TREES TREES TREES! (Universal Principles of Design)

BRIEF: 'The Universal Principles of Design' is a book containing and describing a set of guidelines, laws, and examples of good practice and ideas drawn from a diverse range of design desciplines. This project will introduce you to some new concepts and working methods through a team-based exploration of word, image and object in response to a set of subjects; within a family. The project will introduce and explain how specific principles work and can be used to enhance commuication and the development of clear ideas or in a more ambiguous play with meaning - proximity, law of pragnatz, hierchary, five hat racks, readability, picture superiority effect, iteration, hierachy of needs and figure-ground relationship.

PROJECT IDEA: Our subject was TREES. We spent a lot of time researching many different trees and the features each one had. We began to focus on the idea of tree rings and how they almost represent a biography of a tree as each ring represents one year of tree growth and it shows how much water a tree got or didnt get as well as what trauma it suffered, i.e. forest fires. We displayed this information using card board cut outs to demonstrate how tree rings are displayed and formed. We cut strips and created circular shapes starting from the small (heartwood) to tthe large (outerbark). This was our 3D object. For our word we explored tree typography and decided to find type within tree rubbings as well as use a tree rubbing technique to create type. The words used were tree idioms such as "barking up the wrong tree" and "can't see the wood for the trees". For our image we decided to explore the relationships people, insects and animals have with a tree. We used a particular set of mapping with a key on asitate paper to allow the audience to flip up the pages and interact.

PEA GAMES!

BRIEF: What is the best VEGETABLE in the whole wide world? That's it really. Each group needs to choose a vegetable that they feel particularly drawn towards and then when everyone's chosen their favoured vegetable they need to put forward an argument as to why their vegetable is the best vegetable in the whole wide world. The winner will be the group who manages to convince the audience that their vegetable is the best vegetable in the whole wide world. Be creative and convincing!

PROJECT IDEA: The vegetable that we chose was peas. We were trying to persuade the audience that it was the most fun vegetable so we created "PEA GAMES 2010" which involved getting the audience to interact and get involved. The games consisted of pea shooting at a target, the pea spoon race, and pea flicking and we had pea medals for each winner. We came second place...PEA ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

Seeing VS. Reading

BRIEF: While we appreciate, unquestioningly, that one of typograhpy's qualities is tthat it can be read, it is important to recognise that type is also seen. Typography, then, could be understood as the art of controlling the balance between these two principles, between seeing and reading. Working in pairs you will design two printed objects for a Tate Modern exhibtion of Rachel Whiteread's work. 1 x A1 promotional poster and 1 x 6 A5 leaflet.

PROJECT IDEA: The poster we created using InDesign was very informative and instead of stating many of the information at the botton on the poster we put it at the very top in a much more clear for where it was legiable adding tiny images of the underground symbols so it was easily recognizable. The large letters on the poster state the title of Rachel Whiteread's exhibtion entitled "I am Not Here". We overlayed each letter on top of eachother as if they were hiding (not here/ not visble). Each time a letter was overlayed the opacity was increased almost like a ghostly essence which is what Rachel Whiteread portrays through most of her pieces. This was helped through the black background. The leaflet was readible using large text and simple font. The poster was meant to be seen and the leaflet read.

FINAL ASHTRAY DESIGN!

We decided to use coffee cups to create disposable ashtrays. We obtained different sizes of coffee cups and used a perforator to cut out the slits used within all ashtrays where the cigarettes are placed. This will enable the user to easily peel back these parts after the are done drinking their coffee. The cigarrettes will be able to sit comfortably in these spots. Just as a person would put sugar in their tea or coffee which comes in small packages we decided to take on the same idea using sand. This is because the coffee cups are made of paper and may be flamable once the cigarette comes in contact with it. The person will be able to tear the sand in the cup after they are done drinking and the sand will instantly put out the flame of the cigarrette!

Ideas in the making! Everyday Objects Project

We began thinking of ways we could reinvent and recreate our object "ashtrays". We started asking around classmates and asked what they used for ashtrays and what they thought of them. Most of them said that when they're out in clubs they usually use any random beer bottle or soda can and put them in there. This got our minds wondering could anything with a opening be used as an ashtray? We got mugs, wine glasses, coffee cups etc and tried them out to see if they really would work. We also added cake tins for easier disposal of the ash.

ASHTRAYS ASHTRAYS ASHTRAYS!......stay tuned

Why am I posting ashtrays you ask? Well we were given a breif where we had to research, re-visit, re-contextualize, re-present or re-use an Everyday Object. My team of two were given ashtrays...unlucky? maybe.

Consider the visual language you use as being influential on its interpretation; bed sheets used as cape ropes etc. Transforming or translating the use/context of an object can radically alter its meaning and possible interpretations. How can you take an object and manipulate it, destroy it, re-cast it, multiply it etc. to transform its value? Considert whether the object is singular or one of many, whether functionality is altered through the morphing of two items, assecibilty (ergonomics), material value, scale, color, texture, the relationship between objects, the positive and negative space they occupy and use of work.