Zach's brief: 

Three pencil contraption that displays three versions of the same image drawn concurrently to convey how information can be lost or changed in translation.

Every day as humans relay information to people, who in turn, transmit it to someone else, the message can be misconstrued or distorted, similar to a game of telephone. This happens on the news media, as information is passed along to various outlets and then into people's personal news feeds. The Pantograph provides a visual depiction of this phenomenon.

The device has three arms all connected to each other in a cross-hatched manner.  A pen is attached to the end of each arm. One arm is dominant, for the user to draw with, and controls the other two arms so that they simultaneously copy the drawing of the dominant one. Since the other two arms are not dominant or controlled, their copied versions of the original drawing became a bit distorted. The copied version is not as precise or refined as the drawing from the dominant arm.

Cooper's Brief

A drawing tool that demonstrates how information can be altered because of how it is transferred or connected to recipients. The Distortograph takes a drawing as an input and creates copies that are altered in a specific way based on how its arms are connected.

Communication is based on the transfer of information, and the relationship and connection between two people can greatly affect how that information is understood. If someone you trust tells you something, you will most likely take it literally and factor it into your judgement strongly, but if it is someone who is untrustworthy and you think has hidden motives, you might question what they told you, suspecting it is a distortion or bias in some way. The Distortograph conveys these nuances of communication in a tangible way.

Constructed from laser-cut wooden lever arms that are bolted together, the Distortograph holds multiple markers that mimic the movements of the users hand. This allows them to draw an image that is copied twice by the adjacent markers. Based on the lengths and positions of connecting arms, which maintain common angles even when moving, a copy drawing will be altered and scaled from the original in a specific way. The Distortograph is fixed to a table at one end, and drawing with a marker close to the fixed point will cause the markers further away to make the same drawing, only scaled up. By changing how the makers are linked, you change what angles the arms form, and thus you get different, yet still specific scaling/warping effects. While communication patterns, like people treating information differently based on how they received it, may be more useful to teach to children, is still valuable for everyone to be exposed to a clear and tangible examples of a social phenomenon, especially when it comes with the satisfying feeling of watching mechanical arms mimic your movements and create scaled versions of your art with precise and responsive flow.

Motion Tracker - Ryland Mattoon

A box that utilizes the force of gravity to map bodily motion with ink and a marble.

In 1990, Americans took, on average, 20 vacation days every year. In 2018, Americans left more than half of their vacation days unclaimed. The world is a busy place, and it isn't going quiet anytime soon. On any given day, the majority of people are not aware of the extent to which they move their bodies. For someone who is experiencing high levels of stress, it is important to take a step back to examine and understand their lifestyle in a deeper, more meaningful way. There are many significant mental health benefits of doing so. The Motion Tracker makes this possible by creating a new way to visualize human movement so that people can gauge how active they are in day to day life.

The machine consists of a box, a marble, and a strap. Although simple in concept, it harnesses the complex laws of physics in a beautiful way. The device is meant to be tied around one's waist so that the box is positioned on the torso/stomach area. Once an ink-covered marble is carefully placed on the paper plate located inside of the box, there are no additional instructions; just live! As the user engages in any physical or non-physical activity, the marble rolls freely on the paper plate. Even acute movements are detected by the marble, given its small size and sensitivity to gravity. By the end of a "session", the user is left with an abstract map of the actions that they just performed. The hope is that the Motion Tracker will help people further realize the level of physical activity that they carry out and remind them that it is ok to sit back and relax every once in a while. 

Motion Tracker - Rowan McLear

A contraption that creates an abstract map of the user's balance, as ink-covered marbles track on a paper plate how the user's body adjusts its weight while engaging in certain motions. 

The Marble Tracker allows people to become aware of and visualize how their body shifts and leans to maintain its balance during everyday activities while getting a special art piece. The user attaches the eleven-by-eleven inch box to their torso using a rope or belt. They then place a paper plate in the plate holder and place the marble or marbles covered in ink in the center of the plate. As certain motions are performed, the Marble Tracker will make a unique abstract map of the movement. From the pattern on the plate, the user can become aware of how their bodily movements are weighted in one direction or another. This could be useful to create the map you never knew you needed. This will give you a movement map to enhance your visions different actions.

Kata Khakali
Creative Sieves: An art kit that explores the therapeutic action of creating art. The kit is composed of several unique templates and tools allowing the user to experiment and create interesting designs using sand and light. 

Many people of all ages struggle with stress and anxiety. The population suffering from stress and anxiety is rapidly growing, and many don't know how to cope or make themselves feel better. Creative Sieves was created to help.  

Creative Sieves is a meditation machine that combines the therapeutic elements of creating art and playing with kinetic sand. The machine provides the user with several unique tools and templates for creating art and discovering different properties of light, sand, and salt as they react with these templates. A Zen ambiance radiates from the use of these materials, making the user instantly feel calm. The wooden templates, with different cut-out shapes, fit on top of a frame.  The frame and template are also removable that was specifically made so that the user could compare the designs of the templates without destroying the designs. Creative Sieves highlights the meditative benefits of repetition and will help put minds in a state of pure serenity.  

Rosa Boehm

Creative Sieves: A therapeutic machine designed to reduce stress. The machine enables the user to create cool motifs using kinetic sand and compare results when light is filtered through each design.

Adults and teenagers alike struggle with stress and anxiety. According to Time magazine, a common trend is for the younger generation to have higher stress levels than prior generations. Creative Sieve is a machine designed to help with this by creating a Zen-like atmosphere for people experiencing high levels of stress.

The machine enables its user to experiment with different designs as they create cool motifs using kinetic sand and then compare results when light is filtered through each design. Kinetic sand has also been used as a therapeutic method to help children calm down and the hope is that this machine will help older patients to similarly benefit from this as well. Our sandbox is made from 1/4 inch wood and the frame for our falling salt and light is made from a thinner kind of wood. To make this machine work, you will need to go into a dark space and turn on flashlight from your phone, then you will shine the light over the chosen template thus creating a cool motif on the black paper. After doing this, people can compare their motif to the motif they designed using sand in the sandbox. The hope is that after comparing the two, people will develop a sense of calmness and their minds will be put at ease. 

Portfolio Day

After the Final Presentation, you have the opportunity to consider your presentation in light of final feedback and discussion. You will spend additional time reviewing you presentations, refining you portfolio, and polishing you work before it is made public on the internet.

The Self Evaluation is an opportunity for you to reflect on your work during the Studio. Students and Coaches receive the same prompts and categories, and the students will evaluate their own progress and skill levels in Design Skills and Subject Skills applicable to the studio both numerically and textually. Through a narrative, you will also reflect on the quality and rigor of your work, give feedback on the studio, and have the opportunity to receive similar feedback directly from the coach.

• Portfolio & Assessment
• Self Assessment
• Final Brief
• Portfolio Checklist
• Portfolio Boards