Comparison and Contrast

Lately, I’ve been comparing the processes of silk screening and graphic design due to the fact that I am currently taking both Design 1 and Chicano 73 (the silk screening class). Having these two classes juxtaposed back to back against each other, I have begun to see their correlating factors and values.

To me, the outcome or the product is the same. As a silkscreen artist and someone aspiring to be a graphic designer, we must first plan our layout. The placement of information such as graphics and text are all equally important in silk screening and graphic design. We both convey the same information but how we get to finish makes us different.

Milton Glaser, Psychedelic, 1983

Both the silkscreen artist and the graphic designer must finish design a plan. A layout for their product, then they must split the design into layers. Each layer is basically another plan, a layout of a specific color. However, while the graphic design can design their layout on a computer program and sort them out accordingly. The silk screener must design their layouts manually using exacto knives, ink pens, acetate, ruby lift, and other expensive products.

Malaquias Montoya, Vietnam Aztlan, 1973

I believe that learning two of the processes is equally important. One teaches the basics and importance of traditionally done work, it demonstrates the time, effort, and patience the silk screener must work to create a semi-limited print. While the other is a new-age technology that is generally quicker but applies the same basic principles of silk screening.

These two classes illustrate my reasoning in picking my two majors art studio and design because I believe in the importance of learning both traditional and modernistic ways of producing art.

Gestalt's Psychology

Gestalt is a German term that means the essence of shape of an entity’s complete form, or in simpler terms, a set regarded as a whole.

In design, we learned about the Gestalt effect in which our senses will create forms in respect to visual recognition and fill in whole forms instead of focusing on a small area of lines, curves, or shapes.

We specifically learned that, Gestalt Theory, was about three things.

1. Understanding perception as a process of pattern making ie. The organization of patterns and the meaning of recognition.

2. Perception is self-organizing.

3. Spontaneous drive towards spontaneity.

In other words, gestalt in design is about figuring out the big picture.

But then I remember my mentor once telling me about this artist, J.C. Leyendecker who illustrated figures in which their limbs and heads were depicted clearly while their bodies blended into the background.

Art work by J.C. Leyendecker

This concept is similar to the Gestalt Theory since while only the limbs and head appear, our visual recognition forces us to imagine the rest of the body. Making the rest body appear to us despite the lack of imagery. This unique concept demonstrates to us that we need little to create.

Thus, in this unique way we were able to get to the picture by making use of what we know already.

Design As A Conversation

Design As A Conversation

We define conversation as a verbal or nonverbal exchange; it is an interaction between people or people and things. A conversation can be about the act of sharing information or discussion. A conversation can be about learning from one another by “talking”.

And people do talk.

But that is how we share information; we hear it through the “grapevine.” We gossip, we argue and we engage with one another. We converse and that is how we share information. The Internet only provides another form of communication, a faster form, which spreads news like wildfire. For instance, Facebook’s ever changing design allows pretty much anyone who post information to be stalked on the newsfeed. As each new layout is introduced to the accepting and conforming masses, we are acquainted with new ways to discover information about our friends and family members. (Unless you utilize the block tool.)

Which brings us to the issue of design.

Design as a conversation, to be more specific – As an artist: we use, create, format, arrange things unknowingly to create a piece that would “talk” to our audience. We try to create things that would make them stop and think. We try to make people say “Wow” because that “wow” will make them pause and consider the message we are trying to convey.

Objects in design are similar in that they want to convey their message nonverbally. Instead of talking, the audience must understand exactly what the object is trying to “say”.

For example, Graphic designer Roeland Otten made something called “communicative seating” in which he created a prototype of alphabet chairs and stools from lacquered MDF. The general idea for the chairs was to be able to create words by arranging letters while at the same time the pieces were able to function as comfortable seating.

Thus, the conversation between the audience/buyer and the alphabet chairs would be the ability to actually arrange a “conversation” by arranging the chairs. Also, the consumer would have to deduce that these creative alphabet blocks are indeed chairs. Letter chairs, in fact, letter chairs that you can sit on. How amazing is that?

These typographic chairs can be bought exclusively letter-by-letter, allowing the consumerist to create whatever word they should like.

So not only did Roeland Otten make his chairs functional, but he designed them to be educational as well. Using a very simple construct such as the 26 letters of the alphabet impose on the function of a chair, his letter chairs can converse with the consumer in many ways.

Creativity From Without

As with any artist or designer, there are times where it is necessary to take inspiration from the natural world. It is important to learn to draw from experience and very important to utilize one’s emotions felt in the moment. It is important to seize the opportunity to express one’s idea, whether through basic sketching or using raw materials around for a simplistic depiction of that idea. Even using a camera to expose a detail about life never noticed before is a genuinely new simplistic idea, one that conveys using nature to inspire.

One artist that I have been learning about lately from two of my current classes this quarter is Karl Blossfeldt. A photographer that took up close up shots of plants, these magnified shots changed perspectives in the way people looked at plants. In design, we examined his work as a way of seeing designs in the way plants grow, how they have design forms in the way the vines twisted and curved. How natural forms can depict common design forms, demonstrating exactly how designers and artists can learn from nature if they take the time to notice the way nature designs itself in raw materials.

Karl Blossfeldt (1865-1932)

Where as in my art history photography class, we talked about Karl Blossfeldt, as an artist who saw the beauty in natural forms. How the natural form appears to be an imitation of people and due to the way the shapes of the plant embodies humans, he shows us our deeper connection to nature.

Karl Blossfeldt, Pumpkin Tendrils Magnified 4x, 1928

The intriguing idea of plants seen through a magnified view was interesting from the art and design point of view. While design and art both examined form, they both saw and understood something different through the pictures he took. Design saw concepts, and art seek a deeper meaning in the close up forms.

Karl Blossfeldt, Unknown

The idea that a picture can stir up several different meanings without explanation from the artist brings up the concept that art should be freely interpreted. I believe that is the true meaning of art, that art should be allowed to be interpreted by anyone without knowing the artist’s true intention.

Stone Soup

An interesting activity I participated in last Tuesday, October 5, 2010, was an activity called Stone Soup. This activity was based upon the story called Stone Soup, which was a tale about hungry soldiers that would eat people out of house and home when they took lodgings there. Eventually, the townspeople became afraid of these ravenous soldiers and decided to deny them food. Cleverly, these soldiers designed a way to get everyone in the village to give them some food. They asked for a stone and a pot of water to cook the delicious stone soup, during the preparation they begged each villager if they could give them one ingredient that they had to spare (whether it was a carrot, potatoes, I think you get the idea!). As people began to throw in one ingredient each into the pot, the soup began to smell and taste delicious. Eventually the soup was completed and everyone was able to enjoy stone soup.

While our activity for Stone Soup did not involve food, it was cleverly devised for beginning design students to learn to create, communicate, and have fun by using only the items we brought to class. The plan was to get us to enjoy our work, by not having to think about having a deeper message to our design. It was also to get us to participate in a rare activity that exercised our creativity and test our ability to accept the product of our work.

At the beginning of Stone Soup, we were off to a rough start. No one had an idea as to where to began. I and a few others offered ideas to get us started and without any plans (or drawings) we got to work. Through evolution, trial and failure, we eventually developed an idea that took form by accident.

Process of Stone Soup

As we began to mold our creation an interesting abstracted representation of human beings that began to take shape. Individual ideas were blended into the creation such as adding small details like clothing or facial expressions that gave our stuffed beings life.

Results!

I believed that the lesson learned here was design is sometimes about using the bare materials that you have, understanding the challenges and restrictions, overcoming them by teamwork, appreciating individual ideas, communication, and most importantly having fun.

Signed an amused artist,

Caroline

Design: Verb, Noun, or Both. Oh my!

Design is like a double threat when defined. To answer the question, “Is design a verb or a noun?” Well to me? It is both.

Design is a verb because it can be something that you’re doing. To design is to create a plan. It is the action of creating, as in the moment of doing design.

On the other hand, design is very much like a noun as it can refer to the item designed, the plan, or the idea. Hence, the noun definition of design refers to the plan or the steps taken to build your “idea”.

Thus, design is a very fluid term, because design is about everything and with such wide specifications there is no wonder that design is both a noun and a verb.

In Design 1, we decided to decipher and pick apart the roots of the word. The etymology of design can be derived from either its Latin roots or its Greek roots.

The Latin root of design was signare, which means, “to mark” or the action of mark making. Or in other words it means to sign, as in to sign or make your mark.

Where as in Greek, the root word for design means “approximately” which is interesting because we would believe that design would have to be exactly complete not incomplete. Professor Housefield mentioned that the Greek word for design meant trying to capture the invisible idea. Trying to complete an idea of an object that is in the process of becoming.

And finally from the Italian language, the word design is truly formed from the word disegno in which is it believed that Leon Battista Alberti who wrote the book Alberti, On Painting (1435), who brought the idea of design in to being.

Leon Battista Alberti, On Painting (1435) 

So now that I’ve defined my definition of design and explained its etymology from what I’ve learned in class. What is your opinion of the word design? Is it a noun, a verb, or both?

Thanks for joining me on this educational PSA,

Caroline

GPS>Options>Points Of Interest

Recently, we were asked to read Michael Bierut’s online article “Warning: May contain Non Design Content” (August 31, 2006) posted on The Design Observer.

The article was interesting in that it contained nothing about design hence the title. However, the most important emphasis the article made to me was that if you are asked to design, create, or make something, you should ONLY do the project if you are absolutely interested in it.

I whole-heartedly agree with this idea.

I have discovered that important lesson in my art classes. When there was a prompt that had little to do with my interest, even after research, inspiration would escape my reach.

However, whenever I was given the opportunity to create something I was truly interested in, I found myself filled with passion for my work and I believe that the intensity of that passion can be seen and felt as a result. For example, my favorite pieces of art were paintings done in my beginning painting class because the professor gave us the opportunity to create whatever we wanted.

Bierut, too, had realized that his best work always involved subjects and issues that he felt completely involved; especially subjects he was interested in learning about and/or subjects he was currently passionate about.

As a counter point, Bierut demonstrated through his own life example that it was possible to create something that you knew little or had no interest in and perhaps even be proud of your work at the end. However, when he eventually was able to learn about the work after the project, he realized his design, his creation for the issue was completely wrong.

Thus, it is always possible to create something. To produce some work or piece that is a reflection of skills. However, in order to create good work or great work, I feel that it is always necessary to have that interest.

Thus, find an interest, but always “be ready for anything.” – Michael Bierut

Signed an inquiring mind,

Caroline

Lion King: I just can't wait to be king.

As an art and design student, my first interest with both began with film.

Television was one of the few constants in my early developmental years. (Not to say that people weren’t a part of it either, but film is generally all around.) My first recollection of the first movie I ever remember seeing was The Lion King. The movie was filled with bright colors and tones, unique shapes and scenery, and a masterful composition and design. It was inspiring to see a story come to life based on drawings and conceptual design.

The Lion King, 1994 - Disney

So I believe that an important element along with communication is the creative design of color and function, the ability to know how color can work and relate to the images in the scene – and how they can be representative of form and shape.

Because it is film, it relies mostly on your vision and hearing. Lion King, for me, was about catchy tunes and vibrant colors. It was about the personable characters and how the scene was always moving along, thus keeping you entertained. And how can it not? Film is something you have to give your full attention to in order to learn from it.

However, the compositional design of the film showed me a world outside the city suburban life. It depicted a scene of the savannah, which allowed the audience to imagine utilizing their other senses such as touch, smell and even taste.

Touch: in relation to the lion’s fur coat, the intricately drawn grass, and all other scenes that depicted transitory ideas like water. While it is drawn depiction, we all know how water feels in our hands, so we can thus imagine how it flows.

Smell: is similar to transitory ideas like water. Even as a child, we all have recollections of certain smells, which is why I won’t go into details about why all the animals wouldn’t even stand downwind of Pumba.

Taste: this issue is a little more difficult but the most memorable scene is the bug-eating scene. Frankly, we all don’t really to imagine it. It’s just sort of disgusting.

Timon from The Lion King, 1994 - Disney

So how does this relate to design? As I grew, I began taking a look at behind the scenes clips that showed how the movie was made. These clips emphasized the creating animated films using digital and traditional based concepts demonstrating the importance of mastering both mediums.

Thus, my first movie became my inspiration for my majors. Go figure.

Signed a “maturing” artist,

Caroline

Ceci n'est pas une pipe.

On the first day of Design 1 at UC Davis, we were shown this picture.

The Treason of Images (1928-29) - René Margitte

The Treason of Images (1928-29) drawn by René Margitte. The image is a realistic painting of pipe with a factual statement below written in French, “Ceci n’est pas une pipe.” or translated in English “This is not a pipe.”

At first, I could not understand why and how this particular painting could be related to design. Fortunately, I had learn of artist Belgian René Margitte in one of my previous art history classes and I remembered that his surrealist art was intended to provoke and challenge his audience into defining their impressions of reality. To evoke philosophical thought of a simple object into something that defies the norm.

The painting of the pipe and statement is a contradiction, a paradox. While the image is of a pipe, the painting itself is not, therefore the caption “This is not a pipe.” That idea is the key.

His philosophical idea made me think. While there were a few big questions surrounding design, like “Who are the people of design?” “What is the place of design in our society?” and “What do we ask design to do?” What was one of the biggest questions that I as student seek?

While it is important to relate design to and for the people, how do I try to design something that is consistently innovative and interesting? How do I design something that will not only attract but also be functional at the most simplest and basic level of understanding? But that is a question I know that will never be truly answered, because I will always be learning.

One lesson that I have discovered through basic attendance of Professor’s Housefield’s class is the act of communication. In every lecture thus far the whole class has been asked to communicate not only with each other but also with our now assigned mentors.

Thus, lesson one begins in the journey to answer those big questions.


Thanks for listening,
Caroline