Name Tag

Last week we made name cards for another classmate again. This time we were paired with different people, and had to incorporate new unconventional craft materials; 40% of the material used to be precise. I was paired with Celeste. Our first few minutes of crafting time was dedicated to the interview. Unlike last time, we dived straight into the direct questions instead of starting off with a more general discussion. I found this to be ok overall, but at the moment it felt a little rushed, and I would have like to get to know her "vibe" a little more before going straight into her preferences for a name card.

Based on the short discussion we had, here are the point I wanted to incorporate:

- Class of 2016
-Psychology major because she likes forging connections between herself and others.
- Favorite color navy blue.
- Likes modern aesthetics.
- Likes "Ralph Lauren" type designs. 


After the interview, I sketched down a rough idea of what I wanted the name card to look like. I drew out the patterns, and labelled the colors. One thing I noticed from last time we did this activity was that I lacked direction at the beginning. By starting off with a plan and vision, I was able to complete the task more efficiently. Surprisingly, I ended up changing the design almost entirely throughout the process, but the initial design helped me stay on task no matter the changes.

In terms of the design - it was an evolutionary process. I had to improvise along the way given a few materials weren't on hand right then, and the short time frame. The elements of my design included:

- "Leather patch" in upper left corner and striping on top edge. When Celeste mentioned Ralph Lauren, the first things to pop into my mind were leather patches and strips. I wanted the name card to encompass that, so I used a piece of burlap as a substitute for leather. I also intended to define the edges of the fabric with stitching. We didn't have needles, so I just drew a stitching design using markers. I made the stripes a darker blue and silver because I thought they fit her "modern" criteria, and also looked clean against the lighter blue card stock.

- I didn't think much about Celeste's name plaque. I picked the wood because it was sturdy, unconventional, and easy to write on. I spelled her name out clearly, since I got the feeling she didn't like things too busy. The little bow in the upper right corner of her name plaque was a last minute addition. Initially, I had a heart cut out next to her name to represent her love for people, but I thought that was corny. When I added the bow, just as an additional feature - I realized it could also represent "tying the knot" between her and other people.

- I at first tried to incorporate her class color of red by attaching a red LED light to the paper, but the circuit wasn't working, and I didn't have time to trouble shoot. The problem was either with the bulb itself or the battery. So I ended up just markering in the numbers '16 on the patch. I think it turned out nice like that anyways since the patch added a lot of blank space.

- Finally, I used basic cards tock as the main backing mostly because of the color. I used an old mini cardboard box for the name card stand. I then velcroed the card stock to the base.

Original name tag - first round

Now going back to the point I first wanted to incorporate:

- Class of 2016
-Psychology major because she likes forging connections between herself and others.
- Favorite color navy blue.
- Likes modern aesthetics.
- Likes "Ralph Lauren" type designs. 

I think I made a decent attempt at hitting each point. I wasn't sure if I had completely missed the mark, though, until we talked to each other and reflected. The hardest part was definitely finishing on time, and accepting imperfection. It's hard to dive into a project with only half an hour to invest, but I think I learned that an obsession with a "polished" and finished look, can sometimes hinder crazy creative and improvisational opportunities.

Celeste and I then exchanged final suggestions and comments for improvement. She didn't want me to change anything in terms of the visual design, but offered that I make the card stock sturdier so that it holds up better. So I glue gunned a piece of cardboard to the paper as a backing.

Corrugated cardboard backing

Overall, the process was a lot easier than the first time around. I actually finished making the name tag in the original time, so I was happy about that. I feel I could have gone crazier with the materials, but I found it difficult to balance between clean aesthetic and new textures. Had I had more familiarity with the other materials, I could have incorporated more into my design smartly. I enjoyed stepping back from the table and surveying all the name tags and whose was the most clear and bold. My classmates mentioned it was easy to see Celeste's name and that the design stood out. This is both a good and bad thing. The name was easy to read, but they also commented that the name tag didn't necessarily highlight her personality as fully as it could. 

In the future, I will stick to planning before jumping into the construction of the item. Everything went smoothly for the most part, even when I had to improvise. I feel I summarized Celeste's personality and incorporated her preferred aesthetic well, even if it wasn't the most boisterous name tag in the room. However, I will work on gaining confidence with the unconventional items in the room so that I can experiment more in the future.