Senior Thesis Process Book by Ashley Ludlow

Senior Thesis Project Graphic Design V Ashley Ludlow

IP Report All images by Ashley Ludlow. ÂŠ2015 All objects belong to the Ludlow family. Thoughts on semiotics from Visible Signs by David Crow. Semiotic/Language terminology from Sausseure, Barthes, and C.S. Pierce. Adobe programs InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator property of Ashley Ludlow. Figgins Sans typeface property of Fredoniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s VANM Department 30% Research 15%Sketching 40% Digitizing 15% Editing

Table of Contents IP Report 2 Design Brief 4 Inspiration 6 Research 10 Sketches 16 Final Work 18 Exhibition Design 24 Process Essay 26

Design Brief: Object and Memory

Project Overview/Background This project will explore my family stories through objects that they find important or have been kept as heirlooms or just memories. Through these objects I want to share their stories. What does the object mean to them? Why is this memory an important part of their life? With these stories, I also want to share the semiotics of language and storytelling and talk about how objects psychologically link to memories.

Category Review Although this project doesn’t deal with a specific company industry, it explores the human experience storytelling in modern day society, and personality. This social experiment serves as an interview. I want to explore how these items reflect a bigger story or moment in my family’s history.

Target Audience Review My audience is young adults 18 – 30 that are so engaged in technology and the constant information given by society. My goal is to make them take a step back from technology and reflect on the human experience. It also is for my family to serve as a memorium of past experiences.

Company Portfolio Although this project doesn’t relate to a specific company, I know that there was a similar experiment done with keys in Ellen Lupton’s Graphic Design Thinking book. There was also The Green River Exhibit in Utah that linked objects with storytelling.

Since I also am also linking the stories to object theory and storytelling, I am researching theorists like Roland Barthes, Charles S. Pierce, and Walter Benjamin and their thoughts of Semiotics, Theory of Signs, denoted and connoted meanings, and storytelling. In my project I will talk about Jonathan Culler’s Rubbish Theory – as well as discussions in the Visible Signs textbook. I will address the three types of objects; transient, durable, and valueless. I will also discuss icon, index, symbol, denotation, and connotation.

Business Objectives and Design Strategies For this project I want to take the information I gathered to create a display of unique stories and personalities through posters and a booklet. I also would like to include the actual items on display for people to look at. I was thinking about pulling quotes from peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stories to place with the objects displayed on the wall behind them and having a small booklet containing each story being told and their semiotics. I think this project will be interesting to students because it forces them to step away from the constant information that they are being given and reflect on the human experience.

Project Scope, Timeline, Budget Phase One: Read articles/studies about the topic Phase Two: Find volunteers/Interview/Collect photos of wallet contents and accompanying stories Phase Three: Figure out what print materials will work best/ Create Full Text Phase Four: Gather/create all imagery Phase Five: Refine, Refine, Refine Phase Six: Present Sept 24: Initial Statements and Briefs Due Oct 1: Research presentations Oct 8: Sketches and Initial research complete Oct 15: Critique - Full Text Complete Oct 22: Working Critique - Full Imagery Complete Oct 29: Critique - Refine Nov 5: Critique - Refine Nov 12: Final Critique

Budget The budget for this project will be dependent on the materials I want to display, paper costs, and printing costs (if sending materials out). I will probably need to get booklets professionally printed. I also might get wall stick-ons for the pull-quotes from stories.

Inspiration

“This is Green River” Exhibition,

Green River, Utah.

Exhibition Design

storytelling & interactives

Ellen Lupton

key interview

storytelling through objects

Research

Sketches

Final Work

memories object

index

This ticket symbolizes my father’s senior trip to Amsterdam

icon “This was a senior trip from my highschool in Clayton, New York. I raised money for the trip as the town’s paperboy. I got to know the people on my route pretty well and they would give money to me – 10 to 15 bucks. I also sold stuff as a class funraiser. I had been the number one seller. When we got to Amsterdam, we visited a shoe making store where I got a pair of wooden shoes. We also got to go to the tulip festival and looked at the windmills. My favorite part of the trip was visiting a minature village in Amsterdam. It was an exact replica of the town - the airport, houses, streets. Everything was scaled down to correct proportions. An unfortunate part of the trip was not really meeting anyone new. Since we only spoke English, it was hard to communicate with them.”

denotation

a large, ﬂat stone that you step on to cross a stream

connotation This stone brings up family memories of our time spent in Texas

This object might be indexical of an important event because it is proof that a purchase was made.

symbol

Durable cultural objects are maintained and increase or are collected over time. They can have an inﬁnite lifespan.

This object is an icon of a ticket.

durable object

tio

de icon

Stepping Stone

transient object Transient objects have a limited lifespan.

as bo lip, the ard, usua ad ho ser lly o lde vin m fp se rvic issio r ha g as ape e, n o s p ev r o rig r is aid ide r c ht, en a nce ard or title far Th the d e o that fav is tic lik to s r e om I m orite ket rem e ad b e g and in oin a ds g t nd me o t the of he m m co em y nc or ert ies .

Ticket to Amsterdam

stor ytelling

This is a physical representation of the state of Texas.

index

This object is indexical of ideas of state pride.

symbol

For my family, this object symbolizes the 10 years my family lived in Texas and all the memories of my childhood.

This stone is symbolic of my family’s time living in Texas. The first four years of my life were spent the town of Kerville, Texas. I remember the fish pond my dad built in the back yard that my sister and I would play in. I also remember we had doves and rabbits in cages in the back yard. I remember running barefoot near the fence in the front yard where my dad planted the violet lillies.

semiotics

Glass Dish valueless object Items in this category are valueless until they are rediscovered and made valueable.

To you, this may seem like a piece of simple glassware that you might find in your grandmothers house â&#x20AC;&#x201C;and at first, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what it would seem like to me too. I found this dish at a thrift store in my neighborhood for only one dollar. At the time I had been really particular in my search for home decor since I would be moving into my first apartment. At the end of every day, I put my keys, headphones, sunglasses etc. in the dish until I need them the next day.

denotation

a more or less concave vessel from which food is served

connotation

This dish is a familiar object that if used everyday. I can always count of my everyday items to be kept here.

icon

This is a physical representation of shallow vessel made of glass.

index

This object is indexical of a vessel to hold objects.

symbol

For me, this dish is part of my everyday life. It holds my keys, sunglasses, and other things needed daily.

Final Book Pages

sisterly fun in the pond

the fish pond

the family doves & rabbits a front porch view

Semiology is a science that developed in the early 1900s through the ideas of Ferdinand de Saussere, a Swiss professor in linguistics. Around the same time in America, philospher Charles S. Peirce developed a similar theory. Both resulted in the analysis of signs and a study of the relationship signs have with eachother. According to their studies, there are three main areas of semiotics: the signs themselves, how they are organized, and the context in which they appear.

An icon is a literal representation of the idea/object. For example, this would be a picture of a dog.

The index is something that directly hints at the idea. For example, if you hear barking or see a collar, that is a reference to a dog.

A symbol is a learned reference. For example, the letters D â&#x20AC;&#x201C; O â&#x20AC;&#x201C; G are learned symbols of the idea of a dog.

student map of Amsterdam

from the tulip festival

luggage tag

a postcard to Ma

the windmills

David Crow Visible SIgns 2010

According to Jonathan Culler, “Rubbish” refers to the items we have stored away in spare rooms or that are inherited. He talks about how we put importance on the things we keep and less or none on the ones we throw away. He calls them souvenirs. They signify experiences or things we see - and by keeping them we make them a signiicant part of our lives. Although this importance is put on them, they often have no economic value or practical use.

Roland Barthes Transient cultural objects have a finite life span and are based on values in society. Physical example: Food Social Example: Fashion

Durable cultural objects are maintained and increase or are collected over time. They can have an infinite lifespan. They can be items from historical events or family values. Example: Vehicles & family heirlooms

one These objects are part of the practical world Example: newspapers, magazines, television

two These objects have no obvious purpose, seperate from commercial or practical concerns.

Items in this category are the least valued. This includes objects that gradually lose value until worthless. They have an unchanging value of zero. They are valueless until someone rediscovers it and transforms it into a durable object.

Roland Barthes was a French literary theorist and semiotician. He was not as much focused on what things mean but how meaning is created. He believed that the analysis of work depends on identifying the denoted meaning—the recognition of a visual sign, and the connoted meaning— personal interpretation. The combination of these two often leads to instant cultural associations

Denotation can be described as the commonsense literal meaning of a sign. This usually deals with the dictionary definition of a subject.

Connotation refers more to a personal interpretation of a subject.What is your emotional response?

Example: Items found in junkyards and thrift shops.

Storytelling

Analysis

Stories can be told through physical objects, text, image, art, and the spoken word. They can be carefully considered and meticulously

Transient Ticket to Amsterdam

written or they can be formed of improvisation or based off memories. Stories are shared as

This ticket symbolizes my dad’s trip to amsterdam:

entertainment, to spread knowledge, and to pass down family traditions and history.

transient This object is transient because it is a temporary and usually has a finite lifespan.

semiotics Icon: This object is an icon of a ticket. Index: This object might be indexical of an important event because it is proof that a purchase was made. Symbol: For my father, this ticket symbolizes a class trip to Amsterdam.

This was a senior trip from my highschool in Clayton, New York. I raised money for the trip as the town’s paperboy. I got to know the people on my route pretty well and they would give money to me – 10 to 15 bucks. I also sold stuff as a class funraiser. I had been the number one seller. When we got to Amsterdam, we visited a shoe making store where I got a pair of wooden shoes. We also got to go to the tulip festival and looked at the windmills. My favorite part of the trip was visiting a minature vilage in Amsterdam. It was an exact replica of the town - the airport, houses, streets. Everything was scaled down to correct proportions. An unfortunate part of the trip was not really meeting anyone new. Since we only spoke English, it was hard to communicate with them.

Analysis

object & meaning

durable This object is durable because it has been in my family for several years and has been imprtant in remembering a significant portain of our lives.

semiotics Icon: This is a physical representation of the state of Texas. Index: This object is indexical of ideas of state pride.

Senior Thesis. Graphic Design. Ashley Ludlow

Symbol: For my family, this object symbolizes the 10 years my family lived in Texas and all the memories of my childhood.

Exhibition Design memories

semiotics

object

This object is an icon of a ticket.

index

ta tio

This ticket symbolizes my father’s senior trip to Amsterdam

object &

Senior Thesis.

Graphic Design.

meaning

Ashley Ludlow

Durable cultural objects are maintained and increase or are collected over time. They can have an inﬁnite lifespan.

ta tio

This object might be indexical of an important event because it is proof that a purchase was made.

symbol

durable object

denotation

a large, ﬂat stone that you step on to cross a stream

connotation

Glass Dish valueless object

This stone brings up family memories of our time spent in Texas

icon

Stepping Stone

Items in this category are valueless until they are rediscovered and made valueable.

co n

Transient objects have a limited lifespan.

de no

transient object

as bo lip, the ard, usua ad ho serv lly o se miss lder ing f pa rvic io ha as pe e, n o s p ev r o rig r is aid ide r c ard ht, n e a or ntitl fare ce th Th the ed o at fav is tic lik to s r e om I m orite ket re e ad e g band min oin an ds g to d me th the e m of m co em y nc ori ert es .

Ticket to Amsterdam

stor ytelling

This is a physical representation of the state of Texas.

index

This object is indexical of ideas of state pride.

symbol

For my family, this object symbolizes the 10 years my family lived in Texas and all the memories of my childhood.

To you, this may seem like a piece of simple glassware that you might find in your grandmothers house –and at first, that’s what it would seem like to me too. I found this dish at a thrift store in my neighborhood for only one dollar. At the time I had been really particular in my search for home decor since I would be moving into my first apartment. At the end of every day, I put my keys, headphones, sunglasses etc. in the dish until I need them the next day.

icon

This is a physical representation of shallow vessel made of glass.

index

This object is indexical of a vessel to hold objects.

symbol

For me, this dish is part of my everyday life. It holds my keys, sunglasses, and other things needed daily.

denotation

a more or less concave vessel from which food is served

connotation

This dish is a familiar object that if used everyday. I can always count of my everyday items to be kept here.

For the exhibition, I would like my set of three posters on the wall with a top banner. Below I would like a case with all of the objects displayed with captions to view. Next to the display case I want to display my booklet for people to pick up and look at. I will mount the posters on two layers of foamcore to bring them away from the wall and more 3 three dimensional.

Process Essay

To begin this project I began thinking about how design can be about problem solving and storytelling. I was inspired by several design storytelling exhibition such as the Green River Project. I was also inspired by the social experiments such as Timothy Goodman and Jessica Walsh’s 40 Days of Dating which isn’t necessarily about making something for a client but more of a storytelling document for ideas and experiments. I liked this idea of making a sort of social experiment where I could share a personal project. I decided to base my project on storytelling through the use of objects. Since I am also an art history major and museum studies minor, I decided to research some aesthetic theories that related to how art is perceived. I also researched how objects are linked to memories and the different levels of values of objects seen in Jonathan Culler’s Rubbish

Theory essay. At first I was going to take objects to tell other people’s stories but decided instead to tell my own through family objects. I chose three main objects based on three categories of objects: transient, durable, and valueless. I tried to find things of my own/of my family’s that fit these description. Then accompanying each object I would talk about their semiotics and tell a story about the object. Along with each object also would be pictures and other objects that go along with the story or object being displayed. I chose to use images of both my current house and images of my Dad’s trip to holland and of my family’s home in Texas. I chose three main colors. I have a light pink, tan, and a dark blue. All are subtle non-saturated colors. I felt that these colors were calming and reflective just how these objects reflect on memories of my family’s past. Another thing I wanted to focus on was the exhibi-

tion display. I wanted to make it an interactive exhibition. First I wanted large posters on the wall that had each story and objectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s picture. Accompanying this I wanted to have a display case with the actual object encased and other objects/photos that went with it. Beside the display case I would have a stand for my book to be displayed with white gloves so people could pick it up and flip through it. Through this project I got to explore my familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stories. I am really happy that I got to combine all three of my concentrations for this senior exhibition: Graphic Design, Art History, and Museum Studies. As far as new skills, I learned about how projects/art can be displayed at galleries and museums in creative ways. This will be helpful in the future if I decide to take the museum studies career.