Designboardscop3

BRIEF

Brief

Background/Considerations

Mandatory Requirements/Deliverables

Many people have the accessibility to web based tools which allows anyone to be a designer. However, they do not have the knowledge of design history or principles as designers with formal art and design training would do. How can you give this scope of people the context into theory and history?

From the research question undertaken, it was understood that people without the knowledge or understanding of design theory and history can pick up styles and dismiss/ be unaware of the context behind it. This encourages imitation and weakens the understanding of design communication. It has been argued by academics and design critics that there is currently a period of stagnation within design because of the abundance of images and information at our disposal due to the internet. People lack the awareness that the whole framework of design movements are created from concepts and principles - and the styles produced appropriately communicate these ideas.

Resolutions & Products appropriate to your selected brief(s).

How can you make design history and the principles behind design movements accessible for amateurs?

A minimum of 5 x A3 design boards/design sheets (submitted as PDFs) articulating the selected research development, resolution and contextualisation of your work.

Posts to your blog demonstrating your ability to effectively record and evaluate the progress of your work.

Design history teaches you the fundamental principles of design that are considered timeless. Studying history is one way you can add context that will impact your understanding of design. How will you raise awareness of this and encourage this?

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Context of Practice 3

Emma Nicholls

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RESEARCH

The research and investigation undertaken for my dissertation exposed an issue which I chose to explore. It was found that people without the knowledge or understanding of design theory and history are vulnerable to picking up styles and dismiss/ be unaware of the context behind it. This encourages imitation and weakens the understanding of design communication. It has been argued by academics and design critics that there is currently a period of stagnation within design because of the abundance of images and information at our disposal due to the internet.

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Primary research undertaken by receiving design critics and practitioner’s opinion demonstrated that learning design rules and principles were still required in design education. It was stated that these rules should ‘always be questioned’ and supported the notion that learning the principles allows you to know ‘whether, when and why to break the rules.’ As the significance of learning this is evidenced, we can establish that this is important for amateurs to also learn this creating a platform is necessary in order for them to access this information to deepen their understanding.

Context of Practice 3

Emma Nicholls

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IDEA GENERATION

After consideration, creating a platform for amateurs to access the context into the theory and history behind design will deepen their understanding and interpretation of design. This understanding of design will support new innovative work and encourage breaking and creating new rules within graphic design.

Amateurs will be the intended audience as they will have no formal art and design training, so a very limited knowledge of design history and principles.

Amateurs will therefore be the most susceptible to imitation and creating design based on style with no substance. This could also be applied to young, naĂŻve designers and this platform can be a tool they use in aiding their design education. Because of the intended audience, the platform must be easy to use and accessible for anyone to discover.

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Context of Practice 3

Emma Nicholls

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DEVELOPMENT - TESTING

From the considerations of the idea and audience, a range of potential outcomes have been considered to test their effectiveness and limitation to decipher the most appropriate platform: A Zine/Book - This was found to have to many limitations as the mass of information will be to much to put within a zine. Creating a book was found to surplus as there are already many books on design history/theory however it is questionable how many people, particularly amateurs will seek out buying a book and reading it.

Article – This could be effective if the article was in a well known source, however it limits the accessibility as new articles are published everyday.

Posters – This option had to many limitations as the platform must be accessible for a large number of people, and the distribution of posters would be to restricted.

Website – This was found to be the most accessible option as anyone can access it and it can obtain a large amount of information. In addition, most people look to the internet now than any other form of media, making it suitable for the target audience.

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Research Led Discussion During a critique, I asked my peers questions to confirm that a website was the right outlet to use. A website was agreed to be the best solution as all said a book was off putting, especially to young people who don’t have the time and who are predominately online anyway. It was also suggested to create an app as people use their smartphones just as much the internet nowadays.

This discussion proved vey useful as I found that some people said they had a good understanding of art and design history whereas some did not. It was discussed that this idea would be suitable as all agreed that it can help people by informing their work.

Furthermore, it was agreed that it would be useful for student designers too as it is important to understand, and as a tool to use. However, it was said that it must be simple and easy to use, because people look more towards the internet as you can specifically select what you want to look at, rather than finding it within a large art and design history book which can be intimidating by the volume of information in front of you.

Context of Practice 3

Emma Nicholls

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DEVELOPMENT - DESIGN

Further research found that existing websites of design history do not show the key principles that outline the movements. In addition, they are overloaded with information, therefore the design must be easy to use and approachable. This will attract audiences to explore the content of the site.

In order for the website and app to be user friendly and easy to use, the design must be simple for the target audience. As the primary focus is informing amateurs of the history and theory behind the existing styles, the home page will show a range of different images of styles which audiences can select the ones they engage with, which will take them to movements that they are produced/based from. This page will show the history, impact and principles behind the movements and artists. The next page will be a timeline, which is

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relevant to understand when these movements were, which people can reference. The final page will be about the website and why this information is necessary to learn, the issue raised and how it can help inform your practice.

The design of the website was informed by the research undertaken. Jan Tshichold argues that the principles he laid out within ‘The New Typography’ will produce timeless design. These principles are suitable to use as the website design aims to be simple to maximize user-friendliness. Therefore, the colours of black, white, red, yellow and blue were used as Tschichold states that these are preferred colours as they have greater intensity. In addition, the use of the black block as Tschichold also states that blocks of colour are used to increase the importance of type – as

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the block does with the title - ‘Design Manifesto.’

However, the design is not bound to this, Rick Poynor santions that visual ideas with specific purposes can be applied in new contexts, and this is the most appropriate way of communicating to the target audience. The use of typography and scattered images were used purposely to create a more personal, playful approach which is suitable for the target audience. It will make the website more user-friendly as the design attracts you to explore more of the content of the site.

Furthermore, the overall tone of voice for the site aims to be approachable and simple to use for amateurs.

The overall aesthetic must be designed in such a way that it appeals to up-and-coming designers.

Emma Nicholls

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FINAL RESOLUTION

The website and app will both be accompanied by an Instagram account to extend the resolution to social media. This will help in addition to generate audiences towards the website, but also will be a platform via social media where amateurs can learn. Access to the website and app will be found here and on advertisements/web banners.

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This can also be extended to articles to promote the new and upcoming website to generate more coverage. This simple, yet approachable layout will introduce more people to the theory and history behind design, which can encourage people to create/reconstruct their own principles and theories to create informed and innovative work.

Context of Practice 3

Emma Nicholls

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