        1011 ozbilChris Martin ONE The reflections really help you in recalling the ideas that you focused on during the semester. For instance: for exercise one, I did not remember how i felt about charcoal before i started working with it. I really enjoy recalling my discoveries from past exercises. This helps me understand where i came from. With each exercise i notice that I mention that the long hours are staring to go by alot faster. I think this is because i have started to really enjoy what i am doing now, and i really like how far i have come. My confidence level has risen because now i know i have the tools needed to succeed. My skill as a designer has increased because of the new media i have at my disposal and also because I can see things in a different way. I have started to pick up on subtle things that i would have otherwise have missed. The major thing that i notice since i started 1011 is my ability to think things through. Before i started right away with a clear choice in mind. Now i sit and reflect on what my options are. I try many more ideas instead of heading for my final product. TWO In 1012 i will make sure that i keep a well stocked journal. All of the criticisms and ideas that came from teachers and students really furthered my development. I know that 1012 will offer the same resources and i want to be sure to keep track of them. I will also make sure that i keep my options open. i dont know where my projects could go and it is important that i keep any option available. I feel like i could have improved on this before ex 3. THREE The instructor was to offer their views on the subject. They were their to contribute information they have picked up in order to further us along. It was also their job to give us guidelins to follow and make sure our work was done accurately. The handouts were guidelines to stick to and some offered examples of where we could go with our assignments. Most often they contained information o make our project the most accurate according to the instructors. The Pin up made sure that the information we learned was clearly presented. It showed us what to do in order to convey ideas clearly. It also gave us the chance to gather feedback from other professionals. This information we could use to improve further projects. The studio space was a way to collaborate with students, gather ideas and work freely at all times of the day. The best way to learn for me is to experiment. The studio was open at all times so the pressure to finish was less. A lab environment is not as open. The student collaboration improved the studio setting. An internship has too much pressure to get things right. Studio allows for you to fail but still improve in the process. FOUR The first exercise ensured that we understood the tools available to us. I learned that my eyes were the greatest tool. I also discovered the different media and how you use each to convey different ideas. Ex 2 made sure that we could use these tools and convey very specific information. The process of learning how to draw what you see or believe was the main focus. Ex 3 combined al of this by giving you the freedom to experiment. The idea of clearly presenting you ideas was present but it was more open. The ideas had to come from you by how you saw something or perceived it to be. My favorite was 3 because of the freedom that it offered. I could do whatever i wanted. This allowed me to get into it because i was doing something i enjoyed. I would not start going in a direction that wasn't fun for me. Because it was exciting, i learned the most, and retained the most information. The competition really helped me give it my all. Yong Kim ONE In the beginning of this course, I didn’t understand why writing down my reflection for each exercise was so necessary. I thought the work we had to do was overwhelming as is, and I didn’t see how it would help me in any way. As I re-read my reflections, I have come to realize that documenting thoughts helps recapping and connecting various ideas that originally seemed irrelevant to one another. Because I wrote my reflections after the exercises were completed, what I think is the point of the exercise individually is the same now as it was then. But looking at all three exercises at the very end does allow me to piece them together because they are a continuation in one way or another. As we continued with our learning, my skills in design increased but I cannot firmly say that my confidence grew during the semester; just because of the simple fact that each exercise was a completely new set of skills and thought processes involved. The difference between the ways I thought about design from pre 1011 to post 1011 has changed drastically. I now realize that drawings can represent more than just a depiction of the physical visible form of an object; investigating an idea with thorough descriptions visually using different media, compositions, and techniques all play a part in absorbing the object as a whole. My process of formulating and exploring ideas has built up slowly but surely throughout this course. Instead of exploring ideas that specifically interest me; I learned to investigate by formulating a question and building upon that idea with other questions. As we approached the end of 1011, I realized that all my drawings began to lose its quality and it was hard to keep track of such large sheets. So I began to understand that keeping an inquiry book of some sort of all my work will benefit me now and most definitely in the future. TWO I have come to realize in 1011 that the only learning that can be done relies on my work habits. The only way I can fully grasp a concept or idea in the design world is trying it firsthand. Also, designing is not a skill that can be mastered at once; there must be trials and errors in order for a designer to “learn” anymore or touch on new horizons that would have never been thought of without messing up. In 1012, I am going to develop an organized way to keep track of everything that needs to be remembered or done. I am also going to manage my time much more efficiently; meaning I will live in studio. THREE
FOUR Exercise 1 introduced the basics of design concepts necessary to successfully execute the post exercises. Ideas of seeing and drawing and techniques in which these ideas can be drawn are all a part of exercise 1. Also, learning how to investigate a question through series of drawings was essential to the effectiveness of the rest of the exercises. Exercise 2 utilized all the ideas and concepts of design learned in exercise 1 to investigate a common everyday object. By breaking down an object to the extent that exercise 2 required, it opened up new gateways to thinking and analyzing design in ways that I never have. Also, we fully exercised the effectiveness of investigating design through drawings and models. This exercise got me thinking about the world around me on a different level that I have never thought. I realized that I do not look at everyday objects the same anymore; by realizing how much thought goes into a simple design, I become curious on how my environment has been developed. Exercise 3 was the most vague of all three exercises. It forced us to force ourselves to really think “outside the box”. But because exercise 2 was a direct continuation of investigating the same object, it made it a bit easier. The riffing process was a completely new process. Going into this exercise blind made it the most difficult. But concepts from exercise 1 and 2 were still continued and applied to our riffing investigation. All three exercises required a final presentation, but exercise three had the most set format of presentation. My favorite of the three exercises was Exercise 2. It clearly utilized ideas from exercise 1 but did not make things too difficult with vague or pointless procedures. I also enjoyed working with a group and collaboratively formulating investigations of an ordinary object. Katie Armstrong ONE A. It’s interesting to see what I had trouble with in the earlier exercises. In exercise 1, I see that a lot of what I had trouble with was in the use of charcoal and mastering the medium. It’s interesting to go back and look at my work and see how I’ve progressed further through exercise two’s use of charcoal in the sustained lookings. B. Each exercise challenged me to move beyond my comfort zone in creativity. It challenged me to think outside my box and delve deeper into the projects. C. I think, as a designer and artist I have grown tremendously through the semester. I am much more confident in my work as well as my thought process behind my work. I also think I have a better understanding of the types of drawing, models, and computer graphics that are required to complete each exercise. D. I think my creative and analytical process has grown tremendously throughout the course of 1011. I’ve learned to take more time to stop and consider different possibilities of what to include my projects. Two A. I think the most important aspect of 1011 of that I will carry forward into my future studios is my improved analysis of a project and project goals. I want to make sure that I continue to take my time in developing strong design concepts and strong products. B. I will work on developing better quality work in 1012. I think my drawings and computer skills are adequate but they could be higher quality with a little more practice and effort on my part. Three A. The instructor: I thought my instructor for 1011 was very effective and helpful in the learning process. Through careful critique, my instructor helped me to see all the flaws and faults in my creative process. She was very helpful by telling me exactly what I needed to improve upon. B. The project handout: Overall, the project handouts tended to confuse me more than help me. I relied on my instructor to explain what exactly the handouts were calling for, especially in the second and third exercises. However, the examples given in the project handouts for exercise 1 were quite helpful. C. The review: I loved presenting in the reviews. Getting feedback from outside opinions in addition to classmates and studio instructors helped a lot in later projects. It helped me to know what areas I needed to give more focus to and which areas I was excelling in. It also gave me a sense of pride in my work to stand in front of a group of people and present my ideas and concepts. D. The inquiry book: This aspect of the projects seemed pretty pointless to me. But, I can see how they would help some people. For me, they just added to my already heavy workload and I didn’t spend as much time on them as I did the rest of the projects. I would rather have discussed the inquiry book topics in a class discussion considering that is how I work best. E. Fellow Students: Asking for my classmate’s input and thoughts on projects really helped. They always seemed to notice things I hadn’t. Just like you should always have someone proof read a paper, I think it is very important to have an extra set of eyes look over your drawings. Often times, class mates would think of something I hadn’t thought of yet. F. Studio Space: The studio can be very frustrating, especially when you have computer work to do and all the scanners are taken. Overall, however, I like the atmosphere of the CFY studio. Four A. EX 1: I think the goals of ex 1 were to build our understanding of the media and types of drawings we would be working with. B. EX 2: I think the goals of ex 2 were to introduce us not only to group work but also to working on our ID skills. Through this project we learned about some of the aspects of product design that one must consider when designing an appliance. In a way, we were reverse engineering. C. EX 3: I think the purpose of this exercise was to develop our creative process and analytical abilities. D. My favorite exercise was the second. I really liked working in a group setting. I also like the types of drawings we produced, especially the geometric descriptions (which is what I carried into exercise 3) and the ergonomic studies. Leah Downey 1A. It is interesting to note how much work we did in such little amount of time. It is also interesting to note that my greatest problem at the time of exercise 1 was figure and/or gesture drawing. Now I see how silly it was that I couldn’t let go and loosen up my arm to let the charcoal just flow, when in exercise 3 I had to let go of all control and complete an exercise without any direction at all. 1B. With each exercise the amount of direction from the instructors decreased. We had to think on our own and figure out how to explore based on our own curiosity and ways of looking at the problem that we were given. Within the exercises, there tended to be a move from general to specific. We always started with some broad idea and then honed in on particulars. 1C. Yes. I am confident that I can work my way through just about any project or problem with which I am faced. There were many times this semester where I was overwhelmed and worried, but I made it through and I’ve reached the end of the semester and I have a real sense of accomplishment overall. 1D. a. I’ve found that models are a wonderful way to communicate in a three dimensional way. There are ideas and concepts that are best described in the round and models are an effective way of communicating those ideas. b. I’ve realized that you don’t always have to have a clear direction of where your ideas are going, but that you must have a reason or a rule for every decision you make. c. There are so many ways to inquire about an object, many more than I ever perceived before this class. These different inquiries lead to quite interesting discoveries that might not have been uncovered if not for such innovative incite into the analysis. d. Design is so much more than I ever thought it was. There is much more to it that making something look aesthetically pleasing. Function is just as important, or more, than the form. 2A. If I were to go on to 1012, I would definitely continue to think and evaluate in the way that I have learned in 1011. These skills of seeing more in an object than just the initial perceptions would serve anyone well in further studio classes. 2B. If I were to go on to 1012, I would continue to build my analytical and inquiry skills. I would also like to fine tune my drafting abilities, as I hear that is an integral part of the second semester of the common first year. 3A. a. to guide and encourage b. to set a base level of foundation to build upon c. help evaluate work and create advice for future endeavors d. make the students stop and question why they are doing what they are doing e. bounce ideas off each other and serve as a pre-evaluation before the instructor or review evaluations f. provide an open environment to test ideas around others who are working towards similar goals 3B. I love that studio mates tend to turn into a close nit group of peers who encourage each other and go through the exact same emotions and situations. In studio, the students really get to know each other unlike any other setting offered in a school. In other classes/labs a student gets to know the few people that are immediately in range, while studio creates a comfortable environment that nurtures collective learning. Morgan Chislett ONE 1. It surprises me (and delights me) how much I learned in exercise one especially. Here I was, one of my high school’s “artists,” coming into the architecture program at Tech. There were so many walls I had to break down as far as preconceptions in my mind, drawing “kinks” to work out, and new media to master. Exercise 1 was a very intense way to start off the semester, which I mention in my reflection. In Exercise 2, I think it really was apparent how much I loved working with my group. I had no complaints about them in my reflection (still don’t)—this might be worth looking back on and learning from when I’m in some architecture firm and working on a huge proposal with a group too! 2. I can see now that Exercise 1 was meant to open up our skills to different methods of representation, and Exercise 2 was meant to open our minds to self-propelled investigations. It is a very good thing we had these two Exercises, or Ex3 would have been a bit of a problem. 3. I can definitely see that I am more confident in my work and skills. Even in the review yesterday for Exercise 3, I could notice a huge jump in my confidence level from my review for Exercise 2. I think this came from having to propel the entire exercise by myself—I was very proud of the work that I had done and knew that what they saw on my board was what I alone had been creating, revising, and reflecting upon for the past four weeks. 4. a) Now I see drawing and modeling as ways to investigate a question, not just as ways to represent something visually, or “make it pretty.” I also realize now the strength of investigation that a model gave me. I was initially reluctant to make a model, but now I see that it really helped me visualize and conceptualize my final proposal in Ex3. b) Now I am definitely a more independent thinker and maker, able to form and carry out my own visual investigations. c) At the end of 1011, I have a completely fresh way of looking at and analyzing the built environment. Simple objects have become so much more interesting just as a result of Exercises 2 and 3. d) Design has also taken on a new complexity for me. Now I understand that there are many different facets to good design than just “looking good.” Design has to take on the purpose of its designer as well as the people who will be interacting with it. TWO I think independence in investigation is the most important learning experience that I will carry forward to 1012. I now have the confidence to make decisions about media use, variations, and final proposals, and this will help in the larger projects that I’m sure will come up in 1012. Next semester, I plan to continue being more experimental with my investigations while carefully cataloging my procedures and not just making arbitrary choices. THREE The instructor introduces us to the project and helps to keep us on track (in the most efficient thinking and making process) once the project is underway. The project handout is really the base for all of our thinking and making. From the prompts on that one sheet we step out into a world of our own investigative design processes. The review process helps us see our work from a different perspective. Having someone who has not been at our shoulder during our studio time comment on our work and its procedural clarity, rich investigation, and thoughtful crafting widens our perception of our own work. Also, having to summarize the work in order to present it to an outside source forces us to really understand our own thought processes. The inquiry book, much like the pinup review, helps us to summarize and reflect on our design process. We take a critical eye on the work we have been doing for the last multiple numbers of weeks and evaluate our own work ethic and thought process. Fellow studio mates add a contemporary richness to our learning process. We are able to comment on others work that is at or around the same level as our own, and share our questions and concerns, knowing the other will understand where we are coming from. The studio space is a facilitator of our work. Through the common ground of sketching tables we share our work and workspace, which emphasizes the communal learning process that is so important to the CFY. The studio experience is a much richer and more comprehensive learning experience than a classroom or seminar setting would be. We spend so much time practicing what we will one day be doing for a living just like any other major, with the difference being that our practicing involves a physical element as well as mental thought. ONE As I re-read my reflections on past exercises, I find myself in agreement with much of what I said. The consistent patterns of my thoughts include an initial struggle to grasp the basic concepts and then a quick and full understanding of what I was supposed to learn and create in each exercise. I feel that my learning curve steepened quickly and I was able to build skills and thought-processes upon each other to achieve the next level of each exercise. Before 1011, I gave very little consideration to the power and usefulness of almost every skill I developed within this course – drawing, modeling, computer work, and thinking. I believe that my greatest change since taking this course has been in the way I see the world around me and the way I process what I see. TWO In 1011, I learned how to begin to think like a designer and how to see with an interactive eye. That is to say, I am still developing both my mind and my eye, but they have been the focus of my growth in this class. Especially after Exercise 3, I began noting changes in how I saw each detail of the built environment, from egg-slicers to skyscrapers, and how I took the information I saw and thought of it as interactions and systems and variations and conditions. I will carry this mindset into 1012 and hopefully develop these new traits much further. THREE -The instructor is there for the students. It is his or her role not interfere but to provide assistance and direction to the student as the student develops his or her self. -The project outline is the framework that sets the goals and requirements of each exercise. The student and instructor are to follow and refer to this for any guidance. -The review process is a time of presentation, interrogation, and criticism. The student should use the review as a one-on-one assessment of his or her work and use the criticism in a constructive manner to improve and progress. -The inquiry books serve as a formal presentation of the higher quality work throughout each exercise. -The fellow students in studio are there for support. Studio is a time to learn from each other as well as help each other throughout each exercise – inspire, criticize, and cooperate. -The studio space is a place of work. This is the veal cage in which all students are confined to think and do. It is space to interact with one’s work as well as be a around one’s peers and their work. Studio is a free-working, free-thinking entity. We, the students, are free-range and allowed to develop our ideas and minds bounded only by deadlines and curriculum. No other learning experience is quite the same as Studio. This is the sanctuary for the hard working, sleep deprived, procrastinator with which all designers may relate. Much like a brotherhood or sisterhood, students who survive Studio have been to the lowest low and the highest high together and are therefore bonded in the similar experience that is Studio. FOUR The three exercises of this semester were well organized and appropriately sequenced: each led the thought process and skills into the next phase within itself and on to the next exercise. In Exercise 1, we learned the basic skills of drawing and the varying forms and concepts within drawing, but most importantly we learned how to see things in a sense of not only what they look like but also how they feel, taste, work, move, and how they interact with their surroundings. These skills and processes were needed and carried into Exercise 2 where we learned, in a reverse manner, the design process and the concepts and procedures involved in it. After we had dissected and explored the design process, Exercise 3 called upon us to re-use the process we had just seen and manipulate the familiar into something different, something new. Exercise 3 made us draw upon the all the skills we had learned in the semester in order to learn how to think and create using the available tools and variables given to us. Each of these exercises was necessary for each other, and as a whole, the semester has been a complete time of foregrounding fundamentals and development as a designer and as a thinker. Zane Hale ONE Looking back over my past reflections, I find my self seeing patterns with each exercise. The overall studio class has been a great learning experience for me. I struggled at the beginning of the semester and at the beginning of each exercise. Every time I learned from the practice and was able to benefit from each exercise. In each exercise I had almost an epiphany type moment in which things all the sudden began to make sense. At some point I always began to understand what it was that I needed to do and how to do. My early struggles and revelations show the growth, and show what this class has taught me. The way I look at drawing and the objects I draw is very different now than it was only a few months ago. TWO Throughout 1011 we studied many ideas that have impacted everything we did during the semester. One in particular that helped me greatly was careful seeing. Just taking the time to truly process what it we see and how we see it makes setting up a drawing much easier. I think that this will carry over to 1012 as an important first step in everything we do. In 1012 I plan to pay extra attention to the way I present my final drawings. I think I did put in a lot of effort into my presentations visual style, but not enough into the oral part to go along with it. Being able to discuss my drawings in all aspects is a much tougher battle for me. I need to start thinking outside the box and looking at the drawings in different ways in order to anticipate possible questions that may arise. THREE The role of the Instructor was to help provide us with direction. They looked at what we were doing and told how we could improve our ideas. The instructor took more of a direct teaching role at the beginning of the semester and slowly transitioned into letting us investigate our own ideas more and more. The exercise handouts were an overview of what we are trying to achieve. They gave as an idea of what to look for while we had to come up with our own way of expressing that idea. The review process helped us to gain more feedback from other people in the College of Architecture. Having other people look at your work can help you to see different things about your drawings. I believe the reviews were important for the presenter. During a review we had to defend our work, and be challenged to look at it in ways that may not have been intended. The other students in our class were also a great help. They provided feedback and support during our work when the instructor was busy, or during non-class times. Whenever I felt stuck, my classmates were there to help give me new insight and ideas of where to go. The studio space itself provided an excellent environment to draw. Being around others who are doing similar projects helped me to focus. FOUR The three exercises were ordered very well. Exercise 1 provided a great framework on which to build upon. In Exercise 1 we studied many different ways to look at objects, and many ways to express those objects through different media. In Exercise 2 we used the framework set out by the first Exercise to study a specific object in many different ways. And continued that in Exercise 3. I enjoyed Exercise 1 the most due to the variety of work, and the almost constant learning. In Exercise 2 the study seemed to drag on towards the end. Exercise 3 was partly enjoyable, but I would have preferred more of a specific subject to investigate. Wesley Rath Andrew Harmon December 10, 2007 1101 Exit Reflection Part One: Looking back on my Reflections of Exercise One, Two, and Three I think that it is worth noting how I have moved from not being able to connect my eye and hand and therefore even represent a form, whereas now I have developed into being able to break apart objects. Also, I notice a common theme of looking through different lenses and scales throughout each exercise. With the distance of looking back and the experience of the different types of projects I am also able to distinguish my strengths and weaknesses in terms of both subjects and media. Also, I learned that a successful drawing or representation of an object must have emotion, or movement, within the composition. This was evident from back during the gesture studies and up to now with our riffing process and constant DNA. Patterns that I can discern in the learning that occurred in each exercise pertain to the areas of procedural clarity, control of media, careful seeing, and compositional strength. These four areas combined are the components to a successful design and representation of a composition. A cumulative growth in learning in myself has stemmed from the careful seeing aspect of design work. It is this topic that was used in Exercise One to depict contour line, perspective work, light, and tone, in Exercise Two to look at the object in terms of an interaction of parts, a form and composition, a use and operation, a fabrication and assembly, and analogs and precedents, and in Exercise Two to determine the DNA of the object and riff according to these constants. The change from pre-1011 to post-1011 that has occurred in terms of drawing and other representation is my control of media, in learning how to best use charcoal and other mediums, in formulating and exploring ideas by thinking in terms of this DNA that we have recently learned to find, in analysis and inquiry by looking at design through these different lenses and scales, and in designing by learning how to balance aesthetics and functionality. Part Two: The ‘learning’ in 1011 that I think will carry forward to 1012 is the components to a successful and good piece of art and design. A good work as outlined above follows procedure correctly, controls media well, shows careful looking and seeing through attention to detail and emotion, as well as shows compositional strength. Through each of these aspects I will carry forth how to control media well, especially how to use photoshop and illustrator efficiently, how to view design through different lenses, how to find patterns in compositions, and also how to find relationships and interactions of parts in the world of design. In 1012 I plan to pay special attention in the area of drafting. I have always been concerned with sketching and outlining the general form and emotion of objects, whereas I want to learn how to more accurately depict the compositional qualities more accurately through drafting and more modeling. Part Three: In the studio process the instructor played the part of both a teacher and a mentor. The instructor was there to teach us basic art skills from scratch in terms of how to use media and depict subjects, as well as to guide us as we began to learn how to work independently and think creatively. The project handouts served as an introduction to the exercises and a groundwork for the basic principles of design and learning (pedagogical goals) of them. The final jury and pinup review served as a looking back on the learning process from start to finish and a comparison of the work in the class, displaying more successful works and less successful works. This activity best allowed me to reflect upon my specific strengths and weaknesses that I found. These were also the only opportunities that we were really given to test our design ideas and share them verbally with professionals in their fields of expertise, gaining insight other than that offered by our respective instructors. The inquiry book allowed us to sum up the knowledge we learned as supported by selected works. Again, this process allowed us to distinguish between more and less successful works. Our fellow students served as more unique outlooks and perspectives in the design process. The studio space itself served as a second home to me here at Georgia Tech. At the same time, the space served as a garden for cultivation and growth in terms of the pedagogical goals of the exercises. Compared to other learning situations and experiences, the studio learning experience is much more hands-on and can only be mastered through time and careful quality of craft. It involves much more than merely grasping a concept, but further developing and mastering the skills and goals of the exercises. The classroom requires much less time and attendance, the seminar requires basic listening, the lab requires similar trial and experimentation, the workshop requires similar amount of time but much less creative thinking, the tutorial requires much less focus, the internship and the job both require the culmination of all skills learned from the studio experience. Part Four: Reflecting back over the semester I can see perfect sense in the sequence in which the three exercises unfolded. Each built onto each other and required cumulatively acquired skills from the previous exercises. The main goal of Exercise One was to teach us how to carefully look at objects and the basic function of line. This is when most of us were exposed to several different media and subjects for the first time ever. In Exercise Two we had to take these basic skills of media, subject composition, tone, light, and line and learn how to use them to break apart objects through different lenses and scales of observation. These lenses included form and composition, use and operation, fabrication and assembly, and analogs and precedents. Finally, in Exercise Three we were forced to take this knowledge and think independently and creatively by finding the DNA of an object. We then had to abstract a pattern from our object and create a final proposal reflective of the original works. My favorite exercise was the first since I was so intrigued by the new materials that we were learning how to use. Also, my art skills improved dramatically over the entirety of this exercise as I finally learned how to draw what I actually see in connecting my hand to my eye, rather than drawing what my mind perceived it saw. Elisabeth Robertson I. After having read my reflections on the three exercises its interesting because there were some skills that I didn’t think were that important at the time like in exercise 1 with the sighting techniques or in the exercise 2 in the way in which we set up our projects that once I got the exercise 3 I realized were actually very important and helpful. Throughout these three exercises I seemed to have caught on really easily with anything that had to do with drawing things by hand without too much measuring but if I had to measure things or if I had to use a computer I wasn’t really all that good at it. Thankfully, by the end of the third exercise I seemed to have gotten much better at those two skills and so I was able to use them pretty effectively on the last exercise. In addition, I also got a lot better at trusting my judgment in what I needed to show to get my point across visually. From pre-1011 to post-1011, the way I approached drawing has changed and my willingness to go with an idea even if I don’t know if it will work. Also, I have now started sketching down my ideas as I thought about them to see how they would generally play out on paper before jumping in—I learned to plan. I learned how to look at my own work and notice not only the bad but also how to congratulate myself on the things that I’ve done well on. Finally, I’ve learned about designing and following my instinct on things. When you design things you can’t just have the final project in your mind. By working towards a general idea with a set of rules you arrive at your final design. II. I think that when I move forward to 1012 I will take with me the skills that I’ve learned in photoshop and illustrator. Since we’ll be learning drafting next semester I think I’ll probably take with me the skills that I learned in my measured drawings as well as the skill of using set up lines from the sighting technique exercises if not the improciseness of the exercise. I plan to pay special attention to drafting in 1012. I worked for an architecture firm for two years prior to coming here that did everything by hand so I feel pretty confident in my drafting skills but I will be really excited to learn more of the foundation behind what I already know since I currently hope to join another hand-drawing firm when I eventually graduate. III. In the first exercise our instructor was there to provide structure for our exercises, the handout helped to explain the skills that we would need for the project, the review process didn’t really help all that much because our review was set up with each group doing a particular sub exercise and pulling work from the entire class so we didn’t get a lot of individual attention. The inquiry book helped to organize exercises and see the common themes between sub exercises and the studio space itself wasn’t really used all that much during this exercise. In the second exercise, our instructor was helpful but let us make more of our own decisions regarding the ways in which we explored our objects. The handouts also gave us a little bit of information on skills and ways to show ideas but not a lot. The review process was more helpful in the exercise but it was still a group review. The inquiry book once again helped to show common themes between this exercise and the first. The studio space played a much bigger role in this exercise because it provided a dark room in which to work with our lights but it was still possible to do most of the work from our dorm rooms if we would rather do that. Finally, in the third exercise our instructor backed off even more. She gave us advice and sometimes she would suggest a certain type of drawing but it was ultimately our decision and she wouldn’t hold it against us. The handouts still gave us information on the different types of drawings but it was in a more general way. The review process was a lot more beneficial because although we were still doing group work, because it was with a group that we had been working with on the entire project and we got to use only our work it was a lot easier to get feedback on our individual work. The inquiry book didn’t really help in this exercise at all since the work from this exercise wasn’t in it. The studio space became really important in this exercise, first, because our group only had two of our objects and therefore we had to share it, and also because there was a parallel bar in the studio and sometimes we needed it for drawings—especially for measured drawings. The studio experience was very different from any other class I’ve ever been in because although we had a “teacher”, the skills that you learned were pretty much based on you and whether or not you were willing to experiment. On the other hand, it wasn’t all that different from my intern experience because just like in studio, I was sort of throw in an office with a drawing board and materials and had to piece together what I had to do and how to do things for each project based on what the overseeing architect explained to me. IV. I think that the three exercises were in the order that they were because in the first exercise we learned a lot of basic drawing types and the different kinds of information that they can be used to convey. In the second exercise we learned about specific objects and the way in which they can be manipulated in direct and indirect ways. The third exercise combined the first two exercises because you had to use all the different types of drawing skills that we had learned in exercise one but we also had to keep in mind the interactions with humans and the object’s environments in the way that we explored them. Over all though, my favorite exercise was the third exercise because having two other people in the group allowed me to bounce ideas off of other people and allowed us all to explore our object more than we would have been because we had the work and time of three different people instead of one. ONE I found it slightly humorous how much trouble I had with Ex.1. I remember how difficult the perspective drawing were and how I hated every second of it. But I can say that these exercises did allow to broaden my skills and show me that things don’t come as easily as I would like. I found it interesting how I did not have many problems with Ex.2. Perhaps my interest in the ID program fueled me throughout the exercise. There are not distinct patterns that can be drawn from each exercise. One I can think of is how during each exercise, we began learning from a simple step such as blind contour, form, and “toys” to more complicated topics such as surface and light, correlation of studies, and riffing. I am more confident in my work and skills. I recall how nervous I was during the first review and how calm I was when Ex.3 review came. I now know my work habits and am able to know my limits which have allowed me to finish things more efficiently. I hope to gain as much as I did this year in the years to come. Before, to me, drawing and modeling were just art. Never did I think that these two would be used for gaining data and investigation. I am more able to formulate and explore ideas than I did. Analysis and inquiry have shown me to look at things differently, not just what they are but through the eyes of the designer. All of the exercises have enabled me to look at design in a variety of filters that I would not have in the past. TWO The “learning” in 1011 that I think will carry forward to 1012 is the skills acquired through Ex.1, the critical looking through Ex.2, and the ability to see things as they are and aren’t from Ex.3. I plan to pay special attention to time management and craft in 1012. THREE The studio environment is much more inviting than any other learning environment. The instructor puts you on their level so you do not feel threaten by authority but rather close to a friend. The projects and exercises differ greatly in other learning situations because they allowed the students to freely interpret the task at hand. I guess the review process analogous to a test in a class that shows what we have or have not learned. Though as nerve wrecking, the review process allows for others to give their opinions and critique constructively rather than just getting a grade back. The inquiry book allowed us to display exactly what we learned without giving us set rules to go by. This allowed for an easier, less stressful way of doing so. The studio also brought students closer than another class. Even if a class is small, you can not find the same comradery that you find in the studio. Students helped each other throughout each step of every process. The studio space was very different from a normal class room. It felt less strict where creativity was encouraged. It was a very social environment also that brought people closer together. FOUR The way we were presented with the 3 exercises was very methodological. Ex.1 gave us the basic skills we needed to learn before the oncoming exercises. From seeing objects as lines to shading and studying light, the skills acquired through Ex.1 were very useful. Ex.2 let us take what we had learned in Ex.1 and put them into action. Ex 2 also taught us to critically look at ordinary objects and question the motives of the designers. The combination of Ex.1 and Ex.2 were mandatory to take on Ex.3. Ex.3 forced us to use our drawing and drafting abilities from Ex.1 to depict your ideas while also forcing us to formulate DNA and critically observe and question as we riffed. James Vo Amanda Trent 1011 Exit reflection Part One The most notable thing from each of the exercise reflections is what they meant to me and what I learned. In all three exercises, I was introduced to a new way of looking at something. It was a way I had never thought of before and never experienced before. It challenged preconceived ideas of what an object or a model is and allowed me to see that object in a completely different, but still accurate, way. The learning pattern is the same idea in that first I was given an object. I looked at the object how any person might. Then I was given a method and a process of looking at that object. I followed those instructions and ended up looking at that object more and more as a designer, an architect, or a constructor. There is definitely a cumulative growth in learning throughout each of the exercises. Each exercise informed the next and taught me new skills that allowed me to pursue the following exercises. The changes that occurred in the way I think about drawings are the possibilities I was introduced to in representing and expressing those drawings or models. The process of formatting and exploring ideas was sharpened with each exercise and I was able to more successfully and clearly explore they subject. Analysis and inquiry and designing used to be a one level process for me. I looked at an object and drew what it was. After the exercises, I was able to look at that same object and ask questions about it, study the details of it, and create proposal from the information I discovered. Part Two The learning in 1011 was making the students aware of the environment around them. It presented us with many filters under which to look at either a space, a model, or a object. We learned how to study those objects under each filter and hew to present what we found out. In 1012, I plan to that we will take the skills we learned in 1011 and apply them to design and construction of objects. Part Three The instructor was there to provide help from someone with more knowledge and experience than the students. The exercise handout was to set up the activity and give basic instructions or guidelines from which to build on. The review was to bring together everything the student had worked on, evaluate work done, and provide critical feedback on work quality and advice for future work. The inquiry book was to help the students understand what they have been doing, why they have been doing it, and what they are learning from doing it. The other students were there to act as peers with which to collaborate and develop ideas with. The studio was the place to facilitate the work the students did throughout the semester. Studio is a unique learning experience misunderstood by anyone who has never been a part of it. Most people think studio is a chamber in the Architecture buildings where COA students are sent to toil long, hard, grueling hours on complex projects. And, in many respects, it is. But at the same time, the students who are working in studio late at night are also surrounded by a group of peers doing the same. During the day, studio is filled with instructors willing to help the students and even encourage them to try something different- other than what the exercise brief specifically says. Studio is very different from a seminar or tutorial in that is it a very hands-on, learn from your mistakes, real experience environment. Part Four The three exercises formed an effective process of learning and each informed the other, which then informed the student. Exercise 1 showed the student how to look at an object or model and, using different media and methods, represent that model in different ways. Exercise 2 used the idea of multiple representations to break down an object and look at the details and how they made the object. Exercise 3 took one of the details of the object, found in Exercise 2, and had the student alter and change them to propose a new object. The pedagogical goals of Exercise 1 were to show the student many ways to look at an object and represent it. the pedagogical goals of Exercise 2 were to show the student how to break down an object and see what typically would not be seen. The pedagogical goals of Exercise 3 were to show the student how to investigate and change the details of an object in order to create a new object. My favorite exercise was Exercise 3 because I was able to grasp the concept of the exercise and create the best work for it. Jake Reynolds Part One I think I begin to see a connection more between all three exercises now looking back on it. I see a logical process and a gradual increase of freedom within each exercise. In exercise one it was mainly "Here is what you do, here is how you do it, and this is why you do it" in exercise 2 it was "here is what you do, this is why you do it, but we're not telling you how to do it" and in exercise 3 it was mainly "here is what you do, but how and why is completely up to you". I learned investigative skills, critical thinking skills, and all 3 exercise opened up a world that I had never thought existed. The change that has occurred in my design and investigating skills has been immense. I notice myself thinking differently about certain things and having more of a design oriented mind when it comes to certain things in my life. Part Two The techniques I learned for one will certainly carry over into 1012. But most importantly the investigative skills I have honed will hopefully aid in my continued success in studio. I plan to pay special attention to how I look at a problem or idea presented to me in 1012. I plan to have more of an open mind and to make sure I carry everything I learned in 1011 over to 1012. Part Three
Part Four Exercise one was mainly there to get you to start learning the different techniques of drawing and investigating. Exercise 2 dealt more with exploring an object and coming up with different ways of projecting your investigations. And Exercise 3 was one which was open to all sorts of interprtations. It provided complete freedom to the student and ultimately ended up being my favorite project. There was no right or wrong answer, just better ways of going about the process. I found it to be interesting and I really enjoyed the freedom this exercise provided. 1011 Exit Reflection ONE Reflection 1 discusses the several different media and the different applications for which they are used. Now, I have realized that rulers, pencils, and the computer will make up the majority of the remaining studio assignments. Exercise 1 got our feet wet, but we perhaps may never again utilize charcoal. I mentioned that I had yet to pull an “all- nighter,” and I can still agree with that statement, but I had yet to realize that nothing is ever good the first time. I still expected to have good quality work that also involved critical yet logical work. In hindsight, that was all very naďve, and I now know that even if I do not save everything for the last minute, the last minute may be the only time everything comes together, makes sense, and reaches the high quality that is expected. In each exercise, I grew more and more patience. In Exercise 1, I thought that spending a couple of hours on one assignment is a lot of time. Then, Exercise 2 taught me that a few hours are needed to accomplish good quality work. Finally, in Exercise 3, several hours were needed to produce a final product. I have definitely had a cumulative growth in learning with confidence, skills, understanding, patience, and persistence. The first time my eyes welled up in frustration put things in perspective for me. I had spent some time in studio the weekend prior to class, and I was fairly confident and excited about what I produced. Then once my instructor saw it, she began criticizing every aspect of it. Nothing made sense to her, and I had to explain my idea several time over again. In the end, I gave up and felt defeated. Luckily, I picked myself up, and tweaked my idea and presentation. Because I experienced and endured such criticism and disappointment, the criticism that came in Exercise 3 didn’t even disturb me, and I just continued to think harder and discipline myself more. Two The learning that I will carry into 1012 will be the discipline, patience, higher craftsmanship, logic, and the flexibility to incorporate others’ suggestions in order to improve the product. Although, there is still a lot to learn on Photoshop and everything to learn on Illustrator, I feel a bit more confident with the knowledge I have acquired. I plan to pay special attention to depicting objects accurately and clearly, displaying a logical thought process, producing high quality work, making models, and producing models on the computer. Three The instructor is there to criticize every aspect of your work in order for you to produce the best quality and thought out product. He/she is harsh when necessary, and impressed rarely. The handouts were the stepping-stones to the assignment. Not everything had to be followed exactly, yet it gave enough guidelines to keep the studio structured and everyone in sync. The Review, as I see it are the few hours that our entire lives for the prior 1-2 months is completely criticized and thrown down the drain. Although, a few compliments and positive comments were thrown into the review, the majority of it consisted of blunt criticism. Review allows us to step out of our shells, and see what the real world thinks of our “outstanding” work. The inquiry book puts together some of the essential and high quality work into a convenient few page book. Formatting the book provides practice for future exercises. Fellow students boost self-esteem and give compliments in the midst of the criticism and the encroaching deadline when everything must be re-done. They offer advice when necessary, and aid in achieving something on the computer when one is unfamiliar with the many tools on Photoshop, Illustrator, or Google Sketch Up. The studio space itself gets us accustomed to working with other people in such close vicinities, and sharing our supplies. While in the studio, there is nothing else I can do, but studio work. Being in there forces me to focus on solely studio work. I love the hands on experience that makes up studio. Classrooms are very structured and demand traditional learning. Labs involve many calculations and trials, and sometimes cause me to lose sight of the purpose. Though, in ways lab and studio are very similar because they are both hands on, and we make tangible what is on paper. At work, I must remain professional and polite, meet deadlines, and answer many questions. In studio, I can loosen up, and create my own rules, while remaining professional and meeting deadlines. Four The first exercise covered simpler, basic concepts that could be grasped while practicing patience and the science of seeing and examining. These basics were all then utilized in Exercise 2, where careful seeing, high quality work, patience, logic, and working with others were all essential for success. With such an introduction, those tools acquired in the first exercise, were actually utilized in the second involving a more complex matter. The third exercise gave us a small taste of the complexity of projects to come. With few boundaries, we were able to discover skills and tools that had been available, but never used. My favorite is Exercise 3, although it was the one I abhorred while in the process. The end result was the most rewarding of the three, perhaps because I felt I had succeeded in breaking away from frustration and defeat. I finally stepped out of self defeat, and I created something that I didn’t think I could ever accomplish. Melissa Estacio Through each exercise, I developed and sharpened the analytical skill. I became able to During the exercise one I learned to draw from what I am seeing, rather than from the image in my head. Also, I learned to use different types of drawing materials to express and achieve different goals. The measurement exercises were the continuation of the first exercise in a way that learning techniques to draw with more precision. The second exercise taught me the means of studying and analyzing an object with a purpose and criteria. The exercise pushed us to do more than just observe and describe an object. We had to go back to the designer’s point and question why he or she decided to make an object that way. Since we had spent so much time in the studio, working and practicing, the drawing and modeling skills were naturally improved very much. I am very pleased that my ability to formulate questions and find answers for them has improved. Now, when I observe an object or a building construction, I make inquiry of it and try to question every aspect of them. TWO Every lesson I learned from 1011 and 1060 is valuable. I believe that an architect can be great only when he remembers his lessons from past and keep cumulate the knowledge. However, if I have to pick one thing that I deem the most important, it will be time management. It sounds little bit too general and not really related to architecture, but I realized that good works only comes when a person puts great amount of time and efforts into it. In 1012, I want to pay special attention to organization. Taking good notes, organizing my works after every studio time, and keeping a good journal provide a better sense of goals I need to achieve in the class and help me to follow the flow of the class works better. THREE The instructor is like a teacher in a classroom. She explains an object of each exercise and answers any questions students have. She looks at students’ work and makes comment or suggestions. The project or exercise handouts provide details of each project. It gives specific instructions and directions. Sometimes these have examples from previous years. The review process is very important for developing ideas further. Since we usually look at our works for a long time while we are working on them, we often miss an obvious flaw in our works or the possibilities of further development. Listening to other people’s opinions help to us to realize them and improve our works. The inquiry book is a collection of the works. The drawings we had drawn have to be organized. Drawing and making models require a large working space. The studio provides ample space for students and it is a great place to work with other people too. Many times I compare the studio to the library because they both have similar settings. People come to there to work and improve their skills. All the learning spaces are same that the people who come there are filled with passion and desire to learn. FOUR The first exercise introduced us to the basics of design concepts. We learned how to use different drawing materials and the techniques to use them. The second exercise taught us the way of investigating an object with specific objectives, rather than just observing and describing it. The third exercise was focused on developing a deeper investigation we did on the exercise two. Each of the three exercises has different pedagogical goals. My favorite was the second exercise. I liked studying the human interaction aspect of the can opener. I value what is practical. It was interesting to learn how the object was designed to satisfy the users’ needs. I was also intrigued to study analogs and precedents part of the exercise too. A simple object like a can opener had been changed in its shape and function as people seek a better way to achieve a certain goal. Link to this Page
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