UniWidge

Working through my design document for Human Centre Design I found some partially blogged projects that really aren't getting the credit they deserve on me ol' blog! This was UniWidge, a project Kirstyn and I worked on. The widget would synchronise with blackboard, and be available free to students in order to help them organise a study schedule, and remind them of talks and deadlines as well as having the option to manage a social calendar.

I missed the NHS

This was the Monicom device that Agui and I thought up for a HCD, forgot to post the old girl up. Top job on this one, first time at using personas and they were fairly solid if I do say so myself. The scenario was lengthy, and I have actually just remembered I did try to blog this at the time, but whilst I was writing my spiel the internet cut out! On that note, Northumbria is a fine University yada yada, but the internet is so slow it's stupid. It is all those lonely students watching porn and using chat roulette.

iLift Me Up (Finally)

Better late than never, this is the iLift work we did as a group project for HCD. 3 out of the 4 group project we completed, and arguably the most successful.

The iLift application is designed for the overly popular iPhone. Working in conjunction with an 'intelligent lift' the application would allow lift occupants of a 5000 floor building to choose music, video and other forms of entertainment to improve their potentially timely vertical journey up or down the building.

The brief saw us branch out to other groups, discussing their ideas and essentially taking onboard their views and concerns and then bettering them.

First hand research at its best, I felt we came up with a solid concept as well as researching the current tallest building in the world (Burj Khalifa) located in Dubai with just 160 floors, and the time taken to travel those 206 floors indicated a need for such an application. (5000 floors being a ridiculous amount of floors....)

Human Centred Finale

The approach to the final HCD project I thought was spot on. Base research was started the same day Aguinaldo and I started discussing ideas and soon we were rolling with interface ideas, and what the outcome should include and how we should present it. Unfortunately, in between the initial motivated stage and the implementation stage, we had the Easter break, at which point barely anything got done.

Being 200 miles away from Newcastle Central didn't help, and consequently being 200 mies from my group partner. But it is hardly and excuse and I was sure come presentation time, our project would show that we had a clear 3 week gap in the middle of it and be overly poor.

Bafflingly this wasn't the case, in fact come presentation time comments were that it was a solid presentation and that we covered the areas well. Fair play we are first years so maybe the criticism was never going to be that harsh, but the fact of the matter is it could and should have been 200% better than it was.

The adaptive fast ticket machine, it isn't revolutionary no, but I would bet a fair bit that they will come into play in some way. Look at Spotify as an adaptive device, and the itunes store. They are much more intelligent adaptive systems than what we were proposing, and it is only a matter of time before those systems successfully trail down into everyday working systems such as ticket purchases, grocery purchases etc.

All in all, I would have liked to have concentrated and had more planning over the interface. Aguinaldo is a flash master, however the interface he created was that of a existing fast ticket machine with just a new button for our adaptive feature. Which in reality, would just make things increasingly complicated.

Though I suppose that is the problem with group projects, and to be honest this one unfortunately took a back burner because of the chosen subject. Helping a couple of other people with their more exciting ideas, Dave and Rach's shopping trolley and Steve and Jammy's Interactive bar, just made me very unenthused about mine and Aguis. But that is something I will hope to build on in the future, concentrate on my own work first before helping others.

And so it ends

All over now, just the design documents to compile and I'm officially done with Year 1. Now, the presentation of my work for Typography and Hypertextuality went just fine. It's a shame that I didn't concentrate my efforts on the print based area more, as Mike's suggestions about making the book feel and look a little bit aged would have benefitted the outcome greatly. However the digital side of the project (website) was much better, and realised in a more pleasing manner.

There are a few things I can take from the final project, not only new technical skills and software knowledge, but also time management and working with and helping other people out on the course.

There was not a lot of group feedback on my presentation, not that there really ever is, but my print based work certainly didn't have the wow factor that Faith's pop-up book did for example, nor did my website hold the attention as much as Matt's did. Although referring directly to the brief, I think I was the only person in effect to make an interactive website...so there you go.

Human Centred Train Tickets

Final HCD project of the year, sadly I might add. A new and deeper way of thinking for all to get something decent for this one, and I am confident Aguinaldo and I identified a need for an adaptive device through our research on public systems. Although the further we looked into the train station and its workings, the more problems we seemed to unearth!

A particular highlight was during a visit to the station when we were doing some video work, we found that the annoying ticket barriers could be opened with any ticket! Even one I had from April that was from London to Cheltenham! So wanting to have a system that eradicated the barriers, we found they were totally useless as a security device anyway.

The overall aim for Ags and I was to make the fast ticket adaptive. It is all very well using a self-service machine, but as it does not know who is using it, you have to start from step 1 every time. Language in fact, is the only thing the current fast ticket machines can assume due to the country in which it finds itself placed.

For a regular traveler our adaptive ticket machine utilises a hard plastic card, credit card sized in order to store journey information and train station shop purchases. This card replaces the current discount rail cards, as well as weekly, monthly and yearly passes.

The regular traveler card is inserted into the fast ticket machine in order to load preference details, very much like a club/store card. The fast ticket machine will then show on screen what your most likely destination will be, and what time your next rain is leaving.

Other factors considered will include: ticket price, seating preference, class preference, time of travel, number of changes.

The advantages of the adaptive fast ticket are obvious. Not only does it improve the speed of the current fast ticket machines, but also saves the traveler money on both train tickets and train station purchases. This in turn benefits the train companies and the train station based businesses with repeat business.

Anyway, I'm sure all these points will be made in the main presentation. I'm sure. I hope. Bye bye.

Quoth the Raven!

I did it, in time, slowly. Firstly the print based part of the brief. Bound by my own fair hands using black cable wraps I found near a building site. The use of brown card as the front and back cover are meant create the feeling that the book is of age and could have been found in the chamber mentioned in the extract. The images within the book are ones I imagined as I read through the extract time and time again. Between every page is an acetate sheet, on which it printed a singular letter which through the book gradually spells, 'NEVERMORE', the major word used throughout the extract.

On the right, is a vertical view of my main navigation screen for the website. After toiling with 3-4 designs, this one came together as I came to realise how many different flash techniques I had learnt whilst trying to get different animations/functions to work. Although I didn't have enough time to create links for all the 11 potential buttons, I did manage to have a bit of fun and create a 'click the crow' game...although I'm not sure how much fun it is...you just click crows and they make noises. (It makes me smile and is interactive...so it's staying) Also experimented with basic masks, keyframes galore and a bit of animation/audio syncing. It is pleasing slightly, I am just pleased to have learnt some skills on the way.

Stalking Panda Power

Pandas that were in the Design Museum in Laaaandan near tower bridge. My favourite restaurant is 2 minutes walk from there, awesome views of the bridge at night time and did a gorgeous steak. I remember once though a pie had to be sent back due to being slightly too cool. They stack chips like Jenga.

Beware Wet Paint 68&69

From the book Beware wet paint, a collection of works by Alan Fletcher. Just made me smile!

Collar me, I walk far

I am developing the 8 page website now, done in flash mainly using the trace function. Hardly advanced stuff but I'm thinking of making it like a flick through website as you would a book. This is actually one of the images I produced for the printed booklet which is now ready to print and bind. Student elections yada yada is going on right now, I was sat on a table next to them all for the quiz night in the SU and one of them went to the bar to accuse me of cheating when in fact I was booking tickets for the megabus...now do I want to vote for petty people? Or people that bang their feet on the floor and their hands on the table just for 'the laugh'. Don't these people get paid money for those positions? Yes, they do. Should I vote for any of them? No I shouldn't. Did I vote?Yes, I did. Confusing world, we beat them in the quiz anyway, all 13 of them - justice.

Hello, meet said person, let said person talk

Most people I hear talking about Art or anything Design related I usually presume have some knowledge of that area, something that I have not thought about or cannot connect with. Something about my grammatical mind makes me think Art and Design as words should start with capitals. They are nouns, unique and singular perhaps? The more people I meet who are involved with the 'creative' industry make me feel like there is nothing unique about these words at all, nor the meaning behind them. The existence of artists such as Damien Hirst pain me, simply playing a target market. All the time I studied fine art, although I took a lot from it in terms of reference and ideas, it always seemed to me that unless you had people with money to buy into your 'ideas' you would not become much of a 'artist'. Perhaps I am overly critical, perhaps I over think things. All I can really say is there are systems, there are ways of working, and understanding these systems, and that is far more important than creative idea generation. That is what I took from todays talk anyway from David Burrows as I have it noted. Fair play he is successful, I just wonder when did he last sit back and enjoy life for what it is, technological advancement is great and I applaud it, but now and then, hug a tree, walk bare footed on the sand for fuck sake, life isn't a computer screen. Less of this.

Jenny Holzer, you old sage!

Little did I know on attending the Baltic that I had already experienced Jenny on a trip to Venice. The above blurred image shows the exact installation I witnessed at the ripe age of 18. The difference between then and now? I actually bothered to find out what her work is actually about this time, and I find her slightly dated. That isn't to say i don't appreciate her work, or her intent. Her work to me said, very good for her time. Still very engaging and holds a depth that very much made me believe she was an impressive artist (unlike Damien Hirst who is just a terrible exploiter of the modern art world - he can go away soon please)
Looking at her work as a way of presenting her thought paths, her ideas recognised in such a fashion, I actually thought I took quite a lot from her exhibition. The human bones coupled with engraved metal rings, once I understood they referenced rape victims in the Yugoslavia war, and that even the position of the rings meaning you could only read a little of the text, represented how not all the information from these victims had been portrayed/released. Hmmmm....I'm thinking. I have seen many things in my time design wise, experienced lots, now I am seeing how Interactive Media Design (whoop) linked with Artistic thinking (Hmmm) can almost form the ultimate creative design. Is anybody following that? Certainly makes me think anyway.

Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

Something I don't usually do on a Saturday is sit in a bar and work on my Uni projects, it's true, that is just damn right rude to my friends! Buddies and pals! But still, I think I've made reasonable progress. The image white on black, I can't help but feel I have lifted the idea from somewhere or at least acted upon some influence, but what it is I have no idea because I just...did it. All I can think about is the scream paintings by Edvard Munch...never mind, I think it is about time I ate or got drunk, liquid dinner.

Elephantitis

This is for the indesign magazine tutorial. You know I have these odd hot pains just under my ribs, what on earth? I am sleepy today too, inDesign although very useful in principal, functionality wise I am still a bit unsure. Personalize your workspace, top tip if you can be bothered, I - cannot.

Alan Fletcher on the art of looking sideways

Bush endings

This beauty I just found was the ending of my flash presentation for the semester A project. The intention was after presenting a playful game aimed at children, I would hit the audience on their own level. Kate Bush - This Woman's Work features, it is tried and tested...but I am actually listening to Damien Rice right now, must have a thing for depressing music!

Ambient sweaty hand

Ok so this is the ambient device we didn't actually present...perhaps for good reason. The concept was a full body suit that you would wear for jogging, with a built in smart display that showed you statistics of your exercise, distance travel, speed, heart rate etc. It didn't get presented as I was absent with the files...whoopsie! But I think it would have taken quite a lot of BS to get through the presentation without people falling asleep anyway. I mean, we are talking about a glorified pedometer if I'm honest...do you know 3 members of SClub 7 are performing in mood tonight? Makes me think...they probably only needed 3 in the first place, but S Club 3 just doesn't roll off the tongue as well does it. On that note blazing squad, how many people constitute a squad? Ey? EY!?

Tickle my Widget

CSS, certainly sexy stuff

I've got a cold...and it sucks so badly, what is the point in colds anyway? Just a mucus party, that's it. So These are screen shots from the CSS tutorial. Basically creating CSS using a tool instead of typing it in code. I actually think a tutorial in coding would be simpler! Less of the, click here if you are windows, hold fn-ctrl-alt-c,d and t if you are on Mac...plus understanding code would be a lot more beneficial than just understanding Dreamweaver as a program. But anyway, job's a good 'n, I will be looking to apply a style sheet to my portfolio website, as it is pretty ideal to have a style sheet applied to it, quite a bit of text on there! Chicken soup ahoy!

Fontsruct away

'Kilmar' was one of 2 fonts I constructed on www.fontstruct.com. As a free website I'm going to give it a 9/10, as an actual usable program it is a bit of a ball ache. I just went free hand on my ass, basically drew with the mouse as if it were a pen. I think using a tablet would create some more varying and interesting results.

Digital Cube

READY...STEADY...CUBE! Yes it is a digital cube, I'm not going to repeat what I went though in my presentation because it was lots of BS. But this was Kirstyn and my idea...super awesome cool nice one.

We had to make a non-digital font...right. I think photographing the font and displaying them in pdf format kind of detracts from the material nature of the font...yes/no? Basically down to laziness I used the laundry I had just completed washing (£6 a pop you know) and just laid it out on the back of some mount board I had already used. Upper and lower case, question, exclamation marks, comma and full stop. You know I like Damien Rice, I don't care how depressing his music is.

Find some type, flick it

Ok so I've done a couple of briefs like this one before. Head out with your old compact and snap some type! What else can I say about it really? Signage in itself seems very unvaried, especially the ones you see walking around town. Much like today's graphic design, all samey and overly uninspired. Here is something more useful that I learnt today though, I always thought antidisestablishmentarianism was the longest word in the English dictionary...but no, it is in fact Floccinaucinihilipilification but that is in non-technical terms bare in mind.

For some reason text still isn't working right on here...stupid blog, stupid tuesday.

Hello blog! Did you miss me?

First couple of weeks back, and new briefs galore. Well not galore, but we have them. Human centred design is a new module which we've started, relatively pleasing. Group work is on the agenda and the 3 of us got together to tackle the first project which was to make a cube, simple yes? Yes. And to be fair the choice to build if from fruit, veg and cocktail sticks was not too bad.

The results are here for all to see! She is a beaut. It is what it is however so I can't blab too much about it, I'm happy with the group though, I have just amused myself by branding them JK...I need some sleep. Also being away from the blogging scene, Safari has lost my preferences so now it keeps crapping around. I mean wtf is that underline all about? sod it.

Ramble about posters, I would

Ok so yesterday was the poster crit, and it was interesting, enough to keep me awake anyway. Some of the ideas made me think, especially the euthanasia and the anti BNP ones. I think overall as a feedback session some people didn't get as much credit as they deserved, I think reflecting on different work in such a short period of time can make you lose objectiveness especially when you have a run of decent designs. I think as a themed topic a lot of the posters failed to make a significant impact, mine included, but then I think that is a fault with the brief as it didn't specify that the posters should flow or have any sort of coherence. Having said that, because the brief wasn't that specific it did allow me to explore different avenues further down the line that arguably resulted in me producing some of my most successful posters. Due to the nature of my presentation I didn't really get any group feedback that was useful. By that I mean as I talked through my work I highlighted the problems with some of the design choices and also the strengths and weaknesses of each poster so there was little else my course mates could have commented upon. That isn't to say I am an all seeing, all knowing poster designer, it's simply I am my biggest critic no matter how fiercely from time to time I will defend my design choice, but also because I have reasonable graphic design knowledge for a first year student. Nooowwww, why the naked picture? Male buttocks? It is because through quite an open presentation I got some decent relaxed feedback from the group, one idea in particular was that with the photographed field poster, it could have been realized by having a row of people holding hands and running through the field naked. I'm not going to go into the reasons why that would be effective as I've written enough already, but I was pleased with the way my presentation interacted with the group and made a few people respond. At the end of the day, that is the point of propaganda right? making people react? Super duper, and on one last note there are 2 impressive illustrators on our course who I would say should be encouraged to pursue their traditional methods. If anything their designs deteriorate when put into digital format, however much I celebrate digital tools such as Photoshop and Illustrator, I would love to have that kind of natural drawing ability and interactive media design...I don't think they will realize their true potential on this course.I think that is a shame as Rachel and James are impressive artists. FIN!

Mount me, now don't I look better

Mount board £10, double-sided tape £2.75, printing credits £8, waiting 2 hours to have your propaganda posters printed off by a shocking network printer set up in the Northumbria Design building...priceless? Try annoying or even unnecessary. But never mind. I do think they look better mounted, the 2 predominantly white posters are even whiter than usual because the .pdf wasn't set up properly, and I'll be damned if I was going to go to the back of the queue again, plus they aren't exactly striking so i think I will be feeding the recycling bin with them some time soon. But they are all on A3 mounted on A1 and I really like the Jamie Reid style poster, also probably the face...book one, if you get me there. Yep poster design indeed. I saw one of my course mates Agi's poster today on his blog, he also found the existing poster of the 'QUIET' design, and has done his own version, I changed mine more than he did but it still made me think back to a previous blog entry of mine - rehashed graphic design, yada yada. My hair is getting so long, I swear I'm going to start finding food in it and ALSO it snowed a lot today, icy pavements ladies and gents, watch your step.

Feeding back on the feedback

So today I presented my portfolio site, first up 'n all! Erm...you know it went ok, I know the site has a professional look and that is intended, seeing as it is a similar design to that of TukTuk's, and so I can appreciate the comments made that it didn't reflect 'me' as an individual that much apart from the 'who' page which has a big ass cut out image of my head. I think I got a lot of decent feedback, that my logo needs to be worked on is something I knew already and thats a simple job really. Other then that, create an actual homepage instead of the recent work crops I've got going on. Maybe an image set into the background similar to the 'who' page although I'm not a fan of having useless pages on portfolio sites, a welcome screen I find to be a prime example of that! Fair comments all round i thought, but I've enjoyed having a blog so far this year for the first time so incorporating that into my portfolio site right now feels right, it will make me connect with it more, instead of just doing it because I have to. The oven is fixed in the kitchen finally...but still no microwave. Such is life.

On another note

Just on another note implied by the post title I'm sure, web design is so short lived, you go to a website to get information you look at it once and think...yeh sweet, nice one. Given that it is a good site that is, but web design is never going to hit the creativity boundary as it is restricted to the capabilities of the user...which given your every day website is someone who can't spell definitely. I know on Tuesdays in IMD we are concentrating on web design and why not, yes it is important to learn about as everything is on the web but...I don't think it is worth while blogging my web site ideas, in fact, I don't really think about them that much. The best ideas I have won't work as only I would know how to interact with them, to put it another way, when I visit art galleries I often over hear polo neck wearers talk about 'what the artist is trying to say' and roughly 85% of the time I think the artist probably never thought that much into it. Recently my thinking was backed up by a prolonged study on Jackson Pollock. He quite frankly said he didn't stop painting until he realized his original intention. Now I bet if you had a painter like him today, painting live, I bet you would get some polo neck wearer saying, "I can see what he is going for there", but do you, do you really? Can anybody know how another person would interact with something they had created? Really? I think you'd be better off at home, eating butternut squash.

High roller pass

I've been thinking about my tenth poster for a while now, and often I think more in the bathroom...now we don't have a bath, so I mean the toilet because I can't think in the shower, but I also mean stood up in the toilet, not sat down. So, the image you see here is one I read practically every time I dispense fluid - sexy.

Anyway ever since I started this module I've been thinking about these posters, and my final poster I've decided will be based on this one, just because. And it's 'just because', because...I think this poster is poor graphic design anyway, plus I've modified it at some point when I was drunk, often I wish I was funnier when I'm drunk but still, I don't see any other efforts on this baby!

I'm going to hit the root of my personal interest in this propaganda topic, that people live their lives on facebook, and well, I will say now I know this can be done better.

Windows XP hills and my note pad

So I'm trying to get these final 2 posters done, and making an effort to not posterize them I figured a new take on the anti-facebook theme was needed. Focussing on the fact that people spend far too much time on the computer, on facebook, doing whatever. I started thinking about one of my early ideas about wonders of the world vs facebook. Suggesting that mobile facebook meant people were missing out on things right in front of them, but with this approach I'm being quite broad saying that you should get off your computer, get out there into the real world. I've read and seen lots of things over the last few years about kids spending too much time watching tv, playing computer games and what not. This unfortunately is not my photograph so...that sucks. Points for composition? Well...it's centralized text, whoop. I've got a hangover today and my eyes hurt, the worst kind of hangover, found a really nice bar down near the quayside though, can you believe our microwave is now broken? 1 poster left!

Let the world see your face

You know it worked out not so bad, I sat here for a while playing with the idea that facebook was a stupid name for a social networking site, and then thought no it isn't so ridiculous. Although I do think when things get said like, "Well I facebooked them earlier" just sounds...poor. My message here though, kind of getting away from the imagery suggesting there is a book in place of the face, {cough} and instead I think it works quite well. How inspirational! LET THE WORLD SEE YOUR FACE! Kind of a, get out there kidda! Sort of feel. Posterizzzzzation, yeah I don't care anymore, I like the effect. I will tell you what I do care about though! The oven is broken, so I can't shovel my usual 25 minute baked carbohydrate down my throat, instead i settled for microwavable pre-baked, oh yes, baked potatoes. A couple of things to note here, don't buy pre-baked microwavable potatoes, also do not purchase no drain tuna, it is just so salty I needed to drink in between mouthfuls, and thirdly don't be a selfish turd, eat all my cheese and not replace it...so Jon what did you have for tea? Potato topped with salt - no cheese. My dietitian will not be clapping!

Put another shrimp on the BAARRR B

This isn't a finished poster...no no, it is a progression, and I'm uploading it simply because I imported the facebook type and then thought...hmmm, I bet everybody would recognize that as being facebook without it being the full word, yes? no? I'm not sure about that but you can see where I am going with this, facebook....face covered by a book...yeh. Well as part of my research I wikipedia'd facebook origins and turns out it was founded by some well educated little fella gutted that his girlfriend had dumped him. He got drunk and progressed with the idea of facebook. Funny, when I get drunk I don't make multi-million dollar social networking sites, I tend to send inappropriate texts/e-mails and always manage to say the wrong thing. Something tells me I'm better off sober.

Look at you now

I was just reviewing the posters I have already done before moving on to another one, and I thought one of the first ones which was 'I joined facebook to be anti-social' was just, well, crap. Didn't have any depth, it was a centralized image with centralized text and had a bit of nothing about it. So I've swapped it around a bit and came up with another little slogan to go with my original posterized image. Now...I think this is a very slight improvement, I'm still not sure it is framed very well. Quite loose because of all the blank space out on the left. I've just remembered talking to somebody about a singer, and he said, "He couldn't sing to the song we were doing, he's a singer but he must be a screamer"...yeah

I did it! All on my own Mum!

So I actually did what I said I was going to do, many hours later and with much reluctance from my flat mate to let me use him in the image we have this! I think it has that modern urban feel to it, the lower type which is quite undefined gives that feel. I recently had a e-mail from Mike (course tutor) commenting on my over use of posterization. Well...yes and no, and this was actually going to be a photograph poster, and I'm sure that is terrible technical language but I'm sure you get it! But the subject insisted on it being edited to layers...so...I don't think it's so bad. The balance is wrong, the facebook is either wrong in white or too large, probably a grey tint and slightly smaller? Blog...blog...strongbow...bolg. FIN.

Argh, can't stop!

Despite my previous post, literally seconds after it wrote it, I went into my research folder and found a really cool war propaganda poster. I found it not in its original form, the text had already been edited by an American to make a anti homeland security poster. So I carried on my murdering of the original by replacing the text, taking out the american flag colouring on the arm and slipping in a cheeky facebook on his hat. But I am determined to practice what I preach so I'm thinking of making this poster myself, a photograph of a hand over somebody's mouth and then so hand rendered yellow strips, scanned in and placed over with a drop shadow? Maybe? I like the idea of shutting people up on facebook though, I mean even if you enjoyed facebook as a social device, I still don't need to know that you've woken up, that you're cold, you need the toilet and you've just picked your nose. Even worse people who put, "Can't trust any of my mates anymore, I should have known, my life is over" I mean I know Eastenders is exciting and everything but...it's not real love.

Pot Kettle, Kettle Pot

Thinking a fair way back now, a communication theory lecture on the 14th of october, we looked at a range of these Alexa Chung images. Basically taking classic war time propaganda images and shoving her skeleton in place of the original illustrations. 

Things like this annoy me about a lot of modern graphic design, seeming to lack depth and any real thought, and I expressed my views at the time to lecturer Liz , ha! alliteration. 

Without dwelling on the rant I had at her too much, I was just looking over my poster designs for the propaganda theme and hello - train spotting, god save the queen, and some sort of take on swiss design. Lacking originality springs to mind, lazy design seems to be a reoccurring theme in a lot of the work I see around. Not so much a criticism I suppose, its just with the tools that modern designers use, the lovely adobe suite being the powerhouse - we can't exactly expect to see wonderful illustrations, and heaven forbid anything 'new' which is actually original and not something slightly altered. On the topic of my anti-facebook theme though, I'm sat in one of the suites and I can see facebook on somebody's computer - tut tut

It's a no, from me

It had to be done at some point. The classic 'NO FACEBOOK' although I think honestly in terms of making people listen & react, it would be as effective as the smoking health warning on fag packets. Pointless. But here it is anyway!

God Save Our Identity

Researching my chosen propaganda image for the Visual Communication essay, I found the actual print used for the Sex Pistols record sleeve, and it was printed in a purple/blue colour very similar to the one I have been using associated with the facebook brand. Using the same visual devices as Jamie Reid did in 1977 I am actually quite surprised by the outcome. Jamie Reid's original of course is far more culturally relevant, the Queen being a symbol of National Identity which was much strong than it is today. I simply used a stock image of a young man, as students and such are the most frequent users of facebook. I appreciate the visual, but not sure I like the idea of rehashing already made work, having said that this is what Reid was accused of when he produced the original so I think I can get away with it.

Advertise fakebook

I liked my fakebook idea a little more than I realized at first. Being a fan of swiss graphic design, looking at various propaganda posters they often incorporate this off set/slanted type structure and recently have seen it used on several flyers around Uni and even on my freewire student planner I'm staring at right now about my mac. I'm also making homemade chips for tea, don't have any kitchen roll so had to use toilet roll...nice. But better than microchips right? Maybe if I was so engrossed in facebook I wouldn't have time for homemade chips so I would actually be eating microchips and would never have experienced the toilet paper situation. See.

Facespotting

In one of the class presentations of late one of the lasses did a photo shoot of a slum, and in a couple of the pictures the classic trainspotting poster was visible. For some reason I looked it up and the text on the poster reads in a way I thought I could successfully convert to be relevant with my propaganda idea. The font used on the Trainspotting poster is Helvetica so that was easy enough for me, and I am please with my version actually, changed the wording of course, it isn't a straight copy...I'll write more later about it, but yeh, I think it's ok.

CK

So it isn't the greatest idea in the world, but kind of gets across a different point about facebook. Is it REALLY socializing as we know it? When did reading about what somebody ate for breakfast, or knowing that somebody you knew in primary school "Is really hung over" become socializing?? Anybody? So fakebook I think is quite appropriate, and on that note 'facebook' stupid name, at least myspace made a little sense.

Digital Detox

I had this idea last night when I was drunk, just because I was listening to somebody saying, "Oh well that isn't what it says on facebook". Technology detox is what I thought of, in conjunction with my ...but I was on facebook, idea. What if I gave up technology for a week, for every hour I would spend messaging somebody on facebook, or using facebook chat/msn etc. I actually spoke to them in person? I did some research and found that adbusters had in fact done a Digital Detox Week, and reading through the results there were some interesting outcomes/realizations if you will. I think it would be quite productive to give it a shot, maybe some hand rendered poster designs I did whilst undertaking the detox could prove to be more on target than I am currently as I am still immersed within the technological world. Honestly when I think about my day to day activities, using my Mac/laptop have so much to do with it, it is kind of sad.

Wonders of the World vs facebook III

Stonehenge, woo! This is my third wonder of the world, more appropriate for me being a proud Brit n all. I've removed the (wins) in brackets due more to the overlapping that would have occurred over the stones in the background. I have decreased the brightness of the mobile phone in the foreground in order to create some depth. I don't know how I'm feeling about this idea so far, I feel like there is a stronger idea out there I could be grasping.

Wonders of the World vs facebook II

Following on from my previous poster image, here I've used the pyramids of Giza. And added a set in text bottom left to name the wonder, maybe the posters could be slightly informative?

Wonders of the World vs facebook

Moving onto another idea I've had, facebook is also accessible via your mobile (don't do it) and I wondered out in the open world how much people miss when they are concentrating on their tiny mobile screens instead of the people and places around them. I think perhaps the (wins) could be removed from the type, but either way the idea opens up the opportunity to create a series of posters based on the 7 wonders of the world. Preferably historical wonders, not modern or under water. (I cant think of a waterproof mobile phone)

Clicking the right buttons

Still thinking of different way to approach the anti-facebook theme, I got half way with an idea and made this image, made me smile anyway!

Wireframe Portfolio Design 2

My second wireframe website idea, shows more detail and thought than the first one, although I have researched some existing successful design sites and incorporated their best elements, I have left more white space then most of them in order to let the separate sections breathe a little.

...but I was on facebook

After todays presentation I realized that the next step for these propaganda posters is to have an individual theme. Now, I do enjoy the 'Fuck Facebook' thing, but it seems pretty angry and to be honest I'm not frustrated by the almost over use of facebook, just worried that people are missing out on opportunities in real life because they are choosing to live their life through facebook.

...but I was on facebook, is the idea I'm running with. I'm working with the idea that, "I could have met my soul mate today...but I was on facebook" "I could have seen a total eclipse today...but I was on facebook"

Basically highlighting that being sat in front of a computer for hours, updating your status about everything you are doing, means you are missing out on things that are happening out there, in the big scary world!

12 Fuck You's of Facebook

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LstcArFwbLs

Some dude making points about facebook, kind of an insight to overall views, as I didn't get the impression he was talking from his personal point of view. Plus it ends with the previously linked video, which was kind of decent.

Anti-facebook song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZzP_69ZTFk&feature=player_embedded

Though kind of ironic that it is posted on YouTube, just another online time zapper.

I joined facebook to be anti-social

My first proper response to the my propaganda theme of anti-networking sites. This is a photograph of my flat mat, taken from behind in a dark room with a longer exposure so the blurring effect you get from the light distorts the head shape to make the subject open to interpretation (So the viewer could visualize that as being themselves sat at a computer). The stamp tool in PS creates the effect with a few alterations and an applied colour from that used with the facebook brand.

No blogging

Researching this anti-facebook stuff throws up some interesting stuff. Apparently there are anti-blogging groups as well. I remember when I was younger at school, one girl kept a 'Live Journal' and it said on the website because people didn't know about online blogs it was unlikely you stumbled upon it, so you needed an invite code from the person that is already on the site, as this is surely the only way you could have found out about it!

If only that was the case with facebook, I wonder what percentage of 18-25 year olds in the UK have an account. I bet it is a higher percentage than that of those who vote.

You Can't Beat the Axis if You Get VD!

This is the WWII propaganda poster I have chosen to deconstruct for the session on 13/11. Friday the 13th! Argh! The main observations to be made were a strong use of the rule of thirds, use of scale for emphasis, contrast of colours (white on black & red on white) and also asymmetrical horizontal balance.

Don't start on Brit's, go eat a twinkie

I'm in the process of researching for my essay for Communication Theory. I've chosen the Jamie Reid image used for the Sex Pistols record sleeve, to promote their song God Save the Queen. Did a general google search and found this guys blog, Brits are filthy pagans. His opening statement, maybe I should make a blog entry named, 'American's are arrogant bastards' I'm pretty sure I could come up with some better reasons as to why Americans are more pathetic then the British apart from one singer and one sport. I'm all for freedom of speech but judging a country based on tea, cricket and Amy Winehouse is just slightly ignorant. Though if an American reads this, I'm not sure you understand the concept of sarcasm do you? Oh well, you can always celebrate Independence Day again I guess, funny how you do that but nobody in Britain gives one...I guess that is because we don't have a Independence Day because we never got our asses owned by a tiny island. We will keep our Cricket thanks, and our tea, and God bless her Amy Winehouse. Oh! We will also keep the most profitable sports league in the world if you don't mind, you do realize the no.1 sport in the world is football, oh sorry 'soccer' and your highest paid soccer player is English...yeah to be fair Brits are filthy pagans, what an excellent point he made.

And here is the douche bags link!

http://whatchrislikes.wordpress.com/2009/02/26/i-like-reminders-of-why-we-dumped-england/

I'm thinking a series of these anti-facebook posters would be nice. Using the most well known features from the facebook website, and using that imagery in my posters.

I'm hoping that through this process of making anti-facebook/social networking sites, I will actually change my habits of using facebook.

It saps time that you should spend actually interacting with people in the real world.