most chargers don't work in electronics is proprietary chips in them to keep it FROM working in other things. It's to keep you buying new chargers and cables then you misplace or break your old ones
9.Paper waste, use of paper
- electronics exists that can totally replace paper
- we live in a digital work there is no reason to be cutting down trees and wasting paper
- while these use electricity to run, it is far less then the electricity used in the milling process and the recycling process
10. Electricity
- There are ways in which we could be using less electricity every night, but we are a wasteful society, if we were more effiecient with our energy useage it wouldnt be so much of a problem
- Turn off the lights! you don't need 5 on in your house if your only in 1 room
- turn down the heat and the cool in the summer we keep our houses shut tight and don't use whats in the air around us!
- wind and solar power are big in other countries and very viable technologies but, people seem shy of them. they are a real opportunity to use our environment in non-impact ways
1. Cars
- cars run on fossil fuels that are from nature but, the way we treat and process them it makes them into something new and unnatural.
- things exist that are more sustainable, for example hydrogen-powered engines and corn (ethanol) powered engines
- the transition to these is simple but, it would have to be more wide-spread
- have large public transit systems all over the United States and make it not taboo to ride the public transit.
2. Plastics
- generally made of pvc and toxic chemicals
- when it is burned it is very bad for the environment
- there are more natural alternatives, like bio-polymers and natural resins that could be used as an alternative
- they also tend to be biodegradable and better for environment
3. Insulation
- is starting to get hot out and the winter was pretty cold, I had to go upstairs to check something the attic and I got the nasty fiberglass insulation all over me. It was gross!
- I remember that last semester, there is alternatives like denim that can be used instead of this nasty stuff
- fiber glass is harmful if you break it in, and as it breaks down it becomes airborne and ends up in your lungs and in the air.
- change the way we use air conditioning with opening windows and naturally insulating houses with heat pipes ect.
4. Plastic Water bottles, tea bottles, soda bottles
- we could always replace the material to be something biodegradable but, I don't think that is truly a solution. I mean yes it will solve the problem of the bottle in a landfill for 1000s of years but, it is still going to the landfill, we are still paying to ship it around and dispose of it. Instead, let's think of ways we could rethink the bottle!
- make fountains of your favorite drink in public locations where like a vending machine you put in your change take out your change and get a drink, but instead you take out your refillable container and fill it up with your favorite drink right from the fountain. There could be local distribution centers that pump it to these fountains or even have local soda shop manufactures and juicers that you get it in a pipeline directly from the manufacture.
5. Clothing
- we are in a culture of "style" where we don't make clothing to last, all it is good for is that fashion season
- I was seeing that Hanes has come out with a line of sustainable clothing, which is kinda cool, but it still would become useless over time
- if we rethought fashion and made it so that we were a "fashion-less" culture and you wore clothes that made you look good (not necessarily whats in style) and clothing that lasts repeated wear there would be less clothing waste.
- If we made clothign that was out of organic materials they tend to be softer hold up longer and be less harmful to your skin
6. Food
- the problem with food prices right now is directly connected in the rise in gas prices there are ways to make food more sustainable and cheaper
- there are plenty of things that we get shipped all over the country. There is a reason you can find oranges in your local grocery store all year round, it is because they are being shipped from all over the world to your neighborhood and this is EXPENSIVE
- what if we ate in season, this is what they did for hundreds of years before power and cars and it worked! and ya know what they didn't have as many problems with obesity as we do today
7. Electronic Waste and Planned Obsolencence
- so I work at an electronic store and I am constantly hearing "this didn't last as long as my old -insert electronic that is now broken", they are told when it is broken that it is cheaper just to buy a new one
- where does that old one go? most of the time to a landfill sometimes to an electronic recycler that just takes out the parts
- we can make electronics better for the environment but no matter what parts of it will be bad, i mean you can't make "bio-mercury" or "bio-lithium" it is just not a part of the element
- what if we went back t o making things that lasted, yeah they wouldnt be as cheap the first time around, but still, what if it lasted 5-10 years and then you could FIX it? I mean it would make the costs of electronics cheaper
- what if we made it so our old electronics could be upgraded to the "lastest and greatest", don't program them to be obsolete in a year or two
8. Cell Phones
- there is no reason we should get a new cell phone every year just to get the latest trendy model! I mean really now!
- cell phones need to be universal, if you change carrier or whatever you should be able to keep your phone if its in good working order, plus there should be a universal system of chargers.
- the only reason most chargers don't work in electronics is proprietary chips in them to keep it FROM working in other things. It's to keep you buying new chargers and cables then you misplace or break your old ones
9.Paper waste, use of paper
- electronics exists that can totally replace paper
- we live in a digital work there is no reason to be cutting down trees and wasting paper
- while these use electricity to run, it is far less then the electricity used in the milling process and the recycling process
10. Electricity
- There are ways in which we could be using less electricity every night, but we are a wasteful society, if we were more effiecient with our energy useage it wouldnt be so much of a problem
- Turn off the lights! you don't need 5 on in your house if your only in 1 room
- turn down the heat and the cool in the summer we keep our houses shut tight and don't use whats in the air around us!
- wind and solar power are big in other countries and very viable technologies but, people seem shy of them. they are a real opportunity to use our environment in non-impact ways
Materials- Sustainable Project Materials Sample Start
So, I was thinking of how natural materials are sustainable. I mean if they are made by nature they are natural and nature has a way to handle itself. I was thinking of how to use wool, wood, cork, leather and a few other things in as many ways as I could think of.
(hehe more to come about all of this I am super excited)
Sustainable Design 2.0
Last semester I had my first dose of sustainable design-- it was enough to completely change my major. Sustainable Design is a necessary part of our future if we want to be able to continue the type of life we expect as Americans. Resources are running out point blank. There is NOTHING that can be done about fossil fuels besides to find ways to replace them. There is NOTHING to do with old trash, but to find BETTER trash. Objects can be made easy and affordable using sustainable materials and in general they will be stronger and better lasting then there non-sustainable predecessors.
What IS sustainability? Quite simply, it is the capacity to endure (wikipedia). Simple concept right? The ability to endure use, to endure production, to endure continual production. Sustainability is continual, and is a cradle to cradle production meaning the end result does not live in a landfill for hundreds of years.
Sustainable design has different factions and ideas to it. It is about the end user, the customer, having a product that is good for the environment that people feel is there own. That is where the idea of "customerization" comes into play. It is allowing the customer to determine the end result of the project. This is very interesting because it takes the final touches away from the artist and makes it more about the person who will be interacting with this object every day of their life. To put this into perspective, this is like when you were a kid and decorated your notebooks for school. It identified it as your own and made it something you were proud to carry around with you.
Another thing sustainable design is interested in is "localism". It is the act of keeping the materials sustainable and close to where they are produced. That is maybe using local wool when you knit a scarf or using a local fabric tailor to produce your clothing line. Localism is more then just keeping shipping costs of materials down, it keeps local businesses IN business.
Sustainable design is new in the U.S. It would be wrong of any of us to say we have it all figured out. It is constantly a question of "Is this sustainable design?" I mean if it is natural and unaltered it might be sustainable but if its a product of industrial wastes it might still be sustainable because its using every bit of the production process for something constructive.
What IS sustainability? Quite simply, it is the capacity to endure (wikipedia). Simple concept right? The ability to endure use, to endure production, to endure continual production. Sustainability is continual, and is a cradle to cradle production meaning the end result does not live in a landfill for hundreds of years.
Sustainable design has different factions and ideas to it. It is about the end user, the customer, having a product that is good for the environment that people feel is there own. That is where the idea of "customerization" comes into play. It is allowing the customer to determine the end result of the project. This is very interesting because it takes the final touches away from the artist and makes it more about the person who will be interacting with this object every day of their life. To put this into perspective, this is like when you were a kid and decorated your notebooks for school. It identified it as your own and made it something you were proud to carry around with you.
Another thing sustainable design is interested in is "localism". It is the act of keeping the materials sustainable and close to where they are produced. That is maybe using local wool when you knit a scarf or using a local fabric tailor to produce your clothing line. Localism is more then just keeping shipping costs of materials down, it keeps local businesses IN business.
Sustainable design is new in the U.S. It would be wrong of any of us to say we have it all figured out. It is constantly a question of "Is this sustainable design?" I mean if it is natural and unaltered it might be sustainable but if its a product of industrial wastes it might still be sustainable because its using every bit of the production process for something constructive.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Materials- 10 Action Oriented Versions of Hype!
I wanted to do as many different types of hype on as many subjects as I could think of. So, here is what I came up with!
The first one started off as an idea from last semester with the "Think Before You Ink!" idea. It was about how women put on make-up not for themselves but, to impress someone. This was also the most simple version of Hype I thought of being a simple "poster".
From here, I thought about the other common ways we see hype around us, and I thought of video. I also thought about how college students are the most sleep deprived community in our culture (according to my psychology textbook). So, I did a short video to hype sleeping.
Original Video - More videos at TinyPic
Next, I was thinking about all the classes I am taking right now and all the other stuff going on and it lead me to think about stress. Another common form of hype (from the D.I.Y. book) is stickers. They can be placed anywhere and are a simple statement of our beliefs.
Looking at the D.I.Y Book I had the idea to wear buttons. They are a little statement of personal beliefs. I put on a statistic from my "Enjoy Your Lunch" project last semester.
Then I thought about other "badges" we wear on our bodies which made me think of tattoos. They are a statement we wear on ourselves forever that people can readily see. I did a measuring tape and the word "sizeism" on the inch marks.
Then I thought about sustainable design and how there is so much trash. I constructed a wearable glove out of recycled newspaper. It was not perm, but, it would provide a temporary use and make people think about how they use and throw away items.
Next, I think I went a little drastic. I was thinking about those New Year's year glasses. I was wondering if you could use them to make a statement, so I did a little banner about universal healthcare.
I am in love with Starbucks, but it's also quite addictive. I was thinking about groups and cults and a lot of them wear arm bands to display their place in the group. I decided to make a Starbucks arm band.
I was thinking about prom season which is coming up. It is always a busy time for me at work. I remembered my prom and how uncomfortable the shoes are. Most heels are horrible for your feet so I made an info tag about the shoes.
The last thing I worked on was a bow. People look at your face and hair a lot through the days and simple icons and symbols can state a belief without any real work behind it. I have a lot of friends who are gay and lesbian and I have always been a supporter for equal rights. So, I made a small pride bow to show support for the gay and lesbian community.
From here, I thought about the other common ways we see hype around us, and I thought of video. I also thought about how college students are the most sleep deprived community in our culture (according to my psychology textbook). So, I did a short video to hype sleeping.
Original Video - More videos at TinyPic
Materials- 1 Design/3 Materials
I want to focus on the idea of the pressure we are given by the media and the way it can make you feel almost uncomfortable at times. The media has created such a hype around the perfect women that it is hard for regular women to feel comfortable in their own skin. For my project, I want to focus particularly on weight and body image. I want to design something that is a hype around the pressure the women feel to be "perfect".
I want it to be a wearable piece. It should constrict and pressure the wearer if not create pain. I want it to have a dual pressure to the viewer and I want them to feel uncomfortable viewing my piece.
I have done some research before into the topic of media pressure and body image last semester so I picked up where I left off and went into the facts of media pressure and body image. The first thing I came across is the Federal Government's education page. Seems like a weird place to start my search but, I found this (http://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/citizen/partx.html). It was exactly what I was talking about!
The fact that the government feels the need to publish these types of articles proves that there is a problem. Why is there a teaching aide for parents to talk to their kids about the pressures of the media? That just seems insane and it shows that no one is immune from their messages.
The media has lead people to question when is skinny too skinny? Everyone agrees when someone is overweight, but it becomes a tough decision for an agreement as to where the point is crossed on being too thin. I want my design to be something that no matter what size you are it is too tight. I want it to wrap around and grip like a claw the way media seizes onto you and grabs you. (http://anorexia-nervosa.suite101.com/article.cfm/medias_unrealistic_body_image) The media has no stopping point for size, and seem to be focused on finding the thinest models possible.
I originally planned for it to be around the waist like a corset. But, there are a few problems with this. First off, in the scope of the project and digital manufacturing it is quite unrealistic. Secondly, I think it has a meaning I do not desire. People seem them as lingerie and as "sexy". I want it to cause discomfort in the viewer, which I do not think any type of corset design will cause. So, after some discussion I chose to make a cuff that goes on the upper arm. That tends to be an area women feel is not pretty or too fat. They say they can't wear this or that because of "ugly arms". I want the cuff to make you feel uncomfortable so it is logical to put it in an area of discomfort.
I want it to be a wearable piece. It should constrict and pressure the wearer if not create pain. I want it to have a dual pressure to the viewer and I want them to feel uncomfortable viewing my piece.
I have done some research before into the topic of media pressure and body image last semester so I picked up where I left off and went into the facts of media pressure and body image. The first thing I came across is the Federal Government's education page. Seems like a weird place to start my search but, I found this (http://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/citizen/partx.html). It was exactly what I was talking about!
The fact that the government feels the need to publish these types of articles proves that there is a problem. Why is there a teaching aide for parents to talk to their kids about the pressures of the media? That just seems insane and it shows that no one is immune from their messages.
I originally planned for it to be around the waist like a corset. But, there are a few problems with this. First off, in the scope of the project and digital manufacturing it is quite unrealistic. Secondly, I think it has a meaning I do not desire. People seem them as lingerie and as "sexy". I want it to cause discomfort in the viewer, which I do not think any type of corset design will cause. So, after some discussion I chose to make a cuff that goes on the upper arm. That tends to be an area women feel is not pretty or too fat. They say they can't wear this or that because of "ugly arms". I want the cuff to make you feel uncomfortable so it is logical to put it in an area of discomfort.
Materials - Examples of Hype!
Here are my examples that I found that I consider to be hype.
I think that hype is something visual that creates an implied urge for whatever the intended meaning is. The first two things that always come to mind are Politics and Media. Both I think are the biggest users of "hype".
Politics-
War is one of the main pulls for messages of hype through the use of propaganda. You have to "hype the war" to get the people to pay the money for the war. It's a very complex system. There is also generally rival hype in the pro-war and anti-war camps. Some of the cruelest atrocities done to man were funded and carried out on the proceeds of propaganda. Making it one of the most powerful motivators around.
Propaganda is generally in print but, it is also in the form of clothing and monuments. One of the largest forms of propaganda in this country is monuments and government facades. They are a form of hype in my opinion because they seek to display "power" and "might" of the government in a subtext. People go to these places almost in a form of a pilgrimage from all over the country.
Media-
It surrounds us every single day! On the Radio, In Print, On the T.V. it's everywhere. Everything we see tends to have a link to the media in some way. It dictates how we feel about ourselves and others and how we interact with our environment. It makes us hungry, it makes us buy new clothes, it makes us go to the movies. Hype is the key tool for anything to be a success.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
ACC Show!
I just got back to Towson from the American Craft Council Show, I wish I had more time but, I had other classes I could not miss. First impression, WOW! So much to look out it was overwhelming. The time and care that went in every piece and the shear craftsmanship is something I strive for in the future.
I had some wonderful talks with some of the artists, in particular Jonathan Lee Rutledge (www.rutledgejewelry.com) and Rhonda Storm (rhonadstorm.com). They both seemed generally interesting in the fact we were students and readily explained their processes and techniques.
Johnathan Lee Rutledge has some beautiful swooping hook clasps. I have seen a few of these before, but his were very elegant and well designed to match the flow of the pieces. Talking to him about his clasps, he showed me a bracelet where he had integrated the clasp mechanism in with the bracelet to the point you had to really search to find the opening. It seemed for all the world to be a continuous band. He also talked about a technique where you take gold powered and individually lay pieces of the gold down and then affix it to the stone. It is an ancient technique and he allowed us to hold a piece with this technique on it. His had a pretty neat story of how he became a jewelry which is fun to know that he didn't plan originally to be a jeweler. It was just his calling as he said and it just felt like what he wanted to do. He really had a lovely passion for the work and for the craft.
Rhonda Storm was a fun women and well as her work. She creates these brooches with this chicken figures. They are so interactive with moving beaks and limbs. They shift as you wear them. She explained how they were affixed to each other and how the parts moved on each piece allowing me to look at a few of them in detail. They were lovely and adorable.
I also spent some time looking at the chains and how they linked to each other and how they linked to the main object of the item. A lot of them seem to be doing intricate intertwining loops. I saw quite a few that were interwoven and then rolled through a rolling mill to flatten them which morphed the designs and made them really interested. It gave me an idea to do something with a Celtic knot chain of some sort. I also saw a few that were modeled off of vines were a few strands would weave in and out of each other sometimes becoming knots sometimes being loose. It was quite interesting to see how different artists tackled the challenge of the connections. There was also a lot of rivets, more then I expected really. I guess rivets are simple and easy to do and they are also quick.
Moving on, the show had a new feature of "Green Craft" that highlighted environmentally-friendly processes and techniques. The little sustainable designer in me felt the need to talk to every single booth with this sign. The artists I talked to generally were very receptive and I had some wonderful conversations with them. They didn't seem to mind my million questions about their process, where they got the materials, their technique ect.
Three lovely green designers worth checking out are: Noelle Van Hendrick from (www.zpots.com), Jeff Greengard (drivebybags.com) and Michelle LaLonde (www.michellelalondeaccessories.com).
I had some wonderful talks with some of the artists, in particular Jonathan Lee Rutledge (www.rutledgejewelry.com) and Rhonda Storm (rhonadstorm.com). They both seemed generally interesting in the fact we were students and readily explained their processes and techniques.
Johnathan Lee Rutledge has some beautiful swooping hook clasps. I have seen a few of these before, but his were very elegant and well designed to match the flow of the pieces. Talking to him about his clasps, he showed me a bracelet where he had integrated the clasp mechanism in with the bracelet to the point you had to really search to find the opening. It seemed for all the world to be a continuous band. He also talked about a technique where you take gold powered and individually lay pieces of the gold down and then affix it to the stone. It is an ancient technique and he allowed us to hold a piece with this technique on it. His had a pretty neat story of how he became a jewelry which is fun to know that he didn't plan originally to be a jeweler. It was just his calling as he said and it just felt like what he wanted to do. He really had a lovely passion for the work and for the craft.Rhonda Storm was a fun women and well as her work. She creates these brooches with this chicken figures. They are so interactive with moving beaks and limbs. They shift as you wear them. She explained how they were affixed to each other and how the parts moved on each piece allowing me to look at a few of them in detail. They were lovely and adorable.
I also spent some time looking at the chains and how they linked to each other and how they linked to the main object of the item. A lot of them seem to be doing intricate intertwining loops. I saw quite a few that were interwoven and then rolled through a rolling mill to flatten them which morphed the designs and made them really interested. It gave me an idea to do something with a Celtic knot chain of some sort. I also saw a few that were modeled off of vines were a few strands would weave in and out of each other sometimes becoming knots sometimes being loose. It was quite interesting to see how different artists tackled the challenge of the connections. There was also a lot of rivets, more then I expected really. I guess rivets are simple and easy to do and they are also quick.
Moving on, the show had a new feature of "Green Craft" that highlighted environmentally-friendly processes and techniques. The little sustainable designer in me felt the need to talk to every single booth with this sign. The artists I talked to generally were very receptive and I had some wonderful conversations with them. They didn't seem to mind my million questions about their process, where they got the materials, their technique ect.
Three lovely green designers worth checking out are: Noelle Van Hendrick from (www.zpots.com), Jeff Greengard (drivebybags.com) and Michelle LaLonde (www.michellelalondeaccessories.com).
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
AMV Making Felt!
Today was the big moment, I took all the bags of dog fur (which by the way, I have found that a 1 1/2 grocery bags of fur is about all a dog produces in a month apparently) and made my masterpiece!So, I used the wool for the top side and used a pattern loosely based off of Native American wool saddle blankets. My Aunt is a major collector of Native American patterns and artifacts and I remember as a child going to her house for a few hours and hearing her stories. She would give me crayons and paper to draw for hours, in a way, this is a dedication to her support of me at a young age.
The underside (the top side while I was felting) has the natural dog fur. This should keep his allergies down and make it more comfortable to him. So the upper side when it is made will be the wool and the underside will be dog fur.
From there, I used dog shampoo as the soap and heated regular water for the lubricant and felted for about an hour or so ( I did not keep wonderful timing on that). It is drying now, I will trim it and go back and fix some of the thin spots either needle felting back in some of the trimmings or with fresh dog fur.I am pretty satisfied with the look of it and I am ready to trim it, as soon as this process is complete, with organic cotton and add in the straps and leg protectors/warmers for his back legs.
Short Hair Dilemma
I am working on my felt for my AMV project and I ran into the problem that the fur was short hair and would get thin in some places. I was also concerned I would not have enough to make thick enough layers of wool. I was wondering what I could do to fix these problems and I decided I was going to mix some wool in with the dog fur. My original plan was to mix the fur all together but, I did some internet research and it appears that you can layer fur to create different effects (http://www.gfwsheep.com/flatfelt/flatfelt1.html). I think I am going to try this technique and layer the wool on the bottom to provide an even layer and support and put the dog fur on top. When you felt they mix together, so it is not totally against the thought of making an allergen-free dog sweater and it will have more strength and support.
Monday, February 22, 2010
In the News...
I was surfing around the internet, which I do every Monday morning before Jewelry 2, and it was really a slow news week. Most of the coverage is the same old stuff from before, there is a war in Iran, the chaos in Haiti, a flood somewhere else, some peace talks and the Olympics. All of them seem to be just the regular speculation from before about what will happen and when an end to violence, destruction, and pain will come. So, I tend to avoid the typical "war coverage" news that seems to be so readily available.
Anyway, what actually caught my eye was an article about Coca-cola presenting at a food show in Florida (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/6874961.html). Seems pretty mundane right? Well, yeah it was, but the interesting part for me was the information behind the story. Coca-cola was represented by their Latin spokesperson and talking about international sales. The article went on to state Coca-cola was ahead in profits last year because of international sales. Coca-cola has been an U.S. company for years, its very telling when they are finding more of a market outside of the U.S. then in it. Makes you wonder what is going on. Can the sakes of Coca-cola really be the true indicator of our economy? It is an interesting proposal in my mind.
Looking abroad, there news always seems more happy. In Mexico from El Pais, there was a wonderful article about music. The part that actually interested me was, the entire article was about American Actors and singers. (http://www.elpais.com.uy/100214/pespec-471195/novedades/-la-musica-me-hace-feliz-) This was not the first of the articles I found (in spanish) from Latin American countries about American artists and actors. This made me wonder why is there not more articles about Latin artists in the United States. It is so rare to hear of an international band in the United States (unless you are a music buff) it makes me think America really is that self-centered. I love reggaeton which is a type "urban" hip-hop in Spanish. It is hard to find new reggaeton artists in the United States (some notable ones for you all to check out that are pretty easy to find are Don Omar and Wisin y Yandel) because they get little to no air time unless they are on "spanish radio stations". I wish there were a radio station out there that would play what is popular around the world instead of the same 20 songs that are popular in the U.S. right now. The United States needs to become more international on all fronts and that is such an easy think to do.
Anyway, what actually caught my eye was an article about Coca-cola presenting at a food show in Florida (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/6874961.html). Seems pretty mundane right? Well, yeah it was, but the interesting part for me was the information behind the story. Coca-cola was represented by their Latin spokesperson and talking about international sales. The article went on to state Coca-cola was ahead in profits last year because of international sales. Coca-cola has been an U.S. company for years, its very telling when they are finding more of a market outside of the U.S. then in it. Makes you wonder what is going on. Can the sakes of Coca-cola really be the true indicator of our economy? It is an interesting proposal in my mind.
Looking abroad, there news always seems more happy. In Mexico from El Pais, there was a wonderful article about music. The part that actually interested me was, the entire article was about American Actors and singers. (http://www.elpais.com.uy/100214/pespec-471195/novedades/-la-musica-me-hace-feliz-) This was not the first of the articles I found (in spanish) from Latin American countries about American artists and actors. This made me wonder why is there not more articles about Latin artists in the United States. It is so rare to hear of an international band in the United States (unless you are a music buff) it makes me think America really is that self-centered. I love reggaeton which is a type "urban" hip-hop in Spanish. It is hard to find new reggaeton artists in the United States (some notable ones for you all to check out that are pretty easy to find are Don Omar and Wisin y Yandel) because they get little to no air time unless they are on "spanish radio stations". I wish there were a radio station out there that would play what is popular around the world instead of the same 20 songs that are popular in the U.S. right now. The United States needs to become more international on all fronts and that is such an easy think to do.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)