Final Reflection

I gotta be honest, I love this class! It was very different from any writing class I've ever taken. It was fun! I loved the fact that we made the things that we wrote about. We actually got to experience them, which meant we were able to tell a true and honest story in our writings. I was excited to actually try something I've never done before and everything that we did in this class were all new things. I liked that I actually got to make something from scratch and turned in into something pretty cool. When I first signed up for the class, I really didn't know what to expect. It sounded interesting but I was nervous because I didn't know what I know what to expect besides writing papers. Turns out, it is actually really fun to "hack" into a community and observed them, make a cute little aid for a cute little dog, make my own first piece of art out of strings, or appreciating that we are all makers and that we just simply didn't recognized it before. I also think that Dr. Reitmeyer should continue to teach this class in the future. Its Exciting!

Yay for break! Happy Holidays!


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Final Reflection

This class way unlike any class I have ever taken. I have never been a huge writer. Writing was never really my thing. I like doing physical things with my hands. Making, manipulating, hacking anything that I could get my hands on. That is why this class was so interesting. When I realized I was going to have to take a writing class I was not too happy, but it was not something that I could change so I can to terms with its and started looking at what I could take. When I say this class I was intrigued. The thought that went through my head was that if I was going to have to write, it might as well be about something that I like doing in the first place. 

I have learned a lot from this class, both about making and about writing. I still would not call myself a great writer, but I would say that my writing has definitely improved. Most of what I have had to write in the past was essays on books, and research papers that very concrete, but this class was a lot different. It allowed for a lot of creativity, while still maintaining the structure necessary for school learning environment. 

My favorite part of this class was definitely the final make project. I this project we were told to make something. When I first say it I couldn't believe that making something was out final. So I kept in in the back of my head for the majority of the semester, and come time to decide what I was going to make, I had a pretty good idea. It was a little over ambitious, but wheres the fun and safe and easy. I end up completing a huge chunk of what I wanted to do and was very happy about it. This class encouraged me to think about my making process and to try to reflect on and improve it.

Making process

Making the model of Master Shake was pretty difficult. When creating a 3D model you are constantly changing views of the model, because the line you just drew might look correct in one view but then it will be going in the complete opposite direction you thought it was going. I started off by making the body which was the most complex part of the model. After the body was created I made the hands. Having to free draw the hands on a laptop mouse pad was extremely difficult. Finally I made Master Shakes straw. The next step was for me to start printing out the parts of Master Shake. The first day I tried to print the body the printer would not even lay down the melted plastic. All it did was create little coils and clumps of plastic it did this ten times. The second time we fixed the clumping problem, but then I found a flaw in my model. I made Master Shake hollow so it would take as much material and for some reason it made him without a lid. I found this problem when I was previewing the print and looking at all the layers I noticed it had no top. So then I went back and fixed the model. After fixing the model and finally getting the printer to work it was time to start printing the body. I set up the printer and started printing the body. Everything was going good up until around 85% when the model started to move around on the 3D printers tray. That’s when I had to cancel the print because it lost its position. I tried printing it multiple more times even in different sizes to see if that would change anything, but the model kept coming loose at different times. The only things I was able to successfully print where the hands.

The Last Hurrah

Let's see, how do I start this blog post? <-- Like that. Haha no. I suppose that I would start off by saying that I actually enjoyed learning under Prof. Reitmeyer. I should be focusing on the class, but technically, talking about the teacher is the best way to talk about the class itself.
There is a lot to say about Prof. Reitmeyer, but what I enjoyed most about her was her upbeat attitude and enthusiasm to teach. I believe it is stated in my blog about learning back at the beginning of the year that I did not like school, so having a teacher that is so excited for it has been... interesting to say the least. I find it comforting to know that I do not always need to be excited to learn, because the Prof. will most definitely express it for me, and a probably a few others as well. That wasn't a lot, but that is enough of the kumu (teacher). Smooth Transition.
Just like with the Prof., I enjoyed the class. Maker's Space has been very insightful to my knowledge on the making game, and also, surprisingly, quite inspirational in, well, making me make. Or rather want to make; everyone in the class knows I cannot actually make. With all of the projects we received in the class, I have been well trained in preparing for future makes. That is another thing; the projects that we were assigned, the amount that we had; there was not a lot of them. Wow I appreciated that. I know that I should not actually be grateful for the number because they were big projects that required a lot of time, but I am looking at the bigger picture. Thank goodness we did not have a lot of projects and even smaller assignments for the class. I guess that is all I have to say about the class. Last Smooth Transition for the semester.
Thank you, Prof., for a good and easy time.


Take it easy,

Keola Pascua

^^Look at me ending this thing like a letter. Where did that come from?

Last Week of School! ... For now

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Blog 13: Last Blog Post

This class over the past semester has been interesting to say the least. I remember coming to class and being super intimidated while also being annoyed by the fact that I had to take a writing class. I hated writing. Ever since high school I had been told that I was a failure at writing, and what's funny is that no one teacher could ever tell me why. They'd just write marks on my paper saying unclear and fix this while all the while it would seem like they favored other writing styles and papers over mine every time. The thing I hated about this was that no one could ever guide me. I never learned anything new about writing. I just wrote how I'd always written.
In Writing Analytically though, I feel like I've learned to like writing more and more and I've learned how to write in better ways. It seemed as though the textbook we had and the papers posted online, and all the classes full of discussions about writing really helped (at leastt I hope this is refelcted in my writing). I've learned to look at writing in a different light, and that when I'm writing I need to choose an angle that I prefer or else it can be not so fun to type something up.  It feels that I can finally look at a writing prompt and not think "Oh hey, this is gonna suck." I can actually think about what I'm going to do, sit down and type something out, come back to it, and get it done instead of dreading writing the entire way through.

Thanks for this Dr. Reitmeyer! Your class has been a pretty great one.

The Last Maker Blog

     When I first read that our last blog was supposed to be one that wrapped up what we have learned in the Maker class I had no clue what to write about. I have learned so much and have so many take away's from this class, how could I possibly include them all into a 500 word blog? But, I still have to write something, and therefore here is some, but most definitely not all, of the things I've learned and will take away for Dr. Reitmeyer's class.
     The first thing I learned in the Maker class is that everyone, yes everyone, is a maker. Whether it be an essay or space shuttle, we all make something because we all have the desire to make. It took me some time to actually believe this one but once I did, it was as if a whole world of possibility opened up to me.
     Another thing I learned in this class is that nobody does most anything perfect, or even near perfect, on the first try. Perfection takes practice and time, but this is no reason to give up. What's that old saying, if you fall off the horse, get up and back on the sattle again? I can't tell you how many "shitty first drafts" or awful proto-types I have made, but now I know that these things are just the process in which we someday receive a better version.
    The last thing I've learned through this class, or at least the last thing I'm going to talk about learning, is that everything can be, and is connected. Whether it be your writing class and your math class, or your speech class and your science class, everything connects. And, if everything connects, it's important to explore all aspects of life (different classes than just what you degree needs not like murder or something) so that you get a better understanding of life as a whole and become a much more rounded person.
    The last thing I would like to say in this blog is a big THANK YOU to Dr. Reitmeyer and all of her awesomeness and even more towards the awesomeness of her teachings.

Making and Manifesto

     When I began my project of making, my Manifesto was to make for someone else. It was to use my making skills for the greater good. This was because, in doing so, I would have a greater purpose in making and therefore every struggle, every time I wanted to give up, and every tedious hour spent on creating my make, it could remind myself of the purpose of it all. Therefore I decided to make a baby mobile for my boss.
     When I was creating my mobile, I can remember so many times during the process when I wanted to give up. After my horrible proto-type, after burning myself about forty times while making my sheep, and most defiantly when I had to try to make my clouds hold together after the third time gluing them together, but in each instance I would go back to my Manifesto.
     "Your doing this for the greater good of those around you. Your doing this for Cindy." I would tell this to myself over and over and over again, get myself back together, and go about making all over again.
In the end I was left with a beautiful piece of art work and was extremely joyed when I saw the look on Cindy's face when she received my gift. That's what made this project worth all the pain. The look on Cindy's face.
I end this blog with one of my favorite quotes:

Making Process

My experience with my making process was fun and exciting. I had never made something completely on my own and finished it all the way, so when I had done that I was very pleased with myself. The research at the beginning of this project was very stressful because I felt like I didn't have enough sources to make my paper complete. I didn't exactly know what to research on my mason jar organizer and that was the hardest part. When I finally got to start making my project, I was so excited. It was a great feeling making my project for my older sister because she's done so much for me. Making this organizer for my sister definitely connects to my maker manifesto because one of my main points in my manifesto is building close relationships and strengthening the bonds I have with people I'm already close with. I also really liked finishing my Imake by presenting it to the class. I think this is a great way to display our work and show the class how hard we worked on this project. I had a lot of fun during my making process and hope I can do something like this on my own in the future.

The Process of Making, In the Project and Life

I didn't really have a process in mind when I started making my lamps. It was a very haphazardy, and I didn't really ever have a plan. It was me looking at pictures and trying to create these lamps and I feel like that is how I go through life. I don't have a plan, for anything really, and I just go with the flow. I feel like that is what you're supposed to do. It is really boring to have a plan!

The research for my make came last, and the building process came before anything else. I seem to always dive in first to projects and not worry about the guidelines until after I am done with the biggest part. I always go back and read the rubric after I am done and fill in the missing parts, if there are any.

I also always seem to say things before I think of them. I often don't think, I just do. That is how I react with all of my projects, papers, relationships and sometimes it has come to bite me in the butt. Often times though, it has worked, and I will stay with my philosophy.

Melanie's Making Process

Through this course we have all gained insight regarding our making processes. Thanks to this class, we continue on our college journeys, with a better understanding of our individuality and how to express ourselves.  I’ve learned a lot about myself throughout the semester. I not only discovered how to better articulate myself through my writing but also how to effectively “make” things. I can honestly say that the skills that I have gained through this course will no doubt help me in my future endeavors, and I’m sure many of my classmates would agree with that statement, as well. 

In regards to my making process, I have discovered that curiosity is so important and that it kick starts the creative process. I also have found that I need a solid outline/plan prior to creating or making anything. Otherwise, I end up with a final product that I’m not proud of. I need organization to efficiently create something, whether that be in regards to my academic projects or my art projects. I’ve also accepted the fact that making mistakes is inevitable and that mistakes will give me knowledge and wisdom, in the end. I have also established that it’s essential that I share my creativity, because what’s the point in creating anything if it’s not shared? 

Ultimately, I would encourage my classmates to continue to be creative and to contribute their perspectives to the world, because we all have something to say, and what we have to say matters.

Here is what I left our class with. My TOMS may not be perfect, but I’m beyond proud of them, because they represent who I am as a person :) 

Research for My Make

The research for this make was difficult to begin. The history of lamps is not a thrilling topic, and everyone else seems to be on the same page with that. Books on the other hand, have a very interesting history. Books have been made out of very weird and strange things, and the oldest book in the world was just discovered a few months ago. That is definitely pretty cool! 

This project can integrate research in multiple ways, and research can be taken from multiple sources, that you wouldn't think of for a normal research project. I was able to get research from YouTube videos, Inscrutables, and also just pictures. The research has also been fun too. It is interesting to see how much books and lamps have changed overtime. The things humans used to do really surprise me, such as making lamps out of birds. 

Another cool thing that I discovered is that a lot of different food can conduct electricity. Oranges and potatoes and any animal with a nervous system can conduct electricity too. Like frogs!

I like this project, and I really think that there is cool history. 

I-Make a Book Lamp

I want to make a book lamp because I thought of the idea as fun, artistic and different. I have never known that such things existed, and I felt as though the idea was different enough, and could be somewhat interesting and surprising to the people who would watch me created it. 

I have most of the materials, and I have an account on Esty and Tumblr and Pinterest, all wonderful sites that would help me tremendously, I have books, and besides a light bulb, that is pretty much all you need. 

I love reading, and I love books, and I want to create something that I would enjoy and also something is cool in general. It won't take that long to complete, and there is already interesting research that is popping up and creating even more incentive for me to want to do this. 

I really think that I am going to enjoy this project and I hope it turns out as neat as it looks. There are many different versions of book lamps and I plan on making several. I hope they turn out to be something that I can be proud of. 

My Manifesto in Regards to Regis

Regis University has definitely pushed met to me my best, just as my writing analytically class has. I am definitely in love with exploring, and Regis promotes exploring and I am in love with writing and Regis supports that too! I want to make myself, the best self I can be and Regis has let me know that I can do that.

I have always dreamed of helping people, and with the help of Regis and my psychology degree, I really hope that is what happens. I want to make novels, and songs, and more wax art, and I want to make with love and passion. Life is so immensely beautiful and we can make it more beautiful and that's what I want to do.

Regis opens so many doors, and I can pick from which ones I want to go through. I can make my future, and I can make good things happen. There is an inspirational sign that I pass everyday on the way to writing and it says that good things come to those who make them happen. I want to be good, and fun, and intelligent and I want to make a difference. Or make people listen, or make them know that I am here and that I matter.

I have always had a fear of never contributing things to the world. That I will be forgotten, and become a nameless face in the masses. I don't want fame, but I want to make a life where people love me and where people know that I was here. I want them to know I matter and Regis will help me tell others that they matter too.

My Making Process

For my I-make project, I made a 1920's inspired canvas, in which I spray painted with blue glitter spray paint, and incorporated a quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald from his novel The Great Gatsby.  Overall, my making process for my canvas project was both interesting and difficult, although it was fun as well.  The most challenging part of doing this project for me, was the research itself.  In the beginning of my research process, I found it incredibly difficult to even find any articles regarding canvases, and I felt somewhat defeated because of it.  Once I finally decided to incorporate a quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald, my research suddenly became much easier, and I discovered many unique facts and historical customs from the era of the 1920's.  Even though the research was very hard to find at first, I realize my failure to find anything eventually led me to a research topic which was not only more broad, but even more interesting to me.  When physically trying to make my actual I-make project, I had a lot of fun, because I enjoy art and making things very much, however, I did experience some problems with making it as well.  Once I began to make my project, I realized that I had forgotten glue when I had purchased my supplies, and I also realized that I did not buy enough letters to complete my selected quote on my canvas.  Although I did have problems during the making phase, it ended up turning out very nice, and I feel glad to have done this project.  By doing this entire project in general, including the research and the making of the art, I learned that patience and a willingness to learn are required when testing new artistic capabilities, or when researching unknown facts or ideas.  The wonderful thing about art is the background that stands behind the person who created it, and without research, human beings simply would not be as diverse or as interesting as individuals.  The research helps to influence the person, and the person creates the art.

Blog 12: My Making Process

Blog 12: Tell a short version of your making process.

I started with the bead ornaments, making the blue one for my older sister first. The process was fairly simple: place a small bead on a pin to act as a “cap”, then add two larger beads, then stick the pin in the styrofoam ball. Having never attempted it before, I did not anticipate the weight the beads would add to the delicate pins. After adding a couple pins of beads to the ornament, as I was about to add another, all the pins fell off, sending beads flying all over the floor. To counter this problem, I reassembled the beads, readying them to be added to the ornament. This time, however, I added a dab of super glue to the ends so that the weight of the beads would not pull the pins out again. Once I added the glue, the process went very smoothly, aside from the fact that I got glue all over my fingers and thus accidentally glued myself to everything I came into contact with. After adjusting for those difficulties, it took only two hours to complete the blue ornament. The other two beaded ornaments, a pink one and an orange one, went even faster. Noticing I was running short on supplies after using so many beads on each pin for the blue ornament, for the other two I did not put more than one bead on each pin. Then I moved on to the painted ornaments. I started with the snowman for my mom. As I painted I discovered that on the glass ornaments, the acrylic paint did not appear opaque, but rather was almost completely transparent. To overcome this, I added several coats of paint, eventually achieving a completely opaque snowman. After letting it dry, I added the classic top hat, scarf, face, and buttons, completing the image with the pipe, carrot nose, and twig-arms. Once it was completely dry, I went over the whole painting with clear nail polish so as to avoid the acrylic paint chipping off if it came into contact with a harder surface. Letting it dry once again, I removed the top of the ornament to reveal the opening through which I would add the silver tinsel. This turned out to be much more difficult than I had anticipated, for I had to add the tinsel one piece at a time, taking some twenty minutes to do complete. I followed this same process for each picture, starting with the base image, adding accents to incorporate the festivities of the holiday, and completing each with a coat of clear polish before filling it with delicate silver tinsel. Having finished the project, I sat back and looked at my creations, knowing that each one was personalized and sure to put a smile on everybody’s faces. 

Blog 12: Making Process

The process of my make hasn't been extremely hard so for that I am thankful. There was a lot of content that came up when I was researching the wreath. The only issue that I encountered while researching was that a lot of my sources had a lot of different theories regarding the origin and use of the wreath. How I solved this problem was by cross examining my sources with each other and then taking away what I decided had solid evidence to be true. The next step was attempting to make my make. According to the tutorial it was only suppose to take me 10 minuets... it took me more like 50 minuets to an hour. Next, I had to go buy materials which included a wire wreath, burlap and wire. I had to adjust the measurements a bit because I couldn't find the correct size of wire wreath that was recommended. I then assembled the wreath by weaving the burlap throughout the wire wreath and finally added a bow for a personal touch. In conclusion, my make was really fun to make because I wouldn't normally consider myself a creative personal  but I was able to be successful in making the wreath.

blog 11

 What did the process of making something before you made it do for your project? Can
you apply this process to other places in your life?

The process of making something before I made was actually very different. I am the type of person who just likes to jump into building stuff. My normal process is to just come up with a quick idea in my head and then start trying to make it happen. So, doing researching the object I want to make was a little odd. But I learned new and very interesting information about the beginning of the action figures I want to make. The process of researching helped me a lot in regards to using the 3D animation software, which can actually be a little difficult to use.  I was able to mess around with the software a good amount before I actually started to make the blue print  for my build, thanks to the making process. I had so many options of how I should make master shakes face look, after all the different photos of him I saw while doing some of my research. The blue printing process helped me because I figured out the dimension and what face I wanted master shake have. Overall,  going through and taking the time to do the process of making something before you make it is very important for the finally outcome of our projects. I can apply this process to every aspect of my life right now, since I am in school. Anything I want to make in life even if its a goal or build something else I will be able to apply this process. 

Blog 11 Peter Juska

What did the process of making something before you made it do for your project? Can
you apply this process to other places in your life?

The process of making for me made my prototype making process better for me because I had a structure as to what I was going to do before starting the project.  Already having structure allowed me to jump right into my project.  I knew I had to go find some sort of instruction so I knew how to start my project, but I also knew what I wanted to do beforehand.  Having a plan definitely helps with everything.  Planning out your time, staying organized, and being consistent are all things that I can and will apply to my life.  They are also things that I have applied to my project and the process of making it.  

Process of Make

The process of making something before you actually makes it to me is very beneficial. It is a rough draft of what your product would and should be. It gives you a lot of practice and only through practice will I would be able to produce a product worth making. I think the process of rough-drafting is really important because it shows you what you are doing wrong, what complications there are and then you can find a way to solve it. It's kind of like life, you don't always get it right on the first try so you gotta keep at it until you master it or just that it simply is not something that is meant for you. Like when someone plays a certain sport , you don't just go out on the field and become incredible at it, you must practice and through that practice you can improve. For my project I've been doing a lot of "rough drafting" by doing a lot of research to understand more about the way to actually make my project and through this research I was able to learn more about my make and was able to practice doing it in a more correct manner. I really enjoy this way of working and learning to improve my project so far.

B12

My making process is a jumbled mess of learning and implementing. It all starts with an idea for something that I think need improving or making. From there I will do research. I try to learn what is necessary to get going on this idea, but there is only so much you can learn from a computer. From there I start making. I will normally have some kind of idea for what I want the finished product to look like, but it is very rare that it actually ends up looking like that. I will start out with a piece and start adding to it. I will test and meddle with it as I go along trying to get what ever I am making to work to the best of its ability in its present condition.

For me, making is just as much about learning as it is about the finished product. Whats the point in making something if you don't know how it actually works in the end. So as I work I try to  also learn as much as possible. That is the biggest reason why I my finished project is not what I imagined in the beginning. Through every step and modification, I learn something. I try to use that knowledge to as I go make it better. For my trying to guess my result is like trying to guess the answer of a math problem with out doing or even knowing the steps to get there. 

There is also always a point where in my making process when I get frustrated with something and every part of me wants to give up, but most of the time I don’t. That is because I have gone through that enough times to know, that if you power through that problem, something amazing is aways going to come out of it.

Process of Making

The process of making something before I made it was hard. First it was hard because I had to research it and the type of research I was looking for and actually found. Through the research process I had searched the words “Make your own dog beds” and everything that popped up were journals and websites with people that made their own dog beds. These were all titled “DIY Dog beds”. Every single one of them had the same steps but had their own different way of doing things by the materials they used. Then when I put everything together and tried to make the prototype of the dog bed I found it very difficult to make because I am not a very artsy type of person. The bed is not just sewing things together it is more like quilting the pieces of materials together and making one complete big bed. I can apply this process to other places in my life now that I am going to school and having to plan my future. I have to research which is going to my advisors and asking them about my schedule and plans for next semester to complete the pre-nursing requirements. Then I have to do the steps on my own which is like putting the material of the bed together. Sometimes I will mess up and fail like I did with the bed. It fell apart and did not look like a bed. That goes into the classes I will take. I can fail but it is okay to fail as long as I learn by my mistakes and then fix the later on. I can retake classes and fulfil my job as a student to reach the goals I want to reach and have a great career in life.

iMake pRemake

The process of making something before actually making  is really interesting to me particularly because I'm someone who likes to go with the flow. Planning is not really my thing, but in regards to my mug, I'm glad that I started to somewhat plan what's going to be on it. I've been thinking about specific designs and hopefully quotes that I want to be on there. Quote writing on my mug may be a little bit hard but I'm going to try it. In another aspect, planning for my mug has actually been pretty hard because at Color Me Mine, which is where I plan on decorating my mug, they have many different options for mugs, but they don't necessarily stock the same mugs time after time. When I show up, I will basically have to pick from what's readily available. So with my project, I'm trying to balance planning as well as spontaneity which I think I'm really good with, because sometimes the best ideas and designs truly come from an on the spot thought.

Premaking my Imake

Creating a prototype of my Imake project, before moving on to the final project has been a very helpful and fun task. Throughout my life, I have always generally avoided doing the prototype or rough draft of a project unless I have been required to, because I have always preferred to begin with the real project, and edit and perfect it from there.  In my opinion, the prototype is always considered to be the "waste of time", or the part of the project that does not require a lot of thought or care.  However, in this project, I have had the opportunity to recognize specific things about my project that could use additional critiquing, and I have been able to plan out what I will do differently when making my actual final project.  One special thing about creating a prototype, is that once you come up with creative ideas to include in your project, you have begun a foundation.  The nicest thing about building a foundation in your prototype, is the fact that your final product will be even more creative and special, because you get to add additional elements to it.
I can definitely apply this process to other areas within my own life.  I believe that the "prototyping process" is really in all aspects of life in general.  Most commonly, I notice prototyping in people, especially before they have conversations with others, or when making plans for their life.  Before any conversation, I (and I would guess most people) consider and mentally think about the ramifications or positivity that my word choice and dialogue can create.  In life, all people have to make plans and edit their plans in order to get to a more successful or pleasant state.  I experienced this when I was choosing between which colleges to attend.  In reality, there is good and bad in everything, but it is certainly wise to discover the bad, or weak in a prototype, and to change the negatives into positives, whatever the final product is.

Prototype Before IMake

0. 0. B11: What did the process of making something before you made it do for your project? Can you apply this process to other places in your life?
      
      
      
1. The process of making something before I made it for my project was extremely helpful. Making something before the final product I think is a crucial step in perfecting your piece of work. Normally for my projects, I just jump right into it and barely even have a draft. For this Imake though, it was really helpful making a prototype because it was a bigger project and I needed to have a couple draft ideas. It was kind of a pain with getting extra materials and using what I got, but I did it. I also think that making this prototype before my final project made it a better piece of art. I noticed the little things that I needed to fix, which helped perfect it.
2. I can definitely apply this process in other places in my life. What I mean by this is that if I make a mistake, I can correct myself next time because I've been through the process and have learned. This can also be applied by practice. If I don't understand a chemistry or math problem and I just turn in my homework, that isn't helping me, but if I take in the problem I don't understand to my teacher and have him explain it, then I am helping myself out and can then turn in my "final draft." 

Making Process

Prototyping is one of the most important things in my mind when making. The thing is you do not want to treat it as a prototype. Prototypes are how you learn. I am on my 3rd prototype for the shifting device so far for my bike project, and I can proudly say that I have learned something from each one. It is very important to take ideas and run with them. That is why I have never been a big fan of blueprints when starting out on a project. I find that I will have some kind of an idea in my head of what I want to make, but very rarely do I end up with something like what I have pictured. This is because as I continue to make steps through that process, I learn things, and my ideas change. Then when I and done with what ever I have made I sit back taking a look at it, and then get a good night sleep, and then go figure out what I have learned, and what I should change when I try again. 

I do my best to try and apply this process to my life as well. Every minute of every day I am learning, and trying to improve myself. This helps me get better suited to react to different situations. The thing is I try not to plan things out in my life too much, because everything is always changing. As I go through my days I learn so many new things that I try to apply to every new situation I am faced with. From this process I try to be as well prepared as possible for anything and everything that may or may not happen to me in a day.

First Steps of Making the Make

When I am first asked to create something, my first instinct is to pick up some items and make. This type of beginning in my making leads to a lot more failures than successes. With the knowledge of failure in mind, I knew I had to find a different strategy in how I ought to make things, and this project gave me a new tool into how I should start a build before I start a build. This step is the step of research.

Research has helped my build because it not only tells me how something, in my case a baby mobile, is made, but also explains to me the purpose of it being made like that. For example, the reason baby mobiles began to move both vertically and horizontally was to not only amuse the baby, but teach it the different types of linear motion. With this idea in mind, I now hope to put empathise I might not of had before, on making sure my mobile can move in more than one type of direction.

After the research it finally my favorite part, the build, but even this part is different in this project than what I am used to doing. This is because the build also includes a prototype. Normally I see this step as extra, but now I see it as the necessary step in my making because it is my chance to fail! In a good way! You see, if I fail, which knowing me I will, I am then given the opportunity to take that failure and turn it into a successful final product. Afterall, all failures are just opportunities to grow and learn. And thats what I plan on doing with my prototype, grow and learn to make an excellent final product.
I thought this was a funny portrait of prototyping

Prototypes and Life

The first part of the prompt for this blog asks what prototyping did for my project. Unfortunately, I can't actually reflect on what the process of prototyping did for my project because I haven't got the chance to do so. If you look back to my ninth blog post, and maybe my tenth, problems for this project was expected. I have not been able to, and will probably not, actually smith. A cheaper alternative may need to be done for the completion of the project, but it will need to be done soon for an actual prototype is due very soon. For this blog post, I will need to reflect on another project that was done in this writing class that had a prototype done, the Cisco make.
What the Cisco prototyping did for the final product was... not much. I suppose the general idea of what we did for that prototype translated to the final thing, but much was changed. I am not confident that the changes were made because of faulty ideas in the prototype; things just were not the same. I suppose that the ugly prototype we had did give us an idea of how not to make it look, but that may have been it. Looking back to how prototyping helped my current project; it did not, but only because it wasn't done.
Out of left field: the second part of the blog prompt asks if "prototyping" could help in other aspects of life. I believe the answer to that question is actually quite simple: preparation. With "prototyping," practicing, you get important insight on things that may work or may not. It is vital to practice things before they are actually needed so that they may go swimmingly. For example, the military runs their troops through drill after drill so that it is ingrained into those soldiers' brains to the point where it is muscle memory, giving those individuals the chance to think about more important things when it matters most. I think that it actually may be common practice amongst all organized factions to prepare like this. So to answer the original question directly: yes, the process of making before actually making can be applied to different aspects of life.

So here's a random diagram of prototyping:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiversity/en/3/3a/Rapid-prototyping.png

Pre-Making In Regards To Making

I'm not quite sure what this particular prompt is asking, however, I'll give it my best shot at responding to it. It's clear that preparation is key when going through the process of creation. For example, research prior to the beginning of the making process is likely to greatly improve the outcome of your project. Sure spontaneous creation is good, but researched creation is even better. The overall quality of the make is improved. Thus, as a result, you partake in a process that is much more rewarding.

This is true for most things in life. I know that when I procrastinate, which happens more than I would like to admit, the condition of my final product isn't up to the standard that I would like it to be at. This is especially true when it comes to academic makes, such as papers or projects for class. I always end up hating myself for procrastinating when it comes to these types of assignments for school. I know that this strategy does not benefit me in anyway. However, that being said, I'm fully aware that avoiding procrastination is easier said than done.

Nonetheless, it's important to put planning and preparation into a majority of the creations that we make throughout our lives. It ends up decreasing stress too. The process will be smooth and you will be happy and what's greater than your happiness? Nothing. I would encourage everyone to make a more conscious effort to try not to procrastinate and to put more preparation into all of your makes. I know that I definitely feel better if I have a plan prior to starting a project. Preparation is also beneficial in regards to the caliber of your work.

Blog 11: How the Pre-make Helped My I-make

Blog 11: What did the process of making something before you made it do for your project? Can
you apply this process to other places in your life?

Making a prototype was something that I was not very familiar nor comfortable with before this class. Typically, in my endeavors for creativity, I would go for the big project all at once, sloppily adjusting for mistakes as I went. In the end, the finished project always had flaws that I had to force myself to overlook. Making the prototype, however, brought a whole new light to my idea of creating something. While I was making this prototype, as I made mistakes all I had to do was write them down along with a solution as for how to correct it on the real project. In addition to this, I had the freedom to experiment with the different types of paint I could use on the ornaments, as well as the amount of room I had to paint. As with anything, making this rough draft will lead to a more perfect final draft, or final project.

This process can be applied to many other areas of life. Specifically, it can be applied to any academic writing assignment. Since my very first official essay assignment in the fourth grade, I have been taught to write a first draft, then go back and revise the paper until it is good enough to turn in as a final draft. And ever since fourth grade, for every paper I have been assigned to write, I have of course neglected to do this, because how fun is it to follow directions? Instead, I have spent the years turning in shoddy drafts that have tons of room for improvement. Until this assignment to create a prototype, I never saw the proof behind all my teachers’ reasons for assigning a rough draft. Having done this pre-make has made me see the value of rough drafts and of revision. This method can be applied to all writing assignments, which I will begin to do from here on out. Finally, I will be following the directions of the people who actually did know what they were talking about, and did know what was best for me and my essays. 

Blog 11: Pre-Making My Make

Making something before making your project can be so useful. For my project it showed me the steps I was able to recreate well and the steps that I could work on a little more. Also, I was able to see how my designs and ideas were going to come together before I made the final project, which allowed me to see which ones I liked and didn't. This can be applied to everyday life because sometimes we get ideas in our head and then when we try to execute them unplanned and unorganized it turns into a mess. Pre-making something gives you the first hand experience at why it may not work at a large scale or in the long run. Sometimes I think something that a lot of people struggle with is taking an idea in their head and then translating it on paper or actually doing it. Making something small scale allows you to see how to make your project better or maybe another to do it more efficiently.

http://www.skillshare.com/classes/lifestyle/Mind-Mapping-Get-Your-Ideas-Out-of-Your-Head-and-Into-Reality/1341480258

The website above is just the add for a class. I really liked how they put the course objectives and I think that the steps they list are the same for the making process before you actually make it.

Research For My Make

My research for the imake has been pretty stressful and hard to pull together. When Dr. Reitmeyer first told us we'd be researching our make, I was really confused because how was I suppose to research a bathroom decoration made out of wood and mason jars. I was stuck for a really long time and am still struggling a bit with it. After talking in class about the research process it made a little more sense. What I understood from Dr. Reitmeyer was to dig deeper into my project and look at its origin or facts about the material. I started researching different ways of decorating and what drives people to decorate or why they want a change. This is very different compared to the other kinds of research I've done for school. A huge research paper I had to do my senior year in high school was about the Illluminati and the way I researched was completely different and easier. It was a lot simpler to find information directly on the Illuminati and easier to go into a library and find a book on it then it was to find information regarding mason jars and bathroom decor for my make. Another difference was the attitude I had toward these projects. For my huge research paper, I was dreading it and thought it was too much and was sick of it, but for my make research, I'm really excited to learn new background about my project and am eager to finish it. The main similarity was that for either project, I had to do research or else I wouldn't be able to finish it. 

Blog 10: Research Process

To begin the research process for the burlap wreath I start by looking up simple directions of how to assemble it. All of the directions I have found pretty much overlap in a general series of steps for how to make it. The only difference between all the directions I have found is key tips that people have come up with to make it easier to put together. My next step in researching the burlap wreath is looking at the history behind the wreath. This is probably the most interesting part I have researched thus far. Through many different cultures and religions all throughout the world the wreath served as many different purposes and symbols. Another interesting thing to see is how the meaning and purpose of the wreath have changed over the years and what it has come to be now. For me, this is different from other research projects because I have never looked into the history and original purpose of something I have tried to make. Lastly, this project differs from others I have done because it is something that I am learning and experiencing to make first hand. Other research papers I have done are looking into how someone else did something and what things they found while making them.

“Write it. Shoot it. Publish it. Crochet it, sauté it, whatever. MAKE.”   - Joss Wedon
         
  - The quote above really inspired be through it's simplicity. For me it means that it doesn't matter what it takes to make something just make it. It emphasizes a carefree attitude that everyone will take a different path when it comes to making.

Blog Post #10 I-Make Research

So far in the I-Make project I did look up some stuff for one day really quick. It was pretty easy to find things about my topic. I just looked up the history of crocheting. In my research I found that there is no specific time or place that it originated from. I did find out some of the theories of when and where they started. Such as Arabia, South America, China, Europe in the 1700s, or other people think it came from Europe but a century later. It also lists the different ways you say it in different languages. Like it is called haken in Holland, haekling in Denmark, hekling in Norway and virkning in Sweden. Which apparently the word crochet comes from croc, or croche for the French word for hook.

There was also a woman named Mlle. Riego de la Branchardiere who published many pattern books back in the 1800s. They also think that she invented “lace-like” crocheting. Later in the article I was reading the author states that all the types of material they used to use as string and hooks. Like they would use hair, grass, and animal fur as the string. Fishbone, wood, horns, teeth, and walrus tusks to use as hooks to crochet. Overall it was pretty interesting to find out all these weird things about crocheting. I think I am going to start watching “how to” videos next and possibly start trying to make something.

Research Process and Similarities to Other Projects

My research that I’m doing for my make is research from the internet that are journals from people who have created the same things that I am trying to make. Therefore this process is difficult and easy at the same time. It is difficult because not many things are found on my topic. It is easy because the things that I do find on my topic are all similar or basically all the same which can also make this difficult because then there will not be much variety or much of anything to write about when it comes to writing the paper. There are cites that I found where all the things on there are DIY.  I have found three cites that are all like this. This differs from other research projects that I have done because all my sources are from the internet. Another difference is that it is not written research. It is mostly looking at pictures and following instructions because this project is about making something. Since I am making a dog bed for my puppy Sarabi, the cites where I have been on all have pictorials and instructions on how to make this big bed. It is similar to other research projects that I have done by trying to find out how to write this paper. I find all of these projects very hard to do because research papers and writing papers in general are always hard for me.

Blood Spatter or Splatter?

 Describe your research process for the make? How is this different or similar to other
kinds of research you have done for school?

My research process for the make, would be to view a bunch of articles. There is a Jeffco library database, that I can search for different articles. My librarian and I figured out that blood splatter is more medical based, while as blood spatter is more forensics based. We talked about researching how different densities and concentrations of a substance may react differently that blood, and what those specifics may be. As well as case studies that have been solved solely on the forensics of blood spatter, such as the case of the state police vs. the black panthers. There is also the different tails and satellites that form from different angles of impact and different velocities. This kind of research is different in the fact that it is more abstract than things I've studied before because its an extremely interesting topic to me, but I feel like it isn't for a lot of people. But it is similar, in that is researching a specific topic and finding quotes that compliment your writing. 

Research Process

I would say that the best way to describe my research process is erratic. I just go and see what pops up. I am not really following a specific path or any thing, just trying to learn as I go along. I have started out with a lot of research on the micro controller and Arduino. I am working a lot on the coding, and the electronics. My plan is to move in to the actual implementation, as I get farther into the project.

 This is not really how I do research for school projects in general. In the past I have done all of my research in a much more structured way. Find a subject and stick to it, and learn as much about it as I can. For this I acted a lot more like it was one of the kinds of projects I do in my free time. I would describe that researching tactic as something like a shotgun where I do ten searches, and hope that I get something out of one of them. To that effect I have research a lot on the coding of my micro processor, and the hard ware that I am going to need. I am planning on doing the same to learn a lot about the history and time line of the mountain bike.