Word Project Description

   
     In this group project we explored text in a 2 & 3-dimensional context. Using the word we randomly chose. We started out by experimenting with black and white paper cutouts. We cut and arranged them in differing manners as to brainstorm for the 3-dimensional work. Next we brainstormed on the construction and placement of our letters around campus. We also had to choose font details such as x-height, stroke width, etc. After we decided on a material to construct the letters out of, in this case cardboard, we began immediately.
     We constructed the first three letters as negative space and the last five letters as positive representations of the letters, this was done to help convey our word, displace. After constructing our letters we painted them black and finally we were ready for installation. We installed the letters multiple places around campus trying to simulate the idea of displacement. Next we constructed accordion books to show the site photos and a process book for written reflections and prototypes.

The Mind Map

The mind map was much easier to do in a group as opposed individually, four minds are better than one. We explored several routes with the mind map the main ones of which were handle, movement, heads, clips and size. I initially thought that the whisk would be an easy project as when we started I had tons of ideas but as we progress in the project it feels like this may be more difficult than I had originally thought. What we can do and actually prototype as opposed to what can be justifiably changed. Does the head need a different shape or design? Is there a reason its the way it is? So many questions that I look forward to answering as we progress. 

DIS-organized

         It's  fascinating how our brains function isn't it? I hate all of the people with ADD or OCD or any other disorder. Correction I dont hate them, I hate how society has labeled and dealt with them. I am incredibly forgetful, selectively forgetful, obliviously forgetful. I probably technically have Attention Deficit Disorder and I know I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. But I dont make excuses for it, I dont dont take pills for it. These so called socially labeled "Disorders" are part of me, they make me. Why would I try and inhibit a part of me? I know that some people have serious problems that need to be medicated but it seems to me that problems that aren't actually medical disorders are labeled as that. Misbehaving in school, not paying attention, Disrespect. These problems aren't disorders they are bad parenting.
         Now that i've given my opinion, I want you to take everything I just said with a grain of salt, actually take it with a lot of salt. Because I didn't do any research or anything of the like. Its just my opinion and a very haphazard one at that. I hope to blog next about the project thingy I just needed to rant and blow off some steam and what better place to do that than my own personal internet blog! Zak signing out until next time.

REM Sleep + Late night = Creativity?

       Mono-phasic sleep cycle, The average socially acceptable sleep cycle. 6-8 hours of sleep all at the same time define the most basic sleep cycle. But this isn't the only sleep cycle there are several other cycle that take different approaches to getting required REM sleep. All the cycles get around 4 hours of sleep, characterized by the different way they approach spreading out multiple mini maps during the day. REM the deeper sleep that your body needs to be rested is only achieved on average an hour an a half after you go to sleep. But with the alternate sleep cycle you instantly enter REM sleep. The reason for this is because you are starving your body of excess sleep. Since your body dosen't know the next time it might get extra sleep it instantly enters into REM mode when you sleep. This means that you stay awake for more hours of the day, but you are confined to a more rigid sleep structure. 
          This leads to my second point.... or question. Are you more creative at night? Or are large percentages of creative people just night owls? Is it just because creative people seem to be inherent procrastinators that we put things off till the last minute and that just usually happens to be at night? Do we dwell in the night because the scarily cheery morning people just disgust us? Are we seeking different hours so as not be be disturbed by the heedless flow of the world outside while we create? Am I pointlessly rambling on because its only 12:38 AM and I dont feel like giving in to sleep?
          A point I would like to make is that I feel like we are using our time incredibly inefficient. I think we should all convert to Uberman Sleep Cycles. Imagine on average that we could add 4 extra hours to a day for every person in America. If we added four hours of extra time for every person in America over a year time span we could gain 455,728,000,000 hours of time. 
         Obviously there are instances where you need more sleep. Children need more sleep, anyone doing strenuous activity or exercise would need more sleep. But still, its fascinating to think that i've been wasting all that sleep all these years. Guess I need to started loosing all that built up of time.   

Snow Cones

Snow Cones

I still haven't figured out what I want to consistently blog about so for now I shall continue narcissistically showing off my side projects. I did this one after I found out we can print out large pictures relatively cheap. My room was relatively barren until I got some of my art work up, but I would love to be able to print off my own posters which is incredibly easy to do with access to the plotters. If you've never read or seen Game of Thrones then you probably dont get the poster, but trust me its hilarious (note to self: work on narcissism). Social media is a great criticism tool, I posted this on Facebook and asked for criticism; I got a lot of it very quickly.     

Rock Chalk Renaissance

Rock Chalk Renaissance 

                                        

These area some glorified thumbnail's I did on photoshop. A friend of mine ask if I could maybe throw something together for the engineering Rock Chalk Renaissance to possibly see if it would work as a design. My first though was a banner So I did the one in the top left. The theme is Renaissance inspired because they are making catapults and things of the like. So I thought that I'd add a castle or something thus the one in the bottom right corner. I'm some older looking text and a divider to try and give it that ye olde effect. After the first two I didn't really like the vertical banner so I thought about a vertical triangular banner but I didn't feel like making one. So instead I added a catapult with a colored Jayhawk   and threw around some other ideas. Overall the aren't bad ideas but in all honesty I dont like any of them.

Quidditch

Quidditch

I have been meaning for some time now to create a potential logo for KU's Quidditch team. I started by looking up logo's and getting ideas. Originally I wanted to have a snitch being held with the name and such on it. But I came to an impasse when I couldn't find a picture that I liked or could sufficiently alter. So since I didn't feel like creating my own from scratch I decided to copy the Hogwarts banner idea to give it more of a Harry Potter feel. I tried to keep things symmetrical but the broom kinda threw that off.... And now that i'm looking at it I think the word Quidditch is to large and Kansas to small.... Oh well. Next project a logo for the Rock Chalk Renaissance.     

Poke-mon

PIKACHU

LINK's LIFE

Finally got to use photoshop CS6 which was super exciting, plus learning some tips about illustrator and indesign was nice but on the whole a little basic. On the top picture I used the magic eraser (i'm sorry) to clear the background off pikachu then I pulled him into another picture I had lying around. To get rid of myself in the background of the picture I used fill, content aware, several times to clear the edges up. I took pikachu's opacity down to about 20% and erased the bottom part of him to line up with the rocks and then I added a gaussian blur to it. The hearts below are just some poster board that I cut up to get some art on the walls in my room. Well back to brainstorming and sketching. 

COLOR's

Contrasting Color Harmony

This color assignment has really stretched my thinking of colors. I'm now looking at different colors and making guess's as to which color unity it is. I'm even looking at dull colors and everyday things and seeing value and hue, and then I begin to realize the sub-conscious affect colors have on our life. From advertisements to carpet. I am also realized to day in class how bad I am at recognizing color techniques. But however it affects my thinking its at least helping me understand color and how to use it to my advantage.