Learning portfolio. An abstract sculptural

autobiography.

By Hanna Kernazhytskaya

The objective -

• to develop abstract thinking of ourselves and the whole surrounding, to start learning design language and techniques and thus prosper an effective design process.

Iteration #1

• Looking forward

• Cosmic

• Burning

• The inspiration to this first iteration came from

observing pictures of galaxy. The narrative for this model is one part of the story that will be shown in the further ones. This iteration represent an unknown world that I as the creator of it faced when I just came in USA. Galaxy always seems mysterious to humans and the white curving lines resembles the complexity of it as my fillings about the new world were.

• Strengthens: for the first iteration it was a big challenge for me to choose

materials for work. The advantage of chosen material is its flexibility and possibility to pick up the colors which can represent the mood of a model. But it became one of the weaknesses in the further iterations. Size of the model was adequate enough to keep it stable, that was a crucial mistake for one of the iterations that is not included because it was destroyed because of its sizes and materials.

• Weaknesses: The model is not abstract enough because it has a familiar

symbol of an eye. Motion of this iteration is not so readable but the orange-yellow spiral on the bottom can resemble burning rings around some planets.

• Screaming

• Armored

• Moving

Iteration #2

• Iteration #2 is the one that was a star. It contains some features that I couldn't repeat in the other ones. The top of the model contrasts with the whole body in color and it emphasizes the the flashy theme of the model. The blue weaving wire resembles an open mouth. On the side of the body there is a spiral of the same color as the the top and this part look like an armor that is ready to protect from any strange circumstances. The rolling bottom of the model shows that it is seeking for something and also make the screaming effect more readable. The narrative for this iteration is the same as for the previous one, but it already represents not the world that I met, but the fillings that I had about facing it.

• Strengthens: All of three adjectives that are chosen for this iteration are

quite neat and was read by all the audience. This model is interesting from different sides asymmetry and mixture of colors help it. Using the materials that are by hand affected in a positive way here, but not in the others.

• Weaknesses: This iteration still contain a basis that is not so interesting as

the whole body. The bottom of it could be more tidy and match more by the color to the other features.

Iteration #3

• Organized

• Moving

• Mixed

• The third iteration starts telling the story of the clash of two different worlds. The world that I know - Belarus - and the world that i need to discover - USA. The connection between these worlds is very strong, because it is me, the author, between them. That's why two different materials that are used to make the structure of model are joined by penetration in each other. One of the sides is open that means that the world is not built up yet. The curving line on the smaller side represents the motion and direction of it so that you can see it moves from one side to another and pretty fast.

• Strengthens: One of the the objectives that I made for myself while doing

this model is to become more organized and to feel organization in the model. I think I gained this aim through using simple straight lines symmetry. Also the combination of colors is rather beneficial because it contains calm green and deep violet.

• Weaknesses: While trying to find an order of features I have lost the

emotional part that a model should include. As far as the narrative for this iteration is the clash of two worlds it should be more vivid how the worlds have changed after that and

Iteration #4

• Exploding

• Complex

• Through the forth iteration I tried to correct the disadvantages of the third one but I achieved it by the loss of some other features as motion strengthens of connection of the parts (worlds).

• Strengthens:

This model gained emotional characteristics that the previous one doesn't contain. It was achieved by using two flexible materials in the way that it seems that one of the will explode soon under the pressure of another. The other brown part of the model has its complex structure. The brown material is covered by red wire that makes it more flexible and appealing. This model also contains its interior that shows what is happenning inside the parts.

• Weaknesses:

The iteration contains too many colors that distract from its shapes. It has lost one of the main features that it must contain - the motion. And still it resembles a kite as the previous one.

• Drawing a model before starting creating is much more difficult process but the one that should be done in order not to go just by a second inspiration. As future designers we need to imagine what we need to make and from the beginning a draft of a model should be made.

Snap shots and Drafts

• Dwg. 1: the first drawings in charcoal looks uncertain and awkward. You can see it by the strength of lines and the small sizes of pictures. The first draft is an interpretation of the iteration #2 as the most successful one. One of its main disadvantages is that it contains too much symmetry.

• Dwg. 2: the drawing became more dynamic through its asymmetrical shape, but proportions between top and bottom need to be developed. There is a lack of complexity in the picture, not enough details in it.

I believe that this example of my experience in snap shotting and making drafts shows progress in learning the technique of drawing with charcoal and developing design language. I have described before about gaining confidence in drawing through practise. Also making drafts determine more tough frames while creating a model because now we need to adhere the plot of the written story (and write the story for sure more convenient on paper). It makes creation of iteration more complex but on the other hand we can spend less time on that while when creating without draft can lead to undesirable results if the material that we use is new or size measurement wasn't useful.

Dwg. 3: proportion between the parts improved, the subject developed new interesting details. With the third drawing you can also see how technique has changed (lines are more confident, different shades appeared)

Iteration #5

• Screaming

• Waving

• In order to create something more beneficial I came back to the iteration #2 and tried to develop its main characteristics (Screaming, Armored, Moving). The novelty of this model is its division on two parts not only by shape but also by color.

• Strengthens: Reflection of connection of two parts is vivid and readable.

Using curving standing out edges of wire on the top of model shows the outburst of emotions that is a result of shout (the shout is shown in he structural way that it was in the iteration #2). The "armor" became more decorative one but otherwise it lost its clearness as a subject.

• Weaknesses: The model is made from unstable materials and because of

that it looks unfinished. It doesn't contain a pivot that join the parts together. Colors again played negatively in this iteration.

• Fearing

• Seeking

Iteration #6

• The sixth iteration's main goal was starting usage of another material. The material that I used is wire. In comparison with the previous models it of course lost some brightness and possibility to use colors in order to represent the feelings but now it is more concentrated on the shape and also this material costs less especially for a long-term period.

• Strengthens: Different shapes of the sides still emphasize the different worlds .

The bottom part is more stable, it contains more layers but still it has its bends and the way in witch the layers are joined resemble how water drips. Flowing the water down associates with something that is going down, with spring and new live, with tears that also often with clarification. The top part looks like button so it represents fragile and very new world of USA for me.

• Weaknesses: The model is not so interesting if you locate it on the side. I think

this model is one of the most successful one in my work, because the story of two worlds can be easely read by the two parts of model. Finally the model looks more adult in comparison with the colorful and therefore childish previous ones. It includes the curving weaving edges of wire on the top that represent the fear or a scream. All the lines are rather soft, but you can see a precise pivot on the front that keep the model stable and structural.

Sectioning

This part of number of iterations must satisfy next qualities:

• series/arrays of cut form;

• spaces (inside and outdoor);

• perceivable changes from one

layer to another;

• connection of different layer;

• repetition.

• As far as form follows function to build up this iteration from the beginning I made some drafts to see how many layers the model should contain, where the connection between two parts should take place. This iterration was inspired by not such a prosperous iteration #5 because I wasn't satisfied with the results that I had in the 3D model (the 2D model was rather interesting as I concluded before).

• Strengthens/ Weaknesses: All of the prescriptions that a sectioning model should follow

can be seen in the iteration. But there are some defects that can be improved such as the space is mor exterior than interior, if I will make the rum inside of it the model will be more interesting. Also the connection of the layers can be more decorative. I believe that I successfully demonstrated sectioning in this project but still there are always ways how to improve yourself.

Thank you for your attention!