It's already the first day of school and still minutes before Studio begins... but my whole world has already started crashing down. I had a lot of plans for this week... like entering the Bentley Competition, getting started on the BSE project, finshing my 3 topics for Writing [due tomorrow], making something for the McKinney contest [due tomorrow]... finishing/applying for internship stuff.... annddd i wassss going to try and keep a good attitude about everything here [lol].
Already i couldn't fall asleep last night, some people aren't available to help out with work that needs to get done this week, and we have a rescheduled hockey game tonight which will take up the time i would use to work on my 3 topics and McKinney entry [and Bentley, too... seeing as that deadline is going to come up quick yet again]. Also, i need to start the readings for being a BTA3 TA this semester - which i am really excited about - but the news at this time is just not something to rejoice with all the other weight over my shoulders at the moment.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Outline: Writing Essay #2
I'm going to write some of my Writing class essay outline on here, because I feel really open when I write on this blog... maybe it will help me get out what I'm actually thinking about the topic, not just what I want to say to sound 'intelligent' or whatever for my professor.... here goes:
My intro topic will discuss the history of bookmaking: from clay tablets, soft metals [Egypt, Mesopotamia]
--> papyrus [300BC in Alexandria, Egypt there was a library of 500,000 papyrus scrolls] ---> 4th C BC in Greece and Rome papyrus & wax tablets were used [hinged together to form a "codex" the first construction of a book] ---> Asia was very advanced in materials study for writing: to preserve their thoughts they used silk, palm leaves, birch bark, and stems of bamboo for scrolls [Chinese invented paper around 2nd C AD] ---> in Thailand bark was put together like an accordion for form a "book" [opened vertically and read horizontally] ---> 7th-12th C Islamic Empire flourished, when they learned of paper they became great writers and made huge centers of book production in Damascus and Baghdad --> the Koran [Muslim Bible, made aroung 651AD was beautifully decorated with borders and patterns called Arabesques], these copyists also began translations of the Greek philosopher Aristotle ---> Europe, Afrrica, and Asia for over 2,000 years used the skins of animals to preserve thoughts [sheep & goat skins were used first... made into sheets called parchment, it took 12 sheep to make 150page book] --> learned that calf's skin could make vellum ---> Native Americans used bison/buffalo skin to keep tribes' stories ---> Aztecs used deerskins, banded together to become several yards long ---> after the fall of the Roman Empire, Christian religion began to rise and the monasteries were main centers for producing high-quality books [great care was taken to write calligraphy on each page, ornate covers w/jewels & inlaid wood & leather; books were only for the wealthy during this time; the writer had an 'illuminator' would would illustrate what was happening in the text on that page so the reader could see the story unfolding] b/c of great care many of these books still exist today
Chinese are given credit for making paper: they would soak different mat'ls such as plants, straw, tree bark, and old fish nets in water then beat them into a pulp ---> the pulp was then poured and pressed then left out to dry ---> paper was slow to take-off b/c most people didnt read or write [but this must have been a good starting point b/c it wasnt a heavey burden on the people... rather than clay tablets that people would have probably used for other things during these times...]
So, why be concerned about the materials that are used to preserve books? Without proper materials, the preservation of the thoughts, dreams, and histories of people would be lost. It's not just about the price of these materials or their aesthetic values, but the fact that they are the main guardians of these thoughts and ideas. Even with the rise of the internet, CDs, videotapes, etc... bookmaking remains important because it is the most reliable form of recording & keeping thoughts, memories, dreams... CDs, videos, etc can all break and become irrevelant w/ the slightest scratch or drop of water... books, pages covered by different materials can survive small indecicies like these. Not to mention books are a tangible delight. Internet articles and the like are distant, they may have a mark showing who or where they came from, but this is a variable that can be untrue and the space created by sending things through the internet leaves one incapable of really knowing where the information has come from. Books have persisted with methods for labeling, organization and the like for centuries. They continue to persist through the introduction of new technologies and survive because of the resiliance afforded to them by the careful applications of select materials to protect the heart of what they contain.
When deciding how to record your thoughts... here are some good options for bookcover materials [the ones I am going to test]: plastic, fabric, and leather.
plastic - most common material avaibable now, easy to print colors and indentations, resists water and bending, can maintain true colors for a long time, shows scuffing/scratching, if the plastic is broken it will begin to fall off and reveal an inner layer of cardstock that doesn't resist water very well
COST: 18 fl. oz. net weight, 16-1/4 oz. aerosol can for $10.99 - $15.79 [1 bottle] approx. how many coatings?
fabric - texturally pleasing [like the clothes on our backs], can also choose diff colors, print diff colors, create indentations, won't crack and fall apart, depending on the strength/give of the fabric it could rip/tear/ or allow water to seep beyond it and into the cardstock beyond, resists scratches & scuffs, depending on the color - may show signs of stain, easily loses coloration if exposed to light/ rubbed by other books etc too much, can become fuzzy/ diff from original "feel" if rubbed against other things too much
COST: burlap [$2.99/yd joann's fabric], vinyl [$7.99 + /yd], muslin [$3.99 +/yd - plain/bleached]
leather - texturally most pleasing, soft & spongey, aggressive/sophistocated appearance upon its creation, it naturally works with bending/creasing [b/c it is somewhat elastic], but over time the leather can begin to wear away w/ too much bending, water damage, scratching, scuffing... after [? years] the leather deteriorates significantly and falls apart into leafy layers, exposing the pages in a ruffled mess
COST: 8.5'' x 11'' leather trim [$9.99 - 1 sheet]
[cost is somewhat difficult to assess by merely comparing books of these diff mat'ls b/c books are priced according to their significance that relates to their content, but the cost of obtaining these materials for the binding process is what is shown here]
http://www.articusstudiodesign.com/id41.html [this site shows "polyclay" binding material... hmm lol]
leather info:
Leather Covers
We use Top Grain cowhide, not 'splits' which are a cheaper grade of leather with an imitation surface rolled on. Some binderies use a spray on finish, however ours is drum dyed, which means that the color goes all the way through. The difference is a higher quality, longer lasting product. Leather is made from animal hide, which is skin. Each hide is unique in its markings and attributes, much like everyones skin is different and unique to them. The top layer of the hide is the toughest and most durable but also has small defects such as scratches from barbed wire, markings from brandings, or insect bites which have healed but are still slightly visible. If you see these slight imperfections, it means that you are getting Top Grain leather and these marks are an indication of authenticity. They do not weaken the leather.Tu
Turned-edge style covers have a cardboard backing which you would never see unless you tore the leather cover off. I have repaired books from other book binding companies that use a very inexpensive type of material. It works well for the first few months of use, however after extended use the leather has a tendency to either pull away from this inferior material or crack, thus causing the leather to wrinkle. I have found that spending a little more money on a special material made for this purpose adds years to the life and appearance of your book. This material flexes nicely with the leather and adheres superbly.
http://www.bookbind.net/category_s/2.htm
on plastic covers:
An improved method of making hard and semi-rigid book covers, and the product obtained, provides a multi-layer plastic book with any desired ratio of flexibility to stiffness in the different parts of the cover such as the front and back panels, the hinge lines and the backbone panel that connects the front and back panels. A first layer of plastic is cast or extruded on a casting paper or belt or other supporting surface, and additional plastic material is applied to the first layer over areas that will form the front and back panels, and to the backbone area if the desired cover is one that is to have a stiffened backbone panel. A second layer is applied under conditions that insure a highly effective bonding and freedom from distortion when a curing step is necessary. The operation is continuous and the laminate formed is severed into separate covers as it is delivered from the laminating operation.
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3972764.html
With the choice of having only to choose from only hardcover books, which mat'l would most people prefer? [same cost... looking at aesthetics] plastic, fabric, leather? [poll online?] - plastic and fabric could have the same/similar coloration/ picture, leather would be different simpler]]
Topic 1: what happens to the mat'ls over time/ due to damage
Topic 2: costs
Topic 3: aesthetics, what do people perfer & why? [rarity? texture? imagery/colors?]
why was writing invented?
b/c the memory could not store all man's thoughts/dreams/stories
why were paper mat'ls developed?
light/easy to transport/store, could quickly be made [unlike clay tablets etc]
why are the binding mat'ls important?
they preserve the print/heart of the book from the elements, like a shelter protects a living human
My intro topic will discuss the history of bookmaking: from clay tablets, soft metals [Egypt, Mesopotamia]
--> papyrus [300BC in Alexandria, Egypt there was a library of 500,000 papyrus scrolls] ---> 4th C BC in Greece and Rome papyrus & wax tablets were used [hinged together to form a "codex" the first construction of a book] ---> Asia was very advanced in materials study for writing: to preserve their thoughts they used silk, palm leaves, birch bark, and stems of bamboo for scrolls [Chinese invented paper around 2nd C AD] ---> in Thailand bark was put together like an accordion for form a "book" [opened vertically and read horizontally] ---> 7th-12th C Islamic Empire flourished, when they learned of paper they became great writers and made huge centers of book production in Damascus and Baghdad --> the Koran [Muslim Bible, made aroung 651AD was beautifully decorated with borders and patterns called Arabesques], these copyists also began translations of the Greek philosopher Aristotle ---> Europe, Afrrica, and Asia for over 2,000 years used the skins of animals to preserve thoughts [sheep & goat skins were used first... made into sheets called parchment, it took 12 sheep to make 150page book] --> learned that calf's skin could make vellum ---> Native Americans used bison/buffalo skin to keep tribes' stories ---> Aztecs used deerskins, banded together to become several yards long ---> after the fall of the Roman Empire, Christian religion began to rise and the monasteries were main centers for producing high-quality books [great care was taken to write calligraphy on each page, ornate covers w/jewels & inlaid wood & leather; books were only for the wealthy during this time; the writer had an 'illuminator' would would illustrate what was happening in the text on that page so the reader could see the story unfolding] b/c of great care many of these books still exist today
Chinese are given credit for making paper: they would soak different mat'ls such as plants, straw, tree bark, and old fish nets in water then beat them into a pulp ---> the pulp was then poured and pressed then left out to dry ---> paper was slow to take-off b/c most people didnt read or write [but this must have been a good starting point b/c it wasnt a heavey burden on the people... rather than clay tablets that people would have probably used for other things during these times...]
So, why be concerned about the materials that are used to preserve books? Without proper materials, the preservation of the thoughts, dreams, and histories of people would be lost. It's not just about the price of these materials or their aesthetic values, but the fact that they are the main guardians of these thoughts and ideas. Even with the rise of the internet, CDs, videotapes, etc... bookmaking remains important because it is the most reliable form of recording & keeping thoughts, memories, dreams... CDs, videos, etc can all break and become irrevelant w/ the slightest scratch or drop of water... books, pages covered by different materials can survive small indecicies like these. Not to mention books are a tangible delight. Internet articles and the like are distant, they may have a mark showing who or where they came from, but this is a variable that can be untrue and the space created by sending things through the internet leaves one incapable of really knowing where the information has come from. Books have persisted with methods for labeling, organization and the like for centuries. They continue to persist through the introduction of new technologies and survive because of the resiliance afforded to them by the careful applications of select materials to protect the heart of what they contain.
When deciding how to record your thoughts... here are some good options for bookcover materials [the ones I am going to test]: plastic, fabric, and leather.
plastic - most common material avaibable now, easy to print colors and indentations, resists water and bending, can maintain true colors for a long time, shows scuffing/scratching, if the plastic is broken it will begin to fall off and reveal an inner layer of cardstock that doesn't resist water very well
COST: 18 fl. oz. net weight, 16-1/4 oz. aerosol can for $10.99 - $15.79 [1 bottle] approx. how many coatings?
fabric - texturally pleasing [like the clothes on our backs], can also choose diff colors, print diff colors, create indentations, won't crack and fall apart, depending on the strength/give of the fabric it could rip/tear/ or allow water to seep beyond it and into the cardstock beyond, resists scratches & scuffs, depending on the color - may show signs of stain, easily loses coloration if exposed to light/ rubbed by other books etc too much, can become fuzzy/ diff from original "feel" if rubbed against other things too much
COST: burlap [$2.99/yd joann's fabric], vinyl [$7.99 + /yd], muslin [$3.99 +/yd - plain/bleached]
leather - texturally most pleasing, soft & spongey, aggressive/sophistocated appearance upon its creation, it naturally works with bending/creasing [b/c it is somewhat elastic], but over time the leather can begin to wear away w/ too much bending, water damage, scratching, scuffing... after [? years] the leather deteriorates significantly and falls apart into leafy layers, exposing the pages in a ruffled mess
COST: 8.5'' x 11'' leather trim [$9.99 - 1 sheet]
[cost is somewhat difficult to assess by merely comparing books of these diff mat'ls b/c books are priced according to their significance that relates to their content, but the cost of obtaining these materials for the binding process is what is shown here]
http://www.articusstudiodesign.com/id41.html [this site shows "polyclay" binding material... hmm lol]
leather info:
Leather Covers
We use Top Grain cowhide, not 'splits' which are a cheaper grade of leather with an imitation surface rolled on. Some binderies use a spray on finish, however ours is drum dyed, which means that the color goes all the way through. The difference is a higher quality, longer lasting product. Leather is made from animal hide, which is skin. Each hide is unique in its markings and attributes, much like everyones skin is different and unique to them. The top layer of the hide is the toughest and most durable but also has small defects such as scratches from barbed wire, markings from brandings, or insect bites which have healed but are still slightly visible. If you see these slight imperfections, it means that you are getting Top Grain leather and these marks are an indication of authenticity. They do not weaken the leather.Tu
Turned-edge style covers have a cardboard backing which you would never see unless you tore the leather cover off. I have repaired books from other book binding companies that use a very inexpensive type of material. It works well for the first few months of use, however after extended use the leather has a tendency to either pull away from this inferior material or crack, thus causing the leather to wrinkle. I have found that spending a little more money on a special material made for this purpose adds years to the life and appearance of your book. This material flexes nicely with the leather and adheres superbly.
http://www.bookbind.net/category_s/2.htm
on plastic covers:
An improved method of making hard and semi-rigid book covers, and the product obtained, provides a multi-layer plastic book with any desired ratio of flexibility to stiffness in the different parts of the cover such as the front and back panels, the hinge lines and the backbone panel that connects the front and back panels. A first layer of plastic is cast or extruded on a casting paper or belt or other supporting surface, and additional plastic material is applied to the first layer over areas that will form the front and back panels, and to the backbone area if the desired cover is one that is to have a stiffened backbone panel. A second layer is applied under conditions that insure a highly effective bonding and freedom from distortion when a curing step is necessary. The operation is continuous and the laminate formed is severed into separate covers as it is delivered from the laminating operation.
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3972764.html
With the choice of having only to choose from only hardcover books, which mat'l would most people prefer? [same cost... looking at aesthetics] plastic, fabric, leather? [poll online?] - plastic and fabric could have the same/similar coloration/ picture, leather would be different simpler]]
Topic 1: what happens to the mat'ls over time/ due to damage
Topic 2: costs
Topic 3: aesthetics, what do people perfer & why? [rarity? texture? imagery/colors?]
why was writing invented?
b/c the memory could not store all man's thoughts/dreams/stories
why were paper mat'ls developed?
light/easy to transport/store, could quickly be made [unlike clay tablets etc]
why are the binding mat'ls important?
they preserve the print/heart of the book from the elements, like a shelter protects a living human
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Somewhere in a Grey Mist
Got back from seeing Shannon and Kira a little while ago and of course taking a step away from RPI-work-world really gives me a perspective on life [ i just wish it were easier for me to see the "other side" when i'm toiling away in the greene building for days on end ]. But seeing my aunt and my new baby cousin and how great a life they have... i mean i guess it's really what i'm aiming for - just to be happy. I just keep getting caught up feeling like i have to compete, compete, compete and i forget that it's what after all this crap that really matters. My mind is always changing about architecture and i always wish i were a better student, but even if i'm not the 'best' here... or anywhere... as long as i can find my place someewheree... then i should be able to lead a good and happy life. I just need to pick myself up and out of this rut, feeling like because i'm not anything special at RPI doesn't mean i'm completely useless. Maybe this mind-set could get me a decent job for the summer - something interesting to keep me motivated in this school for two more years [motivated enough to finish a thesis project on this damn subject]. I mean i think what i worry about most sometimes is that i should really 'like' doing this stuff right? I mean i don't think i should necessarily 'like' the all-nighteres and stuff like that... but when i'm constantly getting bad crits i just start to feel like maybe this was a wrong choice on my part.... people who are successful enjoy what they do ALL THE TIME, right? Well i'm the best at presenting conflicting interests - i mean i started this entry thinking about not needing to be entirely a 'success', but just being happy... and now i don't know if the two always need to come hand in hand? I'm also pretty upset at school for never being taken seriously. My speech sucks - no one ever has a clue to what i'm talking about... and my visuals aren't top-par either. I guess i can just hope that two more years of this hard-labor will fix sometihng about those two problems...
-c
-c
I am Procrastinating
I need to:
- write all 3 topics for Writing class
- start putting together the Bentley Competition slides [and find our scrpit?]
- figure out what my group is doing for the case study #1 for BSE
- start an outline [at least] for the Philosophy essay
- PORTFOLIO 2010 [this really needs to get finished]
- get a list of places I'm going to apply to this summer [+ call Kelly Services about getting another part-time job back]
- also, i'd like to enter the McKinney Writing Contest... i have a few old stories i wrote, but i want to enter something new [of course making things more difficult for myself... but what else would i expect out of me?]
iiiiii think there should be more things on this list... but i can't think of anything more right now because that is hefty enough.... especially considering that whenever my mom gets home from work we are going to two of my aunts' houses and seeing my two new baby cousins [Emma and Kira].... it'll be alot of fun, but i hate how school has to dampen my mood all of the time and always linger over everything i do. All the professors upon leaving for break with their "Relax, don't think about work over break...." ...... bullll shit. I have an assignment in every class and yet EVERY professor said something to this effect - what goes on in your brains? Okay, well enough procrastination for now... i haaaaave to finish someeethingg....
-c
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Gnome is Right
I loooove this commerical by Travelocity and laugh at it every time... the gnome is sooo riiight "gota get outa hereee" hahhaha
....definitely want to escape Trooooy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V7kdTNVzjs
....definitely want to escape Trooooy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V7kdTNVzjs
Thursday, March 4, 2010
It's Crazy
I was just looking back at my previous posting and its amazing to see that i only added one post during the whole month of February... i guess that just goes to show how much time architecture consumes. I couldn't even perform a mindless and simple task - like posting - because the workload is so all-encompassing, life-governing...
Phil-roser-phies and Such
Sooo - Oatman's gone to crit the Aaaaalien studio and since i haven't posted in a while i thought i'd start again. Lately i've been into alot of theoretical/philosophical thoughts... i get trapped in my mind and begin to only be able to "see" things as compositions of questions and inadequacies. Needless to say, my exploration of philosophies has completely depricated my mind and ruined my work habits. I sit in studio and instead of thinking about the project-at-hand... my mind wonders what was really going on in Tschumi's head... or when i'm going to get the chance to pick up the book again and read. Here's an interesting site that discusses Tschumi:http://personal.cityu.edu.hk/~bsjwong/tschumi.htm
Strangely, Enclosures is the only class that has actually grabbed me. I don't know exactly what it is about this class, but i love sitting down and researching materials and then coming up with novel ways for them to interact. I understand architecture is not just a material study, but i wish there was some way for me to think through architecture in the same way as i work through Enclosures. The work takes an all-nighter, but for this class it doesn't bother me... my back kills and my hand is tired but i can honestly say i enjoy every minute of it. I feel like to most people, Enclosures is busy-work and "pointless" at times, but to me it makes the most sense of all.
Most of all right now i wish i could get motivated to do anything. My strongest motivations have been for Enclosures and Hockey... even my writing class has fallen to the way-side [i've grown to see it as an information-obsessed discussion, where the professor is extremely interested in celebutant-type stories and news-action drama, tv-based episodes... things that i am completely detatched from and don't have much of a say in... foruntately/unfortunately]. I am motivated to read and think, but not really about the things i should be reading and thinking about. I feel like i should be interested in learning all the computing that i have been taught, to keep up and keep in practice with this process of work, but for some reason i lose interest in it easily. Well, this is definitely just a rambleee of random topics... pathetically academic-based, but this is all i really have right now... architecture is a trap. 
Hockey last night was glorious... haha probably my best game. I got the puck at one point and wanted to "drive" it down the center because everyone else was pretty distant behind me, but some big, fast kid came up and knocked me over. I was really proud of the team last night, too... we were short a few players... with only 3 subs and we were playing the only other undefeated team in the league. They were excellent skaters, but had no knowledge of how to work the ice and create plays. Somehow our team was constantly putting ourselves in the right positions and Alicia played a strong goal, protecting a dozen or more level attempts. I think we all skated the fastest and most accurate of any other game that we have played, it made the team look like bonified skaters at times. I just hope that even when the other team isn't putting the pressure on us, like this one had, that we could skate and keep up the tempo like we did last night. The final score was 0-0, but despite the numbers i think it was the most successful display so far. Well, that's all for now... i'll probably be generating more updates over break while i'm bored in old cohoes.
-c
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