Here we are. The final project. This semester has been... interesting to
say the least. With this being my second to last semester in college
(hopefully), the second half of 2014 was important for me. Taking this
class was exactly what I needed.
For my final "Altered Self" book project, I converted my math textbook
into a sketch book. Since I did not actually have an old math textbook
and did not want to spend a couple hundred on a new one, I used a copy
of the Great Gatsby, another book I am not too fond of. Drawing over the
pages was a great relief for me. Doodling/sketching was something that I
used to do constantly in high school and was almost always reprimanded
and told that it was an unproductive waste of time. This project is
essentially my revenge to all those who told me I was wasting my time.
Since I am in the middle of trying to graduate, most of my classes are
fairly high level and very project intensive. This class, and by
extension my altered book, helped to serve as a sort of healing time for
me. Whenever I was feeling overwhelmed over the course of the semester,
I would just open my book and begin drawing. Most of my drawings in the
book are closer to doodles since I wasn't trying too hard and just
wanted to clear my head, but they have the same amount of importance to
me.
During the course of Seeing Sideways we were tasked with keeping a
journal of sorts in the form of class takeaways. The due date for the
takeaways was always the next day at 11:59pm. Now you would think that
with a consistent due date I would have no trouble turning in the
assignment. Wrong. I encountered the same problem that I had when taking
my online writing course: out of sight, out of mind. Once I leave the
class room my mind, for the most part, checks out of Seeing Sideways and
I go back to focusing on the projects that "matter" or the projects
that will hopefully. get me a job. For the first 4 weeks of Seeing
Sideways I missed every class takeaway. It was at this point that I
decided to do something productive and stop them from being a negative
influence in my life. I then did something radical.
I told my self I was not going to do a single class takeaway.
The burden was lifted but not fully. I was still terrified of getting a
failing grade for pulling this little stunt and if I got a failing grade
that means that I would not get the credit and if I didn't get the
credit then I would not graduate and if I didn't graduate... well I saw
my self as a failure. I decided to speak with Beth about my little idea
just so I would feel secure in my idea. After speaking with her I was a
little surprised that see was on board. She seemed all for something that
would help me instead of hinder me.
Shocked, and with the burden now completely lifted, I began to work on
my version of the class takeaways. After each class or sometimes during
class, I would write a sentence or 2 about the class and the surround it
in doodles. The process served as a time to heal and empty my mind.
After working on the first one I decided re make it and start doing my
"takeaways" inside my altered book! What was created turned out
fantastic as my entire Seeing Sideways journey is represented in my
altered book now. I did the doodles and writing in sharpie so it's as if
my entire book bleeds together to form a cohesive experience.
I have included a few screenshots from my book below.
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