Design – Draw, Paint, Think

Art & Design Journals

Below are pdfs of design and art journals from years 7-9. I’ve been working with journals for a number of years. They replaced sketchbooks in an art class, and obviously I’m doing design journals in my current design classes. I’ve really fallen in love with them as an educational tool and want to write aboutContinue reading “Art & Design Journals”

Designing Stuffed Animals

Tinker CAD gets a bad rap by designers because it’s often unfairly compared to more legit CAD programs like Fusion 360 (we currently use OnShape for advanced CAD work in my design program). But when used appropriately, Tinker CAD is actually a great way to get used to creating in the digital 3D world andContinue reading “Designing Stuffed Animals”

Flat-Pack Furniture

Student work: Disney Rococo Furniture What is flat pack furniture? Flat-pack furniture is a form of furniture that requires customer assembly. The separate components are packed for sale in cartons which also contain assembly instructions and sometimes hardware. In most cases, the furniture is simple to assemble with basic tools, which are also included. ThereContinue reading “Flat-Pack Furniture”

Tiffany Style Lanterns

student work, all three sides of the lantern A shout out to my friend Kristy who started this project with resin-based “stained-glass”. Her previous work was really helpful in developing this unit on Tiffany style lanterns. Lanterns are a big deal in Asia, they can identify what kind of restaurant you’re walking into or evenContinue reading “Tiffany Style Lanterns”

Art Deco Serving Trays: Classic Design

two year 12 student projects I’ve been working on this wood project related to topic called “Classic Design” that my students have to study for their IB Design and Technology exams. Classic design really got going in the Art Deco and Bauhaus movements. The idea is an age-old argument about form follows function or viceContinue reading “Art Deco Serving Trays: Classic Design”

Teach Typography

Bad typography is everywhere. These are two examples. One says La Michoacana (a Mexican ice cream store), the other La Shish. Try reading either one driving by in a car at 30 miles per hour! I’m not an exceptional designer or typography expert but learning the basics of typography was one of the best thingsContinue reading “Teach Typography”