COLLECT, CATEGORISE, COMMUNICATE// Daimond Engagement Rings

Today I have been doing some research about diamond engagement rings for our new brief. It seems there is a rule called the '4 C's'. Cut, Colour, Clarity, Carat when looking for the correct diamonds. This article in The Guardian explains how to shop for a diamond, but lacks information about the rest of the ring. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2002/feb/13/shopping.familyandrelationships1

Also have been looking at some illustrative examples of different types of rings;

It is clear that the diamond engagement ring is a statement of money more than of love, if this were a personal brief I think it would be interesting to make a social statement about this. The Guardian article also brings up the point of the irresponsible actions of the diamond industry and their involvement in exploiting war torn areas, and how buying diamonds that have not been ethically sourced is effectively funding a rouge government or militia group.     

More articles
http://weddings.about.com/cs/weddingbands/a/weddingrings.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_2004240_buy-wedding-ring.html


Hopefully this information will form the basic content for our design.

HOW TO MAKE SMALL TALK// Primary Research

1) What do you consider to be small talk?
-Talking about the weather. Pointless conversation.
-Chit-Chat, filling in spaces where there is silence. Trivia Talk.
-Pass on rumours and news by word of mouth. Conversations had while stuck in lift.
-Short casual conversation, usually about unimportant topic.
-Light Unimportant conversation between people who don't know each other very well.
-Usually when you are with others and it would be uncomfortable not to speak.
-Chit chat, trying to fill a silence.
-Polite conversation.
-Weather, what you have done over the weekend, useless conversation.

2) In what type of situations do you use small talk?
Social -- 9
Work -- 6

3) What topics do you discuss when undertaking small talk?
Weather -- 6
TV Programmes -- 2
Sport -- 3
Current Events -- 6
Other -- 1 (work related bitching)

4) How Important do you find small talk?
Very Important -- 1
Important -- 2
Neither -- 3
Unimportant -- 2
Very Unimportant -- 1

5) Why do you think you use small talk?
-To get into conversation an break the ice.
-Break tension.
-To avoid awkward silence
-To fill up awkward silences, when there is nothing else to do
-Because I want to establish a relationship with someone
-To fill a silence, to be polite.
-Break the ice, fill silence.
-If you want to get to know people.
-To pass the time.

6) How many times a day do you think you 'small talk'?
Never -- 0
Up to 2 times -- 5
Up to 4 times -- 2
More than 6 times -- 2

7) Who do you usually engage in small talk with?
- Colleagues, friends, clients.
- Strangers
- Strangers, Acquaintances
- People when travelling or customers at work
- Anyone, most likely work colleagues
- Customers
- Grandmother

8) What age group do you usually engage in conversation with?
Under 18) -- 0
18-25) -- 6
26-40) -- 1
41-60) -- 3
Over 60) -- 2

HOW TO MAKE SMALL TALK// Secondary Research

WHO?
- Most common amongst people who do not know each-other well.
- Adults are expected to make small talk with acquaintances as part of normal social etiquette.
-Social acquaintances, meeting mutual friends or out with new date.
-Business partners/ acquaintances.

WHAT?
- Most Common small talk topic is the weather...
- Shortly followed by current events, that are considered less controversial... who won football/ xfactor.
- Can be situational, for example when stuck in a queue small talk will start regarding the queue and why it is so long.
- 'Society' deems it unacceptable to make small talk about more controversial topics like religion or politics.

WHEN?
- Small talk is most common for people who have only just met or who have seen each-other for the first time in a day.
- Small talk emerges when two or more people have little to say to each-other but would rather avoid awkwardness. Western society demands constant social interaction, leaving little time for oneself.


WHERE?
- Most commonly occurs in locations where people have to wait for something.
- Or in social settings where people are meeting for the first time.
- In places where two or more people are brought together in a public setting, waiting rooms, queues, trains, aeroplanes, buses/ couches, stadiums, an so on.
- In places where two or more people are brought together in a private setting, first dates, business meetings, parties, social gatherings.

WHY?
-To  break an 'uncomfortable silence'.
-To be polite in social situations.
-To avoid being labelled as an 'outsider'.
-As an introduction, to test water before moving on to more captivating discussion.
-Initiating conversation gets peoples adrenaline pumping which releases anxiety caused by natural social awkwardness.
-To create opportunity and network with other individuals.

HOW?
-Ask questions, allow other party to do an equal amount talking.
-Listen carefully. Use previous topics to engage
-Ask name, repeat name as much as possible to remember it. People consider it respectful and charming if you remember their names.
-Revisit previous topics to show you share some interests.
-Ask open ended questions that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no answer.
-Talk about common ground, things you share and have in common.
-Use techniques like 'the detective';
                           You: "How is the rain effecting you?"
                           Her: "I haven't been able to take the dog on a decent walk in a week."
                           You: "I have a miniature dachshund named Beau. Tell me about your dog."

-Set limits, do not 'open-up' as it were. Instead focus on points of popular interest.
-Put you heart into the conversation. 'Listening out loud' is a technique which is used to make sure others know that you are taking interest. Using 'verbal cues' like 'uh-huh'/'hmm'.
-Be confident when talking to others. Good confidence delivers good conversational practice.
-Make sure you experience new things all the time, this will work as good ammo for conversation.

http://www.ou.edu/class/bc2813/ConversationTips/MasteringSmallTalk.htm
http://www.peopleskillsdecoded.com/how-to-make-small-talk/
http://www.ehow.com/how_10812_make-small-talk.html
http://www.englishclub.com/speaking/small-talk_wh.htm
http://uk.askmen.com/money/how_to_60/62_how_to.html
http://www.redbookmag.com/recipes-home/how-to-make-small-talk

TASK 5- Initial Bibliography

Choosing a particular period from 1800 to the present, in what ways has art or design responded to the changing social and cultural forces of that period? (2 specific examples)

I have chosen to write an essay about the years immediately after the Russian Revolution during the period of Russian Constructivism. I will be exploring the vast political, social and cultural changes and how they caused the rejection of autonomous art and design due to new socialist principals.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Milner, J. (1987) Russian Revolutionary Art. London, Bloomsbury.  Ref(709.47)
A book which seems to cover many aspects of art and design during and after the revolution, but also goes into specifics focusing on main protagonists in the design world at the time: Malevich, Tatlin, Rodchenko, Vertov, etc.

Tupitsyn, M. (2009) Rodchenko and Popova: Defining Constructivism. London, Tate Publishing.  Ref(759.92)
Focuses specifically on how Rodchenko and Popova's work reflected changing social and cultural changes and how they became known as pioneers of Russian Constructivism.

Lodder, C. (1983) Russian Constructivism. New Heaven and London, Yale University Press.    Ref(709.47)
A comprehensive book about many aspects of Russian Constructivism. Also links Artists/ Designers and their work back to social and political theory of post-revolutionary Russia.

King, D. (2009) Red star over Russia: a visual history of the Soviet Union. London, Tate Publishing.    Ref(709.47)
Focuses on the period between 1917 and the death of Stalin in 1953. This is a much larger period of time that I wanted to look at but it describes an interesting shift between the death of Lenin and Stalin's rise to power and also looks into the much darker sides to Russian communism and how this was not allowed to effect design.

Wye, D. and Rowell, M. (2002) The Russian avant-garde book: 1910 - 1934. New York, The Museum of Modern Art.      Ref(709.47)
An exhibition Book showcasing design and some poetry it seems. This book is interesting because it has many different aspects of design including children's books, newspapers, pamphlets as well as the usual big posters and socialist projects.

END OF MODULE EVALUATION

STUDIO TASK 1// Aesthetics

A selection of images I find appealing to look at:

D.A Sanborn 1867

These posters really capture a generation of American style. It was pretty unique at the time and descended form a mixture of English, French and Spanish typography. I find this style so interesting because of the history and culture of the time which is evident in the style. I also love the intricate detail, almost banknote quality of print and over the top decoration which add a certain character to the poster.

Eric Frommelt 2011

“I’m obsessed with technology, maps, data visualizations, information graphics, technical diagrams, infrastructure, architecture and complexity – all of which informs my work.” -Frommelt
I am also very interested in the geometry of work, I love work which feels balanced and well composed to look at. I think Frommelt uses geometry to achieve a perfect balance between image and space in his design.  I particularly like this image because of the mixture between warm and cold colours, the huge sphere looks like a sun under construction and the net suggests three dimensions to a two dimensional image.

Atelier Olschinsky 2011

I find the whole series of photographs here (link) really aesthetically pleasing. They are photos of a classic car track day taken by a multi-talented graphic designer and photographer. The post processes seem to add saturation and depth of colour all at the same time, reflecting camera equipment present at the time many of the cars were made. Other post-process effects create this soft warm glow which could represent the 'glory days' of motor sport that the cars were made in.

Atelier Olschinsky

Another series designed by Olschinsky (link) is something I find really inspirational. Firstly the main body of the posters is filled with incredibly detailed imagery. I am unsure if it suppose to be a beautiful futurescape or a dystopian hell, which adds to the mystery of the image as well as my intrigue. The type at the top of the image is well balanced and does not take way or add to the image but sits nicely with it.

James White 2011

I love imagery associated with the film Drive, many, many designers have started creating their own fan made posters for the film as it quickly becomes a cult classic.This poster has been hailed as successful because it captures an aspect of speed with the straight horizontal lines, the colours and style also reflect the style of music and filming that the director used.

PROVERBIALLY YOURS// Message and Delivery

Inspiration from Graphic Designer Luke Lucas.

 This was a brief for Esquire magazine, In a style similar to there own, Luke had to create an image which relates to an industry, much like our brief at the moment. The idea is fairly simple but packs in the message of an article specifically about mens hair, which I think is quite impressive.

This was for a revolving poster wall at a club in Melbourne. Its tells a rather cheesy love story, but I am more interested in the typography, which looks like its from a 70's album sleeve in my opinion, however this probably reflects the tone of the club and perhaps the music or audience. I need to reflect the tone of a surgeon in my work, this sounds like it could be boring but I bet I can find a heavy clean cut font which looks the part.

This brief was for a German Magazine called Sushi, who wanted some illustrations on the theme of 'Labyrinth'. I realise here that Luke Lucas is a very adaptable typographer and that this is the importance of my current brief, for us to break out of our normal styles and try something different.
I do really like this work, the word Amazing makes up a giant labyrinth but at the same time is very difficult to make out at first. You could also say that the overall shape makes up a big square speech bubble?

Luke Lucas' most notable style is this liquid flowing typography. I am not usually a fan of this style really, but I do see how well it can suit a certain brief very well. Here it is obviously wine and the ability to turn type, a usually totally stationary form into something which really looks like its flowing across the page is very interesting.

PROVERBALLY YOURS// MESSAGE AND DELIVERY

As part of my project i have to do some research on facts about plastic surgery, specifically facts about the downsides as well as reasons for plastic surgery. The common trend in most bad cases seems to be people with mental disorders, they fix one thing and still are not happy so move onto another until they barely resemble the person they really are. Here I am looking at the facts and figures associated with plastic surgery as well as the tone of voice used in health articles and any common design themes health based websites display.

Many practices devote up to 50% of their time to returning patients back to normal.

1-ASPS Demand more patients learn more about plastic surgery before having procedures. 2- 20% No at all happy with the results of surgery.  3- 40% wished they had done more research. 4- 28% never checked their surgeons credentials. 5- More than half of the patients had been concerned about potential complications related to surgery, but had not been properly informed about them. 6- "You can afford to be nonchalant about some things, but surgery is not one of them." - Dr. Roxanne Guy, president of ASPS

Most concerns with cosmetic surgery seem to stem from worries about the patients mental health, medicals associations are calling for cosmetic surgeons to make sure that the prospective patients aren't seeking for surgery because they are mentally ill. 

Information about demographics who use plastic surgery the most. It is becoming popular for over 50s.

OTHER FACTS:

-Where cosmetic surgeries were performed: office facility, 56%; free-standing surgicenter, 24%; and hospital, 19%.

More research to come....

PROVERBIALLY YOURS// Message and Delivery

This Turkish Graphic Designer 'Kutan' has created some work about various neighborhoods in Istanbul. Each one has type and image which reflects aspects of the neighborhood, be it in culture, history, or stereotype. For Example, after doing some research I have found that Tarlabasi is a very poor and dangerous area with a large migrant population. The skull and crossbones with smoke can reflect the danger of the area. Also Kapilicarsi is where the grand bazaar is located and Beyoglu is known for its large pedestrian cobbled streets. 

All the separate, squares follow a similar layout and feel, mostly with a label, sticker or badge over photography. Each one has a special meaning and I could take this style in consideration when I design my my Mailshot. They are very visually appealing while being very simple, but also packed with meaning.

Sariyer District is a wealthy seaside district with a history of traditional fishing. The photography looks like the big cloudy sky you see when looking out to sea and the faded label suggests bleach-blown signage. Also note the seabird and waves on the label.

Nisantasi is an upmarket quarter of Istanbul with a heavy fashion following, hence the fur coat. This time the text is overlay and multiplied onto the image. It is in the thin, prosperous style that fashion labels like to use.

I hope I can learn to use image in this subtle way for this brief. It would have been easy for Kutan to have just taken images of the neighborhoods and added text but some thought has gone into each image.

MODERN AND POST-MODERN

Examples of Modern and Post Modern Design;

POST MODERN- Seb Lester, 2007-2011

- Form is prioritised before function.
- Use of mixture of old styles/ following old techniques.
- Designer/ has tried to be 'fashionable', ensuring that this design style will at some point go out of fashion.
- Sacrifices legibility for decoration.


MODERN- Porsche Posters 1960-72

- Functional posters, very clear (for Germans)
- Simple use of colours
- Simple and functional bold type, no decoration of type. 
- Uses most modern print process of era, with mixture of photography and text.