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.

Punk and such

Wednesdays sessions I always seem to find enlightening on some level. Although I know a significant amount of people feel as if the fashion history lectures/nazi germany sessions were irrelevant, I think that isn't the case and design as a whole should be embraced as a essential factor in life.

The punk lecture in particular reminded me of this belief I have about design, as Paul Barlow explained, the Punk movement in Britain was much different to that in the U.S as we are a visual country. This linked into Elizabeth's talk about fashion history, as she identified that the higher-achy set the rules of fashion, which colours could be worn by different people etc. and how when these fashions trickled down through the classes until they reached the lower classes.

The reason this is important in terms of British Punk is that the style we have is very bright and in your face, almost a rebellion against smart/sleek colour coordinated suits and outfits of the middle/upper classes.

Where as in contrast, American Punk was very slobbish, dirty/old clothes which were in fact old and ripped, instead of being deliberately torn.

So the U.S had a Punk culture based around a way of life, a rebellious maybe even criminal mind set, and the British embraced an idea of expression through visual mediums. Getting in your face with imagery, fashion, almost a contrived sub culture.

So maybe I've got slightly carried away and basically explained what I took from Wednesday's session, but I think my point is we are very much a visual country, very much about image, very much about the way we are perceived, and we should embrace that.

Take in everything around us, be aware if not try to understand other areas of design which can only be beneficial to our own creative experience. It can't hurt, can it?

A Day In The Life Of DVD cover

The DVD cover to accompany the video. Similar to the promotional poster, just with the certificate added and the DVD video symbol. The header is just a bit of fun, doesn't specify which actor was the Academy Award nominee, but in the film you can't see who the person is, so I don't think that matters so much!

A Day In The Life Of Video

This is the video that we presented today in Mike's session. Although deviating quite a lot from our initial ideas, the video/film was generally well received, and I guess I felt it was passable but nothing special. With more time to add our own backing track to the film instead of ripping a song by Keane, the video could have been cut and edited differently in order to create a totally different feel than the lonely/blank/open to interpretation outcome we have here.

A Day in the Life of Me Poster

Poster design to accompany the short film we produced, 'A day in the life of me'. The background image is an actual screen shot from the film.