LOOK AT
http://designmuseum.org/

The trip to the British Museum was interesting.

Our task today was that we had to first, look at the Olympic exhibition (which was small), and from that, decide on a theme for your own collection to exhibit. All artefacts being sourced from the rest of the items on show at the museum.

I liked the reference to the Goddess Nike. I learnt something new as I did not know they had knicked... sorry, were inspired by Olympics and the Goddess Nike...I also liked the image of her and so I thought I should explore  the theme of the female form through the museum.

To be honest, I didn't hold firm with that initial solid theme of the Godess. I did joke about a bit about how I was going to hone in on breasts alone, or the androgyny of a lot of the faces looking back at me in this museum.
At one point I was going to finish my piece with observational shots of the general public...but I was too tired at then end to even contemplate taking sneaky shots of people.

I did see an incredibly beautiful man that could quite easily have been a woman, and thug that could be an interesting theme for my project, as so many of the statues held this quality...especially in the Egyptian section of the Museum.
He didn't wan tme to take his pc so that was that.

 but as I travelled through different time zones and regions I realised that if I looked a little deeper there was more to this that just the Goddess theme, but the meaning attached to the objectification of femalehow and why humans have recreated images of the female form, how it has changed in detail, and 

Today we expanded on the question of the week.....

What is my design process? 

• These are the points that came out of the group session 
• Start and end points 
• Communication - to audience and gauge response 
• Incubation (distance self) 
• Recording on paper 
• Researching solid stuff and validation for inspiration 
• Brain storming (breaking down) 
• Scaling (working out scope, organisation) 
• Finding a personal perspective 
• Tuning into brief 
• Adapting prior knowledge/experience 
• Raising questions through conversation 
• Following up questions 
• Experimentation 
• Asking questions of intended outcome 
• Recognising limits/limitations 
• Producing diagrams 
• Interpreting brief by pulling specifics (relating to initial ideas) 
• Setting parameters to support - non literal thinking 
• Making connections (familiar /literal, unfamiliar/abstract) 

We then were split into two groups.
Myself, Tai-Lee, Eunice, Faharna and  Emily.
We were asked to discuss what is our understanding of 'the design process, how do they connect, how do they relate'?

It seemed like we were talking forever, but the final outcome represented the complexities of the discussion pretty well.
It was a multilayered map of procedures. Constructed like a board game,  with the grid of representing the number of days we have to complete this project. To the left , a list of definite tasks that you have to do. The other points over lay and repeat as you work through the design process. Above all of this information are the connections made, that signify the brain activity and the different influences and collaborations and outcomes at that moment in the design activity. Basically signifying it's ever changing connectivity.

bits and bobs that caught my eye at the Geffryes

The Geffrye Museum

My first time at the Geffryes.I'm late and I hate unpunctuality. im handed a print out and told to look at...


How can the space and contents of the museum be used to....
Incubate


Now before I dive in, I have to ask my self is Miss J 'n' J having a collective chortle at me by giving me this process to focus on. Do they not believe my tale of zoning out and emptying my poor head of all the exterior nonsense that is usually buzzing around me before I embark on a project of any magnitude...
I didn't puzzle over that one for too long as I was egare to see what was happening at the Geffryes. Like I said it was a first visit for me...and I do like a museum.


So this is my initial thoughts on incubating in the Geffryes.

• Around the museum there are already few areas developed for incubation, and quiet reflection. The 1870s chair is a perfect spot for quite contemplation. Each period should have one. That would help you to immerse yourself in that specific time period.
• As you walk through, find a theme you wish to focus on. lighting for instance. There are examples in each time zone.
• You can ask yourself a series of questions that would help you with your incubating.
• Devise a check list to then apply to any design you embark on. Therefore bringing structure to this incubation period, it might move it along more rapidly and precisely. Eg. What is the purpose? (why am i here). What am I looking for? What do I like? Who am I making this for? 
• You could listen to music of each time period on headphones whilst walking through. Helpful to block out the noise from other viewers helping you to focus.
• Exploring the outside area. Being outside looking in can change your outlook or vice versa.
• Sit in the giant tea cups...probably not allowed, but sometimes having fun with something can spark ideas.
• Doing the opposite of what's expected of you.

Brainstorming/Breaking down the brief

• Investigate - look at what is on offer at the museum, separate it into sections. ie how many time periods are there to explore
• What is the aim of the museum?
• What is their target audience?
• What is the key aspect you wish to expand on?

Experiment

• Hone in a particular theme and create questions to carry theme/interest throughout your exploration of the museum.  Eg, specific types of drawings, paintings, how women are featured, floral, animals.
• Seeing if you can find these elements or expressions. How many different ways have they occurred.
• Specific decoration techniques. Wall treatments like types of wallpaper patterns, or silhouette portraits.
• What process did they use can you describe the process, how would it be done today? Can you reproduce them?
• Can you create a new style/object of your own by combining styles from different periods shown in museum?
• The museum focuses on the middle classes, if you were to create/define a new “CLASS" based on todays society, what would it be called and how would it be furnished.

 Other

• Is there a library facility that can be utilised?
• Change your focus, do not restrict it just on the physical nature of home but reflect on the changes of what the idea of the home signifies in each period and how has its inhabitants changed with it?
• How has the aspirations of the inhabitants perceived to have changed, and why? What are the Influences?
• How is this shown by the pieces of furniture or decoration being brought into each home?
• Pieces brought into the home for decoration or necessity has changed with globalisation is this shown. 
• It shows a capsulated world, but can you see what was going on in the rest of the world at that given time.
• Showing how the middling classes have become less insular?

Comic Book Capers

I å out a dear friend of mine when to a comic book convention this weekend and didn't think to invite me along... (not impressed)

I know its been a while since I dabbled in this oddball forum, but I had recently thumbed an old copy of Love and Rockets and the Flaming Carrot so, though nostalgic, I'm not completley out of it right?.

I've even tried to read the Silver Surfer No.1 to my 4 year old, but I found I sounded more and more like Richard Burton, (a bit too scary for him I think), so I decided to leave it for a few years.

ANYWAY whats this got to do with project 5?

Well, I have to look at my own personal design process and come up with a graphic representation of it.......(Have I already said this??? Pretty sure I'm repeating myself....)

I didn't fancy doing anything on the computer that evening,
(I'm on my own in the kitchen if I do that).
So I decided to do a bit of cartooning lampoonery whilst hanging with my small people instead.
But firstly, I made a list of how I think I do what I do when I'm doing it....or even before...

Before I make my graphic, I read and re-read the brief. Making sure I understand it and what is being asked of me.

Im not sure if I should begin thinking about the final outcome or just work through these sessions in isolation first.
Though I think getting an idea, or spark of something would be good for me ... especially after having that drummed into us on project 4.

So, this is my design process.

• Look for key elements in brief
• Break it down
• Write notes
• Clear some thinking time, (by not thinking or doing anything)
• Expand on key elements
• Bring in my influences/ideas
• Research- speak to people, images, books, magazines, Internet
• Sketch, doodle, storyboard
• Get materials
• Mockup rough
• Make design
• Present to client/group
• Respond to feedback
• Refine/clarify
• Produce

Learning process

• Collect info
• Researching, you increase your knowledge
• Putting what you've learnt into practice
• Learning though doing
• Making mistakes
• Experimenting

In my design and learning portfolio

• Eyes for observation
• Brains for thinking
• Hands for making
• Tools for the job
• Idea generator
• Mechanism for engaging
• Alternative ways to explore

Heres the graphic

Introduction

How we learn and the relationship between learning and design.


Design process overlaps (what does mine look like)
Learning process over laps both (how do I learn)
Design and learning portfolio (what would I put in it)

With that in mind, for following day, we have to bring in a design piece that outlines my current understanding of the above key project themes.

Look at the connections between the three.

Think the shaded section in the middle is the important bit...

What is project 5?

Well heres the brief.
Looks like were designing an app or something for an iPad, based on the V&A's collection of artefacts.