Design I // Stop Motion Animation Final

For Design I’s final project, we focused on time and motion. With technology speeding ahead these days, it is beneficial to challenge students to try this as a school project.

Students had to produce a one-minute stop motion animation consisting of photography and sound. Creativity wise, the sky was the limit! The best video-editing software available to them were Apple iMovie and Windows Movie Maker. The more frames per second that were compiled, the smoother the video appeared. To put this into perspective, the Wallace & Gromit 30-minute shorts were shot close to 20 frames per second, adding up to be around 35,000 shots per video. That’s a bit extreme for my students, so they were encouraged to place at least two frames per second. We also watched short films by Disney and Tim Burton, and the hilarious YouTube classic “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On“.

It was a challenge for students to work on an art project of this scale, especially if they were new to Apple iMovie & Windows Movie Maker video-editing software. However, they were very proud of themselves for figuring out such a feat. We had a lot of fun in both sections eating snacks and watching everyone’s videos, and celebrating the end of another school year!

Below are some examples of what was submitted. So turn up your audio and be entertained by these one-minute shorts!

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

2 sections:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Design I // Texture

For Design I’s fifth project, we focused on texture. Students collected an assortment of black and white textures including…
• found (photography, magazines, books)
• rubbed (charcoal rubbing of physical texture on paper)
• created (using a range of mediums to invent a texture).

Then they collaged and glued them together into a quilt block pattern of their choice. They had to be precise and mindful of their workmanship. Since they were working with a grid and pattern, slight mistakes would be noticeable.

Below are some of the composition sets that were submitted. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

by Breanna Rochelle

by Landen Rucker

by Lexi Bennett

by Olivia Lewis

by Bess Reilly

by Samantha Marshall

by Taylor Fikes

by Wes Edgeworth

by Willie Griffin

by Kaleb Baker

Design I // Balance

For Design I’s third project, we focused on balance. Students constructed 4 compositions based on the following options of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial, and pattern. Their theme had to be inspired by the lyrics of a song or poem of their choosing. The medium used to depict these shapes was black construction paper, and good craftsmanship was emphasized. They also had to implement the elements and principles of design in their work. Some students even accepted the challenge of making 3D pop-up elements.

Below are some of the composition sets that were submitted.

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

Song: “Good Morning Baltimore” from “Hairspray”; Design by Abby Jenkins

Song: “Hakunamatata” from “The Lion King”; Design by Ashley Baker

Song: “Loverman” by Train; Design by Breanna Rochelle

Song: “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John; Design by Cassidy Jones

Poem: “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou; Design by Dylan Turner

Song: “The House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals; Design by Kaleb Baker

Poem about space by unknown writer; Design by Kimberly Kazmark

Song: “Pianoman” by Billy Joel; Design by Lexi Bennett

Song: “Escape” by Rupert Holmes; Design by Mary Beth McClung

Song: “Death of a Bachelor” by Panic at the Disco; Design by Bes Reilly

Song: “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” from “Cinderella”; Design by Jillian Lovato

Song: “A Whole New World” from “Aladdin”; Design by Samantha Marshall

Song: “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” from “The Lion King”; Design by Taylor Fikes

Song: “Huntin Fishin Lovin Everyday” by Luke Bryan; Design by Wes Edgeworth

Design I // Shape

For Design I’s second project, we focused on geometric and organic shapes. Students constructed 3 compositions: 1 for all geometric, 1 for all organic, and 1 for a combination of geometric and organic. The medium used to depict these shapes was black construction paper and white Bristol cardstock. Good craftsmanship was emphasized. They also had to implement the elements and principles of design in their work.

Below are some of the composition sets that were submitted. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

Combo by Abby Jenkins

Combo by Breanna Rochelle

Geometric by Breanna Rochelle

Organic by Breanna Rochelle

Geometric by Dylan Turner

Geometric by Forrest Russell

Combo by Kaleb Baker

Organic by Kimberly Kazmark

Combo by Landen Rucker

Combo by Lexi Bennett

Geometric by Lexi Bennett

Geometric by Forrest Beasley

Geometric by Jillian Lovato

Organic by Jillian Lovato

Combo by Laken Beasley

Organic by Laken Beasley

Combo by Samantha Marshall

Geometric by Samantha Marshall

Combo by Taylor Fikes

Geometric by Taylor Fikes

Geometric by Wes Edgeworth

Paper Art Gifts

Due to the number of art and graphic design classes I teach as a lecturer at Mississippi State University, I do not have a lot of time to produce paper art and freelance as I’d like to. When a gift-giving event comes up, I tend to take advantage of that time to practice my craft. I love doing to produce a natural look using plant inclusions– blending up flower petals, grass, and leaves in with the pulp. I also have been experimenting with ways to apply imagery to the paper. (Excuse my photography. I need to do better at documenting my gifted art.)

Laser-cut typography with black paper placed behind

Laser-cut typography with black paper placed behind

Spray-painted typography using self-produced stencils

Close-up

Spray-painted typography using self-produced stencils, and Sharpie dots

Hand-painted typography

Close-up

Hand-painted typography // Spanish for “You are Beautiful”

Hand-painted imagery

Design I // Texture

Fall 2016: For Design I’s fourth project, we focused on texture. Students collected an assortment of black and white textures including…
• found (photography, magazines, books)
• rubbed (charcoal rubbing of physical texture on paper)
• created (using a range of mediums to invent a texture).

Then they collaged and glued them together into a quilt block pattern of their choice. They had to be precise and mindful of their workmanship. Since they were working with a grid and pattern, slight mistakes would be noticeable.

Below are some of the composition sets that were submitted. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

by Anna Terry

by Ashtyn Carpenter

by Karleigh Harfst

by Mary Katherine Swindoll

by Megan Henry

by Meghan Norman

by Melissa Sones

Design I // Balance

Fall 2016: For Design I’s third project, we focused on balance. Students constructed 4 compositions based on the following options of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial, and pattern. Their theme had to be inspired by the lyrics of a song or poem of their choosing. The medium used to depict these shapes was black construction paper, and good craftsmanship was emphasized. They also had to implement the elements and principles of design in their work. Some students even accepted the challenge of making 3D pop-up elements.

Below are a few of the composition sets that were submitted.

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

Song: “Georgia on My Mind” by Ray Charles; Design by Hayden Hunt

Song: “Poor Unfortunate Souls” from Little Mermaid; Design by Megan Henry

Song: “A Whole New World” from Aladdin; Design by Meghan Norman

Design I // Shape

Fall 2016: For Design I’s second project, we focused on geometric and organic shapes. Students constructed 3 compositions: 1 for all geometric, 1 for all organic, and 1 for a combination of geometric and organic. The medium used to depict these shapes was black construction paper, and good craftsmanship was emphasized. They also had to implement the elements and principles of design in their work.

Below are some of the composition sets that were submitted. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

Combo by Anna Terry

Geometric by Anna Terry

Combo by Ashtyn Carpenter

Organic by Ashtyn Carpenter

Combo by Caroline Fitzwater

Geometric by Elise Sears

Combo by Hayden Hunt

Geometric by Hayden Hunt

Combo by Megan Henry

Geometric by Megan Henry

Combo by Megan Norman

Organic by Megan Norman

Combo by Melissa Sones

Geometric by Melissa Sones

Design I // Stop Motion Animation Final

For my Spring 2016 Design I class, I decided to do something different for their final project to focus on time and motion. When I was a graduate student and instructor of record at Louisiana Tech University, my Basic Design class produced stop motion animation films for their final project. With technology speeding ahead these days, I thought it was time to bring this project to Mississippi State University.

Students had to produce a one-minute stop motion animation consisting of photography and sound. Creativity wise, the sky was the limit! The best video-editing software available to them were Apple iMovie and Windows Movie Maker. The more frames per second that were compiled, the smoother the video appeared. To put this into perspective, the Wallace & Gromit 30-minute shorts were shot close to 20 frames per second, adding up to be around 35,000 shots per video. That’s a bit extreme for my students, so they were encouraged to place at least two frames per second. We also watched short films by Disney and Tim Burton, and the hilarious YouTube classic “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On“.

It was a challenge for students to work on an art project of this scale, especially if they were new to video-editing software. However, they were very proud of themselves for figuring out such a feat. We had a lot of fun in both sections eating snacks and watching everyone’s videos, and celebrating the end of another school year!

Below are some examples of what was submitted. So turn up your audio and be entertained by these one-minute shorts!

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Design I // Texture

For Design I’s fourth project, we focused on texture. Students collected an assortment of black and white textures including…
• found (photography, magazines, books)
• rubbed (charcoal rubbing of physical texture on paper)
• created (using a range of mediums to invent a texture).

Then they collaged and glued them together into a quilt block pattern of their choice. They had to be precise and mindful of their workmanship. Since they were working with a grid and pattern, slight mistakes would be noticeable.

Below are some of the composition sets that were submitted. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!

* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.

Fall 2015 // 1 section

by Annie Kesler

by Christina Stachowski

by Hannah McCain

by Jessie Holloway

by Jessie Goodman

by Kaitlynn Harness

by Wrenn Parrish

by Zynettra Woodard

Spring 2016 // 2 sections

by AK Russell

by Carson Brantley

by Grant Carter

by Jonathan Johnson

by Mary Zuniga

by Mary Hannah Ruff

by Anna Katherine Surholt

by Elizabeth Phyfer

by Kacie Lynn James

by Kenan Morris

by Kyle Murphy

by Mimi Sheppard

by Olivia Williams