“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller

The map assignment consisted of 2 parts. The first part was about “making a map to get lost”. In my “ceremonial act” I cut, inked and burnt the edges of my Savannah map. Later I switched all the pieces around and glue them back together. ( See the results on the picture below). For the second part I was encouraged to think about something I could do with the destroyed map. I could do whatever I wanted, but I have to use the map on my design or as my source of inspiration.

The map definitely was what inspired me to developed my proyect. When I finish destroying the Savannah map, I thought about the places around the world I would like to visit: India, China, Italy, South America, etc. Since one of my dreams on my ” Things to do before I die list” is to travel, I imagined how I could relate mi career, fibers, with it. My idea was to show my desire to know and interact with different cultures, traditions, techniques and people in relation with my passion for fabrics. I decided to create a wire world covered with colorful wool, an airplane and flowers with different origami paper patterns, on top of a world map base.
The flowers entangled in the wool were a last moment idea. I was trying to find an “object” that symbolize the inspirational ideas I will get from the different places i visit. The Angelica flower was that perfect ” object I found: a flower that means inspiration. The flowers were crafted with origami paper and pieces of the destroyed map.

Check out my final piece and some zoomed details.

Hope you like it!

During critique I received very positive comments about the special meaning of the project for me and the way i developed my idea. Even though there were some of my classmates that liked the whole piece, there were some who weren’t sure about the worlds’s map of the base and the colors of the wool. They suggest some map stripes interleaved with the wool and a black base would have looked better.

- JVargas

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” Edgar Degas. 

The ABCs & 123s assignment I think is the one I have enjoy the most. Even though I freeze walking all around Savannah finding the letters of the alphabet and the numbers (1 to 9), this project let me see the world with other eyes, with attention and admiration. I found letters and numbers were I never thought there could be one: tress, doors, branches, streets, chairs, plants, etc. I learned that we are surrounded by uncountable objects, buildings, flowers and people, but we never stop to look beyond them. This was the perfect project to observe and discover what makes Savannah a magical city. Definitely the little details are the ones that make things special.

My favorite letters and numbers are P, T, 3, 8.

Take a look!

My critique went really good, they liked the presentation and quality of the pictures. My classmates also mentioned how some numbers and letters were formed by the angles at which the photos were taken. My professor and some classmates agreed that they weren’t sure about the different sizes of the photos pasted on the illustration board.

- JVargas

For my Jack and Jill project we had to create in groups a visual equivalent for the popular american rhythm ” Jack and Jill”.  We have to use the marks, symbols and pictograms of a the sheet of paper the professor gave to us. (Image A). The groups were allowed to enlarge or to modify the elements of the assignment sheet and to use color just if we consider it necessary.

Image A

My group was integrated by: Mariana Flores, Laura Matteo and Taylor Sergeant. We had a great time together working in this project. We distribute the work so that everyone can have something to contribute to the assignment. Laura Matteo and taylor were the responsible of creating the characters on every scene of the ” Jack and Jill”with the ideas of everyone. Mariana and me traced and outlined each scene on the 8 X 8 bristol board. while working on our project we decided to put color to some important objects or ideas of the pieces. later we mounted the bristol boards on two rectangular black illustration board.  This group activity not only let us share and know the ideas and opinions of the other members, but to make new friends.

Take a look for our final result.

Hope You Like it!

At the circus, Jack and Jill

Went up the stairs

To fetch a pail of water.

Jack saw Mouse and he got scared

Then fell down and broke his leg.

Jill came down to laugh at him.

Our critique didn’t go really good. They told us that we should have used only yellow, blue and red for all the scenes. Two of our bristol boards were a little bit yellowish. They suggest that maybe the flags could have looked better on the background of all our pieces to create unity. Proportion was another point they mentioned. Our classmates said the good craftsmanship and how well the composition looked together. Even though I felt this wasn’t the best project, I liked how we tried to used the ideas of each member of the group.

- JVargas

While sitting on Anderson’s first floor hall I heard many sounds at the same time. During one hour I was able to identify several sounds: people walking, music from the classrooms, water coming from the washstand, laughs and conversations. I record and incorporated them in my sound map. Hope you like it!

The empty vessel makes the loudest sound.
-William Shakespeare- 

                                                                 Sound Map

We might never stop for some minutes to listen carefully to all the sounds that surround us;   but for me it is the perfect moment to think about how grandiose life can be.

For my “Blog Inspiration” assignment I was looking for some blogs I feel connected with. For it I was trying to research not only for interesting blogs, but also blogs related with my field. On my introductory paragraph for my blog I said that I was going to study Industrial Design here at Scad; but at the end I changed my mind. After looking more in-depth to all the programs Scad offer I decided I want to study Fibers. Later I would like to combine it with painting.  I come up with two artist/ designer blogs that I definitely found very inspiring. I hope you like them too!

My first inspiring blog is Dana Alikhani and Tatiana Santo Domingo‘s blog called ”Muzungu Sisters“. Dana’s desire to create an online retail portal to promote fair labour practices by showcasing artisan-crafted goods from around the world; and Tatiana’s idea of managing a website that would featured objects and items she find in her trips’ adventures let them to the foundation of their amazing company. This two friends passionate for traveling and for discovering other cultures have begun to make their dream come true. I admire and love their concept, ideas and specially the way they enrich their cultural knowledge while they work. Take a look!

Brazilian/Colombian Tatiana Santo Domingo and friend Iranian/Cypriot Dana Alikhani

“We like things that have stories, things that are unusual; bright colours and textures – things that make you feel that you’re being transported somewhere else.” - Dana Alikhani.

http://muzungusisters.motilo.com/about/

My second artist’s blog is from Kelsey Brookes; an exceptional scientist – artist  who discover his passion for art after studying Biology with emphasis on microbiology in Colorado State University. I knew about this artist because of his success on Instagram. I started following him and I was able to see Brookes’ painstakingly colorful detailed paintings. Every painting is unique and reflects his influence from Hindu and Buddhist deities, exotic animals and his scientific studies.  I wasn’t able to found much information about him on this blog but above I post the link of a magazine article that talks about him. Hope you enjoy this amazing art!

Kelsey Brookes working in his studio

“I realized I could orientate these paintings to show a molecular formula that could inform what the colors would be or what the design would look like,” says Brookes.

Read more: http://www.wmagazine.com/w/blogs/thedailyw/2012/12/18/kelsey-brookes-san-diego.html#ixzz2KRwzgUg1

http://kelseybrookes.blogspot.com/

Instagram: @kelseybrookes

On my design class I was assigned to use black flat squares for my second exploration project. I had to represent with the squares the meaning of 6 words.

Hope you like it! Feel free to leave your comment.

WORDS: 

ORDER                              CONGESTED

INCREASE                          PLAYFUL

BOLD                                  TENSION

INCREASED - ORDER - BOLD

PLAYFUL - CONGESTED - TENSION

This is my final design for my Repetition Grid project.

Critique Notes

- The motif was used in different size 1 x 1 and 2 x 2 which makes it interesting.

- The position how it was exposed ( Rhombus shape ) makes it stand out from the others.

- The motif gives a possibility of repeating it over an over again as a pattern.

- The black boarder’ thickness was perfect for the design.

- Perfect craftsmanship.

- Not one of the most interesting but it work out pretty well.

For my Repetition Grid Project I was assigned to combine principles of form and repetition on complex grids of 10 x 10. First, I created different motifs as shown on image A. After choosing my motif I changed some things about it and it was ready to be placed in every cell of the grid to create some amazing designs. Second, I play with the motifs around the grid and I compose 5 designs ( Image B ). Third I develop 3 inking plans for the design I selected ( Image C ). Fourth, I chose my final design and transfer it into a piece of illustration board. Fifth I used india ink and fill in the positive shapes. Take a look to my next post to see the final design. I hope you like it!

Motif Sketches ( Image A )

Photocopied Motif

Image B

Ink Plans ( Image C )

While exploring this two technics of creating the focal point in a design I decided to play with the motif of a leave. I create two designs for each technic. The ones on the top represents concentration. the ones in the bottom represents isolation.  Hope you like them ! 

I decided to change the design for my curved lines. I feel the first one I made looks a little disorganized and it is not one of my favorites. In the re – design I try to make it more organized and at the same time creative and interesting by using some of the lines from the first one.

Re- design project: curved lines