The Making of a Tanzanian Food Preservation Manual Written and Designed by Kayla Szczepanik
Š2015 Kayla Szczepanik Hixson Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts University of Nebraska-Lincoln Advanced Graphic Design Spring 2015 The Tanzania Project Printed in the United States of America Lincoln, Nebraska UNL Printing Services Typefaces Used: Trade Gothic and ManusTrial kaylaszczepanik.com The cover was created using scanned fabric and my illustrations. I chose to do this because I found that Tanzanian women wear skirts almost everyday and printing my project on one of their skirts could be a great way for them to use it in an exciting way.
To my loving friends and family and to the pastoralists in Tanzania
CONTENTS FOREWORD PREFACE & ACKNOWLEDGMENT PHASE ONE About Tanzania Research My Project My Direction Group Activities The Layout Typography The Making of a Deck The Pitch
PHASE TWO Timeline Sketchbook Andrea Deszo Critique
PHASE THREE The Final Presentation
CONCLUSION GLOSSARY BIBLIOGRAPHY
FOREWORD by Stacy Asher Assistant Professor of Art Advanced Graphic Design Spring 2015 In the Spring Semester of 2015, students of Advanced Graphic Design visualized information as a cross-disciplinary art form that is rooted in data visualization and the design of info-graphics, a field which has been transformed by technology and encompasses discursive thinking and the practice of design research. Assignments included long-term field based assignments and collaborative projects. Selected readings, presentations and projects introduce methodologies for working with data visualization: maps, diagrams, charts, timelines, info-graphics, interfaces and video narratives. Projects are a result of transdisciplinary research with the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Projects were design-research based and were a result of a systems-oriented approach. Students mapped, charted, diagrammed, illustrated, and visualized information about the prevention of disease and the promotion of healthcare in Tanzania, Africa. Students created digital, video and printed material as well as designing proposals for public installations of murals and video projections. The course outcomes provided opportunity for students to be innovative, culturally critical and potentially create social change.
PREFACE The idea for this book came from the semester long Tanzania Project I worked on this Spring in my Advanced Graphic Design course. This is a book of process that contains everything from the beginning stages of research all the way to the end outcome of the final piece. It gives insights into my thought process and the goals that I had and met for myself along the way. I hope that this book will help you in your life of design and allow you to get a little more insight into the African country of Tanzania and the people who live there. None of this would be possible without these individuals who helped throughout the entire semester. Everything from the research to the constructive reviews, they were there until the finished project was produced.
Stacy Asher
Asst. Professor of Art
Christopher Gustafson
Asst. Professor, Agricultural Economics
Elizabeth VanWormer
Faculty, School of Natural Resources
College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Thank you!
ABOUT TANZANIA An eastern African country filled with unique cultural aspects and a strong desire to advance their community. The first day of the semester we were introduced to our topic of study for our Advanced Graphic Design course. When Stacy told us that we would be working on projects for the country of Tanzania, I’ll admit, I knew very little information about it. Thankfully we were able to collaborate with both Elizabeth VanWormer and Chris Gustafson, two faculty of the School of Natural Resources who had traveled and done research in Tanzania for several years, to gain knowledge about it. Tanzania is a country located in East Africa bordering the Indian Ocean. Its climate varies from both tropical to temperate, depending on where you are located. The population is just under 50 million and the official language is Swahili, however many of the pastoralists, or farmers in rural areas, first language is that of their own tribe. It did not take long to find out how different the cultures of people in Tanzania were to that of my own. What really interested me was their nutrition and diets. Because their food sources are limited due to their lack of resources, many will eat a corn meal mixture for most of the meals. This lacks lots of proteins and vitamins needed for a healthy diet and leads to many health risks. Unlike in the United States, in Tanzania the cattle is not used as a food source but instead to show hierarchy and wealth. The more cattle that one may have, the more respect they receive from others. With this, I knew I had a long road of research ahead of me but I was ready to take on the challenge.
RESEARCH In order to make my piece useful, I had to research the materials and food they use in order for it be accurate and easy to understand. SYSTEMS 1. Water 2. Information 3. Mobility
We took it upon ourselves to first create small presentations over specific systems that are common in almost every society. When we presented to the class it allowed us to not only learn about the topic that we researched but learn about all of the other eleven systems and how they worked in the country of Tanzania. After this the class came up with many more questions to ask our collaborators.
4. Wellness 5. Nourishment 6. Shelter 7. Entertainment 8. Waste 9. Energy 10. Commerce 11. Governance 12. Security
Liz and Chris then came to speak with us and gave an indepth presentation with information and photos that they had gathered when they were in Tanzania. They answered many of our immediate questions and helped us really start to understand the way people live over there and how different it was than in the United States. After this initial presentation we set up meeting times with Liz to discuss our projects further and the direction that we wanted to take. She connected us with other professionals and gave us documents of the already existing information that we could have full access to. Liz and Chris also uploaded a large collection of photos that we could use in our projects and that really helped us see the country more visually. Along with all of this, I also took it upon myself to research food preservation and the country of Tanzania.
MY PROJECT A food preservation or nutrition guide for semi-illiterate pastoralists in Tanzania, Africa to enhance their meals and overall better their diets. LIST OF PROJECTS Brochures/handouts on livestock health and human nutrition topics for semiilliterate pastoralists Electronic and printed livestock health manual for extension officers Animal and human health posters or murals for communities Environmental education manual and handouts or posters for primary schools Storyboard project/illustration with primary school students Videos/community cinema project on health/environment Murals for schools Wild fruits and vegetables book Food preservation guides for pastoralists Project with citizen science climate data and visualizing weather patterns
We were given a very diverse list of projects that both Liz and Chris thought were most needed to help the people of Tanzania. Some projects would be completely new while others were projects that already existed but were lacking significantly in organization and that were very poorly designed. With my interest in nutrition and the diets of those living in Tanzania, I decided that I wanted to work on creating a food preservation and nutrition guide for pastoralists. An important belief for me is to create social change and bring attention to issues in the world. This project would be a great way for me to do just that.
MY DIRECTION To produce a food preservation handbook that communicates heavily through images and is practical for the lifestyle of those in Tanzania. MY GOALS 1. To gather as much information as possible to ensure accuracy. 2. Use a unique illustrative style and create images that communicate the message correctly. 3. Collaborate frequently with professionals. 4. Receive lots of constructive criticism along the way to better my design. 5. Create a piece that will help people and enhance their lives.
Ever since the start of this project I knew that I wanted to focus heavily on the research aspect to ensure that it would be accurate and could actually be used by the pastoralists. Liz and Chris informed the class that many of the pastoralists were semi-illiterate and most would not know English besides maybe some of the children who went to school. Most spoke their tribe’s language and only some spoke the official language Swahili. To solve this problem I decided that I needed to create a piece that was very image heavy. By using mostly images to communicate steps of food preservation, it would allow for the pastoralists to better learn the techniques and become more educated. Before this project I had never used my illustrations in a design piece, however have always wanted to learn the process. Along with the illustrations, I decided to also include some text to allow those who had the ability to read to be able to. By including some text my project could even serve as a learning tool for those trying to learn the language.
GROUP ACTIVITIES We took some time out of our research and presentations to do some creative team building and work with each other to solve problems. One day during class time we decided to get off the computers and do some team bonding activities. Stacy had a book full of exercises. Both of the exercises we explored had you break up into teams of four and made everyone in your group choose a different colored marker. For the first exercise we had to each pick a drawing job of either arrows, circles, dots, or a title. We then all began in our own blank square. When we were finished we moved down the line to the square that one of our team members had just drawn in where we had to continue to communicate a message. During this exercise many of us agreed that the person who had to think up a title for each one was the hardest because you had to use the ideas of your teammates to figure out what the drawing best communicates. The other exercise that we worked on we had to draw the best “perfect” circle that we could in less than 30 seconds. After the first circle was drawn the next person then had to draw another “perfect” circle around the already existing circle and fill it in. It was easy in the beginning to finish in the time allowed, however once the circle got larger the time frame became very tight to get the circle filled completely in time. Both of these exercises really allowed for us to bond as a class and problem solve. It also helped us with communicating our thoughts and ideas.
THE LAYOUT Keeping practicability in mind, I wanted a layout that was easy to use but also could be reproduced at a low cost. While working on this project I really kept in mind the practicability and the cost of reproduction when it came to the layout. I wanted something that would be user friendly for pastoralists to carry with them however would also be cheap for them to print again and again. I first began by creating a booklet layout that would use only a couple pieces of tabloid size paper to create and could be easily saddle stitched (see upper left). Each page would have a different food item on it with directions on how to preserve it in both illustrations and text. After some thought, I decided that it would be better if I could get all the information to fit on to one single tabloid size piece of paper, front and back. I could then fold it down and create a sort of booklet still but one that is less confusing to put together and more cost friendly. When it was unfolded it could also serve as a poster to hang and admire. In the beginnings of this new folded handbook layout I designed it in a vertical orientation, however after some recommendations from an amazing, real world designer I decided to flip it to horizontal to allow for better readability.
TYPOGRAPHY This project definitely tested my typography skills and showed me the importance of iterations to find the best possible solution. Type was another long process for me during this project I needed the correct pairing of typeface to go with my simplistic illustrations to lead to a great designed piece. In the beginning phases I was thinking of using a strong, bold sans serif for the title and then for the body, a handwritten typeface that could blend in with the plant and vegetable drawings I had created. However after many iterations and a couple of constructive reviews, I discovered that the illustrations spoke for themselves and that the type worked better in a light sans serif type instead. In the final critique, although my type was looking much stronger than before, I believed that my typography was still not completely resolved. After the critique I decided to go back and configure my type again. The titles in my final design were much too large and the body copy was centered which made it a little more difficult to read than if it was aligned left. I made these changes and then made sure to create a grid to keep the body copy consistent and create an equal amount of spacing between all of it. Going back and reevaluating my type led to a much stronger final project. I can happily say that I feel that the type is finally resolved.
Trade Gothic
Bebas Neue
Univers
abcdefghijklm nopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLM NOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 !@#$%^&*()
ABCDEFGHIJKLM NOPQRSTUVWXYZ ABCDEFGHIJKLM NOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 !@#$%^&*()
abcdefghijklm nopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLM NOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 !@#$%^&*()
HEADER
HEADER
HEADER
Body
Body
Body
abcdefghijklm nopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLM NOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 !@#$%^&*()
abcdefghijklm nopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLM NOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 !@#$%^&*()
abcdefghijklm nopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLM NOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789 !@#$%^&*() Tippy Toes
Miss Molly Brown
Univers
THE MAKING OF A DECK I knew that my deck had to have strong visual aspects to engage the audience and lead to a more successful overall pitch. For my presentation deck I wanted to incorporate a strong color palette of muted reds, blues, and beiges. I used a strong bold sans serif type to showcase my points and also some creative text alignment to grab my audience’s attention. I knew that if I had a strong deck for my presentation that it would help my overall idea come across more professional and keep the audience engaged. By taking the time to create master pages and use a loose grid system, I was able to create a great presentation that I was excited to show to my fellow classmates and our collaborators.
THE PITCH Having never really loved presentations, I was very happy with how this one went and was excited to show off my designed deck. The day before the big pitch I made sure to print off all of my slides to present them in an organized way on the wall to allow for people to see it as a whole, not just slide by slide. I practiced what I was all going to say a couple of times to ensure that I would be getting my point across to my audience and that they would understand the direction that I wanted to take it. During the pitch I made sure to talk about the importance of my project and the practicability of the design and overall layout. I also made sure to have a life size mock-up to show Liz and Chris the proportions and allow for them to hold it in their hands to get a feel for it. Overall my presentation went really well. I got some great feedback before I started on the actual project and got the okay to begin! Having to give a presentation to pitch our idea to our client really allowed for me to get a feel for what it will be like when I have a career in the graphic design field and was a great learning opportunity for myself.
TIMELINE A key assignment for me was taking the time to create a timeline of due dates to keep me on track to creating an awesome project. Now that we had given our pitch to Liz and Chris and were officially approved to begin our project we were asked to create a production timeline. This was very useful because with everyone working on something different, we needed to set our own deadlines to make sure that we would be able to get the project done in time. I made sure to set specific days for reviews and to incorporate other projects in my other courses as well so that I could manage my time most wisely. By creating this schedule it allowed me to take the necessary steps and not rush through anything last minute. In a month in advance I was able to see all of the things that needed to be done in order for my piece to turn out successfully and be something that I would be pleased with. I will definitely do this with all of my projects from now on.
Tuesday
start 2.17
Thursday
Create production schedule Continue sketching Finalize typefaces Continue working on grid system Experiment with hierarchy
2.24 Finish first iteration of illustrations Grid system established Communicate with Liz and Chris about illustrations Finalize illustrations Work on getting illustrations scanned and drawn in Illustrator
3.03 Illustrations completed Begin placing illustrations and text Get Swahili translations Be ready to review on Thursday Handbook review Make changes Begin cover art Begin planning process atlas
3.10 Make small changes to accomodate black/white and colored copies Review cover art with class Test understanding of instructions
Communicate with Chris and Liz Finalize cover art Print mockup Set up grid system for atlas
3.17 Final handbook printed and documented Gather all items for atlas Begin placing images and text in atlas Continue working on atlas debate + paper + research paper due in mass media and society
finish 3.19 Production Timeline
Kayla Szczepanik
SKETCHBOOK I found with this project the importance of getting off the computer and picking up a pen and paper because it allowed for my mind to speak freely. To create the right illustrative style that I wanted to incorporate in my handbook, I knew that I would need to do a lot of sketching. It took a lot of practice and was something that I really was not used to incorporating into my designs. The most difficult part with this part of the process came from having to learn what all the food and tools in Tanzania looked like. If I wanted the semi-illiterate pastoralists to recognize what it was exactly that I was trying to depict, I needed to spend a lot of time on making sure that I got it all correct. Although there were some items that looked the same such as corn and potatoes, there were steps such as boiling water where I learned that most do not own stoves but instead use a fire pit outside. I had to then learn how to best show these steps of preservation in as few images as possible to communicate my message successfully.
ANDREA DESZO CRITIQUE To have an award-winning illustrator critique my project only made it that much better and put it on the right track to success. Born and raised in Romania, Andrea Deszo is an incredible visual artist with a broad range of skills. She works with all sorts of medias including illustration, painting, and even public art. Many of her pieces focus on nature which directly related with my project. Having a vast amount of experience in both the design world and the communication of her messages through art, I knew that she would be a great source for me to get constructive criticism about my project. During the critique, Deszo asked many questions that lot of the class had never really thought about. Specifically with my project she brought up a great point about the flow of the illustrations being difficult to follow and that it would be better if I changed the entire orientation. She also gave her advice about the typeface to use. Having Andrea Deszo come to our class and critique our work was absolutely amazing. Her experience in the design world reflected greatly in her feedback. The day she came and visited was definitely one of my favorite classes throughout the semester.
FINAL PRESENTATION At last the final presentation took place and I was able to get some great feedback on my project. I used this to then go back and make some changes. At the final presentation I was overall pleased with how my food preservation handbook turned out. After many iterations I found a practical solution for the layout and the illustrations that I created I believe to be overall easy to understand, even for those who are semi-illiterate. During the critique I received a lot of great feedback about the drawings I had created and everyone really enjoyed the solution I came up with for the practicability of reprinting my piece in Tanzania. One overall criticism that was given to me was my type was not yet resolved. I also received a great idea from Liz about how awesome it would be if I could somehow print my project on cloth. Since many Tanzanian women wear skirts it would be a fun and unique way of presenting it. After the critique I went back and made some changes to my type and the alignment. Using the criticism that was given to me during the final review, I believe that I finalized my piece and made it the best that it could be. I even tried out the printing on cloth idea. Although it did not turn out successfully, I plan figuring out a way to make it happen! Overall I am very happy with its final outcome and really enjoyed the entire process that went in to working on it this semester.
CONCLUSION This project was one of the most highly researched I have worked on throughout my entire college career and it all paid off in the end. Throughout college I have done my fair share of projects. Everything from campaigning ideas for an already branded restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri to creating a product packaging design of choice, however none of these past projects have made as big of an impact on me as the Tanzanian food preservation handbook I worked on this semester. From learning about a country I knew nothing about to collaborating with professionals I was able to create a printed piece that, if distributed, could change the diets and overall health of the people living in Tanzania. Producing a project that creates social change and ultimately helps people is exactly the kind of work I want to be doing in my graphic design career. There is no greater reward than that of helping people in need and I absolutely love the feeling when something I designed makes a difference. Along with the food preservation project also came the making of a process book. It allowed for me to gather up all of the steps that went into the food preservation handbook and put them into one place. It challenged me to use a grid and create a strong layout piece for it all to live in. This semester has really made me understand the importance of research and has advanced my knowledge in the design field drastically. I am beyond happy of the work that I produced and am honored to have gotten the opportunity to take this course during my college career.
GLOSSARY
Collaborate : to work with another person or group in order to achieve or do something Constructive Criticism : helping to develop or improve something in a positive way Critique : a careful judgment in which you give your opinion about the good and bad parts of something Deck : a group of slides designed for a presentation Graphic Design : the art or profession of using design elements (as typography and Images) to convey information or create an effect Handbook : a small book that gives useful information about a particular subject Illustration : to give examples in order to make (something) easier to understand Inspiration : something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create Mock-up : a full-sized model of something (such as a boat or a car) that is used for studying, testing, or showing its features
Nutrition : the process of eating the right kind of food so you can grow properly and be healthy Pastoralists : social organization based on livestock raising as the primary economic activity Perfect Binding : a book binding in which a layer of adhesive holds the pages and cover together Pitch : to make a sales pitch Preservation : to keep (something) in its original state or in good condition Saddle Stitch : a stitch of thread or a wire staple passed through the fold of a magazine or booklet Semi-illiterate : able to read and write on an elementary level Tanzania : an East African country known for its vast wilderness areas (see page Team Building : an ongoing process that helps a work group evolve into a cohesive unit Type Study : the process of making several iterations of typeface combinations
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Baird, Richard. “Content.” BP&O. Accessed April 10, 2015. http:// bpando.org/wp-content/uploads//2012/10/spirit-13.jpg. Brain, Marshall. HowStuffWorks. Accessed April 1, 2015. http:// science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/edible-innovations/food- preservation.htm. Brennan, John O. Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed March 19, 2015. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world- factbook/geos/tz.html. Dezso, Andrea. “Illustration.” Andrea Dezso. Accessed April 10, 2015. http://www.andreadezso.com/. Gearan, Mark D. “Fisher Center Welcomes Dezsö - Hobart and William Smith Colleges - Daily Updates.” Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Accessed April 23, 2015. http://www.hws.edu/ dailyupdate/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=17182. Hansen, Jimmy. “National Center for Home Food Preservation.” National Center for Home Food Preservation. Accessed April 1, 2015. http://nchfp.uga.edu/. Menard, Raymond. “Cheetah Development | Project List.” Cheetah Development | Project List. Accessed February 6, 2015. http:// cheetahdevelopment.org/cheetah/pages/projects.shtml.