Cop 3 Tutorial - 29/11/13 - Feedback

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The tutorial on Friday was very productive, I took the opportunity to design my essay plan, and a portion of primary research just to practice and have the research in itself be an experiment with this international style, combined with my own visual sensibility.


Below is the pdf's of material shown along with notes, and action plan moving forward. The aim is to have at least the introduction and first chapter written by early this following week, allowing me to work on Chapter 2 on the weekend fingers crossed.

Essay Plan - Pending Alterations

In Dialogue with Experimental Jetset

(Primary Research)

Notes

I'm going to work on finetuning the structure of the writing, it needs a bit of fine-tuning and the main feedback was there are a lot of issues to discuss. Simon said it's better to have more to talk about off the bat, than less. So I'm hoping to work through all discussions, but making some of the bullet points simply examples and theories to back up a point I want to make.

I also need to make the chapter advancement more chronological, so there's less jumping back and forth as I have a few paragraphs and sections on Bauhaus and the effect of War on it's ambitions and the development of this idealistic, modern take on design and it's influence on the Swiss style of design. Simon said Chapter 1 can be a very short intro to Swiss design, and then a jump back to it's early foundations and influences and then with the foundations set - I can really jump into cultural influences and developments of the International Style of Design.

Some of the points I want to make are simply the chapter titles themselves, and all bullet points most of the time are actually points, quotes and opinions to back it up. It would work better to think this way.

The last chapter about 'globalisation' and identity of countries and cities is probably the chapter which needs most work and further improvement of knowledge, as I've spent time looking into and reading about globalisation, and late capitalism than I have reading about the Swiss International Style of design and modernism mid 20th century.

The term Post-Modernist International Style is also a risky one, as Post-Modernism is a term and concept in itself and what I'm speculating on isn't post-modernism, it's basically after modernism and after post-modernism, in todays globalised, late capitalist and culturally diffused world. So I need to think of some eloquent way of describing this diffused and universal design style.

Experimental Jetsets responses to my questions which you can see above have been really interesting as they mention they mention  they despise the notion of an international style of a country as it's perhaps too generalistic, but infact cities have their own culture and own scene of design, and allude to Paris still till recently having a very unique and distinct environment which affected their work output. Which led me to think how the still developing cities, still trying to force their way through the shadow of the west and global industry, cities like Singapore who perhaps are much more influenced and fascinated with cities like Paris, than vice versa.




Amended Essay Plan


Preliminaries

• Title
• Acknowledgements
• Contents
• List of Illustrations

Introduction

• Underlying project, primary theme of project
• The Abstract - aims and key themes
• Rationale for project broken down methodically without going too deep into it.
• Outlining each chapter

Chapter 1 - Modernism and the early foundations of the International Swiss Style

• Introduction to Swiss style. When it was developed, key proponents and influences
• Modernism as a concept, not design style. Modernity. Technological Revolution. Paris Expo
• Aims of modernism, points which are still relatable today?
• Bauhaus, it's ideals and focus on applying modern principles to all design. Focus on typography and photography. Concerns with mass-production
• Study of Bauhaus typography, and drive towards objectivity - with quotes and theory
• Outbreak of war, it's affect on design - primarily Bauhaus
• Bauhaus schools disbanded and influence dispersed across europe, particularly Switzerland
• Bauhaus influence on Tschichold - New Typography

Chapter 2 - Development of the Swiss International Style and the extent of cultural influence on design

• Decade in which Swiss style was developed and it's ambitions
• Social responsibility of the designer post-war "Curing Visual Disease"
• Swiss Design Schools - Zurich + Basel
• Max Bill + Otl Aicher = Ulm School of Design = Influence of Bauhaus
• Cultural factors affecting design such as language diversity, emigration, war and fascism, - links which are perhaps even more so amplified in todays world
• Visual characteristics and quotes on Swiss style
• Cross-analysis of Swiss design, compared against proponents but not technically "Swiss" 
• "Same language, but different accent"
• Focus on typography, and objectivity - development of Helvetica to be the universal "standard" typeface
• Neue Grafik, Influence in the US
• Affect on American design and advertising - 'The International Style' - designing against decoration
• "Glass of Icy Cold Water" - Michael Bierut

Chapter 3 - Globalisation/Multi-culturalism and it's impact on design style and influence.

• Globalisation and it's definition, focusing on technology, communication and multi-culturalism
• Various facets of Globalisation and close links to capitalism - e.g. Americanisation, Coca-Colanisation etc
• Communication and Influence - then and now - diffusion of style
• Ease of collaboration - diffusion of style
• Technological revolution - Booms of air travel, internet, tourism etc and effects on culture.
• The world being closer together than ever before, underlying question of everywhere looking the same, also designing the same?
• Marshall McLuhan "Global Village" theory and relevance today
• Adorno + Horkheimer "Culture Industry"
• Above being future predictions, current views and facts of Globalisation - Phillipe Legrain
• Languages around the world and English slowly becoming the "dominant" language of the world - effects on design style, links to Swiss design culture
• Emerging first-world and hotspots of design around the world
• Late-Capitalism - Frederic Jameson

Chapter 4 - Contemporary Design Practice in a globalised world

• Criticisms of International Style of Design and typography "dehumanising" etc.
• New-Wave typography + Post-modernity 
• Criticisms of todays design process such as social nature of design, trend following, subjective design and confusion of clarity - quotes and criticisms craig oldham etc
• Kate Moross - "daily challenge maintaining own style"
• Question of opportunity for a New International Style of design, in literal sense, or evidence of it already being here. Comparing situations from then to now. Design in cycles. Arguments ...
• Languages around the world and English slowly becoming the "dominant" language of the world - effects on design style, links to Swiss design culture and language being a core driving point of objective, holistic design.
• Opportunities for multi-lingual typefaces, and design. A progression of the International Style - Peter Saville quote.
• Influx of external and interesting culture within environments, for example post-war immigration in Europe and development of Swiss style and German influx, todays mass immigration. Where does most immigration take place though?
• Post-modernity and design in cycles, similarity in current situations of design - International Style battling decorative, inefficient design, todays design world has emerging trends of anti-design aesthetics.
• Applying Tschichold's theories of "bad design" and "good design" to emerging aesthetics of design
• Todays emerging anti-design aesthetics, disregarding technology and 'rules' as a choice, and a progression of  simply not knowing any better like in late 19th century design, an opportunity for a progressive International Style of Design, to cater for a global culture. Rather than create a global style as in the 50s?

Conclusion -

• Is there a need, or opportunity for a New International Style of design to cater for a  rapidly changing and multi-cultural society.
• Will native regional particularities in design remain in the face of mass globalisation and multi-culturalism
• With an emerging first world - will design become mass-produced in the Far East, as goods and products are?
• If there ever will be a New International Style movement, what will it's characteristics be?

This is the working plan for now as I really just need to get on with it and make small amendments and add cohesion as I go.


I feel much more comfortable writing about the development of the Swiss style and multiculturalism etc than I do about Globalisation in the sense of capitalism, late-capitalism, post-modernity and things like that so I feel I need to increase my knowledge in certain areas. I've outlined a few key themes and theories to look into :


Theories + Concepts to look into

The Enlightenment Project - Adorno + Horkheimer

Post-modernism and Late-Capitalism - Frederic Jameson

Defining post-modernity today

Established and emerging metropolises

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Cop3 + Lecture 4 _ Academic Conventions

INTRODUCTION

Announcing t the outset what he/she will do on the pages that follow.

Enables reader to skip to sections of interest.


An expected structure.


Getting your own personal voice across. You authorial personality - your personal idom / style.

Derrida, J 1987 Glas. Nebraska. Univeristy of Nebraska Press.

Typset by Richard Eckersley

3 books in one, all operating on the same page. This would be cool for physical page! Visual dialogue, literally on the page of different design scenes and sensibilities, transparent layers, so by the end of the book, all styles physically and literally merge to create an international style.




Academic Conventions are like an institutional framework for your work. They structure and standardise. They aspire to academic honesty.


Series of rules, standardisation. Play by, or methodological reason for rejecting it.


Quoting and referencing is about showing where your argument is coming from, from where it's based. And a keen reader will be able to trace the quote back to it's original source and look deeper into the same clarified argument.




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AN ANALYTIC AND CRITICAL KNOWLEDGE, NOT JUST A HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE.

Apply theory to practie.

Analyse relevant material.



Deep learning - evidenced through your use of academic conventions.

Original blooms, new blooms





Top level. sCreating. Evaluating. Analysing.


(Possibly produce primary research through the form of quick design projects?)





Surface Approach - Superficial learner. Marks whore. No critique, no judgement, very routine and by the numbers approach. Minimal research, ignoring guiding patterns and overarching principles from different writers works.





Deep approach

Independent engagement.

Broad range of reading

Broad range of thinking


Show constant reflection and ongoing investigation. These things will take place with strong engagement and focus in the project to independently be engaged with it.




How do I evidence deep learning?

Way in which you write. Lay out arguments. Structure. Gives clues that you have done deep, methodical and logical learning. Top end of pyramids, not near the bottom.


Academic writing is formal and following structure shows structure.


Each academic discipline has its own specialist vocabulary which you will be expected to learn and use in your own writing. Must be based on solid evidence, and logical analysis, and presented as a concise accurate argument.



Academic writing allows you to present your argument and analysis accurately and concisely!


Learning the jargon - and being able to use it confidently, and not awkwardly. When in context use them, don't just throw them in. Expected to use specialist and informed vocabulary.



DO come up with your own opinions. That's what it's all about. Those opinions have to be based on solid opinions and logical analysis.




Logical argument. Have your question, your focus and your argument. Every point your make is backed up by evidence. Every point you make is analysed, and critiqued.




When you get comfortable with it. What you quickly realise is the structures and conventions can be used to quickly show reader breadth and knowledge of your critical points.

**Look into structure of strong pieces of academic writing, to get the overall skeleton and general conventions.







TIPS


Be precise. Don't waffle. Make a point, back it up with evidence, critique that evidence, relate to whatever discussion, move on.


Don't use cautious language. Not "I think it's crap" just say "it's crap." It's your opinion. Don't say some people, could be, arguably, just say IT IS. and this is why. It's your opinion that's why they're reading it.

No unnecessary words.



You're expected to know what you're on about, no one's expecting poems from you.


P R E C I S I O N .


Short and snappy sentences are better than big ones full of commas.


Try not repeating words, they become immediately obvious. Shows a lack of vocabulary.




Really look into introductions, and general tone of voice and introduction of discussions to come. Don't use conversational, you're not reading a kid a bedtime story.


Don't write how you speak. Formal. Big statements, need support and evidence.



No slang. No abbreviations. No contractions e.g. "Dept." Instead of department. No abbreviations. No vague terms.


DO NOT write in first person, it's supposed to be subjective, you should write in an objective style. Most tutors prefer impersonal language to be used in assignments.





We have considered = Consideration has been given to
I have observed it = It has been observed




The danger if you follow these conventions, it sounds very formulaic, robotic and not humanistic. FIND A BALANCE and voice. Keep your voice there, but follow expected conventions of academic writing and critical analysis.


Map out a logically developed argument. Explain some results. When gone through the main body, concluding section. Which importantly, includes a summary of conclusions from the preceding chapters. Finish with a point. A strong purpose and contemporary relevance for your essay.




Preliminaries - title, acknowledgements, contents, list of illustrations
Introduction  - the abstract, statement of the problem, methodolocial approach
Main body - review of literature, logically developed arguments, chapters, results of investigations
Conclusion - discussion and conclusion, summary of conclusions
Extras - bibliography, appendices.




Intro - outline argument, how it will develop. Link to theories and pieces of writing which will be discussed.


Problems, how it will be investigated. Split into chapters. Chapter one will look into ...

Figure out your chapters.





A mixture of paraphrased sections, small quotes can be woven within the text. Big ones, indent and drop out with analysis.


For a first class piece of writing, three or four citations from different writers on each page.





Harvard Referencing


Books

Author, (date) title, place, published

MILES, R (2013) Why Referencing, Leeds: LCA Publishing





'quote quote' (surname, year, page)


Use " when you're referring to what someone said to you, direct speech - direction speech,  '  ' is for citations.


Always lower-case not capitalised.


REFERENCE AS YOU GO.




BIBLIOGRAPHY SHOULD BE ALPHABETICISED BY SURNAME.

Different sections for books. Journals. Visits. Websites. Etc.



Need a list of illustrations for every image you've used. Pictures should be included with reference, just how you'd reference any book.





CONCLUSION

Broadly outline method for academic writing.

Framework for writing at undergraduate level.

'Default format' for writing, learn the rules, abide by them while having your own style and voice intact.

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15/11/13 - CoP Tutorial w/ Simon Jones + Essay Plan

Last weeks context of practice tutorial with Simon Jones was really useful. It really helped crystallise what I wanted to say in the most effective and streamlined way possible taking into account the research I've undertook and the research and want to look further into. With themes of the Swiss International Style, Cultural Diffusion, Diffusion of Style, Todays technology and Globalisation/Emerging first world merging into one to create what I feel is a relevant debate.

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The debate I want to look into is whether there's a growing need, or opportunity for a New Post-Modernist International Style. Or whether it's already taking place, what will it look like?

This is most interesting for me, as last year too the thing I enjoyed most was just to analyse and study, be inspired from designs around the world and compile a list of characteristics. To create a more progressive style, which is relevant to my own practice. Taking into account a developing first world, cultures being closer than ever, designers like me talking to designers all across the world and there seems to be this kind of underlying current of agreement when it comes to objectives to design.

We have inspiration everywhere around the world, it's debatable whether this is a good or bad thing. Someone like Kata Moross, the London based designer/ilustrator definitely doesn't agree with this. Saying her design team aren't even allowed to engage with design blogs, tumblr's and Pinterest in the hope of finding their own voice. She said it's a daily challenge to maintain your own style. It's this which is also interesting, if it's harder than ever to maintain your own style, and design in a style you've seen on the internet, or for social media in order to gain accceptance and assured likes. Then surely when everyone's doing the same style of design an International Style of Design is developing?

Also I want to look into and debate the idea of globalisation, and it's effects on culture, design and trade. With countries starting to look more and more alike each other, more and more countries speaking English, I feel there's a need, opportunity or perhaps already taking place an international design style and need for objectivity. In fact the idea of accounting for different languages is what drove the Swiss design scene to design objectively with photography and semiotics to account for 3 different languages that were around in Switzerland. it's these logical links which I want to make and am interested by.

As Vignelli said, he sees himself as a doctor curing the world of this visual disease. He's a classical Swiss design icon, and these designers in the 50's and 60's were combatting decorative, and style without substance design and the avant-garde movements of the early 20th century. Again, i think design has moved in a cycle and we've had the era of post-modernism and again we have this kind of movement of anti-art and design which is combatting design and technology and objectivity, almost as a rebellion AGAIN. So I feel again, there's this opportunity and perhaps build up of this International Style of Design MK. II.

I know myself as a designer, I've become increasingly engaged with and swayed by this minimalist, crystal clear and objective form of design. There's beauty in the simplicity, and in my own kind of way I feel positively affected by it because in a small way it feels like I'm rejecting all the clutter and noise around me. Like Vignelli said, curing the visual disease around us. So I feel the two design scenes of the International Style prominence and perhaps now are definitely linked. I feel the Swiss and International Style of design's legacy is perhaps stronger now than ever.

Fonts like helvetica, are still the driving force behind branding and corporations striving to create a positive, all-encompassing image, and these in themselves are influencing globalisation and trade/communication between countries. Helvetica is everywhere now, and will be for the foreseeable future.



Research + Further action

I feel I already have a decent grasp of the development of Swiss and International Design, I know a lot about the visual style and the legacy they had across Europe with the visual style, objectivity and fonts like Helvetica and Futura basically changing the world in a way. I need to look deeper into globalisation in terms of cultures merging together and research deeper into visual styles from around the world which adhere to these design sensibilities of the International Style.

I need to look deeper into the visual styles which were around in Europe which the Swiss design scene were adamant to combat and whether these align with design movements and styles people adhere too now and whether there's synthesis there to reinforce the idea of design working in cycles. But each time being a progression of the previous cycles.

I also need to research into prominent design countries and schools of thought in the 50s when the International Style developed and whether that style of design basically spread to the well-off' or developed countries, and then compare to the rise of the developed countries now with a merging first world with countries such as India and China, and the Far East being predicted to be even stronger in GDP than the US soon.


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Peter Saville mentioned at the Manchester Design Conference - what would a typeface look like which was universal? The whole world could read and understand it. It's ambitious but would it be possible to merge a typeface which can be read as english but also as chinese letterforms? Would this be a sign of things to come? This is really interesting and could be the culmination of the written part into the physical work.


I'm sure there's already a lot of debate and material into the 'future of graphic design style' which is my really early idea about the end product and conclusion of the project so it's good to see I've come full circle but with more material to back it!




Practical:

In terms of the practical representation of my project I feel especially if I'm discussing an international style, collaboration and a diffusion of culture and styles happening just through technology primarily. It would be cool to literally put this to the test, so it will be a sizable publication of some sort and will be designed in collaboration with a designer who I have synthesis with creatively - across the world. So the content will be relevant and the visual style will literally be a representation of the content - a natural diffusion of style and an example of this International Style Mk. II.

It's still early yet and the direction and progress I make with the written will hopefully naturally dictate the direction and tone for the end-product.

I also want to still create a body of work through visual experiments in terms of process and visual style, they will be a nice break from college extended practice projects and as I found last year. Working through filters of visual styles, analysing and basicaly engaging with styles really helped me to understand them, which is key here. Maybe even experiment with an 'international' typeface to coincide with a typeface production brief I'm working on at the moment.






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Notes:























Immediate Action Plan
I've been writing an essay plan so I can crack on with writing it and Basically answering each chapter, or sub-section as a question in itself and answer as articulately and deeply as possible with relevant quotes and cross-analysis, so by the time I've gone through the plan I have an early draft of a cohesive piece of critical writing.

Essay Plan




Preliminaries

• Title
• Acknowledgements
• Contents
• List of Illustrations

Introduction

• The abstract - aims and key themes
• Rationale for project
• Statement of the problem
• Methodological approach - Chapter breakdown
• Key texts + Theories in chapters

Chapter 1 - Cultural Influence and Development of Swiss Style of Design

• Intro to International Swiss Style, development, main proponents.
• World War II and Modernism
• Aims of Modernism + Idealism
• Cultural factors affecting Swiss design such as ...
• Against decoration and avant-garde
• Language factors - need for objectivity
• Jan Tschichold's New Typography
• Müller-Brockman "symmetrical design = fascism"
• Bauhaus and German influence - war and mass immigration directly affecting style. Links to current situation with international students and worldwide immigration.
• Swiss design schools, continuation of Bauhaus
• Braun product design, modernist and industrial. Minimalist objective movement also affecting more than just graphic design. Not too deep into this!
• Visual analysis of Swiss design - "Same language, but different accents" with cross-analysis and own opinion

Chapter 2 - Becoming the  'International' Style of Design. Individual nuances.

• Social Responsibility of designer according to modernism  "curing visual disease"
• Neue Grafik - Development and influence to US
• Helvetica. Quotes and analysis, idealism and objectivity "the Swiss typeface"
• Helvetica + Swiss designs Influence in US and consumerism "glass of icy cold water"
• Different countries + designers adhering to style, comparing native cultural nuances. Is there noticable differences? e.g. Wim Crouwel vs Vignelli. if so, why?

Chapter 3 - Globalisation and it's impact on design style and culture.

• Globalisation and it's definition
• Focus of globalisation - technology and communication
• Globalisation and it's many facets - americanization, coca colanisation etc.
• Communication and influence - diffusion of style
• Kate Moross on design influence "daily challenge maintaining own style"
• English being dominant language around the world - similarities in situations now to Swiss
• Change in developing world and growing 'first world' - also developing visual language?
• Phillipe Legrain and triangulation of conflicting opinions on Globalisation. Own analysis
• Marshall McLuhan theory  "Global Village" - 
• Peter Saville - growth of China and "universal typeface"
• Previous importance of design in developed world i.e the West - changing developed world. Now design is purely 'International' from US to China?
• Cultural diffusion - idea of everywhere looking the same, so is/will design becoming the same too?
• Prediction / speculation + quotes/references on implications on design. in terms of language, cultures, good and cultural particularities in terms of globalisation and tourism

Chapter 4 - Contemporary Design Practice in a Globalised post-post-modernist world.

• Post-modernism and it's values/aims
• Rebellion against objectivity and todays anti-art and glitch movements. e.g. M.I.A and Catalogue studio - Leeds
• Using technology to combat technology
• Similarities between 50s and now in strive for objectivity amidst clutter of design and anti-design post-modern aesthetic
• Call-back to Massimo Vignelli "curing visual disease" against clutter. 
• Rise and success of Apple, and their ethos - Legacy of Braun design. Point= Design cycles.
• Similarities in situations from 50s to now, in terms of immigration in Switzerland. Now immigration all across world, merging within our culture and affecting us. International Students.
• Is this positive or negative, what actually is, for example, "British?"
• The influence of Swiss design in todays world, is modernism and it's aims still relevant?
• Swiss design contradictions. Against advertising + consumerism, but fuelled it anyway with Helvetica etc.
• Contemporary design practitioners (using primary research responses) in terms of collaboration and influence. opinions on design style in face of globalisation

Conclusions

• Summary of conclusions such as ...
• My opinion on the need or opportunity for international style Mk.II
• Whether native regional particularities in design will remain in the face of mass globalisation?
• If there will be a New International Post-Modernist Style. What will it's characteristics be?
• The future of graphic design in terms of design style and catering to a changing society.
• Strong focus and justification/opinion

I'll come back to this later and discuss with Simon and get some feedback and fine-tuning but now I have a plan, It gives me confidence to start writing and working my way through these discussions and see where I get to in the aim of having a draft in by Christmas break.

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Primary Research: Inspire+Influence

I recently carried out a questionnaire primarily to leeds college of art students purposefully, to gauge the kind of design practice developing in essentially the next generation - the future of graphic design.

Questions asked gave a lot of interesting information about methods most designs use for design inspiration, how many have collaborated overseas, and where and their own opinions on culture + design becoming standardised or not due to global cultural reach.



Questions:

1.Which of the following methods of engaging with design do you frequently use?

• Magazines
• Internet
• Art galleries
• Books
• Peers
• Critiques
• Collaborators
• Other ...

2.Does most of your inspiration in tackling a design problem develops from your local environment or online?

• Local environment
• Internet

3. When using the internet as a tool in your design process, which of the following platforms do you visit?

• Behance
• Pinterest
• Linkedin
• Ffffound!
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Other ....

4. If you have collaborated on design projects, have they been domestically, and/or internationally, please state where.

• N/A
• Domestically
• Internationally
• Please state where ...

5. Could you describe characteristics of your local, or regional design style that you feel is globally recognisable?

6. Finally, do you feel culture, and design practice being as globally connected as it is in contemporary society is positive or detrimental to individual design style?

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I also took this opportunity to design an interpretation of an internationally considerate design style, as my dissertation is closely linked to my own growing design awareness I'm aiming to create a small body of design experiments which visuallise a highly communicative, progression of the International Style.

In this case I've created layouts encompassing the top 3 languages in the world, accounting for 25% of the world - English, Chinese (Mandarin) and Spanish. Although most likely everyone speaks English in LCA it was an enjoyable and I feel relevant exercise in engaging with the aesthetics of what I'm researching.

I hope to have an individual body of work reflecting my research and thought process, and finally a truly international style through collaborating on a subject across the world

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Results (Soon to be added to)






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Results in design form

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PressPausePlay _ Notes

PressPausePlay is a 2011 documentary directed by David Dworksy & Victor Köhler. It seems to focus on the modern artist in the aftermath of the digital revolution and how this has changed the way in which we design. Digital revolution is obviously stemmed from the technological leaps in the last half a century and has been a huge factor in globalisation and cultural diffusion.

It's obviously a huge theme of mine, and as I'm focusing on design for print and the idea of design styles, I'm trying to find a link between the International Swiss Style movement of the 50s and what's happening now - it's almost as if another International Swiss Style of design is taking place, whereas in the 50's it was a diffusion of objectives and throwing away the old. Now the same kind of sensibility is perhaps taking place but rather than a diffusion of objectives, it's now a diffusion of cultures creating similar thinking. But not just predominantly in Europe + America being the developed countries doing design - it's now much more of the world, including China that are developed and no longer seeing design as specialised. So now it's perhaps even more of an 'International' style and movement.

Talking about this allows me to discuss globalisation and it's effect on design development and discussion. And to also discuss the development and cultural particularities playing into Swiss design, the history and development of that along with it's influence across the world and America focusing it towards consumerism and corporations. Which in turn massively affected globalisation and the digital revolution, which in todays world has created dialogue and cross-culture diffusion, and in terms of design maybe another 'International Style' through influence and collaboration instead of a core group of drivers like Muller-Brockmann and Hoffmann. I know myself personally, the concept of this style of design is more appealing than ever, as although technology has progressed the world so much - there's so much clutter. This style of design is refreshing and does away with all the dogma around us. It's as if we're using technology/design to combat technology and clutter. As Vignelli says "Cure the visual disease."

There are a lot of ideas going in my head right now, I need to draw up mindmaps and basically just categorise the information and make it all synthesise and jigsaw together into an interesting debate as I feel I have the foundation of knowledge in the areas needed to fit together, it's just a matter of putting it together and having the guidance of a tutor to say YEP, you're sorted go for it. So I can draw a line underneath the confusion and crack on with a plan of content.





PRESSPAUSEPLAY.


PressPausePlay from House of Radon on Vimeo.


Synopsis:

"The digital revolution of the last decade has unleashed creativity and talent of people in an unprecedented way, unleashing unlimited creative opportunities. But does democratized culture mean better art, film, music and literature or is true talent instead flooded and drowned in the vast digital ocean of mass culture? Is it cultural democracy or mediocrity? This is the question addressed by PressPausePlay, a documentary film containing interviews with some of the world's most influential creators of the digital era."





"If you give a human a computer, and broadband access, they're gonna create something interesting." - Moby


Main theme seems to be about how creative industries are less specialised than they used to be


"We're going to see more people, doing more art, in more ways, than ever before." - Seth Godin




"Everyone's equally excited, yet afraid. No one really knows



Robyn - "A big difference is that at that time you be like around 30-35, know people and have a little bit of money to record stuff. Whereas now, you can just do it in your own computer. Anyone can record music now."


"Anyone can buy, or get a cracked version of Reason, Logic etc and do in 5 minutes what it took 6 months, or years to do. 20 years ago" - Moby




Miki Cosola - Film Colourist



Bill Drummond "The artist, always comes after the technology."

The simplicity of self-publishing and opening up your content to the rest of the world. Simply design on computer, send to printer and sell


Seth Godin's book went to Number 5 on Amazon and got translated to Japanese, German etc



Social aspect of creativity. Everything becoming about clicks, instead of integrity of the art.



Scott Belsky - Behance.

We're in a time where artists have power.


"We're at a time where artists have power."


"The creative world was always segmented by who you knew, there was too much happening by circumstance. That's what unique and new right now, that creative talent can work on their own. They don't need an agency anymore, they can develop their own enterprise, their own brand." - Scott Belsky



"The Craft Is Gone"


Nowadays designers not taking as much care on the craft as they know they can fix so much in post, e.g. photoshop




Napster founder - collaborated and created Napster without even meeting the other guy!
Same with collaboration and graphic design, designers work on super popular and life-changing projects without even meeting their collaborators.



Attention Deficit Culture. Even in way TV is edited now. Watching movies and browsing web at the same time. I can relate to this!

Creatives are up against this


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Overall an interesting watch but touches far more upon the music industry than the design industry but it raised a lot of useful points, albeit mostly negative about the effects of the digital revolution on the craft of design and artistry. It's clear that the creative industries are way less specialised and less difficult to get into than ever before, anyone with a computer can basically make basically anything. There's even crowdfunding now.

This ease of communication, inspiration and collaboration is interesting to me as the dialogue between designers from across the world and the design style which is produced. A kind of fusion of culture

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Visual Investigation: Contemporary Design Practitioners

I've been intending to create visual experiments of where my thesis is heading in terms of visual style, and my own personal design aspirations and developing awareness within design. I don't feel this is simply an approach to design that I would apply to every brief I ever get, as that is not the objective. I feel the practical work and conclusion of the dissertation is heading towards a progression of my level 05 CoP module which is reassuring for me.



I decided to further practise a progressive international style of design, with consideration of the top three languages in the world, for 3x success of communication and a highly gridular layout. I've applied the visual approach to questions sent out to design practitioners and studios which are really helpful and I intend to reference in my critical writing.

Folding process: 

When closed, the title of the document still is available and entices you to open it up

Stock variations: I aim to use primary colour stocks, along with white and black accents, or white stock + red/blue/yellow accents. Predominantly I'm going to work with yellow as it is instantly eyecatching with black. Primary colours ofter bold, and strong design as the colours have a feeling of purity, as if there's no other hue mixed with it, it's just 100% colour.

Print ready PDF for applying onto red stock and white spot colour

Grid:

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Primary Research _ Design Manchester 13 Q+A

At the Design Manchester 13' Conference, I went to gain research and advice from noted designers and speakers on other projects I'm working on but in the Q+A session at the end, the talk abruptly turned to Globalisation, Immigration and it's effects on design style. This conversation was between designers such as Peter Saville, Kate Moross and Mark Farrow. It was super reassuring to basically hear what I've been trying to argue and debate but said much more articulately than I ever could, and also to realise I'm not just making all this up and others also share the same worries/excitement as me about the future of design in terms of style, particularly in Britain in their case.

Cue me writing frantically...

Peter Saville: 

Unique quality to UK design. London in particular. It's almost a crucible of multidisciplinary design. Most of the recognisable art of the UK is seen as "hip". There's no other singular place at this time that has the same mix. Paris, fashion. Milan, product. Germany, technology. 

Americans have the problem of being an enormous place. Designers think they can make lots of money if you come up with something dumb enough to please them all.

None are more effected than China. China wants what we have in terms of a design scene. BMW's, Mercedes etc. The time will come when they activate their own aesthetic.

Nat Hunter:

Armageddon!

PS:

More Asian students coming in to the UK to study will eventually mean more Asian tutors.

Kate Moross:

There was around 40% Asian students on my course. Not all of us were English, we were from all over. People bring their own backgrounds and cultures with them and slowly they merge with ours, what's seen as British suddenly over time becomes different. That's exciting!

PS:

I think Asian tutors in our school can be amazing. I think it's amazing when a man picks up a brush and does calligraphy. I think it's really interesting."

Colophon:

At one point in the future. The support for Chinese language in typeface production will have to increase. At the moment there's only about 100,000 Chinese typefaces for the Asian demographic.

Different cultures pose their own problems and unique traits. For example in some cultures the number 4 is unlucky. The things we find funny, they don't.

PS:

It gives you new ways to see the world. New ways to be inspired. I remember the first time I saw a Zen garden. It's interesting because over time English has become the default language across the world. What would a global font be like?

What would a font be like that works in Roman english? But has International sensibilities?

KM:

I've always aspired to have a "style". That's not in terms of how it looks, but in the way it works. For example, my approach to it. Regurgitation of design drives me crazy!

KM:

At work we aren't on Pinterest, Tumblr and so on looking at other design. Developing your own style and approach is becoming more and more difficult. Maintaining it is a daily challenge.

PS:

There's so many people doing things. There's so many avenues.

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PS:

The only thing that matters with a record cover is that the principal artist is happy.

PS:

Respect your client. Be understanding, even when you think their opinion is wrong. It's important to recognise where your work is going.

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