Project 1: Plaque

Logo Inspiration

I was drawn to these logos and designs mostly for their representation of nature, and also for the smooth flow of the lines in each. I also appreciated how the sun logo used simple shapes to create a very clear image of the sun and the ocean. The idea of many tiny shapes making up a larger one, such as in the logo with the hands, also intrigued me.

Sketches

I came up with ideas for my project in three topics: nature (plants), the beach, and family vacations. I have always been inspired by the natural shapes and patterns found in nature and love to garden in the summer. The second one came from the fact that my grandparents owned a condo on the beach for many years and I have spent and continue to spend at least one week a year there, spending time with family. Similarly, my family tries to take a long road trip every year and we have been to many places all over the U.S. I drew inspiration from the many places we've been and the idea of the open road.

Process

My final design for my plaque ended up being a combination of the beach and the open road idea. Lighthouses are one of my family's favorite things to see while on vacation and we happened to visit a really cool one this summer. Since the size of the plaque is similar to that of a postcard, it also works well that it is a traveling scene. I also appreciate the symbolism of a lighthouse, as a beacon always calling to you and keeping you safe. I like to put my family in that role, wherever the curvy roads of life take me. I realized half way through the sand caving portion of the project that I was creating the mirror image of what I had modeled in the clay. Given the chance to do it again, I would be more careful and remember that the opposite is needed in the sand to produce what is in the clay. I would also add more depth to the deepest layer so that I could in turn add depth to the other layers, especially the waves.

FRAME/Base

These ideas for the frame/base are all drawn from the image on the plaque itself, either extending the image, extending the idea of a lighthouse, or using a repeating pattern from the image. Most of them would need additional support behind the plaque besides what would be seen from the front.

Frame Process

For the frame, I decided to go with the option that extended the ocean scenery to emphasis the height of the lighthouse over the waves. Using this layered effect, I hoped to draw the viewers attention to the layers of scenery in the plaque, as they turned out to more subtle than I had intended them to be. I decided to stain the wood two different colors to more firmly establish the layered scenery. I thought the gray and black worked well with the aluminum and toned down the brightness of the wood. The unfinished wood competed with the aluminum and I wanted the focus to definitely be on the plaque.

Final Piece

For this project we were challenged to create an insignia that represents us on a 4" x 6" rectangular plaque. I chose to explore a summer family road trip to Cape Cod, where we saw many lighthouses. Exploring lighthouse imagery brought up the symbolism of a lighthouse as being a guide in the dark and possibly a beacon of hope that a journey is almost over. That is why I chose to create this image of a lighthouse on a hill with a winding path leading up to it, symbolizing my journey through college, full of twists and turns and almost complete. I like to imagine my family in that spot as a guiding beacon, and it was my hope the frame of this piece would extend the picture and guide the audience into seeing what I intended to create.

Visible, aluminum/wood, 9" x 3" x 6"