In other news, here are my written assignments as well :]
BDS Reading One
This reading was honestly really intriguing! I found interest in largely the introduction to the chapter. The introduction portrayed an event that happened in small midwestern town. In that town segregation, although abolished, was still at large in many public places. In this scenario, the issue was segregation in a movie theatre, where black people were forced to sit within the four back rows of the theatre. One night for the movie, the students of the town all bought tickets and rushed in to watch the movie, sitting in various spots all around the auditorium. The last four rows were packed strategically with white people and the other rows were filled with both blacks and whites. When the manager tried to make people move, all the students would ignore him or tell him to be quiet since the movie was showing. This scenario really showed me that design might not have anything to do with making a design or artwork on white paper, design is an idea, based around a problem or issue. Design is specifically for solving problems and resolving issues. This example of design really changed how I think about design as a whole.
The rest of the reading was based on what design actually is. The introduction full supports what the rest of the chapter has to say about design, since it was reiterated again. At one point the author says “…design, stripped to its essence, can be defined as the human capacity to shape and make our environment in ways without precedent in nature, to serve our needs and give meaning to our lives.” Once again, the point comes back to design is necessary for solving problems and the only means by which we can solve at all. In the introduction to Understanding Design by Kees dorst, I learned that design can also be used as applied creativity, and it can be used as normal problem solving. Another interesting point that was made was that design can be used in evolution. I never thought about design as an evolution, but it truly is an evolution from idea, to concepts, to understanding more thoroughly the idea, to sketches, to models and finally to the finished product. With evolution, even the finished project changes often as people come up with better ideas for the object.
Reading one was extremely entertaining! The exerts we read from out of three different books and three different authors were very good depictions of what design is and how it can be applied to daily life.
Objectified
Objectified was an interesting movie in many ways. One of the things I found most impressive about the movie was just how many sketches go into one formal design. All the different concepts for the designs must be put to paper and seeing them on paper helps people see your idea for what it is. Also this movie really depicted how long the process from idea to finished product takes. Many new ideas can be incorporated into a product as the project continues, so the product can shift and become something even better by the end. Another really interesting part of the movie was the group projects. As I watched the groups of people make a web of post-it notes on separate walls, I realized that group projects give people free reign to be extremely creative and then pair their ideas with those of their piers. I really like the idea of working with a team to develop a new product; working in teams helps to create innovative ideas that have never been thought of before.
Something else I wanted to mention about this movie was the consumerism of it all. During parts of this movie I was bewildered at the final use of some design. Some design is not beneficial for the environment, some is not cheap, and some is not necessary. So much that is designed is not necessary for life but because consumers, largely Americans, want the products, they’re made and they are catered to the needs of the wealthy. I am shocked by seeing how materialistic our culture is and how design has become ideas catering to the rich- to people who will buy the expensive product.
This movie taught me that design can be just one idea and from that one idea taking it and using it to sketch and create new and innovative things. This movie really opened my eyes to what it means to be a designer and the mindset many designers have.
Reflection
Why is Your Poster Good Design?
In my opinion my poster exemplifies good design. I spent countless hours sketching and getting to know my object, a wine glass, in completely different ways. Throughout this project I saw how many different angles I can view the glass as, I saw how the light reflected off the glass from every angle, and I saw how the curvature of the glass was exactly symmetrical. I spent most of my time learning how the shape of the wine glass affected the overall design. I learned that some curves on the glass were necessary, the ones supporting liquid. Other curves, such as those around the base, were completely there for style and uniqueness. The wine glass is amazing design in itself because it has so many aspects of good design, such as things like it is environmentally friendly, it is long lasting, it is unobtrusive, and it is simple.
My poster is designed in a unique way. I pieced together pieces of my many sketches to create a whole image of a wine glass. I placed the photograph of the wine class directly next to the collaged sketches, to show the viewer the complete image. To the left of my collage, I placed other sketches of different angles of the wine glass. I knew for a good grade I would have to add other angles and I was more than willing to add those. I also learned that the sketches, as they stood alone, created a very chaotic image. I placed the black boxes around the image to portray the same order and organization as the glass itself has. . I used the type on the upper right hand side and the thumbnails at the bottom left hand side to create balance within the poster, making the collaged sketches a focal point and the main center of emphasis.
The wine glass is extremely elegant and smooth, seemingly effortless, which is what I hoped to portray in my poster. I incorporated color and balance to make my poster go from chaos to a more organized chaos through use of boxes and symmetry. From the directions and critique given, my poster embodies good design.
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