The red and white floor is many things to many people at Albany High School. For some it causes nausea. For others it is a hypnotizing escape from reality. For the school’s graphic design class it is a school-wide canvas.
“The floor is mesmerizing, it’s the first thing students look at when they walk into the atrium,” said graphic design teacher Jeff Castle.
The red and white floor was Castle’s inspiration for the Floor Tile Project. The project was designed to teach students the difference between art and graphic design. Graphic design is art, but with constraints.
“The idea that someone is paying you to make art,” explained Castle, “that it could be trying to get someone to think a certain way or for selling socks, doesn’t matter, there’s constraints.”
The constraints for this project were broad, — each student had to draw a message that would be appropriate for someone to read in school. Students had to only a red sharpie and a 12 by 12-inch vinyl sticker.
These images were placed on the floor earlier this week. Some of these images were friendly messages reminding students to do their homework, being friendly to freshmen, or even encouraging Gordos as a lunch location.
Students thought this was a great first project. “It was really fun,” said senior Sarah Katten, “I’m excited, this class is going to be cool.”
Originally, Castle planned to use high quality ink-jet printers for the project, but could not do so because of budget. As a result, students drew their work by hand with sharpies.
“We plan on using the floor for other projects later in the year,” said Castle, “the rest of the school is full of banners and paper, and distractions. The floor is a place students actually pay attention to.”
I was wondering what was going on with the messages on the floor last time I strolled around Albany High. Now I know it was the work of another great ROP class! Thanks for filling me in.