Hi, I’m Liau. portfolio // 2020
about me
thin specimen 01 Name: Liau ke xin age: 21 gender: female nationality: malaysian
Analysis this is A mind of a designer that thinks and ponder a lot. highly imaginative brain activity and abnormally passionate when it comes to art and design.
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nker m h i ag
ation s in
certifi
of r i
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ain
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information a brain of a graphic designer with a hold of diploma and degree in graphic design, that is passionate in illustrating and communicating through visual language.
projects
sil
en co t b nt oo k es t
trend poster
coexist
in
brain j
ndependent project
critical writings graduation showcase
juices
trend poster
trend poster a trend poster that reflects the trend that is impacting on graphic design and the context of life.
the trend - cartoon illustration Timeless, diverse and versatile usage for designers to express and make connections in different context and platforms
the context - Covid-19 pandemic and Graphic design connecting people with design, while spreading awareness
coexist
coexist pandemic signage a 3 series of pandemic signage tied together by pokemon theme that serves as a public service announcement.
graduation showcase
graduation showcase graduation showcase identity that represents the icad graduants.
e
SHOUT IT OUT,
graduation showcase
WHAT DOES
IT MEAN?
A DIRECT AND BOLD WAY FOR US TO SHOW THE WORLD & SHARE TO THE WORLD WHO WE ARE AND THE VALUES WE CARRY
A MODERN GREEK WORD USED TO DESCRIBE DOING SOMETHING WITH SOUL, CREATIVITY OR LOVE. APPLIED TO TASKS, USUALLY CREATIVE OR ARTISTIC, BUT CAN BE APPLIED TO ANY TASK AT ALL
retrieved from: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Meraki
THE “NAME” OF OUR BATCH OF GRADUANTS. PERSONA SIGNIFIES THE IDENTITY THAT OUR BATCH NEEDS TO TAKE ON TO ADAPT TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD
SHOUT IT OUT, Icad persona: shout it out, Meraki!
OUR FACADE SHOULD BE “MERAKI”, TO PUT ALL OF OURSELVES IN DOING THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE
the identity proposed to represent the design graduants of 2021. the identity centers on the core values of “meraki” that graduants should carry in each of them.
graduation showcase
INSPIRATION
BEHIND
- WHAT DO WE CARRY OUT TO THE WORLD AFTER GRADUATING? - WILL WE ALL BECOME WHO WE WANT TO BE? - WHAT CAN WE SHARE OR BRING TO THE INDUSTRY/ OUT THERE?
THE IDEA
BEHIND
WE ARE A BUNCH OF DESIGNERS WITH DIFFERENT PASSION,
The identity was inspired by the idea of a bond that ties each one of us graduants together after taking off in our own path, which is the spirit of meraki
ART STYLE, PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUALITY. WHEN WE COME TOGETHER, WE SHOULD BE A LOUD BUNCH AND SHOUT OUR OWN UNIQUENESS IN OUR OWN WAY.
A LITTLE
MANIFESTO
SHOUT IT OUT FROM OUR SOUL. SHOUT IT OUT WITH LOVE. SHOUT IT OUT CREATIVELY.
graduation showcase
RESEARCH
BEHIND
SHOUT IT OUT,
comical, with a little bit of nostalgia vibe and some illustrations (a transition period where we can still be a student, yet adapting the seriousness that we need as graduant.)
2021
aug. 23
RESEARCH
BEHIND
icad graduation showcase
Yellow brings energy! but not too much, with the help of neutral colors (black and white) to achieve balance
retrieved from: https://digitalsynopsis.com/design/workplace-office-productive-color-palette-psychology/
aug. 23
aug. 23 - 30
- 7pm to 9pm -
- 9am to 5pm -
inti int colle
- so
ternational ege subang
outh block -
the overall art direction is energetic and vibrant with a little hint of nostalgia, along with bold and san serif typeface for a firm tone of voice that declares our identity.
critical writings
statement of intent a statement supported by 10 annotated bibliographies that defines me as a critical practitioner, my practices and my aspirations.
f
To design is a designer’s passion, but to tell stories through design should be the core of this passion. As a critical practitioner, one should strive to be a designer that is engaged with life and live a designer life. Being a designer in life, design should be a passion to be carried on instead of just a tool to make life better. To be engaged with life is to be inspired from everyday life (Gates, 2020) just as the great film maker of all time, Hayao Miyazaki quoted that “I get inspired by everyday life”, and the influence of his life can be seen through out his works, and how his works had brought on influence to the lives of other people. As a designer, it is my vision and mission to express from within and to creatively deliver the ideas in life to the world (Ong, 2018) and gain the strength to bring good influence on others using designs, just like my design hero, Hayao Miyazaki. Design is a universal language that can be used to make the world a better place and provide solutions to problems in different context, hence I aspire to be like my design hero in carrying out and portray the beliefs and values I hold onto through my works, and channel out my uniqueness to the world.
critical writings
10 annotated 1. CUTOUT magazine. (2019, May 6). JUST A BUNCH OF MULTI-TALENTED ILLUSTRATORS Going behind the scenes of Book of Lai’s illustration studio 06 May 2019 – CUTOUT Magazine. CUTOUT Magazine. Retrieved from http://cutoutmagazine.com The interview reveals an interview with the founder of Studio behind 90s, a studio specialising in illustration and motion graphic and goes behind the scene of how the founder founded the studio and the value he carries. 2. Gates, J. (2020, April 29). The Real-Life Locations That Inspired Studio Ghibli. Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://theculturetrip.com/asia/japan/articles/the-ral-life-locations-that-inspired-studio-ghibli/ The article reveals the locations in real-life that Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli visited and inspired from to create some of their famous fantasy films. It also provides an insight to how film creators take inspiration from life in order to create.
3. Hudson, M. (2016, April 26). Illustrator Kerby Rosanes On The Art Of Doodling [Press release]. Retrieved September 13, 2020, from https://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/england/london/articles/illustrator-kerby-rosanes-on-the-art-of-doodling/ The press release introduces Kerby Rosanes, a Filipino doodle artist on his journey in starting his path down his passion in doodling and to achieving success. 4. Kahlo, F. (1932). Henry Ford Hospital [“Kahlo became probably the first artist to represent a miscarriage” (Gilbert). It was her own miscarriage. Due to a tragic accident in her youth, Kahlo was unable to bear children.]. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=frida+kahlo+miscarriage+painting&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwja_Lv5v-brAhWXzXMBHV5vCmEQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=frida+kahlo+miscarriage+pai nting&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzoECCMQJzoECAAQQzoFCAAQsQM6AggAOgcIABCxAxBDOgcIIxDqAhAnOgQIABAeOgYIA BAIEB46BAgAEBhQ0L4DWLWiBGCfowRoAnAAeACAAYsBiAGVEZIBBDMzLjGYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZ7ABCs ABAQ&sclient=img&ei=x0FeX5p9l5vPuw_e3qmIBg&bih=722&biw=1536#imgrc=5HWxO9Y5Q4TB8M Painter Frida Kahlo depicted her miscarriage through painting which serves as a feminist icon. The painter has brought a legacy of female strength challenging the status quo of female public existence and bringing influence to the future.
bibliographies
critical writings
10 annotated 5. Motivation, A. (2020, May 20). 42+ Of The Greatest Hayao Miyazaki Quotes About Life &... Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://animemotivation.com/hayao-miyazaki-quotes/ This article compiles of some of the greatest quotes by Hayao Miyazaki which serves as inspirations for people in life and also creation of anime. 6. Ong, J. (2018, October 10). It’s hard to think of an artist whose association with mental health is as great as Yayoi Kusama’s. Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/yayoi-kusama-world-mental-health-day-2018-exhibitions-101018#:%7E:text=Traumatised%20by%20the%20desperate %20surroundings,obsessive%2Dcompulsive%20behaviour%20and%20hallucinations. The article features Yayoi Kusama as the subject of matter and discusses about the artist’s life and work. The author also reveal to readers how the artist’s life has influenced in her work and how the artist’s repetitive and seemingly therapeutic work has been perceived by the public that subconsciously relates back to the artist’s experience in her early traumatic childhood.
7. Sagmeister, S., Nabors, B., & Curtis, H. (Directors). (2016). The Happy Film [Video file]. 661 backers. Retrieved September 13, 2020, from https://www.thehappyfilm.org/ The director and maker of the film, Stefan Sagmeister takes himself as a design project in redesigning his personality to become a better person and to see if his mind can be trained to be happier. In the process, the designer himself pursued three controlled experiments on meditation, therapy, and drugs while grading himself along the way. In the process, real life creeps in confounds the process. The film documents journey that has brought the designer closer to himself than ever intended. 8. The Futur. (2019, November 23). How To Find And Do Work That You Love (Ikigai) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2SqqjRn_c0 The video explains what Ikigai is about and how one should find theirs. The video also provides exercises on finding one’s Ikigai and demonstrates how it could be applied to people. 9. The Science Museum. (2010). Who Am I? [Exhibition catalogue]. London, United Kingdom: Exhibition Science Museum. The exhibition is dedicated to genetics, identity and brain science. The exhibition invites its audience to explore the science of who they are through intriguing objects and installations, provocative artworks and hands-on exhibits.
bibliographies
critical writings
10 annotated
10. Shaughnessy, A., & Sagmeister, S. (2005). How To Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul [PDF] (1st ed. https://learn-ap-southeast-1-prod-fleet02-xythos.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/5ddfa3943a653/3740746?response-cache-control=private%2C%20max-age%3D21600&respons filename%2A%3DUTF-8%27%27How%2520to%2520Be%2520a%2520Graphic%2520Designer%2520Without%2520 by%2520Adrian%2520Shaughnessy%2520%2528z-lib.org%2529%2520%25281%2529.pdf&response-content-type= =AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20200914T000000Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=21600&X-Amz-C %2F20200914%2Fap-southeast-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=bd416e813b604d411aa8f5025ff564a7f5 The author addresses some concerns of young designers who wants to earn a living in doing meaningful and works that the working on soulless and hired drone working projects. The book also covers some of the professional skills, design thinkin interviews with leading designers.
., Vol. 1). Retrieved from
se-content-disposition=inline%3B%20 0Losing%2520Your%2520Soul%2520 =application%2Fpdf&X-Amz-Algorithm Credential=AKIAZH6WM4PL2RCDY4NT 505426f4d78d23d69f4f6e2380ec91a ey are passionate about while avoiding ng and global trends with a series of
bibliographies
critical writings
INSPIRED “To be engaged with life is to be inspired from everyday life.”
Statement of Intent Liau Ke Xin
Statement of Intent Liau Ke Xin
ROOTED
“Desig
be used
Statement of Intent Liau Ke Xin
“Be a deisgner that is engaged with life and live a designer life.”
PRACTICE
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d to make the world a better place.�
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posters
a series of visual inspired by the key ideas from the statement of intent, which are rooted, inspired and practice.
critical writings
critical context Reflective and in-depth writings separated into 3 stages which each underpins my approach as a critical practitioner.
stage 1 compilation of 5 annotated bibliography that explains my understanding on the selected materials that supports my statement of intent, and the importance of the chosen bibliographies.
critical writings
5 annotated 1. Critical context - Yayoi Kusama The article centres around Yayoi Kusama’s legacy and gave readers a deeper insight into the artist’s life and works. Being brought up in a harsh and disapproving environment of a post-war Japan and family violence (Gotthardt, 2018), Kusama has experienced severe mental health issues and yet she turned it into an expression of her life experience. By deconstructing her fear and hallucinations, the artist was able to induce the repetitive and intuitive elements in her art and at the same time curing her mental illness. This has proved to the statement that art and design could be used as a universal language in addressing problems and providing solutions in different contexts (Ong, 2018), and inspire artists and designers to follow their own creativity and pain inherent in artists. While art and design can be an external expression for one to express and explore, it can also be a means for people to further understand themselves according to Kusama. (Gotthardt, 2018) This supports the point for one to continue to express from within and reflect further in his or her practice in art and design, to identify the role of a designer in the context of life and gain the strength to bring influences to it.
Gotthardt, A. (2018, June 21). 6 Works That Explain Yayoi Kusama’s Rise to Art World Stardom. Retrieved September 23, 2020, from https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-6-works-explain-yayoi-kusamas-rise-ar t-stardom Ong, J. (2018, October 10). It’s hard to think of an artist whose association with mental health is as great as Yayoi Kusama’s. Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/yayoi-kusama-world-mental-health-day-201 8-exhibitions-101018#:%7E:text=Traumatised%20by%20the%20desperate%20s urroundings,obsessive%2Dcompulsive%20behaviour%20and%20hallucinations. McCool, A. (2017, February 16). This Yayoi Kusama/Louise Bourgeois Show Is Basically Like Going to Therapy. Retrieved September 23, 2020, from https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pgxy5m/yayoi-kusama-louise-bourgeois-sothe bys-show
bibliographies
critical writings
5 annotated 2. Critical context - Frida Kahlo An artist with physical disability and an emotional challenging life was Frida Kahlo, and yet she was remembered as a feminist icon. The reason behind was none other than how the artist depicted herself in her life and in her paintings where one can see evidence in her self-portrayal paintings. (Ganeriwal, 2018) Even though Kahlo did not fit into the society standard of “acceptable”, she followed her heart and mind in living out as a unique individual. In research from Ganeriwal (2018) the artist’s life testament serves as a great inspiration to the statement of intent in gaining strength to influence others, and in this context, influencing the social and cultural context even till today. According to Millner, Moore, and Cole (2015) feminists artists have helped forge the transition from modernist to post-modernist cultural strategies. This can be seen in Kahlo, who used art as a mechanism and medium in bringing out underlying issues in the women’s society, which further supports the statement that art can bring prominent influence and forms even theory in the future’s cultural and feminism context.
Ganeriwal, Y. (2018, July 5). Frida Kahlo – The Woman, The Artist, The Feminist. Retrieved September 23, 2020, from https://feminisminindia.com/2018/07/06/frida-kahlo-essay/ Millner, J., Moore, C., & Cole, G. (2015, November 5). Art and Feminism: Twenty-First Century Perspectives. Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14434318.2015.1089816?scroll=top &needAccess=true
bibliographies
critical writings
5 annotated 3. Critical context - The Happy Film The Happy film experiments and reveals a humane view of a designer’s life is in an art form. Throughout this film, Stefan Sagmeister had taken himself as the one who experiments and the one who is experimented to see if his mind can be trained to be happier. Throughout the film, there was no evidence if using design to solve a personal problem can bring influence to people. Yet it shows the interrelation between art and life, and how one can definitely be inspired by life and portrays it, in this case, in a creative art form. (Palvus, 2018) The evidence from within that supports one to be engaged with life and be inspired by it are the beautiful transitions throughout the film, which are typographical designs inspired by everyday life and objects by Sagmeister. The film sets out to be an inspiration and something experimental for the designer to look about, yet it turned into “a big pain in the ass” as said by Sagmeister himself. (natacha oliveira, 2020) However the journey and process has made the designer’s life fuller, and encouraged designers to be engaged with their life and inspired by life.
natacha oliveira. (2020, July 13). The Happy Film review: about happiness and everything else. Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://www.melted.design/happy-film-review-about-happiness/ Pavlus, J. (2018, July 9). Stefan Sagmeister On Co-Directing His First Documentary, “The Happy Film.” Retrieved September 24, 2020, from https://www.fastcompany.com/1664738/stefan-sagmeister-on-co-directing-his-first-documentary-the-happy-film-2
bibliographies
critical writings
5 annotated 4. Critical context - How to find and do work you like (Ikigai) Originated from Japan, the work “Ikigai” means one’s reason for being, which in principle is the convergence of one’s personal passions, beliefs, values, and vocation. (“Ikigai,” 2020) Unlike the west where passion is taken into account of what people love to do, Ikigai puts more emphasis on a group and fulfilling a role that benefits that group as a whole. (SkilledatLife, n.d.) For example, in research from SkilledatLife (n.d.), an Ikigai of a fisherman might be to hone his craft so that he can help successfully feed his family, his moai, or the town, village, or city. Ikigai differs for every individual and yet what makes it important for one to find their Ikigai is that it helps individuals to see the bigger picture in life and make even mundane tasks more meaningful. (SkilledatLife, n.d.) Nevertheless, the Ikigai of a designer is different for every designer, yet it plays a prominent role in helping designers to self-position themselves in their life and the world. By looking for their Ikigai, it pushes designers to reflect and examine their inner selves, which ultimately prompts them to express from within and to produce creative output to benefit the world by doing what they are good and passionate at.
SkilledatLife. (n.d.). What Is Ikigai and Why It’s Important You Know. Retrieved October 1, 2020, from https://www.skilledatlife.com/what-is-ikigai-and-why-its-important-you-know/ Ikigai. (2020). In Dictionary.Com. Retrieved from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/ikigai
bibliographies
critical writings
5 annotated 5. Critical context - How To Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul As the field of design expanded and became a wider discipline, graphic design became more difficult as there are new emphasis on how design is reviewed and critiqued. (Shaughnessy & Sagmeister, 2005, pp. 1–3) Hence, it is important for designers to be willing to be engaged with the world out there and to work their way out in the world. The book How To Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul stresses on cultural awareness, communication and integrity as three main components to help designers in getting equipped to deal with life as a designer. As according to Shaughnessy and Sagmeister (2005, pp. 1–3), to be culturally aware, designers will need to be attuned with everything around them and to go the extra mile by being aware of their audiences at all times. By doing so, communication comes in and is tied directly to cultural awareness in order to achieve designer/ client harmony. The final part that Shaughnessy discusses is integrity as of what strong moral principles have to do with being a successful designer. He stated “ If we believe in nothing, then our clients will have no reason to believe in us.” (Good, 2018) Hence, it is crucial for designers to live out and portray the values and belief that they carry not only to be a successful designer but to lead a passionate and meaningful designer life.
Shaughnessy, A., & Sagmeister, S. (2005). How To Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul [PDF] (1st ed., Vol. 1). Retrieved from https://learn-ap-southeast-1-prod-fleet02-xythos.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/5ddfa3943a653/3740746?response-cache-control=private%2C%20 max-age%3D21600&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%2A%3DUTF8%27%27How%2520to%2520Be%2520a%2520Graphic%2520Designer%2520Without %2520Losing%2520Your%2520Soul%2520by%2520Adrian%2520Shaughnessy%2520% 2528z-lib.org%2529%2520%25281%2529.pdf&response-content-type=application%2Fp df&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20200914T000000Z&X-Amz-Sig nedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=21600&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAZH6WM4PL2RCDY4NT% 2F20200914%2Fap-southeast-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=bd416e813b6 04d411aa8f5025ff564a7f505426f4d78d23d69f4f6e2380ec91a Good, M. (2018, August 1). How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul – A Review. Retrieved October 1, 2020, from https://isynergy.io/graphic-designer-without-losing-soul-review/
bibliographies
critical writings
stage 2 critical writings focusing on the independent project, addressing the context in which practice operates in, content and concepts, research, testing and develpment.
critical writings
critical contex Introduction As the field of design expanded throughout the years and became a wider discipline, graphic design became more difficult for people to define (Shaughnessy & Sagmeister, 2005, pp. 1–3). Design is no longer seen as just to make things pretty, as there is a broader understanding in the industry that design as a tool to make the people’s interaction with the environment more natural and complete (2017). Similarly the role of a designer plays a huge part in the society as they not only do they produce products and images, but designers also produce and reproduce cultural meanings through those products and images with new interpretations (GRANT & FOX, 1992, p. 78). Only by understanding fully the social and cultural context can designers comprehend fully their role and position in society (GRANT & FOX, 1992, p. 78). Hence, it is prominent for designers to be aware of their responsibility and critical position in their practice and the influences they might bring. According to Tharp and Tharp in The 4 Fields of Industrial Design, the field of design is categorized into four primary fields: Commercial Design, Responsible Design, Experimental Design, and Discursive Design (Jr, 2009). It is up to individuals to choose and to do their practice in relevant fields of their interest, but it is important for designers to reflect upon the works that have been produced to improve their design process and understand design activity and ultimately its potential (Jr, 2009).
xt Upon reflection, when designers recognize the range of design work that he or she has been producing, one will be able to rally forces and drive the projects into full potential (Jr, 2009). Hence, the critical context stage two discusses the position as a designer in the project brought out later while also looking into the development of critical thinking to build a clear objective perception about different situations that designers face in the development of projects (Elmansy, 2017). What is expected to be reflected in the project would be how the designer understands the context of the project and reproduces the meanings and context of the project in a new and different way.
stage 2
critical writings
critical contex The Importance of Design Research According to Freach (2011), designers tend to thrive when they have a working concept that makes people tick, a context that will allow them to shape their ideas by considering what people desire, and somewhere to direct their creative energy. For this reason, design research can provide the fuel for new ideas. By proposing a project, designers will need to look at various aspects such as the context of the issue, target audience, deliverables, and the resources to develop and deliver the project and drive the project to its full potential (Jr, 2009). Thus, design research comes in and plays an important role in helping designers to understand the critical context of the issues and turn it into actionable insights for designers to improve their design (Esposito, 2018). The beginning working stage of a project is always the crucial part as it is when an initial idea is developed and formed into a workable solution for an issue. In order for a good concept to be developed and formed, designers shouldn’t rush into creating beautiful layouts and discussing colour palettes and forms as there will be plenty of time for this later on in the process of designing and developing the project.
xt Ultimately, designers should put their focus in coming up with a solid design, as good design is first and foremost a focus on how the product should work. This is the stage at which many questions will arise and doing proper design research will help designers answer those questions (Mosiichuk, 2020) As doing design research is not “science” or necessarily “scientific”, it gives designers and the audience a better understanding on what the project is about, and provides knowledge in addressing some fundamental questions designers faced throughout the process (Freach, 2011).
stage 2
critical writings
critical contex Understanding the context In research from Freach (2011) context serves as an important role in a designer’s research. By researching into the context of an issue, it helps designers to identify touch points, which are the decisive moments where an audience and the issue intersect -- which is an important part of defining context (Freach, 2011). The context of the proposed project centers around the relationship between digital era and well-being of children. In The State of the World’s Children 2017, it discusses an extraordinary subject that increasingly affects almost every aspect of life for millions of children around the world and, indeed, for every individual: digital technology (UNICEF, 2017). As the influence of digital technology – and especially the internet – has increased, the debate about its impact has grown louder: Is technology beneficial to humankind, offering unlimited opportunity for communication and commerce, learning and free expression? Or is it a threat to humankind’s way of life, undermining the social fabric, even the political order, and threatening mankind’s well-being (UNICEF, 2017)?
xt According to Gottschalk (2019), the use of technology has been on the rise worldwide over the past decades. Children’s use of digital technology has increased rapidly, raising important questions around how time spent on digitally mediated activities may affect children in positive or negative ways. Without a doubt, digital technology has already changed the world – and as more and more children go online around the world, it is increasingly changing childhood (UNICEF, 2017). Even though adults are also using digital technology to a great extent, concerns raised tend to center on children’s use of digital technology because of the many aspects that might shape their characteristics (Kardefelt Winther,2007). Children goes through a critical growth development such as foundational skills in all areas of development (“Stages of Growth Child Development - Early Childhood (Birth to Eight Years), Middle Childhood (Eight to Twelve Years),” n.d.), Elkind (Staff, 2003) states that digital children might evidence worrisome traits growing up in this technological culture as it might bring influence to the language and concepts that children learn, and shapes their perceptions of reality.
stage 2
critical writings
critical contex The Issue Putting it in the local context of Malaysia, it is mentioned by Dr Hilwa Abdullah of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia that an over dependence on technology may affect the development of a child’s social skills. She added on that the overdependence might cause problems such as making eye contact, making friends, learning to take instructions, as well as conversing, which can be problematic once the child steps into school (Augustin, 2020). Other than that, Malaysian Medical Association president Dr N Ganabaskaran supports the statement by saying that there are a number of studies that indicate that the overuse of digital devices at an early age can affect a child’s brain development (Augustin, 2020).
xt The Solution As a matter of fact, adult’s lives have been dominated by digital technologies and even the youngest children are seen exhibiting similar traits (2018a). Research even suggests that preschoolers become familiar with digital devices before being introduced to books (Gottschalk, 2019). However, the earlier years of life play an important role in a child’s later development and it is especially important during these years for a child to experience regular human interaction. And one of the factors to achieve this is for a child to read (2018a). While digital tools can be beneficial in early learning of children where they transfer lessons to real life (2018a), studies shows that young children between the ages of three and five had lower comprehension of the story when their parents read to them from an e-book as opposed to a print book (MentalFloss, 2018). Hence, the project is set out to investigate how the mechanism of physical books helps in supporting children's learning and transfer of information to the real world and explore how illustrations act as a medium to improve children’s well-being.
stage 2
critical writings
critical contex The Solution A is for ABC is an illustrated alphabet book featuring food of the local context of Malaysia represented by alphabets. The book is illustrated in a fun and interesting way for children to explore and learn as books with illustrations are an important source of new language, concepts, and lessons for young children (Strouse, Nyhout, & Ganea, 2018, p. 1). Given the above, by developing the project into a workable solution to the issue, it is important to also research into the target audience as the focus should be on who is going to be beneďŹ tted from the solution (Mosiichuk, 2020).
xt The Target Audience As part of the design process, it is important to define the target audience as it is the foundation of building a designer’s focus working group (Moss, 2020). The target audience is geared towards children at the starting age for kindergarten (4 to 6 years old) as it is the age where they start to recognize letters (Drinks, 2020). The key solution is to help them in developing imagination and improve learning capabilities in early learning, especially in recognizing the alphabets (“Stages of Growth Child Development - Early Childhood (Birth to Eight Years), Middle Childhood (Eight to Twelve Years),” n.d.-a). Moreover, with the added value of local Malaysian context featured in the book in the form of illustrations, it helps children with the transformation of information to the real world. On the other hand, the book could also serve as a tool for parents to spend time with their child while enhancing their child’s learning experience and improving the children’s well-being (Study Finds, 2019).
stage 2
critical writings
critical contex Design Development: Art direction As a responsible and independent designer, designers should also look into the best fitted art direction that can bring out a project’s clarity and definition, as it crucially helps to convey the message within the work to the target audience. According to Mall (2010), an art direction is all about evoking the right emotion and creating the connection to what the target audience is seeing and experiencing. As the types of illustration for children's books differ, it is important for designers to identify the best fitted style that caters to the target audience (Ferreira, 2020). The overall art direction of the project is inspired by the colorful and sketchy nature of children’s artwork. First of all, color plays an important role in the book as visual colors help in learning for younger children. Vivid colors are used in the design to catch children’s attention, stimulating their mind and providing a powerful way for them to learn about the world (2016b). Correspondingly, typography is equally important in the book as it is the source for the child in recognizing the letters. The typography in the book is personalized and hand drawn, catered to different illustrations in the book to go along with the overall art direction and enhance the differentiation of the product from the ones in market.
xt Design Development: Practitioners The research into other designers and illustrators also plays a major role in completing a project as it provides designers inspiration and a better understanding on the overall art direction for their project. Quentin Blake is researched into and looked closely along the development of the illustration book as the illustrator's working methodology serves as great guidelines in designing the composition and style of the illustrations. For example, Blake’s personal style of illustrating plays a major role in his personalization of the storybooks he produced, for its scrappy and colorfulness. Hence inspired by the illustrator and also artwork of children, the illustrations in the book are produced in a sketchy manner with irregular strokes of lines and also wide spectrum of colors to match the art direction of the book.
stage 2
critical writings
critical contex Design Development: Final outcome The ďŹ nal outcome of the book is delivered in a digital format of width 20cm x 20cm per page due to the limitations of submission. However if provided with the chance of publishing in a physical book format, the book will take on the form of a hard cover binding for the professionalism and readiness of the product. By doing a hardcover, it gives children a better grip onto the book and provides better support when the book is spread out in the measurement of width 40cm x length 20cm. Textured papers will be used as the material for printing to enhance the experience of reading of a child.
xt Conclusion To summarise, the project has given designers an opportunity to include local elements of Malaysia into the context of the book, which dierentiates the book from the ones in the market greatly. While enhancing the child’s well-being through reading, perhaps the book will also help in educating and providing children a cultural knowledge and life skills in knowing the context of Malaysia through staple dishes illustrations in the book as they grow and mature. The design research has also provided a deeper insight into looking at the correlation between design and target audience, and serves as a great reminder for designers to prioritize in rationalizing the project and its purpose. Along with the design process and execution, every element in the book plays an important role in delivering a clear intention of the project. Given the above, the project serves as a milestone for the designer in critical thinking and creating creative outputs.
stage 2
critical writings
critical contex References A. (2018a, October 29). What is digital technology really doing to kids' development? Retrieved October 24, 2020, from https://apolitical.co/en/solution_article/what-is-digitaltechnology-really-doing-to-kids-development Augustin, R. (2020, July 14). Digital devices may hamper children’s growth, says expert. Retrieved November 1, 2020, from https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/07/14/digital-devices-may-hamperchildrens-growth-says-expert/ Elmansy, R. (2017, June 25). Guide for Critical Thinking for Designers. Retrieved October 26, 2020, from https://www.designorate.com/guide-for-critical-thinking-for-designers/ Critical context (Stage 2) Esposito, E. (2018, October 22). 4 types of research methods all designers should know | Inside Design Blog. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.invisionapp.com/insidedesign/research-methods-designers/
xt Ferreira, K. (2020, August 10). Types of illustrations for children’s books. Retrieved November 7, 2020, from https://getyourbookillustrations.com/types-of-illustrations-forchildrens-books/ Freach, J. (2011, November 22). The Art of Design Research (and Why It Matters). Retrieved October 29, 2020, from https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/05/the-art-of-design-research-andwhy-it-matters/239561/ Gottschalk, F. (2019, February). Impacts of technology use on children: Exploring literature on the brain, cognition and well-being (195). OECD. https://doi.org/10.1787/8296464e-en GRANT, J. I. L. L., & FOX, F. R. A. N. K. (1992). Understanding the Role of the Designer in Society. Journal of Art & Design Education, 11(1), 77–87. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.14768070.1992.tb00689.x
stage 2
critical writings
critical contex References Jr, C. (2009, January 5). The 4 Fields of Industrial Design: (No, not furniture, trans, consumer electronics, & toys), by Bruce M. Tharp and Stephanie M. Tharp. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from https://www.core77.com/posts/12232/the-4-fields-of-industrialdesign-no-not-furniture-trans-consumer-electronics-toys-by-bruce-m-tharp-and-stephanie-mthar p12232#:%7E:text=Design%20is%20pretty%20much%20a%20mess.&text=Behold%20the%2 0Design%20Garage%E2%80%94a,Experimental%20Design%2C%20and%20Discursive%2 0Design. Kardefelt Winther, Daniel (2017). HOW DOES THE TIME CHILDREN SPEND USING DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IMPACT THEIR MENTAL WELL-BEING, SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY? AN EVIDENCE-FOCUSED LITERATURE REVIEW , Innocenti Discussion Papers no. 2017-02, UNICEF Office of Research Innocenti, Florence
xt Mall, D. (2010, November 2). Art Direction and Design. Retrieved November 7, 2020, from https://alistapart.com/article/art-direction-and-design/ MentalFloss. (2018, August 23). 7 Scientific Benefits of Reading Printed Books. Retrieved October 24, 2020, from https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/554845/7-scientific-benefitsreading-printed-books Mosiichuk, Y. (2020, October 7). Why design research is important for successful product development. Retrieved November 7, 2020, from https://steelkiwi.com/blog/why-designresearch-important-successfulproduct/#:%7E:text=It%20is%20one%20of%20the,design%20process%20is%20considerabl y%20reduced.
stage 2
critical writings
critical contex References Moss, C. (2020, April 20). The Target Audience for Graphic Designers. Retrieved November 1, 2020, from https://moss51.com/target-audience-for-graphic-designers/ S. (2016b, July 27). The Importance of Colour in Children’s Books. Retrieved November 7, 2020, from https://www.happydesigner.co.uk/the-importance-of-colour-in-childrens-books/ S. (2017, June 22). What is design? Retrieved October 22, 2020, from https://www.strate.education/gallery/news/design-deďŹ nition
xt Shaughnessy, A., & Sagmeister, S. (2005). How To Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul [PDF] (1st ed., Vol. 1). Retrieved from https://learn-ap-southeast-1-prod-fleet02xythos.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/5ddfa3943a653/3740746?response-cachecontrol=private%2C%20max-age%3D 21600&response-contentdisposition=inline%3B%20filename%2A%3DUTF8%27%27How% 2520to%2520Be%2520a%2520Graphic%2520Designer%2520Without%25 Critical context (Stage 2) 20Losing%2520Your%2520Soul%2520by%2520Adrian%2520Shaughnessy%2520%2528zlib.org%2529%2520%25281%2529.pdf&response-content-type=appli cation%2Fpdf&X-AmzAlgorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20200914T000000Z&XAmzSignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=21600&X-AmzCredential=AKIAZH6WM4PL2RCDY4N T%2F20200914%2Fap-southeast1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-AmzSignature=bd416e813b6 04d411aa8f5025ff564a7f505426f4d78d23d69f4f6e2380ec91a
stage 2
critical writings
critical contex References Sta, C. (2003, September 22). David Elkind: Technology’s Impact on Child Growth and Development. Retrieved October 23, 2020, from https://www.cio.com/article/2441936/davidelkind--technology-s-impact-on-child-growth-and-development.html Stages of Growth Child Development - Early Childhood (Birth to Eight Years), Middle Childhood (Eight to Twelve Years). (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2020, from https://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1826/Child-Development-StagesGrowth.html#:%7E:text=There%20are%20three%20broad%20stages,o f%20these%20stage s%20are%20malleable.
xt Strouse, G. A., Nyhout, A., & Ganea, P. A. (2018). The Role of Book Features in Young Children’s Transfer of Information from Picture Books to Real-World Contexts. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1–2. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00050 UNICEF. (2017, December). Children in a Digital World. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/publications/files/SOWC_2017_ENG_WEB.pdf
stage 2
critical writings
stage 3 Reflection and respond on the critical context and what i have learnt, produced, corrections and amendments made, key decisions made upon understanding and critical practice as a designer.
critical writings
critical contex Importance of Reflection In the critical context stage 2, the approach a designer takes in starting a project is explored and discussed to be further reflected on. The overall reflection throughout the execution of the project can be summarised as follows: Admittedly, design research plays an important role as it helps designers to acquire the knowledge needed to understand the context of the issue focused by the designer (Esposito, 2018), and also on the various aspects that affect the development of a project. However, the act of reflecting from time to time is also important for designers to undertake, as it is proven to help designers in improving (The Design Society, 2002). Given the above, designers should reflect on their design process as it helps in answering essential questions such as: “Is the design process appropriate for the issue focused on?”, “Is the essential problems focused on instead of other sub-optimisation of the project?”, “Does the result come out to be satisfactory or does it need further iteration?” The reflection on a design process is thus important to be carried out for designers to plan and improve in future design processes (The Design Society, 2002).
xt Decision Making Granting that reflection is important, it also helps in informing the decisions made along the progress of development of the design research and the progress of development of the project. More importantly, a structured reflection greatly helps designers to not stray away from the design goal in noticing and correcting the necessary deviations during the process (The Design Society, 2002). For example, in the early progress of design research, the target audience of the issue was initially geared towards two different categories of audiences which were working adults ranging from mid 20s to 40s and children ages of 4 to 6 years old, as the project started out as a storybook with alphabets wordplay. However through constant reflection and rationalizing on the project and its essential issue focused on, the target audience and the purpose of the issue is further amended and changed to make sense of the project and focus on only one category of target audience to maximize the potential of the solution.
stage 3
critical writings
critical contex Reflecting on the Progress Along the development for the illustrated book, A is for ABC, the outcome proves to be well visualised and executed, though changes and amendments were made in the middle of the process. By reflecting on the progress, the insight to the relationship between the effectiveness and the essentialness of the solution to the issue is reiterated consistently and key decisions have been made based upon new understandings of the context working in. For example, the local element of Malaysian food has been implemented into the project to differentiate the book from the generic ones in the market as it adds a cultural context and meaningful value to the product. With this, the book comes with an extra perk of providing additional life skills context to younger children other than the educational function of recognizing alphabets and also subconsciously providing younger children a cultural knowledge that could serve as an important life skill as they grow older.
xt Reflecting on the research Likewise, research also appears to be an important factor and practice that a critical designer needs to undertake while working on a design. This is because through reading and in depth research, literature in related disciplines researched by designers offers new insight to the process of developing a project, which also helps in developing concrete theories to support the rationalization of the project (The Design Society, 2002). Regardless of the “designerly way of thinking” a designer may hold in starting and developing a project, designs should be based on facts and not assumptions (Mosiichuk, 2020). In the same way, referencing and looking into other practitioners' practice and works also contributes to a better understanding in the midst of developing a project as it provides different perspectives and methodologies of producing a project, which diversifies the exploration and provides more opportunities of experimentation in developing a project.
stage 3
critical writings
critical contex Conclusion Ultimately, the critical practice that a designer undertakes affects the growth of a designer in becoming a mature critical art practitioner. Hence, through reflecting, it can be summarized that research and reflection are both crucial acts for designers to undertake in his or her future practice as it contributes to a steeper learning curve for designers, a holistic and smoother design process and improves the product designed (The Design Society, 2002). Similarly, it is also important for designers to always refer back to his or her intention in carrying out a design activity, as it is prominent for designers to be aware of their responsibility and critical position in their practice and the influences they might bring. It can be seen that through this project, a designer’s roots of background has inspired a significant implementation of local context into the project. With a strong belief and values carried in a designer’s practice, the works produced will also produce significant results and influences. Hence, the core of the statement of intent of a designer should be further held onto and practiced by each designer in their future practice and reflected through the works produced. Specifically, rooted, inspired and practice are 3 keywords that can be reflected through the process and work produced in the project of A is for ABC.
xt References Esposito, E. (2018, October 22). 4 types of research methods all designers should know | Inside Design Blog. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/research-methods-designers/ Mosiichuk, Y. (2020, October 7). Why design research is important for successful product development. Retrieved November 7, 2020, from https://steelkiwi.com/blog/why-design-research-important-successful-product/#:%7E:text=It%20is%20one%20of%20the,design%20process%20 is%20considerably%20reduced. The Design Society. (2002). Structured Reection for Improving Design Processes. Retrieved November 11, 2020, from https://www.designsociety.org/publication/29668/Structured+Reection+for+Improving+Design+Processes
stage 3
independent project
independent project a self initiated project whereby an illustrated alphabet book is created that tackles on the topic of well-being of young children.
a is for abc
Over the decades, adult’s lives have been dominated by digital technologies and even the youngest children are seen exhibiting similar traits (2018a). Research even suggests that preschoolers become familiar with digital devices before being introduced to books (Gottschalk, 2019).
independent project
the problem & The Problem According to Gottschalk (2019), the use of technology has been on the rise worldwide over the past decades. Children’s use of digital technology has increased rapidly, raising important questions around how time spent on digitally mediated activities may aect children in positive or negative ways. How do we ensure that children could experience regular human interaction in their early years of life that would contribute to their later development?
The Solution
Gottschalk, F. (2019, February). Impacts of technology use on children: Exploring literature on the brain, cognition and well-being (195). OECD. https://doi.org/10.1787/8296464e-en
An illustrated alphabet book targeted to children 4 to 6 years old at the starting age of kindergarten. The book has local Malaysia elements implemented in with beautiful illustrations to support the children in learning through physical book and accquire extra life skill in knowing the local context.
the solution
message & The Message Aimed to help younger children to recognize alphabets while also providing them extra life skills and knowledge on the local context of Malaysian food.
The Practitioner
Sturges, F., & Sturges, F. (2020, March 2). Quentin Blake: â Spend time with children? Good God, no’. Retrieved November 24, 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/feb/29/inside-the-magical-world-of-quentin-blake
Quentin Blake serves as a big inspiration in the development of the project. As the art direction is meant to recreate sketchy and messy art as if like a kid’s drawing, Quentin’s art is looked further into to inspect the methods and insight he poured in his artwork which is fun and sketchy.
Practioner
independent project
reference &
Other than Quentin Blake’s work, several creative and fun alphabet and children storybooks were looked into and taken as reference in terms of layout, composition, publication and professionalism of the book. Murphy, D. (2018, December 1). 15 UNIQUE ABC ALPHABET BOOKS FOR KIDS. Retrieved November 24, 2020, from https://www.hellowonderful.co/post/15-unique-abc-alphabet-books-for-kids/ Spencer, S. (2015, May 14). The 12 Most Beautifully Illustrated Children’s Books. Retrieved November 24, 2020, from https://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/articles/the-12-most-beautifully-illustrated-children-s-books/
inspiration
ns
moodboard
Moon Flower Bold
ABCD E F G HIJ K L M NO P Q RS T U V W X YZ 1. Sketchy and messy illustrations 2. Packed wih colors 3. Hand-illustrated typography (alphabets)
independent project
sketches
brainstorm and research into food and categorization, and sketching the food and layout.
independent project
the sketches were then digitalize by outlining and painting on adobe illustrator.
digitalize
independent project
final outcome
a is for abc is an illustrated alphabet book featuring food from local context of malaysia represented by alphabets. illustrated in a fun and interesting way for children to explore and learn, the book also provides extra cultural knowledge that can serve as an essential lifeskill for children as they grow up.
silent book contest
silent book contest external brief adapted whereby a storybook is produced only by the narration of using illustrated images.
i turned into medusa! focusing on the social and emotional well-being of children, Medusa is a silent storybook that centers around the theme of anger management issues in children.
silent book contest
the problem & The Problem Focusing on the issue of children’s emotional and social well-being, it is a crucial period for children in their developmental stage to understand the emotions that they are feeling, espeically anger and the consequences of emotion outburst.
The Solution
Stages of Growth Child Development - Early Childhood (Birth to Eight Years), Middle Childhood (Eight to Twelve Years). (n.d.-a). Retrieved October 23, 2020, from https://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1826/Child-Development-Stages-Growth.html#:%7E:text=There%20are%20three %20broad%20stages,of%20these%20stages%20are%20malle able.
An illustrated storybook targeted to children 9 to 12 years old at the stage for important social and emotional development, using colorful illustrations. Vibrant colors are used in the story to represent the emotional changes of the characters while providing an insight to the consequences of anger outbursts.
Pietro, S. (2020, July 22). Angry Kids: Dealing With Explosive Behavior. Retrieved November 23, 2020, from https://childmind.org/article/angry-kids-dealing-with-explosive-behavior/
the solution
message & The Message Aimed to educate children about the issue of anger management and the consequences that come with it, along with lesson to be learned which is to apologize and manage their emotion well.
The Practitioner David Sierra Liston inspired in many ways that leads to the birth of this storybook, one of it is the colorful illustrations that brought the characters to life and the big and round eye of the characters that communicates the emotion of the character with the audiences. Stages of Growth Child Development - Early Childhood (Birth to Eight Years), Middle Childhood (Eight to Twelve Years). (n.d.-a). Retrieved October 23, 2020, from https://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1826/Child-Development-Stages-Growth.html#:%7E:text=There%20are%20three %20broad%20stages,of%20these%20stages%20are%20malle able.
Practioner
silent book contest
illustrations & The Illustrations The use of colors in David’s work perfectly blends into the visual hierarchy and the layout of his works along with the extra textures that added more flavor to his works. This serves as inspiration in this storybook as colors act as an imrotant element to signal the storytelling part from the exposition to climax and to the resolution.
Furthermore, the whimsical element included in the storybook is also inspired by David’s fantasy themed illustrations to implement surprises and insight in the story.
Barnes, S. (2019, March 20). Fantastically Fun Character Illustrations by David Sierra Liston. Retrieved November 23, 2020, from https://www.brwnpaperbag.com/2019/03/20/david-sierra-liston-character-illustrations/
inspirations
moodboard
Greenbean Thin
ABCDEFGHI JKLM NOPQRSTUVWXYZ 1. Fantasy and whimsical elements 2. Colorful illustrations
silent book contest
sketches
brainstorm on the storyline os the storybook and sketched a rough storyboard. The scenes were then sketched in detail.
silent book contest
the illustrations is then digitalized on adobe illustrator.
digitalize
silent book contest
final outcome
using colorful and eye catching illustrations, The book aims to educate the children about anger and how to deal with the emotion using the story of a girl and a bear.
Hi, I’m Liau. kexinsmail@gmail.com portfolio // 2020