Final Design

The completed design got a positive response from lecturers, including Graham (Head of Interaction), as well as my peers. It had been a year since my last exhibition so the experience was still fresh in my mind but felt as though I was surrounded by a lot of talent in djcad. The closer I got to the exhibition day, the more stressed I got. I believe I managed to pull through and present my work in a professional standard.

There were a few set backs nearing the final week but I took them on with confidence in my concept. When I took some print outs to my lecturer I did get a positive response to my work. Other than a few changes I could make to enhance it, which I appreciated so much in that stressful time. The part she thought could be worked on was my experience prototype. While my idea was to have a physical representation of the main screen, you would be using for the app, she believed that because it was an app that it should be a digital experience. This made sense to me as well but I felt I didn’t have enough time to create a successful experience prototype that reflected the amount of effort I put into this project.

Never the less I decided to use a program I am familiar with and create a short mock up of how to use the app. Using premiere pro and illustrator I designed some simple screens that you would see if the app existed. As though someone was pressing the buttons on their phone, a small hand shows you how the app functions. This was done quickly so it isn’t my best piece of work but sometimes that happens when you have a deadline. I managed to hand everything in on time and get it set up for the exhibition on the Thursday morning.

Here are my boards at the exhibition. Alongside my sketchbook for people to have a look through.

This link is the experience prototype short video I put together to show how the app would work.

Graphic_1-29g39no

This link is for my sketchbook tour on Vimeo

Initial Ideas and Concepts

Moving on from the research stage of the project I had to come up with concepts combining ‘reconnecting with nature’ and each design discipline – product design, interior environmental design and digital interaction design. Using the onsite research from Tentsmuir I began sketching out ideas that related to each discipline, and how they would approach it differently.

For Product Design I began by thinking about how such designers would tackle the brief. For example, what products could be created to aid in experiencing nature. From such, I then sketched tables, vases and furniture that could involve nature in some way. Maybe the materials were made from nature or the furniture got people out enjoying nature. I found brainstorming these ideas to be stressful at times. They didn’t become much until I moved onto the simple prototyping stage which allowed me to use paper and card to put together quick and simple models. Creating these allows me to take a step back from the sketchbook and open my mind to other possibilities. For example, I created different variations of chairs and tables that I had sketched, which I then used to create models further developing these designs.

The next discipline I looked into was Interior Design where I looked at various huts and shelters. Similar to product design, I began by brainstorming how interiors can be combined with nature. Starting with classic shelter structures, I decided that I wanted to continue with something different, so I began to research more into modern and unusual shapes. Combined with the research at Tentsmuir, I managed to find locations that would be ideal for an environmentally friendly structure. This assisted in the design, as I was inspired by the surroundings of trees and water.

Finally,  I looked into digital interaction and the way that I can use photography to reconnect with nature. This has been tackled by other designs which helped with where to begin. TV shows like Nature Watch look at how products can be made from simple household objects and cameras, allowing insight into the wildlife that roams around the area. Another project that connects people with nature is #WildOz, which is a link to a 24hr feed that looks at Australian wildlife. It uses the social media platform Twitter as a means of connecting with nature that isn’t local, but as a means of looking at wildlife more exotic in the country of Australia.

This research led to my own ideas for the interaction project. I needed to answer questions like how do I get people to interact with it? Is it fun or informative or both? Is it a physical product or digital based? I had ideas such as a Go Pro style camera that targets nature and wildlife. Other ideas I had didn’t seem to have the wow factor I was looking for.

My next idea was a billboard/ poster that you could interact with on the trail. This could give you information about the site as well as some history of the area. Also, I thought including some games that could help younger kids get interested in nature at a young age. As I continued with this concept it became obvious that I tried to force too much into one idea. So I took a step back and looked at choosing a more specific target market and stopped trying to please everyone.

Interior Environmental Concept Board

Product Design Concept Board

Digital Interaction Concept Board

Personal Inspiration Concept Board

Inspiration and Research

Day Project

In order to understand the task that was being asked we were to research 3 brands or initiatives that help to reconnect humanity with nature. This was just a day research task to get in the mind set to tackle the main brief. At this stage I felt unsure about how I would tackle the topic. However, I had some reassurance from previous work I had done in college which was similar. I had worked on a sustainability project, where I made an infographic that made people stop and think about waste.

When looking into companies that are good for nature I wanted to look into smaller, less known organisations. The first industry I researched was the plant-based food industry. I found a growing brand Beyond Meat, a company that creates products which mimics meat e.g. burgers. Beyond Meat markets itself as an environmentally friendly alternative to animal meat, as well as being better for human health. Specifically, they combine information about the benefits of their products with bright and modern graphics, as well as drool worthy photos of meals using their items, to create exciting advertisements, packaging and a website.

The next company I found was Naava. The first thing that grabbed my attention was their eye catching website with high quality images. They have an interactive element in the website that makes it more fun and provides more information. The way Navva works is to purify the air of harmful chemicals. By using the Navva’s own technology, the purification system absorbs the air through the plants and the soil-less medium. A fan then returns the new air back into the room. Naava also constantly is reminding us that “Everyone has the right to breathe nature’s air” through their marketing.

The final company Energime University, educates people on solving the important problems, with their slogan,”Empower students to save our planet”. The focus on developing young peoples skills in a way that will help the world’s environmental problems. Skills such as: extracting clean water from atmospheric moisture, turning algae into food and fuel, how to raise nutritious high density organic produce, and many more. They continue to emphasise on their website that, “Technology itself can only do so much. It’s up to us to pass the knowledge on how to use it to make a better tomorrow.”

These companies are all different but with the same goal in mind – to help our planet and reconnect with nature. By researching for a day it opened my mind to what the brief could represent. It inspired me to think out of the box and really dive deep into the problem, which is that we as a species are losing our connection with nature, and then before we know it there won’t be any left. Overall, the companies I researched provided a positive outlook on the theme for this project and I realised the possibilities for the module.

The Brief

Once the day project was completed, we were given the second part of the module which continues on with the theme ‘reconnecting with nature’. However, now we were asked to look at it from different perspectives. Designers from different disciplines may look at a problem differently from one another. We had to take the same issue and create a concept board for each discipline, from the mindset of a Interior Designer, Interaction Designer and Product Designer. Each with a direction that said designer would be taking in their line of work. This gave us help in having somewhere to start researching and finding out what is already in the world today.

This led to researching other companies that have a green theme behind them. Except now, I focused my researched into exploring how each would tackle the brief of ‘reconnecting with nature’.I always find this part of the entire project to be the most helpful. I get inspired by projects that are out in the world today. Projects that help reduce waste, pollution and environmental degradation.

When I have previously worked on modules I found it hard to get into the correct mindset for that product or idea, however with this module we had the opportunity to explore Tentsmuir Forest allowing us insight to how inspiring nature can be. This beautiful location just outside Dundee near Tayport, where we had a chance to immerse ourselves in nature. Other than shooting some breathtaking photographs of the area, another objective was to collect materials that we found on the ground. This could be natural materials or man-made materials, but it had to be something we could attempt to turn into something else. This trip allowed us to get out of the classroom and into the beautiful outdoors where we could get creative with nature. Here are some photos I took of the area depicting how mesmerising planet earth can be.

Interview

Overview

The aim of this module was to develop various skills that are essential within a career in graphic design, focusing on technology and photography. It emphasised the research process as an important step to creating a finalised product. Specifically, we focused on cameras, as well as how to create and conduct effective interviews – such was combined into a project by where we had to utilise cameras to record an interview we had wrote. The interview was conducted on 1st year students at Dundee University, who we did not know personally as preparation for the real world. The task was to find out about their relationship with photography and technology.

Brief 

The brief for this module was to create a video interview about a student’s relationship with technology and photography. This was achieved with help from others in the course by getting us in touch with a student we did not know very well. What was discussed during the interview depended on the background knowledge of technology and photography the interviewee had. On one hand the student could be very technologically gifted and uses many devices in a regular basis, which results in long informative answers to the questions. On the other hand, if the person is maybe not as interested in technology and the most they use is their phone, then the answers may still be informative but produce less material. In other words, the final results were different for everyone.

This interview was recorded using a Sony HD video camera. Once the footage was recorded, the brief was to create a short 3 minute video on the interview, then present the findings to a lecturer, a PhD student and some members of the class.

Researching

We started this module with a mini project that was to create a timeline/ infographic of the history of cameras. This project was to help get us into the subject matter in a creative way. Half of the battle was researching the history of cameras, specifically researching general information on cameras and their role through time; secondly I decided to take it upon myself to think about my own interaction with cameras throughout my years – as little as that may be. Thinking back, I had used large cameras that look nothing like what is typically for sale in stores today. One of my first exposures to cameras was how my family would always be taking photos at birthday parties and social events. However, i did not have a camera of my own till I was 12, when i got my first mobile phone (a motorola flip) which had an inbuilt camera. The camera wasn’t great quality but I remember how exciting it was at that age to have this device.

The completed infographic had more visual elements than information but felt as though everything that is needed to intrigue someone to have a look is there. The information that is there is the name of the camera, the date it was released and a bit about its place in that period of time. If you look towards the bottom of the infographic there is a section about my personal experiences with camera’s and technology. Just a quick list of devices I have used through my life and what I thought of them. This mini task got me to evaluate myself when it comes to technology, which really helped for when I needed to decide what to ask my participant.

Exercises

Moving on from the mini project, we were introduced to PhD researchers (past students) Sara and Katie, who enlighten us with their journey of 15 years of study that brought them to their careers as university researchers/ designers. Their work was motivating and has inspired me as a design student to create products that help others that need it.

An exercise Sara gave us was understanding the difference between closed ended (can only be answered by yes or no) and open ended questions (require a longer answer), as well as leading (suggests a particular answer) and non leading questions (allows for multiple answers). Moreover, Sara talked to us as a class and walked through a powerpoint presentation where we learnt the words to use that assist in getting an informative response.

The task after that was watching a TED Talk titled “Photography from a Different Angle” where a woman called Nivi Morales told us about her disability and how its effected her love of photography. This was an exercise where we had to listen to her story and write down any insights that we believe she gave. She has a disability with her sight where the image in the centre of her vision is relatively clear but everything around the focal point is fuzzy. She explained how having this disability you might think would discourage her from having photography as a passion and career but in fact tells us that there is no limit to what you can achieve.

Interview

The interview took place on Wednesday 23rd at 12:00 in the participants accommodation. I chose this location to put my participant in a place of comfort and knew this would change the dynamic of the interview completely. Seeing as though we don’t know much about each other, I felt like it would also help me conduct the interview as I was probably just as nervous as him.

Using the connect2 link I booked a Sony camera, radio microphone and tripod. I had never used this equipment before or anything like it so it took a while to set up but gave my participant time to gather himself.

Location is an important part to any interview and felt that this contributed to the feel of my video. I wanted a professional yet casual interview and chose a position in the living area that I thought would look best. Having my participant placed near the window we got some natural light from his left, and on his right a blank wall which I felt would keep the audience focused on him.

The questions that I had prepared were mostly based around his interaction with technology, knowing that his course was applied computing. Believing that focusing on that field with this specific participant would result in interesting and informative responses. The way I ordered my questions was to keep the conversation natural rather than jumping from topic to topic and I felt I accomplished that. By starting with general questions such as “what technology do you use in everyday life?” gets the participant to start listing devices giving him confidence to answer more difficult questions. The end of the interview I wanted to get a look at his personal feelings towards social media and how peer pressure plays a strong role. I could tell he found this question more challenging to answer by observing his facial reactions and resistance to answer. In the end he didn’t have a conclusive answer but his personal opinion which seemed to sum up the interview nicely.

Transcribing

Once the footage was captured and put safely onto the computer the next task was to transcribe the entire interview. This is simply watching the footage, and typing up the entire conversation. I did this by starting and stopping the video at every sentence, so as if you were to read it. I realised that I am quite slow at transcribing, so i did not enjoy it very much. However, whilst transcribing can take up a large amount of time, for me it took about an hour and a half as my interview didn’t have much small talk but quick and informative answers.

Having the transcript in front of me really helped to understand the answers in depth. I didn’t get the holy grail of insights but with the answers he gave I analysed them and split them into different themes allowing for a kind of mind map of the interview. You can see how when we have a conversation we don’t realise everything that is being said in depth at the moment.

With help from Katie I had a better insight into how this was done. It may sound simple but we can learn much more from the answers given when you write them down and really have a deep think about what is being said. She told us about her 3 step method which I put into practice myself and found it helped to fully evaluate the interview. I believe I wouldn’t have found insights without this way of thinking.

Final Edit

The hardest part of editing was deciding what to cut to keep to my time limit. I found that I had to cut large amounts of important information and was worried to do so. I had to play around with the footage for a while but when I had finished I was happy with the final result. Some cuts might have been edited badly but that is something I can work on in the future.

Personal Experience

Technology is something I personally can’t live without. When I was presented with this module, at first I found it daunting as I have never conducted an interview before. I have edited many different video files and used premiere pro to make showreels, but never made my own video pointing a camera at someone I barely know.

As the weeks went on I felt more and more anxious about this project as its something I have never done and that worried me. Once the day came that I had organised the interview to take place, all this fear went away once I set up the tripod and camera. I told my participant that my knowledge about the equipment and the entire process was lacking but they didn’t rush me and everything seemed to work well.

I recorded the interview twice because the radio lapel mic Madde the audio crackled and echoey. We tested it before we began but seemed as though it was unnecessary for capturing clear audio. Attempting to move the mic to several locations on the participant didn’t help so the second time recording, I decided to use the camera mic. The room was quiet so this didn’t seem to be an issue. I had never used any of this equipment before but by the end of the day I felt more confident that when I do this or something similar again I will do better.

Conclusion

I feel as though I now know how to conduct an interview successfully and get the information I disire. Then take the new found information and fully analyse it to understand it in depth.  This module has been very educational as well as enjoyable. I have learnt new skills that I will carry with me throughout my time in design. Skills such as using the various pieces of equipment. Booking it out, setting it up and recording a good quality video. This knowledge will be used for many years to come. This module has not just taught me camera and recording skills but also communicating skills.

Vimeo link to video : https://vimeo.com/314519958

Overview

CHRISTMAS SALE 70% OFF

Got your attention? Signs like this are advertised in such a way that they grab our attention and encourage us to buy, even if we have no interest in buying. Signage is all around us – from road signs to advertisements to building names – however, we are so used to seeing signs around us that we often become ‘blind’ to them. Due to such, designers have to work extra hard to get their signs noticed in an oversaturated world of signs.

The brief

The brief was to make and install physical signage around DJCAD that would affect the behavior of people viewing it. By using colours, layouts, and formats, the reaction and behavior of those viewing can be altered. Once the signs were placed around DJCAD we had to observe and document the reactions of people as they walk past. This task was a completed in groups of three.

Planning Stage

The planning stage was split into primary research and secondary research, both of which are essential parts of the process. Primary research includes going out and collecting first-hand research which consists of interviews, questionnaires, and exploration of the environment. While secondary research involves using the internet, books, and magazines to read up on information that someone has already discovered.

With regards to our research, we went out into the center of Dundee and took photos of where we saw signage and had a think about why they were effective. Is it colour? Simplistic design? Positioning? Some examples included safety signage, waste bin signage, and road signs. I noticed that for safety signage, red was used for danger warnings whilst green used to provide advice, however as I am so used to seeing safety signs that these were not interesting to me and something I often ignore. On the other hand, the signage on bins appeared to be much more eye-catching as the colour used were much more vibrant and less serious.

Next, we looked around DJCAD to find ideal locations for our sign as well as signs that are currently around DJCAD. I thought that putting signage next to social areas or at places where many people pass during their day would be a good option. The long corridor outside the first year studio seemed to be ideal for people passing.

Once the primary research was completed we started generating ideas. This allowed us to write and draw some ideas that been in our head down on paper. We decided to write down anything that came to mind, regardless of how bizarre or unsure we were of said idea. It was all worth getting down in our sketchbooks.

Another process that helped us was creating mood boards. We took our primary research and rough ideas and moved into secondary research. Using the internet and adobe illustrator, we constructed our moodboards by searching information on symbols, typefaces, and colours to see how these factors help signage in the world today.

Development Stage

Once the research was explored we had three main ideas that we wanted to develop further and see what one would be most effective. These ideas consisted of visual interested that the passerby would have. Possibly danger beware, keep out or danger of death. These types of signs would get people to fear what is ahead and think about their action before they continue. We considered using imagery such as skulls, creepy typography or simply a bright red sign.

The idea we decided on was a sign that draws someone in with the promise of an unbelievable deal when in reality the deal is terrible and would provoke anger. We felt as though this would be easy to achieve and covered the criteria for this project.

Final Design

Our final design is a Christmas sale poster that grabs the observers attention with 70% OFF and in turn, makes their smile turn into a frown. By using layout, colour, specific font and bright illustrations we can get a passerby to react in a certain way. I believe we accomplished what we set out to do.

We used an elegant, happy font to attract them and by using boring almost angry font we make them mad they came over to read it.

Conclusion

Personally, I found it to be a difficult brief as there aren’t many parameters to restrict ourselves. A lot of thinking as a group was needed here, while I find working in a group to be more difficult than by myself. In the end, we all contributed to the final poster and think it came out how we wanted.

Sketchbook available upon request

Overview

Record sleeves are a way music artists visually communicate to music fans. They can be used to represent emotions you feel from listening to a certain type of music. Every genre has a theme and by using graphic design we can display the experience of music visually.

Reggae Album Cover

Brief

From the songs listed, I must design a new album cover for one of these genre starting songs. To make a revolutionary album cover by taking inspiration from the genre’s past and other designers. This is to be achieved by using either cutouts, collage, drawings or another hands-on approach.

Planning

Starting my research by looking at the different themes that each music genre has. Each genre has a different feel and when creating something as powerful as an album cover I must consider my options.

I decided that, before I chose the album cover I would redesign, I created moodboards exploring the genres and the bands associated with them. This led to more knowledge about the subject matter and allowed for an insight into this brief. I became passionate about making this redesign professional as though you I was designing it for real distribution.

Further research into the genres and imagery alongside them pointed me towards the reggae genre. The bright, enthusiastic look you have some looking at this array of colour and passion . Pursuing this it leads me to these mesmerising illustrations. I began sketching ideas from images on my moodboards that I thought were particularly inspiring. They were simplistic yet said everything they needed to. I thought this style would look great on an album cover. Colours that I thought would work really well with the album and the feel I was going for.

Development

Then I adapted several illustrations I liked to create my own version which I felt looked better and suited the theme. This illustration of a heart/ instruments has a lot of potential to be visually beautiful. Taking this illustration and somehow turning it into an album cover was a tricky task but one I believe accomplished perfectly.

Final Design

By using a strong, bright, colourful palette you can see the genre from a distance, which was an objective for me as I find some albums difficult to tell what style of music they are.

Alongside that, by adding curved lines growing out of the heart gives the look of organic and musical. I wanted the illustration to be obvious yet symbolic. Research showed how beautiful and powerful this genre is and trying to portray that became easier the more passionate I became throughout the design process.

The instruments used in the final design are of a speaker, bass guitar, keyboard, drums and a cymbal. These instruments are used in the creation of reggae music and seeing as this is the album that made it known I felt as though it was appropriate. By keeping the instruments black and white it stands out on the red background, making it a focal point for buyers.

Conclusion

My final design gave me the ability to use my strengths and some of my weaknesses. The fact that we were not allowed to do the final design on the computer was a bit of a challenge for me because in my past I have created something similar to this using the Adobe software and the finished result looked professional. My worry here was that by me using handheld media that it would not look professional and a little messy. Looking back now I believe the way I designed the cover allowed me to use my other talents with pen illustration and craft knife skills. This brief has helped me overcome my fears with non-computer based briefs.

To conclude I really enjoyed this brief. It took my passion for design and love of music and combined them. My favorite brief in the picture, symbol, icon module and encourage you to use it next year.

Sketchbook work available upon request