more secondlife shots.

I uploaded a picture of my coaster into secondlife last night and placed it on a stretched cube. I put these on shelves in my hydrant room. They have a notecard attched with the price for a set of two coasters.

I can't believe my last fall semester is almost over...

so much to say

I took more snapshots in SL last night. Probably redundant again, but I did switch some stuff around. I now have notecards on the picture of the salt and pepper shakers, the rendering of the cork wine stopper, the picture of the coasters, and the two pictures of my installation and packaging. I also created a new "logo"(above) that has my favorite hydrant on it. I know, I'm weird.

For some reason I was not originally looking forward to this part of the project. But I'm actually really excited about all the stuff I've made. I wish I would have made the logo before making my blurb book, so it could be in there. Speaking of which, I finally recieved an email from blurb apologizing for the delay in my order and they offered me $10 off my next order! Definately will be used. Either way my hydrant book is now shipped. I will probably get it Friday. So excited!

second life.

So last night in second life I learned about attaching notecards to objects. These allow for those viewing the objects/pictures you have uploaded to click on them and recieve a notecard with information about the object. While I think I need to practice doing this more, I hope to put notecards on the images I've put in second life. There's so much to do.

Also, here is a picture of me sitting on a bird.

my own brand? well, since you're asking...

How would you like others to describe your work, website, your image?
I would like my image, website and work to be likeable. I see my work as very graphic, playful, and fun. I think the use of bright colors in my work will carry over to my website, business cards, and overall image. I would like others to be able to see my color combinations and recognize my brand. My use of fire hydrants as a theme will also allow for others to recognize my work and image.

What message will be delivered from your brand?
My brand will encompass the idea of functional objects that are typically ignored. Through the use of bright colors, playful forms, and a new functionality, I will bring about an appreciation for these once forgotten objects. My brand will deliver the message of viewing objects and forms for more than simply their function; realizing the beauty that exists in everyday, seemingly mundane objects.

What is the personality of your entity?
My brand has a distinct personality of its own. Bright orange, bright red, bright yellow, bright green: these colors denote a personality with characteristics including playful, fun-loving, graphic, loud, and eccentric.

Why are you making what you make?
I am attracted to bright colors. I have also found a love for the fire hydrant form and I notice them everywhere I go. Their individuality despite their consistency is apparent through their various colors displayed through paint, rust, weather, and wear. I started making kitchen items with the idea of placing a new found aesthetic in an otherwise plain form. Simply the unlikelihood of finding a fire hydrant form in a kitchen interested me. I would like to move on to make various items that portray the fire hydrant theme including jewelry/wearable forms, screen printed clothing, books, and more house wares.

What do you hope to contribute to the world?
I hope to contribute a little fun to the world. I would like my objects and my brand to make viewers/customers happy. I would like for people to see my work and my entity as something that is full of life and color and a dedication to the happiness that can be found in the small things in life.

How can you communicate these qualities or values?
I think the ideas I have will be conveyed through my use of colors that evoke emotion and forms that spark a curiosity in the viewer. I will create a brand that will be individual to my own aesthetic and include the qualities of my work through the precise, graphic nature of my work, the vibrant and exciting colors I use, and the fun, easy-to-love forms I create.

look.

I found Sarah Kate Burgess through someone's blog. I really liked these lace cups. Reminded me of some of the crocheting I've been trying to do. I love the idea of just the lace or crochet becoming the form. I also really liked her illustrated necklace. I've been doing some screen printing recently and I love the idea of 2d printed or drawn jewelry and objects of adornment.

prints.

So I made some prints of plumb bobs and bow drill handles. Then I cut them out and laid them on some newsprint. I took some pictures and made some adjustments in photoshop. Just for fun. I think they look like Christmas.

SL snapshots.

Last night I spent some time trying to make an installation space in SL. I also spent some time experimenting with taking snapshots of the things I was working on. Some of these may be redundant. I kept wanting to take shots from mouseview so I wouldn't be in the shot. Some worked, most did not. One thing that I found helpful, when flying you can hold down ctrl and alt and click to where you want to view. If that makes sense...
I uploaded a few pictures to put in my little hydrant hut. I put in some shelves. I've been working with sculpty paint but am having a hard time making something that looks good. I wish I could just upload my rhino files into SL. Either way here are some in-progress snapshots. Hope you enjoy.

AAR - Product Line

Sustains

• What did you do well?
  I liked my ideas and concepts. Choosing the format and using the hydrant kept me excited about what I was making throughout even when things didn’t turn out exactly as planned. I really liked my packaging and the colors I used. I really like what I made; it was all very “me.”
• Which actions and strategies led to success that you will continue to pursue?
  Creating all my designs in rhino was really good for me. I began by making molds of clay forms and pouring waxes of my designs. They all turned out very cartoonish and more playful than professional. The forms I made in rhino were very clean, modern, and professional. I’m all about hand-making, but for these products, the computer allowed for my concepts to be created in a more precise and more successful way.

Improves

• Which things did not work so well? These are areas to improve.
  Some paints worked better than others when finishing the salt and pepper shakers. I would stick with the same brand next time since the finishes came out consistently well with one brand I used. I would type out my hydrant inserts instead of handwriting them, simply to continue the precision that is found throughout the products I made. I would consider different material for coasters (cork, felt, wood). The acrylic was mainly chosen for the color and might not be the best for functionality.
• Evaluate strategies and approaches that you used either consciously or unconsciously.
  My strategies and approaches to the creation of these products changed very consistently. Each decision that would not work would be revised and a new direction would be followed. Having all my forms in basic CAD files (.stl, .dwg) let me send the drawings to companies in hopes of a response. Eventually I chose to use Zac’s dad and the facilities at Aberdeen Proving Ground since 1-Zac’s dad was willing to help me, 2-It was free and easy, and 3-I had no other options.

What Ifs

• How could the project been more successful?
  If the salt and pepper shakers had been cast or formed out of stainless steel or a food-safe plastic then they would be able to be sold. At this point I can’t sell them since the plastic they are made of is not technically food-grade approved.
  If I had been able to create the wine stoppers in cork. I love that idea.
• What are the best incarnations of the project?
  The shakers in stainless steel with bright colors powder coated and the cork wine stopper. These are what I really wanted to make, and what I hope to actually make in the future.

brands.

This post is dedicated to brands I like. For various reasons. Some I am loyal to, some I do not own/buy anything from them even though their brand is cool. Either way, I like these brands.

So, you may not know, but I am addicted to Lip Smackers chapstick. I do not buy any other kind. I am dedicated to Lip Smackers. Also, I am a little girl.

Great music, incredible live, with an awesome website. The Killers band and brand are one of my favorites. Cannot wait until Tuesday when their new album comes out...

So I don't know if you've ever used a stainless steel zebra ball point pen, but if you appreciate a good pen like I do, you really should. So good. I like their brand because I know their pens are quality.

Same as Zebra, Sharpie is simply the best permanet marker you can get. So many colors, I love to buy sharpies.

This is a picture of delphine press work. Their brand is cute. Their products are very cohesive and fit into this recognizable box that is "delphine."

I love H&M. The colors, the fit, the price. Their logo is hip, artistic, and a good representation of the styles they carry.

I love zara clothing as well. I've only bought zara clothing in Europe so I don't know if U.S. zaras are the same, but they are just good. Clean, simple, good colors and fit.

MAC make-up, while expensive, is quality. Fancy and sophisticated. Good brand.

Puma is legit. I wish I had enough money to buy all of their shoes, clothing, and accessories.

Same as puma. I wish I could afford the awesomeness that is in this store. Simple and unique.

Good logo. I love the colors they use and how there is an arrow between the e and the x.

I am addicted to Kashi cereal. Both autumn wheat and heart to heart. They are delicious. They have good products.

Who doesn't love target? Cute clothes for cheap. I like their commercials too. They use really good music.

Oh Apple. I must admit, I own nothing apple. I do have itunes on my laptop. That's about it though. I love love love love their commercials. They use such great music.