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Critical Thinking in studio practice.

I took part in a critical thinking workshop today which was design to develop a better understanding of the working and reasons behind my practice. I was familiar with some of the things I have to be conscious  about when making and designing and I was trying to employ them in my work this year.

Today I had to ask myself lots of questions and also I got a chance to hear what my pierce think about my work and how it is understood.
It was a valuable lesson and I am glad that I have taken some notes :)

More or less the critical thinking is constant practice of asking yourself why are you doing what you are doing and looking at all aspects of the project: materials, making processes, sociological connections, history, how the work can be read from different perspectives and what is important to you as a maker, who is the audience etc.
The key is to keep open mind and welcome challenges instead of proceeding with the easiest solution.

I went to my studio work after lunch and started to work on my new moulds as the previous ones are wearing off and are slightly off - 3mm which is causing some problems with installation.

I have marked all the cut out lines of my new model when some technical difficulties aroused and it was obvious I have to start again and hack it from another angle - one my think that by now I should know what I am doing but apparently I am not :D

I was stuck and disappointed - I didn't want to repeat the same thing over and over again... Besides for last few weeks I wasn't happy with the work any more, it was lacking something and I couldn't put my finger on it. So I took my sketchbook and started drawing and thinking what it is that I am looking for.
It took me about 2 hour and lots of staring blindly ahead but I think I finally got it :)

I have just realised now that it was thanks to that workshop that I had find the solution.

I will work on some new forms now and keep few of the old ones. Lets see where it will take me :)

Please comment and let me know what is your view on my work - I really need your feedback as it will help me to develop a better design. Speak your mind ESPECIALLY if you DON'T LIKE SOMETHING!!  Tell me what does not work for you. Thank you :D

Here are some quick photos of my new ideas:


 I would like to develop more angles and keep it quite square - I will test some tiles with triangle as a base and see where it leads me but I think they are a little bit too organic in a way...

Location: Limerick, Ireland

Comments

  1. Ana Claudia9 April 2012 at 16:47

    Hi!
    I am also a ceramic design student and was looking at some portfolios on Coroflot and ended up here :)

    I am currently working on a similar project, a flatback inspired by the mixture of natural and man-made. I was to be a one-piece flatback but it evolved to a tile-like project with different heights and textures...

    Well, I just thought it was nice to tell you that I've really enjoyed looking at your work on this blog and wish you a lot of luck with your final project, it's really nice! :)

    Ana

    ReplyDelete

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