        1011 minattaKrista Goettig Part 1: Since completing exercises 1 through 3 and re-reading the exit reflections on them, I noticed that my comments were always constructive and intentional. One noteworthy aspect was the fact that I grew so much during the first exercise. I went from “seeing” one way to “seeing” in a completely different way in such a short period of time. In each exercise, I noticed that I was learning how to analyze and see things in new ways according to what the exercise was trying to make us see. Cumulatively, I grew the most in understanding. I began to not only see things as they were, but also as what they could become. In response to the changes that occurred, I now think about drawings, models, and other forms of media as observations and prerequisites rather than merely the finished product. As far as formulating and exploring ideas, I now have a more logical yet imaginative approach. I also analyze and inquire with more purpose than before. Designing is also more intentional than before. I have a thought process and a reason for whatever I am designing now. Part 2: In 1011, I learned a lot about “seeing” and “thinking” that I know will transfer to 1012. In 1012, I will not make assumptions about what I am seeing. I will portray exactly what I see, rather than what I think I see. I will also think about the intricacies, movements, and abstractions of objects and concepts while in studio 1012. I plan to pay special attention to detail and movement in 1012. Those are two concepts that really interest me that I did not think about before 1011. Part 3: There are many different roles played in the studio process. The instructor of 1011 is like a guide. They tell you the assignment and help your thought processes evolve from the primary state we start in to the complex and intelligent processes we now possess. The handouts help each of us recap on the assignment and fully understand certain terms and processes that are to be known. Pinups and juries are extremely helpful in the studio. Their purpose is to introduce a new set of eyes to your work and to help you understand what others outside your small studio section might think. The inquiry book is there to represent your work and how it has changed throughout your first studio at Georgia Tech. Fellow students act as an every day jury. They are there to critique your work and offer helpful criticism that you would not otherwise get from your own thoughts. The studio space is also designed to help students from other sections interact and view other work that is being created. Compared to other learning situations, the studio is more hands-on and interactive. It allows you to work alone while still having others around to help you through your design process. Part 4: The three exercises unfolded seamlessly. The first exercise was proposed to alter the way we think, help us learn how to use new media, and teach us how to critique. The second exercise was there to expand on the concepts learned in exercise one while introducing the concept of analyzing one object to new levels. The third exercise expanded still on exercise 2, but in a new way. It gave you the chance to take this single object and morph it into something else. That was a new species of analysis. My favorite of the three exercises was exercise one. I enjoyed the large charcoals and the perspective drawings. They allowed me to show off some of my talents rather than exposing my flaws. Brad King One After reading over my exercise reflections, I am most surprised by how much more creative I have become because of 1011. Thanks to my instructor and the lessons set up for us to investigate, my thought process has truly matured and I am able to come up with more ideas faster than ever before. Each exercise has taught me something new. I learned about contour drawings, perspective drawings, shade and shadow drawings, measured drawings, and exploded axon drawings. All helped me to better focus my skills as a designer. I am now more focused on using all types of media to make discoveries. I will now use drawings, models, and computer applications such as Adobe Illustrator in order to make sure I am fully aware of every facet of the project that I am working on. I have also realized how vital collaboration is to making sure that not only I understand my work but also the community that I am making it for. Two I believe that the things that I learned that will prove to be most useful as I continue my learning in 1012 and also in life are the perspective drawings, the measured drawing, the exploded axon drawing, and finally my work done with Adobe Illustrator. I think that these skills can help me with learning but are also applicable in the real world. In 1012 I will try and use these skills but also absorb new skills that I will need to mature myself as a designer. Three The instructor was probably the single most important factor in studio. Based off the instructor, people formatted and presented their work in different fashions. My group made simple yet inquisitive riffs that explained themselves without too much clutter or text. We would always complain to Joseph about how every other group had too much confusion, and how their work could only be understood if the owner explained it. The projects were important because they laid the framework for which we were to base our discoveries off of. The review and pin up process at the end was especially important because it gave us all a chance to hear a different group, or person’s perspective on how we could have refined or enhanced our work to make it the best possible. I looked forward to each review so I could see how others liked and understood what I was trying to portray. The inquiry book was important because if you were stuck and out of ideas, you could just pull it out, review your previous work, and it would usually spark new ideas. Collaboration with my fellow students helped tremendously. Whenever I asked for a suggestion or critique, they were always there to offer me a new way to look at the problem. The studio was often a hindrance to the learning process. I would often come in and my desk would be littered with other people’s trash or models that did not belong. It was also often noisy. It was not the best environment to focus in so I often found myself leaving the space to work elsewhere. The studio space was definitely a different animal than any learning environment that I have been in in the past. The collaborative aspect and complete freedom was nice, however the smelly trashy aspect of it was not. Four The goal of Exercise 1 was to defamiliarize us with the world as we see it and introduce us to all the different ways of visually representing what we see. The goal of Exercise 2 was to get us to completely engulf ourselves in an object and then break that object down so that we discover all there is to discover. We had to find out everything about the object from how it was made to how it works to why it was made that way. Exercise 3 was designed to help us be creative by turning something into something else through massive amounts of thought, trial and error. Also it helped mature our skills using computer software like Adobe Illustrator. My favorite of the tree exercises was Exercise 3 because I got to use all of the tricks that I learned in the previous lessons and combine them to make something interesting and unique. I believe that my final project in Exercise 3 was my best of the year for this reason. Cody Parrish This studio has been different from any other class that I have ever taken. I spent my first two years of my undergraduate studying at the University of Georgia before I decided that I was not in the right place for my academic needs. As demanding, time consuming, and frustrating CFY has been, it has assured me that I am in the right place. This has been the most interesting and enjoyable class that makes you think in ways that you don’t think when you take ordinary classes. This class has shown me that I have artistic skills that I didn’t know existed. Looking back through each exercise I became more aware of where these drawings, countless hours on photoshop, and digital documentation activities were taking us. They have taught us valuable skills needed whether or not we end up studying architecture, industrial design, or building construction. They have shown me a new way to think about the world around me; to think outside of the box. I believe one of the most important things that I will take from 1011 to 1012 is patients. I learned that you are not always going to have the best ideas right off the bat. It sometimes takes more time than you would like, and a lot of failure to lead yourself to a successful project. My instructor for 1011 was awesome. He was very helpful in all of the exercises by introducing us to new concepts, giving us criticism when it was needed, but most importantly encouraging us constantly and being a motivator. Joseph was very understanding and helpful and I am bummed I won’t be able to have him next semester. The handouts were usually long and required lots of reading. They honestly played no roll for me, I just listened to Joseph, then got to work. The review process was very helpful in that it made you think about what you did and why. It also helped you see how others thought of what you were doing. What makes studio so great though is that you are constantly surrounded by students all doing the same thing, and most everyone is open to help you in any way. The studio always gives off a good vibe, even at 4 AM there are students working and willing to help. The first exercise was all about making us see the world around us as it is rather than what you think it is. It was like a warm up exercise in that it got us drawing, opened us up to different tools and mediums. The second exercise made us analyze an object in order to see why it was designed in certain ways, how it was made. And the third exercise made us design our own. I enjoyed the third the most; however it was also the most difficult, and confusing exercise. It was hard to get started because you weren’t sure where it would end. Pranav The striking element that correlates the three reflections is how a change in the way I looked after each exercise changed the way in which I looked upon the next exercise in comparison to how I would have looked at it if I had not gone through the previous exercise. This progress is in full swing as we come towards the end of the first semester and paving way to the application of these ideas in the next. While my skills have developed with an increased understanding of the major, my self confidence has grown with exploring the ideas in the exercises. Everything that I have learned will carry over in some way or the other to 1012 that builds on 1011 it. Having an open mind from will significantly help me accept new ideas and merge them with what I have learned from 1012. The instructor plays the role of guiding us in the development of our own work and show us the alternate way at a dead end. The handouts are the procedure and steps that we are supposed to follow to develop the final structure. The review process is the quintessential to analyze the outcome of our work and see what we could have done to make it better or different. The inquiry book is the storehouse of ideas and the factory where new ones our developed. Our fellow students encourage our ideas and provide us with the company we need to more forwards. The studio space is the area that provides us with tools and resources to go forth with our work. The three exercises were linearly and cyclically related as an introduction of the outer edges got us thinking about the shapes of the objects. Further developments were made on what lies on the surface and how we can resonate the effects of light and touch on it. The second exercise delved into the working of what we were only looking at. After familiarizing ourselves with the intricacies of form, we were then asked to use our creativity to come up with something of our own, something that could be used to perform exercise 1 on again…The third exercise drew closest to what I had in mind as an ID student and was my favorite. 1011 Exit Reflection Layne Matthews Part 1 In re-reading my previous exercise reflections, I’ve noticed how much experience I’ve gained this year with studio projects and how much I have learned. I bettered my skills with different types of tools (pencils, charcoals, etc.), different types of papers (sketch, newsprint, trace), new drawing techniques (viewfinders, tonal drawings, armatures), and new technology (Photoshop and Illustrator). I have learned to combine these to create one final product. Each exercise was guided by an instructor who gave us the freedom to learn from hands-on experience and from our own mistakes. Through this trial-and-error, I gained more appreciation for model-making and Photoshop, which I once thought were unnecessary in the assignment. Both of these provide new ways to render certain qualities to an object or piece of work that paper can not. I now find myself considering more the design of an object when I use it, or a building when I see it. I feel as if my mind has shifted more towards that of a design professional. Part 2 I will carry my Photoshop experience forward with me to 1012, along with my drawing techniques and knowledge of different mediums. I feel this combination is necessary for a successful spring semester. I want to work more on organizing my thoughts and specifying my analyses. I struggled in 1011 with presenting very focused material, and while I have improved, I would like to continue learning how to do this better. Part 3 The instructor provides the students with guidelines of the current exercise/class. He or she also exists as a mentor and lifeline to those under his/her instruction. The project or exercise brief/handout works hand in hand with the instructor. These handouts are the paper form of the instructor’s guidelines. The review process (pinup/jury) provides the student with a formal critique of his/her work from each exercise. These are used as a basis for grades for the instructor and improvements for the student. The inquiry book helps organize a student’s thoughts and work throughout a semester. Our fellow students are a very helpful tool in studio. They are a great source for insight and make good critics for a less formal review session. The studio itself provides a comfortable and open environment to work in. Part 4 Exercise 1 was an introduction to studio and the different tools we would be working with. After we were familiarized with what our Artbins contained, we moved to Exercise 2. Our focus shifted to a more analytical type. We were now concerned with implementing the tools we used in Exercise 2 to explore the fabrication of a certain object. Exercise 3 expounded upon the previous exercise by forcing us to think outside the box by examining our certain objects through one specific lens. Each exercise grew off the previous and exposed us to new tools, methods, and ways of thinking. I feel that this sequence was meant for us to ease into the design environment, and the different layers within. We had to learn on our own that this was not just “art class.” I feel this separation of “art class” and studio occurred the most in Exercise 3, which is possibly why it was my favorite. We were able to be more adventurous with our work and experienced the technical side of design. 1011 Exit Reflection Christie Ruffo Part I: Now that I have acquired a whole semester’s work and skill, I feel that I can look at my drawings and reflect more critically upon my work. I have learned how to use different mediums and tools, either by hand or by computer, in order to produce different drawings. I also noticed how each stage in each exercise developed and advanced through each sub exercising preceding it. I noticed that a pattern developed as I used different contour drawings because as my skill improved, I began relying in it more and more, and then began to enhance my abilities by changing the line weights, switching from pencil to charcoal, and going from blind contours to ones that I drew more accurately with the triangles. Each exercise challenged me, but I became more confident with each sub exercise as my skill grew from the exercise that came before it. I believe that the most important concept that I’ve learned is that models are quite important when it comes to representing an object, and you must be able to explore that model through a multitude of inquiries. I gained a number of useful skills due to all the exercises I worked through this semester. Part II: In order to gain more of an upper hand in Studio 1012, I will take all of the skills that I acquired in 1011 with me. The most important skill that will help me is the many various ways that I have learned to look at the design and build environment. I really want to work more on perspective drawings and models as a way to develop knowledgeable inquiries about objects I am studying. I also can’t wait to add technical drawings and AutoCAD to my database of knowledge, because I feel that those will add a tremendous amount of precision and methodology to learning the world around me. Part III: The environment of the studio greatly impacted how much I learned this semester. The instructor was there to guide us and answer questions, but we relatively had total creative freedom to work on our exercises. The handouts were slightly tedious and difficult to understand, though the exercises themselves were simple. The reviews and pin ups were useful to receive comments and constructive criticisms about our drawings. The inquiry books were not that affective. The best help and advice I received were from my peers and group members. I really thought that the studio space could have been cleaned more efficiently by all people who used it because when people left all their trash on the table, it was really difficult to work in the messy environment. Also, is we could add some artwork or decoration to the studio to make it more exciting, I think people would feel more comfortable and relaxed to work there. Overall, I like the studio atmosphere, but a couple of changes would improve the CFY learning environment. Part IV: The exercises really challenged me this semester. The first exercise taught us how to use different methods and tools to learn about objects and the build environment. Exercise two allowed us to take the tools and strategies that we learned in exercise one in order to critically examine one object in particular to see how its shape, use, fabrication, and assembly all affected the design of the object. We used this object in exercise three in order to explore the methods of riffing by taking our concrete object, transform it through our riffs, and create it into a different or abstract object. My favorite was the third exercise because it let us use more creativity and design in order to transform our object. The semester’s three exercises allowed me to grow in my skills and acquire new methods of inquiry. 1011 Exit Reflection: Kellen Smith Part One When looking back upon my reflections from this semester’s exercises, the most notable thing that I observed was the correlations in things I found important for one exercise and their significance in the next one. There were many things that I noted as being important in ex 1 for instance, such as attention to detail being learned from contour drawings, and then using that same quality, as well as the use of contours themselves, in exercises 2 and 3. There were many correlations like this that I observed, and find that to be the most notable quality of looking back on the exercises. I also observed that in each exercise, as the sub-exercises progressed, there was a continual necessity of mastery of the previous sub-exercise in order to accomplish the goals of the next, I think this is a quality that rang true for all 3 exercises. I most definitely can observe an incredible amount of learning and building of skills throughout the 3 exercises, and I now have a much greater sense of confidence and understanding of my design and build environment. My skills in drawing have improved immensely as this was an integral part in the course, I have learned to model things which is a skill I did not previously have, I have learned to carefully format my ideas and clearly illustrate them through representation, I have learned to closely analyze the world around me or a simple object, and finally I have learned to culminate all of these newly found strengths to manipulatively create designs. Part Two The amount of learning that I personally experienced through 1011 was incredibly significant. I have learned to closely observe the world around me, and most notably, am now able to interpret, represent, and manipulate that world through the use of detailed observation, attention to detail, numerous drawing methods with numerous mediums, and technological representation through the use of Photoshop and Editor. All of these skills I believe will be used and in fact essential in 1012. However, in 1012 I intend on spending more time with each exercise, and work more diligently with my studio time despite the fact that I believe I do my best work at home in my personal studio. Part Three There are many roles played by many things within the studio process. The instructor’s role is to introduce the student to new ideas, and guide them along their own journey while contributing their own experience and expertise on the subject. The handouts accompanying each exercise are essential in formatting what the student does on a daily basis as well as with the exercise overall, and are therefore the formal guidelines as to what is expected of the student. The review process is a time in which the students hard efforts are observed, analyzed, and sometimes criticized, all to allow the student to learn through interacting with how another views his or her work. The inquiry book is the essential home for ideas and processes throughout each exercise, allowing for a place to store sketches, ideas, or notes throughout the student’s progressing work. The role of fellow students within the studio is one of suggestions by your peers, with other students offering other insight or suggestions as to what your work should is lacking or thriving in, either of which offers essential insight to the student himself as to what he or she could do better, differently, or is doing correctly. The studio space itself serves as the medium through which all of these other roles thrive. It is a niche for these roles, and is really the only place that allows each to play out its specific characteristics as a role itself. The learning experience that one has with the studio is one that I found solely unique. Unlike a classroom, the studio learning experience is one integrated with student to peer and student to instructor cooperation and collaboration. Unlike a seminar, the instructor is actively involved in his “audience” of students as he guides them along their way instead of solely lecturing them and they listen. A lab or workshop is more similar to the learning taking place in studio, as in each; much of the learning comes from observing then doing. A tutorial differs in that it lacks the collaborative learning associated with the studio setting, as tutorials are usually done individually. An internship is similar to the learning experience of studio except that in studio, you’re learning a variety of ideals instead of a specific trade; you cannot have a one track mind. On the job learning I think is the most similar to the studio learning experience in that in each, you are assigned a task, and you do it to the best of your ability with or without the collaboration of others. Part Four After reviewing each of the 3 exercises, the pedagological goals and relationships in each is blatantly apparent. In exercise one, the sub-exercises sequentially allowed us to learn to observe the world around us and interpret it in numerous drawing methods and mediums. In exercise 2, these skills were enhanced and called for weeks to be spent on the close observation and representation of a single object in it’s every facet, calling on every drawing type and medium used in exercise 1. We then formulated and displayed our results in a sort of “presentation” format of 11x17’s through the use of Photoshop editing and representation techniques. These editing and representation techniques learned in exercise 2 allowed for the learning objectives of exercise 3, to not use the close observations learned from the previous 2 exercises, and now manipulate those skills through the use of Photoshop in a design process, all of which were culminated learning objectives for the entire course. My favorite of the 3 exercises was exercise 1. I chose ex 1 as my favorite due to the fact that it introduced me to, and then honed and built my skills in, a numerous amount of drawing types and different drawing mediums. I love to draw, and this exercise was the one that encompassed the greatest use of my newly found and increasingly developing skills. Studio Exit Reflection: Dorsie Boddiford •ONE As I reread the reflections on the different exercises, I realize how our knowledge has grown through experience and how each exercise built upon the previous tasks. I’ve realized the importance of each assignment, and if any one task was eliminated or put in a different order, the results of the following assignments would be completely different. An obvious pattern I found was that there was always some type of intense studying of the object before settling on the final project. Each individual drawing, model, or photograph contributed to the next. I can definitely see a difference in myself throughout this semester in 1011. Through learning to take my time and study my work, I have acquired a patience that is apparent both inside and outside the studio. I have also gained confidence and learned to appreciate everyone’s own unique styles. . During 1011 I have learned to think of abstract—yet effective—ways of interpreting drawings and models. This course has taught me to “think outside the box” and use my own imagination to communicate my own ideas. Before 1011 I was always short and to-the-point when analyzing design, yet now I find myself in constant thought about the design that surrounds my everyday life. •TWO In 1012 I will use the methods of representation and design that I learned in 1011 (the different styles of drawing, different tools used, etc). I will also continue to use my sketch book as a source of reflection and inspiration. In 1012 I will plan to pay special attention to representing my work in a more accurate, precise manner, especially in my perspective drawings. I also wish to further my knowledge of the computer programs which will aid me in the future (such as the challenging Illustrator).
The project or exercise brief/handout should set down the guidelines and introduction to the assignments. It sometimes gives examples of the type of work that should be done. The review process (pinup, final jury) is a way of reflection of the work completed. The review offers information on what was done right or wrong and what should be done in the future. The inquiry book is also a means of reflection and a way of organizing the work so to look back in a historical sequence. Fellow students are always willing to offer comments, advice, and support throughout the course. They are also a great reference in studying different styles and different perspectives. The studio space itself has morphed into a more personal space for the students. At the beginning of the year it was a cold, strict room—now it is filled with displays of fellow students’ progress and “personal touches” of posters pinned to the wall with inside jokes that only studio students could relate to. The studio room serves as a get away to being able to enjoy spending massive amounts of time on your work—there is always someone there to talk to. I believe the studio learning experience is superior to any other education I have ever received. The constant “hands-on” reality of the studio makes me feel accomplished when I can quickly see the results of my hard work. All my life my accomplishments have been judged purely by letter grades–now finally I can relax after a laborious assignment, step back, and take in the beauty of my work.
It is hard for me to pick one exercise that I enjoyed most. The third exercise, however, definitely stands out in that it allowed me to be free with my work and go in the direction I pleased. I took pleasure in the freedom I was given and felt that my own personal style was able to manifest itself through my work in that assignment. I liked the uncertainty of where my project would take me and when it would end, and I also found the other students’ projects very unique and extremely interesting. Rachael Williams PART ONE What strikes me as worth commenting upon is how I learned the importance of models in the understanding and depiction of information. Before exercise 2 I never understood the significance models can have in a project, and I believe I obtained a more investigative understanding of the parts of my model and their importance through the formation of models. A pattern that I can discern in the learning from each exercise is my discovery that interpretive frameworks and creating strategies for representation come hand in hand in forming a deeper understanding of an object. I realized that my best studies and series of drawings occurred when I kept in mind that I will be representing and conveying important information to an audience, and so I must insure that the information I obtain is depicted in a clear and concise manner that is not detrimental to my project. It is very evident through my reflections the progression and furthering of intelligence of the multiple ways to display and convey important information and discoveries in presentations and projects. I used to solely rely on written summaries before these exercises to explain my thought processes, yet now I know it is best to use a wide variety of both visual and oral representation of a project to communicate material to an outside audience. I now have a greater confidence and understanding of the multiple ways to demonstrate understanding through the making of models, diagrams, photographs, descriptions, and drawings. The way I thought about drawing and modeling before 1011 to today has changed greatly because originally I had never practiced drawing or making models. Now I have gained knowledge on the many different types of drawings and what they convey, and I feel this has greatly expanded my ways of thinking about objects. My process of formulating and exploring ideas has changed since the beginning of the year because I now have a greater “toolbox” for studying the elements of an object as well as a large amount of practice in coming up with a research question and methods of investigation. These methods of discovery have also influenced how I analyze things in that I not only scratch the surface of understanding yet look at an object from multiple standpoints and inquiry questions. From pre 1011 to post 1011, I have a greater grasp on the various elements of design and investigatory ways of carrying about these procedures. PART TWO I plan to carry forward from 1011 to 1012 my greater knowledge of design methods such as drawing, modeling, Photoshop, research analysis, ability to present information, and clearer procedural methods. I plan to pay special attention in 1012 to the newly introduced more architectural related aspects of studio and computer design programs that I am unfamiliar with as well as improving upon my drawing abilities. PART THREE The role of the instructor in the studio process is to introduce new information and methods of design while allowing the student to expand upon this knowledge in making a design or creation his or her own while always tending to the requirements. The role of the exercise handout is to clearly state the project requirements while including investigatory questions to help propel the student in the right direction of research. The role of the pinup and jury is to allow others to comment upon the student’s work in an effort to expand the student’s mind and give information on how the student in the future can improve upon the presentation and research process of the exercise presented. The inquiry book serves as personal space for the student to store drawings to reflect upon in the future. It also serves as a way for students to view how far they have come in their design process and methods since day one. The role of my fellow students is to demonstrate how many different ideas can come from the introduction of one single exercise. They allow an outlet for information and ideas to flow to help expand upon one’s own knowledge. The role of the studio space itself is to promote investigatory research by allowing students a common space and area to work on projects while allowing social and intellectual interactions to take place. In relation to other learning situations and experiences, I have by far liked my studio experience the best. Studio and its surrounding areas have almost everything architecture, industrial design, and building construction students can possibly need. It allows students of different but related majors to come together in projects and promotes the interaction and flow of ideas and designs. PART FOUR The goals for exercise 1 were to introduce the student to draw what they actually see rather than what they think they see, various methods of conveying information through drawing, and the introduction to the formation and consequential investigatory processes of an idea. The goals for exercise 2 were to promote a deeper understanding of an everyday object and to get the students asking questions as to why a design was made the way it was. Also, exercise 2 promoted detailed investigatory research of an object and the taking apart of its various elements to understand how and why it was put together in a certain manner. Finally, exercise 3 served to allow the student freedom of design and procedure in that we were to come up with our own riffs and BEFORE and AFTER boards that made procedural sense with our own investigatory research question. My favorite exercise was exercise 3 because I liked how it allowed the students freedom to come up with their own topics and outlines of procedures. At first I found it confusing, but when I embraced the lack of barriers for this project I became excited to expand upon one single element of my object and relating it to a different object or idea. Colleen Creighton Exit Reflection 1. As I reread the exercises now that I have completed each of them, I realize the effectiveness of each of the intended tasks. I am now able to find the connection between each of the three exercises. I noticed the pattern of, learn the media, use the media to investigate, and then use the investigation to investigate further. I have discerned a boost in confidence over the past three exercises. I remember walking in to the first review feeling so much worse than everybody else. By the end of exercise 3 I felt that I was finally among the competition. I feel that my skills have improved as well as my ability to have deeper, more thorough thought processes. From pre-1011 to post-1011, I have noticed a change in the way I think about drawings, modeling, and other types of representations. When formulating an idea I immediately imagine how it would look on paper. I consider using photography in almost all of my exercises, and use modeling to represent the three dimensional version of my idea. My thought processes are clearer and more detailed after completing the first three exercises. I have learned to analyze what is in front of me, and then analyze it again and again. Certain details and aspects will become apparent only after numerous investigations. Although we have not really been able to design that much on our own, exercises three was the first dive into it. This freedom to design what we wanted instead of simply analyzing what already existed was amazing. I believe the building process through the exercises allowed us to begin to be successful designers. 2. I have learned so much in 1011 that I plan on carrying with me to 1012. 1011 taught me to deeply analyze something and pull it apart. This is a very important skill that will most likely play an important role in 1012. The contour skills, tone drawing skills, as well as the other forms of media we were taught how to use will come into effect in 1012. In 1012 I plan on paying special attention to my thought processes and making sure they read well and are thorough. I feel that a thorough thought process will lead to better more successfully communicated results. 3. Many factors affected the studio process and experience. One of the most influential factors was my instructor. I believe that it was my instructor that made my studio experience so successful. He was extremely motivating and positive, while constantly pushing me to think harder and expand my ideas. He was fun, yet serious when it was necessary. My skills improved and my passion for architecture grew, because of the wonderful teaching skills of my instructor. The handouts were helpful at times, but often confusing. It usually took two or three explanations from my instructor before the handout became clear. When the exercise was complete, the handout became much clearer, but looking at it with a fresh mind was confusing. The review process allowed me to view my work process up on the wall, and it also let me hear an outside opinion on it. That outside opinion was important because that person was unfamiliar with the assignment, so it allowed for an unbiased judgment. The inquiry book was important in documenting our work in effective ways. My fellow students made for an enjoyable studio experience. When a group of people spends so much time together, it is almost a given that they will grow close. My studio mates are some of the most intelligent and amazing people I have met thus far at Georgia Tech. They add important feedback, constructive criticism, and a much needed laugh to the studio environment. My fellow students made the studio experience an enjoyable one. The studio space itself was important because it allowed for all students to share the same space and view each other’s work. It also allowed for the feeling that we were all in the same boat when we had immense amounts of work. Compared to other learning situations, I found the studio learning experience to be far more interactive. We were constantly discussing and conversing with our fellow classmates and our instructor. The classroom was more casual and the instructor was closer to the students since they spent so much time together. 4. In Exercise 1, the goal was to familiarize us with the different medias and skills. We experimented with charcoal, pencils, contour, and tone. We also focused on drawing what we actually see and not on what we think we see. Exercise 2 used the skills we learned in Exercise 1 and applied them to a specific object. We then further investigated these objects until we had a deep understanding of the design and function of it. Taking these intense investigative skills with us, we proceeded to Exercise 3. Exercises three had us use the investigating skills to riff and push ideas. We were able to come up with our own ideas and designs in this exercise. Out of all of these exercises, Exercise 3 was my favorite. It allowed me to be creative and come up with my own rules. I enjoyed the freedom of being able to design my own process. 1011 EXIT REFLECTION Ai Lien Vuong ONE There are a number of things that I found rather interesting upon re-reading old reflections; one for sure is that I have definitely grown a great deal in terms of skill level, material comprehension, and patience. Things I struggled with and had a hard time with before I now could do with no difficulty at all. From using charcoal to working on the computers and building models, I have noticed that following a challenge I have experienced, by the next reflection I have usually resolved it somehow and gotten even better at the parts of studio that I previously did not enjoy in comparison to those that I was decent at from the start. Moreover, I seem to usually write about my challenges in an optimistic tone; hopefully meaning I enjoyed being challenged so much as long as I could figure out my problems before the due date, of course. Comparing my pre-1011 characteristics to that of post-1011 I have definitely noticed a growth in increased observation, patience, analysis, and appreciation for the work by older architecture students that I previously overlooked throughout the studio. I moreover got better at being able to inquire more about the seemingly simplest of things; before studio I probably would have never expected to be able to projects for several months on something so seemingly simple as a corkscrew. TWO Careful looking is a very important skill I learned from 1011. It really is all in the details when it comes down to analyzing one’s subject. Also, there are so many different ways in which to convey a single idea in terms of presentation, procedure, material, etc. Next semester I intend to pay closer attention to taking my work one step above merely meeting the requirements. I hope to push myself to produce even better work than what I did in 1011. THREE The instructor is there to familiarize ourselves with the assignment and give us direction and advice when we need it, but otherwise, they allow us to build our own creative processes with minimal influence. The projects or exercises give us opportunities to grow our skills in studio, and the reviews are good at keeping our work in check and making sure we are staying on track. Pin ups in particular are especially important because they help with gaining different perspectives on things; especially if the one observing is a blind jury—then they can really give the student a view that the student could not otherwise see. Inquiry books are a great way to keep a historical look of one’s progress and see the correlation between each exercise. Fellow students are the best critic as well as advisor because they are there with you through everything and probably ask themselves the same if not similar questions about their work that you probably think of. The studio space itself is just so energized and full of creativity and life—there is just something about the area that makes for a great working environment. It’s nice to be surrounded by others who are working alongside with you, struggling with you, entertaining you, and keeping your hopes up; it’s like a second home—especially since most of us spend a large majority of our time in it even after class hours. In addition, studio class is unlike any other kind of educational environment I have experienced thus far in my life. It is like a melding of a number of classes I took in high school. It’s like English, art, drafting, and lab all rolled into one. It’s a wonderful experience a truly unique in the way it teaches its students through hands-on experience and trial and error instead of telling us what we should and should not do and how to do it. FOUR Exercises 1 and 2 really seemed like they were the foundations and starting points for exercise 3. They really focused on building us up and getting us ready for the more innovative and demanding assignment of exercise 3. The first two exercises made us really look at the object and its functionality and mechanics; whereas, exercise 3 made us look past all of that and really start asking questions more than looking for answers. Even though it took the most time and at times made me feel crazy, exercise 3 was my favorite because when I look back at the all that I did for it, I can genuinely be very proud of my work and the growth I’ve made. It makes me feel like we are getting that much closer to being legitimate members of our prospective fields. Brittany Utting Exit Reflection: 1. For the first exercise, its most important purpose was allowing us to examine different medians and modes of expression – ranging from pure form and outline to an understanding of an objects volume and how it occupies the space that it is in. The first exercise also forced us to render the world as we saw it, not how we wished it to be or how we thought it to be. The second exercise furthered this process of precise and rational investigation of reality – manifested in the objects. However, exercise 2 challenged us to explore the holistic nature of an object – how it interacts with its setting, how each part contributes to the whole, and how functions are directly and indirectly determined by both aesthetics and usability. Finally, the third exercise was an investigation of pure abstraction and how we can use an algorithm of sorts to riff an object from its objective stance in reality to its metaphysical projection. Finally, throughout these exercises, I have noticed that I look at reality not only as it is but how it could be. Now, I can see how models can function as both an interactive aspect of an idea and how it can accurately portray an objects interaction with its context and setting. Also, I have gained a valuable insight into the process of ideation and how thumbnails can bring fruition to subconscious ideas that delve into both the realms of the obvious and the outlandish. I have also learned the importance of a structured and rational analysis that establishes an accurate armature upon which the object can both be investigated and permutated. 2. I think that the most important “learning” that I will bring from COA 1011 to COA 1012 is the process of ideation and the understanding that there are an infinite number of variations and transformation of an idea and of how an idea can be realized and displayed. I plan to develop my use of modeling next semester. 3. The instructor’s role is to both direct the exercise according to the established curriculum as well as to curate a student’s ideas and their relative feasibility. The exercise handout’s purpose is to set down rules and guidelines for the exercise so that all studios have the same foundations of each exercise. The review process serves to portray how an outside perspective can change your own understanding of both ideation and the final design of your project. The inquiry book serves as a portfolio that portrays the evolution of our ideas, techniques, and abilities from the first exercise to the final project. Our fellow students also help to bring about fresh visions and ideas to our projects – a sort of critique. The studio space serves as a communal setting in which we all suffer together. The studio is an interesting learning space because it is an environment of pure creativity where everything can mutate and reshape at will. There are no set standards of rules or equations. Vinnie Yee 1011 Exit Reflection Part 1 Reading back over my reflections of the past three exercises, I recollect with distant objectivity (and nostalgia) all the knowledge, experience, and technique that I have gained over the studio semester. Throughout all the exercises, I notice how each of the assignments and sub-assignments, no matter how fruitless they might have seemed at their initial introduction, contain a purpose that is essential to the greater study of design. Additionally, each successive assignment builds off or with the assignment before it. From blind continuous contours came the further study of form through the handful of charcoal genres (gesture, quick contour, mass and surface building). From the charcoal genres came the study of form and space through linear perspective. Along with the rendering of space and form through lines was the rendering of such through tonal variation. Having gained all these tools, the first exercise ended with their collective utilization in a concentrated study of light and its interaction with a glass object. The final investigation of the glass object was a precursor to the extended study of an everyday object. The extended study of the everyday object was the springboard for the final exercise of variation, development, and creation. And along the way, tools and techniques were picked up along the way to be strategically utilized to strengthen works and solve problems investigation and description: armatures, line weights, thumbnails, etc. Furthermore, each of the exercises has certain commonalities that bind them all together. One of which, as mentioned previously, is the way in which the assignment build on and with the other assignments toward a final greater project. Another is the use of extensive observation and analysis of the subjects at hand. I have become more confident and skillful as the semester progressed in most of the media which I have practiced and studied, including charcoal, the parallel bar, drafting triangles, Photoshop, and Illustrator. My way of thinking too has improved, now more analytical, perceptive of details, and conceptually creative. The way I perceive the various tools and techniques I have used too has changed. Before 1011, drawings were simply renderings of the visual of the subjects at hand. After 1011, drawings became descriptive representations of the form, space, dimension, texture, and/or relationships of subjects at hand. Modeling and other representations were simply objects of presentation, but now they are tools of inquiry and description brought to three-dimensions. The processes of formulating and exploring ideas and analyzing and inquiring now have a myriad of additional lenses and facets through which to obtain different perceptions. The process of design too has become more than a singular, linear procedure, but a series of iterations that test for the best variation. Part Two There is a multitude of things that I have learned from 1011 that I will be taking to 1012, from media technique and drawing strategy to analytic modes of observation and analysis. I have gained an extensive “toolbox” full of media, from charcoal and pencil to Photoshop and Illustrator, to communicate, investigate, and describe. I also have gained a series of lenses through which I may observe, perceive, and analyze. I have also come to realize that experimentation and iteration can be profitable in creating exemplary products. Part Three The role of the instructor is to introduce new exercises, methodologies, and techniques to his/her students and counsel them throughout the exercises as unobtrusively as possible as to allow room and liberty for the students to make discoveries and cultivate creativity. The role of the project is to exercise, familiarize, or introduce concepts of perception, communication, and design to the students. Pin-ups familiarize the students with the idea that what they produce must be articulate. They also allow for instructors and fellow students to assist in the students growth with constructive criticism, questions, and commentary. They also allow students to see each others interpretations and methodologies of the assignments and bounce ideas off of each other to promote a greater learning process. The reviews push the students to communicate his or her final ideas and work through organized presentation. Constructive commentary from the final review reveal that there is always room for further improvement for the future even after a student feels that he/she is finished. The inquiry book is an easily-accessible compilation of all a student’s work that he/she may come back to recollect ideas, methodologies, etc. gained in the past. Fellow students are quite nearly essential to the success and development of student in studio. Students can assist each other with constructive criticism and commentary without the pressure of an instructor or authority. There is a sense of inherent support and camaraderie from one another as the students are all in the same boat pushing forth all their efforts for a common objective. The studio space itself is the biosphere in which college of architecture students thrive. It is a self-contained environment in which students may engulf themselves in their studies with the facilities of open space, utilities, instructors, and fellow students. Studio learning experience is truly unlike anything I have ever experienced academically. It is a full immersion of the study for great lengths of time, on and off the clock. Just simply struggling a common struggle with the students around me has connected me with them in ways that are beyond any other acquaintanceship I have ever had. Even fellow students I have spoken only a few words to I will miss profoundly. There are little other academic works that I have produced that have given me as much pride as those of studio (perhaps only English composition). Relative to studio, lecture halls and classrooms provide little immersion and are rather brief and distant. Labs too, while it is hands-on application, can remain distant and purely procedural clockwork. Workshop classes are also hands-on, but lack a certain formality and structure of thought and perception. Tutorials are completely independent work with no human interaction and development. Internships and jobs are too structured and don’t lend themselves to the freedom and space of exploration and growth that the studio learning experience has provided. Part 4 The purpose of Exercise 1 was to familiarize with a range of new media, techniques, perceptions, and modes of thought and analysis. The exercise ended with an in-depth study of light and its interaction with an object, a precursory to Exercise 2, the extensive investigation of an object through several different perceptions using the newly-acquired tools from Exercise 1. Exercise 2 introduced the idea of meticulously dissecting and analyzing a subject through different facets and lenses. Exercise 3 sought to take those analyses and calculative vary them to incite discovery, development, and creation. Exercise 3 introduced the concept of design as a product of variation within a logical structure. Malika Meidinger ONE To help you take stock, please review your reflection postings for exercises 1, 2, and 3. Re-read yours (and others' as well, if you want) in one sitting. Then respond to the following: • As you re-read them now – with the advantage of distance, experience, and hindsight – what strikes you as worth noting and commenting upon? o I often just talked about whether or not I liked the project. I wish that I would have commented more upon the skills that I learned during the exercise • Are there any patterns that you can discern in the learning that occurred in each exercise? o I basically talked about the exercise and how I did it each time. • Do you discern a cumulative growth in learning (in confidence, in skills, in understanding etc.), in yourself? o I definitely became more proud and certain about my projects and the time I spent on them. • Can you characterize the change, from pre 1011 to post-1011, that has occurred in the way you think/thought about: a) drawings, modelling and other types of representations; b) the process of formulating and exploring ideas; c) analysis and inquiry; d) designing. o A. I take more time to focus on them and not speed through them o B. I try many different possibilities and if I have to start over I will, I don’t just keep working with the same thing no matter what. o C. I understand why I do stuff now, whereas before I would just do to do, now I do because I think o D. My designing has become more elaborated and original and not so bland and plain. TWO In order to encourage you to play an active part in your own learning, we would like you to think about and respond to the following: • Identify the 'learning' in 1011 that you think you will carry forward to 1012 o The biggest thing that I have learned is to draw what you see not what you think you see. • What do you plan to pay special attention to in 1012? o Details and to slow down. Take more time in the process. I have yet to spend a night in the architecture building. THREE Two questions about the studio workshop process. Think back through the 3 exercises and tell us what are the 'roles' of EACH of the following in the studio process: • the instructor o Help guide and use as a critic. Bounce ideas off, etc. • the project or exercise brief/handout o Structure of project • the review process (pinup, final jury) o Critic and aid • the inquiry book o Show the transformation of our work and see how we’ve progressed throughout the year • your fellow students o Help, sources, support, friends • the studio space itself o another home How would you describe the studio learning experience compared to other learning situations and experiences: for example the classroom, the seminar, the lab, the workshop, the tutorial, the internship, the job.
FOUR We would like you to reflect back over the semester and see if you can make sense of the three exercises and the sequence in which they unfolded. Briefly characterize what you think were the pedagogical goals for each and why they played out in the sequence that they did. Then tell us which was your favorite and why.
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