Discovery Log #13
I’ve started drawing a bit more lately and I really want to incorporate these into designs. I might be better at the hand-drawn look of things than making really precise designs. I know what looks good, but I don’t necessarily know how to make something that looks good. I might be beating myself up a bit too hard, but I’m never really satisfied with my designs. I don’t know if this is something all designers struggle with or not. It might just be a me thing because I don’t even like to eat things I cook/bake myself. Either way, drawing makes imperfections okay and sometimes its a lot prettier with more imperfections. I’d like to start doing more hand-drawn designs like logos.
Discovery log #12
Last week I saw Avengers Endgame. I really wasn’t a Marvel fan of any sort. I saw Infinity War last summer and was left confused but impressed by the production. After seeing Endgame, I understood a lot more of the storyline and the world. This inspired me to think about world-building. I find world-builders to be extremely fascinating and it’s an extremely hard task to do. I might want to explore this and try a bit of world-building. I’ve gotten much more into gaming this semester and I want to see if I’d be interested in taking any game development classes. It’s so difficult thinking of little things that can differentiate a fantasy from the real world. These are little details I need to start thinking about.
Dystopia Presentation
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1KBzQiFcC3t3yjrvjOjKPhJ9Nn1ODG5YI9E-gUsH85Oo/edit?usp=sharing
Annotated Bibliography
https://docs.google.com/document/d/17mxCCqbg5hDYRn64tRf5yHD7ojM2CM2SyDMKRYqDA9I/edit?usp=sharing
Prototype 3
storyboard
Lofi Prototype 2.0
Discovery Log #11
I’ve been enjoying the Dystopia project and all of the components that come with it like the timeline and storyboard. I like that this project involves identifying a problem and coming up with a solution. It’s something that I teach to my students in the class I’m a teaching assistant for. I teach “design thinking” and how we should empathize with people when coming up with a product/service that will be a solution to a problem. I applied this to the dystopia project and identified that many people are getting unnecessarily sick when vaccines for diseases exist, but herd immunity is being ruined for some unwillingly.
Discovery Log #10
Something that has occurred to me this semester is that I don’t trust myself enough and autonomy scares me. I’ve been taking on more tasks at both of my jobs on campus and that’s because I asked for more responsibility. I feel comfortable with the idea of taking on more challenges when I know what they entail, however, during my search for an internship I’ve often shied away from some positions that sounded like there wasn’t much supervision. It was strange to me because I always thought I was comfortable with being independent, but because I’m so new to design I still think I need my hand to be held. I’ve thought about this a lot the past week because I have multiple projects right now that require porotypes and rough cuts. Both of these things mean I’m designing something in some way and I’m really pushing myself to think outside of the box for these projects. My motion graphics and my still & moving class need rough cuts of projects and I’m making pieces that I’m not used to. I’m definitely taking a risk right now, but if it turns out good, I’ll know that I can handle responsibility for some internship positions
Discovery Log #09
I’ve started learning Adobe Animate for my motion graphics class which I’m really stoked about because I’ve always really liked the films that people have made from Animate. I was super skeptical about my ability to use Animate because it looked complex and only meant for those who can draw. After using it for about two weeks, I feel comfortable working on it without questions and I’m even using it in a project for another one of my classes. The main takeaway from learning how to use Animate for me was that tracing images is okay in design. I always thought that it was unacceptable, and you had to be able to naturally draw your subject, but I’ve been rotoscoping (tracing videos) and I love the content I’m producing. I guess a lot of artists that use Animate trace their subjects because they have to get movements just right. I’m going to take this with me when I design things in the future and maybe I’ll learn how to naturally draw form this.
Discovery Log #08
I’ve started to game a lot more this semester and I’m looking forward to buying some more games. I got a Nintendo Switch for Christmas and I bought games like NBA2k, Super Smash, Mario Kart, and Fortnite. Weirdly enough, I’ve been so obsessed with Fortnite for the past few months that I’ve barely played any other game. I really understand the appeal of battle royale games and might be interested in taking a game development class. When I started playing Fortnite, I really despised how it looked and the overall design of it. As I got (really) good at it, I realized that the design fits the game perfectly. It’s a little goofy, but the game itself is a little goofy and doesn’t take itself so seriously. It kind of taught me that design has a purpose and I might not like something, but it might fit the product perfectly.
Lofi Prototype
Ira Glass on Storytelling: reading response
This little series has made me realize then everyone struggles with storytelling. There is a process for everyone. I guess some people like me will give up before something comes to mind because we think that we should’ve had something by a certain time. I think storytelling has to do with patience and that is something I really struggle with. I always think that if I don’t have something quickly, it means it won’t be good because I’m probably not passionate about it.
How to Use Design to Tell a Story: reading response
The message this author is trying to get through in this article is something I’ve been thinking about since my first IDM class last semester. Taking my first design class opened my eyes to a lot of different kinds of designs, ones I didn’t like at all and ones I loved. I tried really hard to understand why the ones that I didn’t like still spoke to me. It hit me that every design spoke for itself and had something powerful to say and it came through, even if I wasn’t drawn to it. I struggled a bit, but eventually designed an interface that my professor felt very compelled by. He said it had an immensely strong vibe of calmness. When I design my interface for a future device that will enable my dystopia project, I want to use this method to convey the urgency of mass/herd immunization. I’ll think about the alternate world my dystopia is set in and from there I’ll set out to convey the disarray and urgency in the community that would be prevalent.
Dystopia Timeline
What it is: a chip implanted inside of everyone in which new vaccines can be distributed through an app on our phones. Medical professionals can send vaccine updates and we can administer them ourselves by clicking “update immunizations”.
Mind Map – Dystopia Project
Urban Intervention in Metrotech Commons
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1cgXg4HUpfJTJ40y7yq9Zgw4Hot-sxEHg1Qa6VQisESo/edit?usp=sharing
Discovery Log #07
I’ve just recently discovered the power of large art. I was just in Miami and got to see the Wynwood Walls in downtown Miami. It’s just a ton of murals in the area and every building is extremely colorful. To be completely honest, I’ve never been that fascinated by paintings. I understand their worth and how difficult it is to do, but the atmosphere of some art museums don’t inspire me at all. When I saw the Wynwood Walls, I loved how big they were and how I had to take multiple steps back to take it all in. This made me realize that size has a big impact on me. I usually never want to watch movies unless its at a movie theater or on a massive tv. It sounds a bit superficial, but the size of the screen encapsulates me and I can see the beauty of the film. I guess I felt the same way about the murals.
Discovery Log #06
Something I just discovered is Adobe Premiere. I’ve always known about this program and that it was for video editing, but I just recently started working with it instead of my usual Final Cut Pro. I love this program so much more because it lets me world with After Effects files and use them in the videos I edit. I started working with Adobe programs about six months ago and its all very inspiring because you can use everything with each other. Right now I’m working on a video with music that features my shots of Miami. I don’t know what vibe I’m going for with the video get because Miami can be relaxing or really hectic.
Urban Intervention
Existing Examples
1.This public intervention is in the Allston neighborhood of Boston and I’ve driven by it. Allston is a neighborhood filled with college students from Harvard, MIT, BU, and BC , however, it’s not really a colorful place. It’s a bit industrial and dreary and these artists took an abandoned building and made it pop. I’ve noticed a lot of traffic by the building because people want to take photos in front of it, so it’s definitely caught people’s attention.
2. This intervention started in San Francisco as “PARK(ing)”. It is where a parking space is being used as a public space to benefit the community. I first saw these in Brooklyn in 2017, but over the summer I saw them in Boston too. In both locations I’ve found them, they provided a space to sit down when there wasn’t any other option and it gave the option to sit down and relax in the middle of the city. The photo below shows a PARK(ing) day in Nashville.
3. The Wynwood Walls in Miami are a ton of murals created by a number of artists to revamp downtown Miami. The area is not that popular because tourists go to Miami Beach which is its own strip of land and artists wanted to bring people into downtown Miami.
4.The High Line used to be a railroad for freight trains in Manhattan. It was widely used in the early 1900s but became an eyesore. By the 1990s, it was overrun with weeds and there were plans to demolish the structure. An organization proposed many plans to save the High Line from demolition and make it into a public space that tourists and locals can enjoy. It ended up being a walkway with an incredible amount of greenery and allows a peaceful and eco-friendly area in the middle of Manhattan for over a mile.
5. This urban intervention is made up of pink tables and chairs in the middle of a rotary to propose that the space should be used as a public gathering space rather than empty. It’s called the “Pink Ghost”
Opportunities for public intervention
1.There’s an opportunity on the Brooklyn Promenade for a public intervention to address the issue of the BQE repairs. The city wants to transform the Promenade into a 6 lane highway while the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is being repaired. This destroys a whole neighborhood, increased traffic in Brooklyn Heights and is one less attraction in Brooklyn.
2. Another opportunity would be finding something to bring more greenery to Metrotech Commons. The only greenery are the trees but other than that, the ground in the park is rock. If there’s anyway we can encourage planting more greenery in the area will provide a better space for people to unwind.
3.The gentrification in Brooklyn has been never-ending since the late 90s. DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, downtown Brooklyn, and Williamsburg rent expenses are through the roof and many are forced out of their native neighborhoods. We should draw attention to the roots and culture of Brooklyn.
Creative Process Project
Presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1YY9oVpwhFS8cLsUE-EKVkzhbUPGDl9DoaLhoYRL_LNA/edit#slide=id.p
Paper: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Zze6-Yhgwwh_yOv62uLzuBUvBc_K89WI
Discovery Log #05
This week I’ve gotten more into writing my thoughts down for projects. Normally I’ll open the Notes app on my laptop or phone and jot down ideas in there because I thought it kept me more organized. It did keep me organized but I found myself forgetting that I had written anything down at all. I use a sketchbook now where I write down my plans for projects and it gives me the ability to draw anything next to it if I need to. It’s allowed me to be a lot more creative and helps a lot with my new graphic design job. I’m able to draw out the concepts for the graphic design and see what works best and present it to my boss. I don’t think I’ll be writing my creative ideas down on my laptop anymore unless I’m in a crunch.
Discovery Log #04 2.28.19
Something I rediscovered this week are movies. I’ve always been really hesitant to start watching a movie because I don’t like the idea of sitting in the same spot for two hours. This week I watched The Favourite and Roma and I realized sitting there wasn’t so bad. I really love paying attention to the cinematography of movies. I’d eventually like to make some sort of short film that has great cinematography. It requires equipment that costs a lot of money, but I really want to evoke some deep emotion in people with film. I don’t think I’d want to go into this as a profession, it’s only something I want to experiment with. The Favourite made me think about angles of camera because the first few scenes looked to be shot looking up at the characters rather than straight on. I didn’t like that style, but the set of the movie was really extravagant and lavish in the castle which allowed for great cinematic shots.
Discovery Log #03 2.21.29
This week I discovered a new game that I’ve been obsessed with – Monument Valley 2. The subtlety of this game is captivating. The design of it is very elegant and colorful. The music/sounds with all the movements of the game are soothing and really bring the whole game together. In addition to the visual and sound design, the game itself is an amazing concept. You have to get the little character to an endpoint through the puzzle to move on to the next level. The storyline is really beautiful – it’s about a mother letting go of her daughter and giving her freedom. It’s that simple but its still beautiful. I’ve played the first Monument Valley and that has inspired a lot of my designs in my Visual Foundations class. This second version makes me want to try some type of gaming class and see if I could come up with such an original idea like this one. Monument Valley 1+2 are all about manipulating the architecture of the game to get to the endpoint and that takes a creative mind to find a way to manipulate something that (to us) seems to fixed.
How Not to Destroy the World 2.19.18
It was eye-opening to read about all of these design tools that I wouldn’t have considered design tools beforehand, like consequentialism and capability approach. It has made me realize that design is supposed to have a much bigger purpose than what is initially presented. Capability approach, in particular, stuck to me because ux/ui design needs to give the user any type of capability and autonomy and it’s not just there to look pretty. It needs to help the user with their needs more than the ease the user’s eyes. It was interesting to see all of the screenshots of headlines that address big tech companies’ issues. These big companies end up causing a lot of harm, but don’t see it that way because they’re doing such good for the community. I found it comical that the VP of Facebook thought that anything Facebook does is morally right because the INTENT of everything they do is to connect the world. This gives these big tech companies a big break and they don’t suffer any consequences for their harmful actions.
Joseph Cornell 2.15.19
I found Joseph Cornell shadow boxes really interesting because he creates this visual that includes physical objects and images on papers (maps, paintings, etc). My favorite of his work is Untitled (Palais De Cristal) because of the colorful bird and the lighter background and frame. Untitled (Sun Box with 5 Glasses) is another favorite of mine because the colors remind me of a beach. His shadow boxes made me think about creating art using multiple components that are completely different. The frame around the box is an element of the work, and the objects inside the box tell a story, and the background of the box give a setting to that story. His work is so delicate but feels protected by the box and that gives it this sense of not being accessible and we’re not allowed to have the full story. Since looking into his work, I’ve thought about using audio, graphic design, and some physical object like a shadow box. This way I could associate a sound with my designs and showcase it in a contained way.
Wallet Exercise 2.12.19
Discovery Log #02 2.12.19
I’ve recently been working with Adobe After Effects a lot for my Motion Graphics class. I never worked with the program before this class, but I really like it. I find the interface a bit annoying, but all the things that people create in After Effects is so cool and I really want to perfect motion graphic skills. We did a project with transforming shapes and after watching the final project something clicked in me that this isn’t as difficult as I initially thought. This is opening up a lot of doors for me as a designer that I can use with possible internships this summer and I don’t feel constricted to still designs.
Everything is a Remix response 2.12.19
I found Everything is a Remix really interesting because all of these successful films had some copying in them. What I found most interesting is the video talking about the iPhone and how the first iOS was copying real world items and then iOS 7 started copying other operating systems. I’ve never found myself intentionally copying work because I thought that meant my art would be invalid. I’ve started to realize that copying work, especially as a student, is one way I can learn. I can implement ideas from designers/creators that is their style into my own work and make it my own. I feel like I struggled artistically because I always thought I had to come up with something on my own that is completely different from anyone else. Now I know I’m allowed to be inspired.
Ten Faces of Innovation 2.7.19
From the Ten Faces of Innovation, I most see myself at “8. The Set Designer”. I often try to create/find an inspiring space for myself or team to work in so I can get the most out of myself. In every company headquarter I’ve visited, I’ve always paid attention to
Discovery Log #01 (2.5.19)
Something I discovered this week was 8D Audio. This is audio that (apparently) comes from 8 directions when listening with earphones. I’m currently listening to Radio Ga Ga by Queen in 8D with earphones and it sounds like it’s not in my ears. I legitimately could not believe my ears when I first heard something in 8D and thought my phone connected to MAGNET speakers somehow. It makes music so immersive wherever we are and I’ve been thinking about how I can do that through design. I’m still a beginner in design and still have a lot to learn, but I thought that was a fun aspect to try to incorporate with my designs!
Reading Response – Sketching: the Visual Thinking Power Tool 2.5.19
I resonate much more with sketching rather than doodling. I’ve always found sketching more approachable and have tried to sketch out my ideas in the past. It has let me quickly jot down ideas which I think doodling would take me more time. After reading this article I realized that I took to sketching more because it was easier to iterate on and doodling felt more concrete. I think most things that I would want to jot down are visual ideas for design and sketching would definitely be the most efficient way to do so. They’re the perfect first iteration and I can easily work from rough sketches to make finalized designs on Illustrator/Indesign/After Effects. After reading the Postbox section of the article, I realized I really don’t have the skills to sketch up a design to see if it would work. Of course I can begin a sketch, but to see if something would be feasible would be a stretch with my current set of skills. For my creative process, I’ll need to practice my sketches so I can sketch more accurate depictions of my thoughts and ideas. Once I have that skillset down, I need to sketch everything out to keep records of my ideas so I can use them in the future and morph them into new ideas.
Input Map 2.5.19
Entry #01 – Joann Pilika
From this class, I hope to find my creative process and perfect it. I’m in my second semester as an IDM student now and I know that I am creative and can produce great content, but I don’t have a process behind it. I feel like I often stay in my comfort zone because I don’t have a process in place to lead me. Taking risks means failure sometimes and not having my creative process doesn’t help that. One of my main creative influences would be Alessandro Michele, the creative director of Gucci. He made Gucci relevant again when it was at a low point and he sees fashion as something that’s for everyone, not just models. He chooses to be inspired by everything and anyone and sees the beauty in everything, rather than the ugly.
Personal Inventory Responses
Joanna Chen – I found that Joanna’s items all inspired creativity within her. She said coffee sparks interesting conversations and ideas and that’s definitely true for me too. Choosing her airpods shows her love for music and music’s impact on her creativity. I can relate to choosing a polaroid. I collect polaroid cameras too and I find that they are able to create memories that we can’t erase, unlike our phone photos. https://vimeo.com/314500593
Nicole Surma – I totally relate to Nicole’s attachment to her Nintendo DS, especially Animal Crossing. I used to have the same Nintendo DS and it was a huge part of my life, and that game specifically taught me patience. I think it’s so sweet that she keep a portrait of her mother with her and shows that she likes to keep items with sentiment and love close to her. I found it interesting that the candles were included. I wish we got an explanation why those specific candles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=569MInAKe2U
Mo Shatil – I’ve seen a trend with video games in our personal inventories and Mo’s love for video games doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s a huge part of him since he wants to learn game design. The sriracha is funny to me because my suitemate puts sriracha on EVERYTHING and I can’t handle the spice. It’s definitely a part of who she is now so I can imagine it’s a part of Mo too. I can totally relate with the Airpods and loving new tech fads. So many people give into Airpods because everyone has them, but they really are incredible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR_ZuUXxZ3o