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 TerryGeometric by Anna TerryCombo by Ashtyn CarpenterOrganic by Ashtyn CarpenterCombo by Caroline FitzwaterGeometric by Elise SearsCombo by Hayden HuntGeometric by Hayden HuntCombo by Megan HenryGeometric by Megan HenryCombo by Megan NormanOrganic by Megan NormanCombo by Melissa SonesGeometric by Melissa Sones
Fall 2016: My Design I class is a sweet group. I have 15 girls and 2 guys. (Where are the creative major guys these days?!) Most of them are Interior Design majors, but I also have a few representing Fine Art, Photography, and Floral Management.
For their first project, we focused on line and the psychological meanings of straight and curvy line work. Students chose 1-3 adjectives to illustrate using line, creating a “line explosion.” The medium used to depict these lines included Sharpies and Micron pens of different thicknesses, and good craftsmanship was emphasized. They were to also implement the elements and principles of design in their work.
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.
For Fall 2015 Design I’s sixth and final project, we focused on value. Students drew a complex shape incorporating only 90° angles, and had to turn it into a 3D form, rotating and moving it through space using acrylic paint. For tough angles that were harder to imagine, they downloaded apps such as Think 3D and SketchUp, or built their shape the old-fashioned way with Legos and turned the shape in hand. They implemented the one-point perspective system of drawing to exaggerate their forms at particular angles. It is a mind-boggling assignment, and challenges students to think beyond what they have done on a flat surface. As always, craftsmanship is important and the image must include a full range of grey scale values.
Below are some of the pieces 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.
For Design I’s fifth project, we focused on value. Students chose a photograph, magazine ad, or calendar photo, and were challenged to extract color from their chosen area, leaving only value. They painted 20–25% of the photo with white, black, and grey acrylic paint, following the original values so closely that their painted shape fit seamlessly on top of its unpainted photograph. This challenge was much like a “paint-by-number” activity. If a well-done solution is photographed or Xeroxed in black and white, it should be difficult to distinguish the area painted in greys from the original.
Below are some of the pieces 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 Emory Endicottby Jeremy Hamiltonby Mary Zunigaby Mary Hannah Ruffby Anna Katherine Surholtby Ashley Pratherby Elizabeth Phyferby Gabrielle Martinezby Kyle Murphyby Mimi Sheppardby Olivia Williams
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 Keslerby Christina Stachowskiby Hannah McCainby Jessie Hollowayby Jessie Goodmanby Kaitlynn Harnessby Wrenn Parrishby Zynettra Woodard
Spring 2016 // 2 sections
by AK Russellby Carson Brantleyby Grant Carterby Jonathan Johnsonby Mary Zunigaby Mary Hannah Ruffby Anna Katherine Surholtby Elizabeth Phyferby Kacie Lynn Jamesby Kenan Morrisby Kyle Murphyby Mimi Sheppardby Olivia Williams
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.
Unfortunately I did not do a good job of keeping documentation of the songs and poems the students were inspired by.
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
Design by Christine SmithDesign by Annie KeslerSong: “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”; Design by Hannah McCainSong: “How to Save a Life” by the Fray; Design by Jessie HollowayDesign by Josie GoodmanDeisgn by Kaitlynn HarnessDesign by Lexus NealyDesign by Rachel WilsonSong: “Hail State”; Design by Wrenn ParrishDesign by Zynettra Woodard
Spring 2016 // 2 sections
Design by Carson BrantleyDesign by Colin BrownDesign by Elizabeth PhyferDesign by Emory EndicottDesign by Gabrielle MartinezDesign by Grant CarterDesign by Jeremy HamiltonDesign by Johnathon JohnsonSong: “Wildest Dreams” by Taylor Swift; Design by Mary ZunigaDesign by Mimi ShepherdPoem: “Roses are Red, Violets are Blue”; Design by Olivia Williams
As mentioned before, I will be catching up this summer to feature artwork my students produced over the last school year.
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. Some students even accepted the challenge of making 3D pop-up elements.
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
Combo by Caitlin GardnerOrganic by Caitlin GardnerCombo by Christina StachowskiGeometric by Christina StachowskiOrganic by Christine SmithCombo by Hannah McCainCombo by Jessi HollowayGeometric by Jessi HollowayCombo by Josie GoodmanOrganic by Josie GoodmanOrganic by Kaitlynn HarnessGeometric by Rachel WilsonCombo by Serina PophamGeometric by Serina PophamCombo by Wrenn ParrishOrganic by Wrenn ParrishCombo by Zynettra WoodardGeometric by Zynettra Woodard
SPRING 2015
During the Spring semester I taught two sections of Design I.
Organic by AK RussellOrganic by Anna Katherine SurholtGeometric by Ashley PratherOrganic by Bekah RhettCombo by Brooklyn BreedloveCombo by Carson BrantleyGeometric by Colin BrownCombo by Grant CarterOrganic by Grant CarterCombo by Jeremy HamiltonGeometric by Jeremy HamiltonOrganic by Jeremy HamiltonOrganic by Johnathon JohnsonOrganic by Kacie Lynn JamesCombo by Kyle MurphyGeometric by Kyle MurphyOrganic by Kyle MurphyGeometric by Malik HenleyCombo by Mary ZunigaOrganic by Mary ZunigaCombo by Mary Hannah RuffGeometric by Mimi ShepherdOrganic by Mimi ShepherdCombo by Olivia KetchumGeometric by Olivia KetchumOrganic by Olivia KetchumCombo by Olivia WilliamsGeometric by Olivia WilliamsOrganic by Olivia WilliamsGeometric by Rachel Davis
As mentioned before, I will be catching up this summer to feature artwork my students produced over the last school year.
FALL 2015
First up, my Fall 2015 Design I class! This was a special large class made up of ALL GIRLS. Most of them were interior design majors. They were a really sweet bunch and I looked forward to seeing “my girls” on the days I taught them. Their work ethic was pretty phenomenal. The line work these girls demonstrated for their first project as college freshmen is impressive, as you’ll see.
For their first project, we focused on line and the psychological meanings of straight and curvy line work. Students chose 1-3 adjectives to illustrate using line, creating a “line explosion.” The medium used to depict these lines included Sharpies and Micron pens of different thicknesses, and good craftsmanship was emphasized. They were to also implement the elements and principles of design in their work.
At this point I would intend to feature the Line Explosion student work from my Spring 2016 classes, but I was unfortunately on medical leave. I am thankful my art department colleague and technology director Aaron McElfish was willing to step in to instruct my Design I classes while I was out.
For Design I’s sixth and final project, we focused on value. Students drew a complex shape incorporating only 90° angles, and had to turn it into a 3D form, rotating and moving it through space using acrylic paint. For tough angles that were harder to imagine, they downloaded apps such as Think 3D and SketchUp, or built their shape the old-fashioned way with Legos and turned the shape in hand. They implemented the one-point perspective system of drawing to exaggerate their forms at particular angles. It is a mind-boggling assignment, and challenges students to think beyond what they have done on a flat surface. As always, craftsmanship is important and the image must include a full range of grey scale values.
Below are some of the pieces 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 April Porterby Harmon Dukeby Jenn McFaddenby Jessica Mooreby Stephen Lathamby Tuesdai Johnson
Brittany Spencer // Papermaking & Graphic Design 