Dyscalculia

DYSCALCULIA

A FEAR OF NUMBERS

Designed by Keighley Hand 1

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| RESEARCH AND IDEA DEVELOPMENT

THE BRIEF

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The themed brief would be about numbers, and in response I was required to create a project based on it, then from there create a visually stimulating solution.

KEIGHLEY HAND

PROPOSITION

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My proposition was to create a project based on the condition dyscalculia, and how it affects children with it, essentially it creates a fear of numbers.

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| RESEARCH AND IDEA DEVELOPMENT

Initially, I began by brainstorming any ideas that related to numbers, such as mathematics, to help me formulate some ideas.

After doing more research, I developed these further and formulated three main ideas that I wanted to discuss in a critic. My main ideas were how people with learning difficulties perceive numbers, how numbers are used within graphic design and the cultural significance of numbers.

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KEIGHLEY HAND

After a critic with the tutors, they agreed that the idea of exploring maths dyslexia or otherwise known as dyscalculia was the strongest of the proposals I brought forward.

They advised me to research further into it, to gain a better understanding of my subject but also to help develop a final proposal.

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| RESEARCH AND IDEA DEVELOPMENT

After some preliminary research into the diagnosis of dyscalculia, it’s symptoms, causes, etc. Initially my proposal was to concentrate on defining dyscalculia and helping to promote it. As my research identified that it is not a eminent learning difficulty. It is not even that well publicised, that psychologists and doctors cannot agree on a consensus on it.

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KEIGHLEY HAND

I was advised not to become so engrossed in the psychology of the condition, but to rather simplify it and focus my research into how people with dyscalculia see and identify numbers.

However, I had trouble generating ideas as I was confused with the focus of my research. But instead I thought I needed to analyse into how I could manipulate the audience’s vision using numbers, to replicate how someone with dyscalculia might feel when reading numbers, such as making it more difficult for the audience to read.

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| RESEARCH AND IDEA DEVELOPMENT

These are some examples of initial ideas I was developing, For example I had the idea of removing sections of the numbers to make it ineligible so it would be harder for readers to make sense of.

Though when I presented the idea to Jim and Bobbie, they said it was too similar to the project I had been investigating and it was something that had been done many times before.

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KEIGHLEY HAND

After a tutorial, I realised that I did not know what my proposal was, Jim reminded me that it was ‘the fear of numbers’. The ideas I had developed thus far had not been considered, and I did not use this proposition. Bobbie noted I was overcomplicating it and advised me to take a step back and generate more ideas with this proposition in mind.

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| RESEARCH AND IDEA DEVELOPMENT

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KEIGHLEY HAND

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| RESEARCH AND IDEA DEVELOPMENT

With this, I de-constructed the notion of ‘fear’ as it is the main focus in my proposition. I de-constructed it first by using a thesaurus to find alternative words to describe a fear. With the idea of it being drawn from a phobia and a phobia is generally based on a irrational fear. This in mind, I developed the idea that people who have phobia’s can be preyed upon and exploited by this, often by monetary intentions, this reminded me of the stereotype of snake oil salesman.

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KEIGHLEY HAND

This idea was to develop a range of miracle cures for dyscalulia, in the traditional printed style as featured in this mood board. Although with my tutors, they said I was overcomplicating it again, though I liked the idea I agreed. They suggestef the best solution could be to create a children’s book, with a series of illustrations that depicted children being scared by numbers. They advised me to look into common phobias and how they are depicted.

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| RESEARCH AND IDEA DEVELOPMENT

I found a book called ‘John Vassos, Contempo, Phobia and Other Graphic Interpretations’, which was a catalogue of work from John Vassos, a industrial designer and artist. I found his work about graphic interpretations of different phobias very interesting, as these were very close to the examples Bobbie and Jim gave me, and what I could use as a reference.

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KEIGHLEY HAND

Bobbie and Jim’s advise for me was to research into basic ways that fear can be represented, especially within children, then interpret these through visualisations. They used examples of a child being chased in the dark by numbers as a way to represent the anxiety and fear a child might feel as a result of dyscalulia. Also as part of my research into children’s illustration books, I created several mood boards of different types of illustrations, to identify the different uses of colour, typography, materials etc.

I found that the darker illustrations tend to use very minimum colours, such as different shades of grey and black, as well as the use of inks and paints.

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| RESEARCH AND IDEA DEVELOPMENT

A perfect example I analysed was the ‘Babadook’, a horror film about a monster that terrifies a mother and son, it heavily features a book. I included this as I think it best represents how fear can be personified from a child’s perspective and their idea of fear.

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KEIGHLEY HAND

Using my research to inform my ideas, I decided to begin by creating rough scamps to assist in representing my ideas to my tutors. I used the most common phobias that children often experience, for example children experience a fear of the dark or a fear of bullying, then replacing the scary element with numbers.

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| EXPERIMENTATION

After developing my rough ideas, I decided that I needed to start experimenting. Beginning by drawing a image of a young boy, in pyjamas shaking in fear. Then using the printer to scan and print off several copies of the image. I began experimenting with some black ink whilst utilising different methods and ways to ink the image, to give that notion of darkness and a hand drawn quality.

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KEIGHLEY HAND

As well as trying some digital painting by scanning the image into my laptop and then using Adobe Illustrator to colour the image, I also experimented with different filters, textures etc.

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| EXPERIMENTATION

My other experimentation was using black ink. Using water to try and replicate the dark, traditional effect of the previous example I had analysed. I drew a monster in a number seven stance, then went over the image with water and ink using different consistences and strokes.

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KEIGHLEY HAND

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| EXPERIMENTATION

When I had a tutorial with Bobbie, she thought my illustrations were not strong enough to convey my message but instead she mentioned the BBC 2 ident and the use of 3D typography. She advised me to experiment, and create 3D numbers, paying particular attention with the scale and texture of the numbers to make them look scary, e.g. drips, scales. Also to consider including them in scary scenarios, such as a number through a partially open door,

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KEIGHLEY HAND

After speaking to the plastic technician, I asked if I could make a dripping effect from plastic and explained my idea, he said it was not possible, but he advised me to try and use foam instead. He made a prototype for me, by using the hot wire cutter, and it worked out relatively well so I had a try at it myself.

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| EXPERIMENTATION

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KEIGHLEY HAND

I also tried to create another number, I wanted to depict an almost metal effect using glossy silver spray paint, as well as adding spikes to make it look more dangerous. This was not successful as the spray paint did not stick to the foam, and it did not look realistic enough.

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| EXPERIMENTATION

This was my final for my semester one submission.

Overall I could have done a lot more. I was quite lazy with this project as I only did one poster, the number was too glossy because of the glue I applied as well as being able to see all the flaws in my paint work.

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KEIGHLEY HAND

To try to correct some of the flaws of my first final. With these versions, I created a series of numbers, as well as using a matte based poster paint so it wouldn’t be shiny. When I presented these to Sarah, she did not like the texture or the shape of the type. She advised I should use already existing typefaces so they look more natural and readable.

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| EXPERIMENTATION

After a tutorial with the tutors, they suggested I should base my finals on popular horror film posters to help communicate the message that dyscalculia can create an fear.

Therefore I began some initial research into the most popular horror films, and decided to use ‘The Exorcist’, ‘The Shining’ and ‘The Silence of the Lambs.’ As they are very iconic posters, and easy to replicate through photography and light manipulation.

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KEIGHLEY HAND

My first attempt using my tutors advice, I tried cutting the typeface ‘Albertus’, used as the title for ‘The Exorcist,’ the idea was that I would have a separate number made from each typeface from the film‘s titles, e.g. A number one in Albertus, a number two in the typeface used for ‘The Shining’ and Bindlestiff NF in the shape of a number three for ‘The Silence of the Lambs.’

However when I presented this to the tutors, they said it was too clumsy. They advised to use a chunkier typeface such as Arial or Helvetica to use instead, and apply this to my designs.

DYSCALCULIA Albertus MT

DYS CALCULIA Shining NFL

DYSCALCULIA BINDLESTIFF NFW REGULAR 39

DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| FINAL DESIGNS

Preparing my numbers for the shoot, I decided to use Arial as my main typeface, as it is quite heavy set and easy to cut out. I had issues with the paint as I applied it straight onto the foam, I did several coats, but the paint started peeling off. But I needed to continue with the shoot. For my first, I tried to replicate ‘The Exorcist ‘, I wanted to replicate the light seen in the original poster, therefore I positioned the lights in several different ways until I got the best result possible, and with how dark the shoot was, I could not see the flaws in the paint.

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| FINAL DESIGNS

For my second shoot, I was recreating ‘The Shining’, I first needed to create the wood panels. I did this by finding some scrap white wood, I knew the wood had to be thick to withstand being hacked into. I then put my wood into a vice and hacked into it using a hatchet. I tried to make concentrated hacks into the sides rather than the whole piece of wood, as if someone was trying to get through, like the original.

Then for the shoot, I put the light directly behind me so it was straight on the number, then I had my classmate hold the pieces of wood whilst I took photos. With the paint peeling, I think it worked with this poster as it gave a similar hacking effect.

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KEIGHLEY HAND

With my final number, my first attempt was not successful, as the paint peeling looked terrible, but also I think the number was the wrong colour, therefore I decided to repaint my number white, which was more similar to the original poster of ‘The Silence of the Lambs.’

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| FINAL DESIGNS

My final attempt to do my third poster was a lot more success, I think using white emulsion was more to the original , as well as making the moth darker and using foam to raise it slightly, gave a more dramatic effect.

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DYSCALCULIA: A FEAR OF NUMBERS| FINAL DESIGNS

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KEIGHLEY HAND

CONCLUSION

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Overall, I am relatively happy with the outcomes.

They are an improvement on my first outcome from semester one and I have enjoyed making and photographing them.

I think the weakest of my posters, ‘The Exocist’ is the most poorly executed as I could not get the lighting right. However, I think I managed to pull off all of them respectively.

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