The good and the bad

The good: Today was a beautiful day -- we sat on the beach for a couple of hours this afternoon. A few people went swimming in the Gulf, but not for long.

The bad: I'm finding my design class exercises extremely difficult. After several iterations I have a mock-up for the "Figure-Ground" exercise. I still have to draw it properly, cut with an X-acto knife, and stick it down with rubber cement -- all techniques that try my patience.

Here's what I've done. After yesterday's efforts, I decided to go with a simple "chalice" design, and cut one from printer paper.

OK so far, but dull. Looking at it from all angles I spot a likeness to an Avatar.

So I found a photo online, expanded it and squared it off so a I could copy in an even larger size.

Yes! But more refinements are needed (the chin needs work) .... Tomorrow!

But back to good - I decided to read Bryan Lawson and Kees Dorst's book "Design Expertise," and have found that the first couple of chapters at least provide conceptual frameworks for the way in which I am approaching my design problems. I used a design-as-problem solving model, with a process of "pose-search-generate-evaluate" but also a design-as learning model, with a process of "frame-move-evaluate, reframe-evaluate." But identifying my methodology isn't much help if I don't have completed assignments to show for it!