Final Project - Group Collaboration

Courtyard C4C

Our final project was going to be up in the courtyard on the third floor of the Creative Building. I was in a group of 5 other students.

WORD LIST:

Courtyard, Spring, May, Rain, April, Water, Shower, Grass, Birds, Life, Bloom, Grass, Weeds, Dirt, Bees, Flowers, Leaves, Shoes, Sandals, Chairs, Serenity, Calm, Beauty, Bugs, Quiet, Clouds, Sunshine, Seasons, Weather, Relaxing, Tranquil, Harmony, Coffee, Warm, Students, Rocks, Gather, Connect, Friends, Conversation, Enjoy, Jacket, Umbrella, Rain boots, Garden, Mud puddle, Rebirth, Blossom, Storm, Transient, Pass through, Sketch, Homework, Food, Fresh air, Green space, Welcoming, Teacher.

 SKETCHES:

I began to think about the word list my group had come up with that would come up with possibly a great idea. But one thing remained when it came to the courtyard. The word honor, though not on our word list, other words began to flow in my mind: thank you, teaching, mentor, role model, retirement. MIKE. Mike has been all of these traits. He has helped us grow and mentored us in our life to help us achieve our goal of becoming a talented photoshop student and photographer. I figured with needing a courtyard ambiance, it didn't need to be flower. It could represent how he helped us grow. 

DECISION:

The group all agreed that this was the right approach, honor Mike with something for him since he was leaving after this semester (I'm still upset about this decision). Instead of the word MIKE for the final project word, we chose the word AMAZING, after his token phrase Isn't it amazing. After a bunch of redraws and decisions. We finally came up with this prototype for our design. It would be on the grass of the courtyard and have a photographer feel since his speciality is photography. It would be made of PVC pipe and the M would be wood. We are hoping to have as many students, teachers, and staff sign it and give it to him as a gift. The A's would be made to look like tripods, the Z would look like flashes of lights, the I a stand with a photographer umbrella (which would be made from a regular umbrella with white spray paint on the inside), the N would have film around it and the G like the Z.

THE PROCESS: (I'm not in a bunch of these because I took all of these myself) I felt fortunate to have almost a complete group of outgoing ladies! Our sole male group member warms up once he gets comfortable knowing us. We all worked super hard to make this all work and really made excellent team work. Team work makes the dream work!

PVC Piping we used for all the letters except M.

We constructed the form of the letters using this heavy duty wiring.

The wood we used for our M.

A is for AWESOME tripod!

Tim spray painting

Katy and Hannah measuring out our M.

Brittany sawing our M. We used bricks to protect the grass of the courtyard.

Steady hands!

A fun 'boomerang' effect of her cutting away.

The M looked GREAT!

Rebecka showing our Z

Tim spray painting

All the letters would be black but the back of the M would be Mike's fave color, saffron and would hold the signatures.

Brittany and Tim painting.

I'm getting in there touching it all up

Showing my face, trying not to burn to death!

Designing the N

Making sure we can get it to stand.

Trying to get this thing to work!

Fixing the Umbrella

Can't let a little rain hurt with the final look!

Organizing our Letters

We had to break the umbrella trying to get it to fit.

Finished Umbrella/I

SELFIE! I am there. I promise. Helping!

FINAL FORM

AMAZING Mike in front of our finished word.

REFLECTION

I honestly thought this was a fun project to thank Mike for everything has has taught us, though I don't think he realizes it, he has made an impact on so many of us. We will miss him dearly and I'm so glad we were able to do this for him!