All posts filed under: Personal

Building an Interactive Mirror

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My current side project is to build an interactive mirror; this post is to introduce the concept and give you an overview on how to approach building one. I’ll be blogging as I go through the process. If you’re not interested in building your own or learning the skills listed below, you can search ‘interactive mirror’ or ‘magic mirror’ and purchase one. It’s just less fun. Building an Interactive Mirror requires experience or knowledge with the following: Programming – Depending on the approach you take, you’re going to need to build an app for android or program with a raspberry pi. Woodworking – You’ll need to cut wood and use tools to build a frame. You may be able to buy a frame and the correct size mirror, but this reduces your freedom. What is an Interactive Mirror? Interactive mirrors use some sort of display (tablet, tv monitor, etc.) and a reflective overlay (I’ll be using a 2-way mirror) placed on top. This allows you to see both yourself and the application. Some are interactive …

Fundamental

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Fundamental is an educational application that teaches kids about science in fun and innovative ways. It uses characters, storytelling, and achievements to encourage kids to learn. The goal is to ignite or encourage an interest for science by turning it into a fun, rewarding experience. Kids are in control of their learning as they have the ability to explore and choose what adventure (lesson) they want to do next. I spent 9 months working on the project from initial research to the final functional prototype.

Dear 4th grade me, you’re probably not marrying Orlando Bloom

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In “Seventy-Nine Short Essays on Design”, Michael Bierut includes a plethora of essays I would recommend to anyone wishing to become a better designer. Naturally, the first essay I read was “How to Become Famous,” because I recently had a dream about Orlando Bloom, and maybe if I become famous enough to meet him, there’s still a chance for my 4th grade fantasy to come true. However, I was slightly disappointed with this particular essay. This wasn’t because I didn’t agree with Beruit or think that he had good points; it was disappointing to know the politics involved in graphic design. To win graphic design competitions, one must submit ‘win-worthy’ material. Reading this section reminded me of how authors will write books they know will sell, rather than good books. It’s why we have so many damn teenage vampires. Seeing how competition-entered work can be judged in a glance makes me wonder if merit and design are truly being evaluated. You can’t really push limits and create new, original work if you’re confined by others’ …

Shirt Design at All That JAS

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For over two years, I ran All That JAS’s vinyl cutter by using a program called WinPCSign. I was able to import my artwork from Adobe Illustrator or create it in WinPCSign and then vectorize it so that it could be sent to the cutter and cut on vinyl material. Creating the designs was an agile process. First, I did some customer research to know which sororities or community members shopped the most, what designs could become popular, and what price the designs could sell for. Whenever we made a sale, we tracked which sorority (or if it was non-sorority) the sale was for. I used this data to figure out which to design for so they would end up marketing the design on campus for us. I did a lot of social media research as well. I looked through popular designs on Pinterest and Tumblr or kept track of what type of designs would appear on Facebook newsfeeds. I also looked at existing companies to see what they were selling and if their customer …

Why do you write?

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As a writer, I’m always interested in why others write. Obviously no one writes to get rich (if that is your reason, I’m sorry and good luck), so what is it about writing that we all seem to love so much? Some authors cite their characters keeping them awake at night or something noble like wanting to change the world. Their answers are varied and thoughtful. While I agree with these reasons, I also have some of my own to add. I love writing… …because everything around me can turn into a scene. I’m in love with the sound of the keys tapping, and more than anything, I want to see my words copied on paper and bound in hardcover. There’s the off chance that I can create something more than words on a page. I can create world of my own and travel to another place for free. I love writing because I want to taste the stars. …because it helps others understand me. It helps me understand me. I have something to say …

Some Short Films

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I love short films. If it’s well done, you can get the same satisfaction (if not more) as a full-length film in a fraction of the time. One of my favorite short films is The Eagleman Stag. This one, I love for way too many reasons. First, it’s stop motion in styrofoam. How someone has the time to do that and successfully pull it off astounds me. Two, the animation in general is stellar. The lighting and textures work really well and creates a beautiful design aesthetic. Third, the subject matter is something most of us freak out about constantly: time. The beginning of the video explains relativity by animating the narrator at different ages. The part where he creates a graph in the water to try and explain relativity is one of my favorites. Finally, it was a student project that won a BAFTA. Goodbye. I love weird, crazy artists, especially those who can successfully craft a short film. Eino Ruutsalo is a relatively obscure director who uses animated painted effects to his work. Personally, …

Listen To This: St. Paul & the Broken Bones

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This sextet from Alabama has generated a lot of interest in the music world. They have an R&B revival sound packed with soul, feeling, and grit that shows in their energetic live performances. Who are they? Paul Janeway – Lead vocals Jesse Phillips – Bass Browan Lollar – Guitars and vocals Allen Branstetter – Trumpet Andrew Lee – Drums and percussion Ben Griner – Trombone and tuba Their first full-length album Half The City was released in 2014. Produced by Ben Tanner of Alabama Shakes, the album recalls Muscle Shoals’ classic soul roots while extending the form with electrifying potency. Gospel is a huge influence on the band (especially on the band’s name) as front man Janeway’s upbringing was grounded in the church. “The only secular music that I heard at all was a ‘70s group called the Stylistics, and Sam Cooke. That was about it. The rest of it was all gospel music.” It was even where he learned to play guitar. While searching for “something that made [his] earbuds tingle,” he began attending open mic …

Cooking with Keara | An Audio Slideshow

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This is a short little audio slideshow I created for a production class last semester. It is the story of my friend Keara as she bakes a cake that holds deep personal value to her. I conducted an interview with her before baking the cake to learn the story behind it and figure out potential ways I could frame the video. However, in the middle of shooting her cooking, the cake unexpectedly broke, causing the narrative to change entirely. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any audio equipment with me or time to check out new equipment for another interview, so I had to use my phone in the moment. Obviously this is a flaw that I wish I could change, but sometimes the story is so important that it forces one to make choices like this. I can also happily say that I am a much better photographer now.

Kiosk Prototype

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This is a project I completed at the very beginning of my Master’s program. It is definitely interesting to look back and see how far I’ve come along! Kiosk Prototype My goal was to simplify the self-checkout at Harris Teeter. After observation, personal use, and asking people who were familiar with the interface, I discovered that despite some good features, it was not considered friendly and often confused users. There were far too many buttons and users felt as if the kiosk voice yelled at them. A simple, streamlined design could solve many of these UX concerns without reducing functionality too much. The first change I made was the home screen. At Harris Teeter, it can be difficult to tell whether or not a self-checkout kiosk is open. A friendly home screen with “Open/Closed” in a large font would solve this. I simplified the home screen further by making it a ‘touch to start’ interface. The user can touch anywhere on the screen and be brought to the first page, reducing any possible confusion. I …