Research update

Currently I'm trying to read 'Psychological Aesthetics, Painting, Feeling and Making Sense' by David MacLagan (2001), although I'm having some difficulty. I think I may need to tackle some lower level reading on the topic to inform my research. I did get a few things from the book however:

• Psychological aesthetics - the relation between aesthetic qualities and psychological effects these have the spectator
• Aesthetic experience - Something that is not easily articulated in language

Arduino

Although I'm not necessarily going to make more physical objects, I have been told by a colleague about the wonderful world of Arduino. It is an open source electronics prototyping platfrom, designed to make the process of using electronics simpler and more accessible. Its intended users are artists, designers, hobbyists and anyone interested in creating interactive objects. It allows people with less than brilliant technological understanding to create beautiful light displays or robotics.

UWE Graphic Arts website

Initial design for UWE website presented to rest of the class:

Simplistic design with a basic black and white theme

• Uses a colour coding system for the actual showcase
• Idea is that everyone can access and update the site with their own work (passing some of the responsibility over to individual team members)
• Can be used for future showcases and examples of previous students work
• Blog facility means that essentially it is possible for blogs to be kept online
• Can also be used to market the course!

The site went down well with everyone happy with the outcome!

Progress update

This week I've felt hugely rushed. I've taken out a number of books that I'm quite looking forward to reading but time hasn't been on my side. This hasn't been helped by house viewings (as we are selling our flat), meaning that I'm having to keep my work tidied away! My main focus has been preparing for the show. I feel if I can be prepared for this early, I can get back to developing my new ideas for my practice. This week has involved scouring the internet and shops for a drum to make the Zoetrope from (which will be in the Work In Progress Show) and consideration of how to improve the scanimation (which may or may not be in the show).

Website
In terms of the site, I've decided to install Wordpress on the server in order to allow everyone to update their own areas. The template will be original but through Wordpress, it should be possible for the site to evolve over time for other uses. Through discussion with others in the group we feel a simple template as a backdrop to the work would make the most sense. Although just because something looks simple doesn't mean it will be the easiest to code!

Helvetica

I watched the film Helvetica today, mostly due to the fact that as I am predominantly a 'web designer', I'm not as clued up on typography as I would like to be.

It was much more than typography though. I found the elements of subjective versus objective and discussion of mood and atmosphere particularly interesting. I think I will do some further research on Michael C. Place as I felt some affinity to the reasons why he designs and what he finds of interest.

Motion Graphics

Week 1 of Developing Practice

This class really hit home how much I need to evolve some of my current habits. My knowledge of visual artists and practitioners could still be improved and I could do with working out ways to use my time more effectively. On the plus side though, I generally did quite well in the previous module and have some ideas as to how to progress the module forward.

Working out priorities and strategies:

• What is the QUESTION about Graphic Arts practice that I would really like to find an answer to?
• What RESEARCH can I carry out to help me find my answer?
• What SOURCES can I identify to help me find my answer?
• How will I ANALYSE the material I find?
• How will I DECIDE what is relevant/useful?
• What happens if I find there are several answers, or no answers... JUST MORE QUESTIONS?

Initial thoughts:

• What is the perception of visual/interactive media? (emotional/learnt/cultural/physical)
• Audience analysis of Graphic Arts
• Perception of colour/imagery/sequence/medium/interactivity on the audience
• How to tell a story without words/simple narration
• Affect of sequence on audience perception
• Current perceptions of...
• Removing self from process
• Impact of technology on magic/illusion/perception
• Why is analogue more magical
• How to create a sense of magic in design
• Perception of colour, imagery, sequence, interactivity on the audience

So... basically no idea of my question for Graphic Arts at the moment. Will attempt this again at a later stage as I'm definitely having some trouble explaining myself. In short I'm interested in the elements of magic that came about through my previous projects. I'd like to investigate why people feel something is magical, or other sensations through specific mediums. I would like to involve the audience more in my process and hopefully understand them better through it.

Initial thoughts for 'Developing Practice' module

Focus more on perception of design in order to integrate some of the aspects learned from the previous module...

Such as

• colour theory
• imagery interpretation
• semiotics
• the way things are written
• Games to assess how things affect people
• Use a variety of media to test emotions towards certain mediums

MUCH more reading/evaluation/testing

LESS 'finished' work MORE process MORE research

Elements from previous module to continue:

• Play
• Interaction
• Perception
• Time-based/sequence