B1 YOUR TITLE HERE The Inbetweeners
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The first brief consisted of a personal project, which allowed the freedom to plan, research and develop any problems found within the world that graphic design: new media could either solve or find some information that would be helpful to the design community or any culture. The subject area chosen consisted of Communication and Media theory and focuses on the Process model of communication developed by Shannon and Weaver in 1949. The area in question is the section between the sender and receiver, along with the codes developed to help aid in this process. The problem in question is focused around ‘what takes place in the ‘Noise Source Area’? Are the Codes developed for
Personal Brief
communication useful, how are they different and are they all interconnected in ways we were not enlightened to? This design problem could change the way most codes are created, observed and analyzed, along with how messages are conceived during the ‘Noise Source Area’. Graphics New Media would help contribute to the project by illustrating new ways codes could be seen and interpreted. Most successful codes developed consist of sounds and visual elements that interact with one of our senses to communicate messages. These sounds and visuals would be used to demonstrate the connection of various codes to each other. This project under research would target Graphic Designers, Cryptographers and linguists.
RESEARCH
Below: Image of the Process Model of Communication developed by Shannon and Weaver in 1949.
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The context of the project could influence social and cultural views on the many codes developed and how they differ and relate to each other in ways never thought possible. Historically, the project could cause the review and analysis of codes young and old. The importance of the project relates to graphic designers who rely on communication to help clients promote their ideas. It is also important because it challenges the way systems of signs (codes) are created and how they are related to each other, along with deeper analysis of the area between sender and receiver. It is important in Graphic design: New media because codes or language are what all designers
Process Model of Communication
rely on to communicate messages to clients to solve problems. In order to successfully reveal the connections between codes, research must be focused on the various systems of signs (codes) developed in order to effectively compare them to each other. Upon comparing, the information gathered must be made as clear as possible with diagrams, audio and any other visual examples to help illustrate the results. The results should show the connection of various codes and how they could be compared to each other as well as the result of combining codes together to create new forms of their former selves.
RESEARCH
The Process Model of Communication (below) explains how messages are sent through telecommunication systems by defining several areas before and after a message is sent. The area of the model that consists of the signal sent, the noise source in between and the received signal was the defining moment to whether a signal was delivered successfully without any problems. The code, which is sent by the transmitter, is defined as a system of signs and rules for when and how they are used. These codes can then be transmitted as a signal. Some examples were Morse code, encrypted code and code of manners.
Below: The Noise Source is the area between the signal being sent by a transmitter and received by a receiver.
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While researching encrypted code, the main subject area where these codes were found was revealed as Cryptography. Cryptography or science of codes involved two types of elements, codes and ciphers. The code is based on complete words or phrases, while the cipher uses single letters. Some examples of known codes and ciphers are the cut out code, servant’s belt and Polybius square. The cut out code consisted of a paper with jumbled letters. The only way to reveal the code amongst the jumble letters was to acquire a paper with areas cut out, so when both papers were overlapped the message would be revealed. The servants’ belt consisted of a message written on
Historical Cryptography
the belt of a servant. The servant was then sent to the intended recipient to deliver the message. The only way to decipher the message was to wrap the belt around a wooden baton. The Polybius square was an invented code, which changed letters into numbers. These numbers would have to be read like co-ordinates on a chart to locate the necessary letters in order to decipher the encrypted code. After researching these ancient methods of encrypting messages that only lasted during their respected times, two more successful systems of cryptography were rediscovered, Morse code and Braille.
RESEARCH
Below: The several methods of encrypting messages below from left to right: Servants’ Belt, Polybius Square and the Cut Out Code.
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Morse Code was developed by Samuel Morse used for transmitting messages in which letters of the alphabet and numbers are represented by various sequences of written dots and dashes, or short and long signals such as electric tones or voltages. Morse code was used extensively in telegraphy. In a format that has been standardized for international use, it is still sometimes used for long distance radio communication. Morse Code can be transmitted using sound or light, as sometimes happens between ships at sea. It is used in emergencies to transmit distress signals when no other form of communication is available.The standard international distress signal is •••---••• (SOS).
Morse Code & Braille
Braille is a system that enables blind and partially sighted people to read and write through touch. Louis Braille who invented the system was also blind and became a teacher of the blind.The system consists of patterns of raised dots arranged in rows and columns of 3 x 2. Each unit represents a letter, numeral or punctuation mark. Some frequently used words and letter combinations also have their own single group patterns. Braille has also been adapted to write many different languages, including Chinese, and is also used for musical and mathematical notation. Its invention has also lead to new ways to help people with disabilities, such as detectable warnings, which are also known as ‘Braille for the feet’.
RESEARCH Below Left: Example of Morse Code alphabet. Right: Example of Braille system.
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Following the research of Morse code and Braille, another form of cryptography was discovered called Steganography. This is the art and science of writing hidden messages in such a way that no one, apart from the sender and intended recipient, suspects the existence of the message. The advantage of Steganography over cryptography is that the message is completely concealed and there is no evidence of anything to decipher. Within this form of cryptography, there were two types, Physical and Digital Steganography. Some examples of the physical type were hidden messages within wax tablets, messages on paper written in secret inks, under other messages or on the blank parts of other messages and some messages
Steganography
were written on envelopes in the area covered by postage stamps. Some examples of the digital type consisted of concealing messages within the lowest areas of noisy images or sound files, pictures embedded in video material (played at slower or faster speed) and modifying the echo of a sound file or otherwise called Echo Steganography. While Cryptography and Steganography are used to encrypt messages, they are still methods of communication using hidden techniques. In researching these methods, several experiments were devised in order to illustrate a possible connection between two types of codes, that being the English language and Morse code.
RESEARCH Below: A wax tablet made of wood and covered with a layer of wax. It was used as a reusable and portable writing surface in Antiquity and throughout the Middle Ages.
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Both the English language and Morse code are codes with visual and sound elements that carry meaning. In the English language a word is spoken in syllables quickly to sound like one cohesive element, while in Morse code each letter must be displayed or sound created by dits (dots) and daaahs (dashes) before a full word is fully communicated. Rather than doing each dot and dash separately, why not combine them visually or play them in unison to create a unique sound, which would represent a word like the English language when a word is spoken. As an experiment, simple words like Banana, Apple and Orange were used in Morse code.The letters were all arranged visually to illustrate the order at which each sound would be
Morse/English Comparison
played. Each letter in Morse code was recorded individually and overlaid to play all at once. Unfortunately, the desired result was not realized due to several factors, each letter begins with a dot or dash so in the case of the word ‘Apple’ all the letters begin with a dot, so until the sounds play to the end there are only slight differences in the sound which would be very difficult for the human ear to decipher. Another factor is the speed at which Morse code is played; while it could be slowed down to hear the latent difference in sound, it would be seen as an ineffective form of code or language. Although, a form of digital Steganography was to hide messages in an audio file and the only way to reveal the message would be to play it back slowly, so in fact this could be seen as a form of Steganography.
DEVELOPMENT
Below: Diagrams illustrating how each letter was arranged in order to play all the sounds in Morse code at once.
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As another experiment, there were similar attributes noted for Morse code and Braille. Both systems were comprised of dots to communicate words and meanings while another shared aspect was that two dots in Braille could be used to represent a dash in Morse code. Further analysis revealed that in this comparison between dots and dashes, a connection between Braille and Morse code characters could be made and several characters in both systems had a similar arrangement. The minor difference is that Braille is arranged from top to bottom and Morse code from left to right. In conclusion, the experiment has proved how two different systems are related to each other once their design is somewhat altered.
Morse/ Braille Comparison
DEVELOPMENT
Below: Diagram showing comparison of characters in the Braille and Morse Code systems.
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During research of the Braille system, several videos were discovered illustrating how blind individuals use the system by rubbing their fingertips from left to right across a page in order to read it’s contents. As an experiment to illustrate this trail blind individuals create everyday by reading, the phrase ‘Be kind to others’ was written in Braille to test the idea of connecting the dots from left to right in the same manner Braille users read each letter. After connecting the dots, the Braille characters were removed to reveal the
Braille Connection
connected results. Pushing the experiment further, the letters of characters used to create words like ‘Be’ and ‘to’ were connected to show the relationship of the letters to each other in order to create a word with meaning. This experiment distinguished that the connection of dots to each other left a trail that blind individuals mentally see and feel everyday. This trail could be used as a new code to decipher a message. For example, if the cutout code method in the old days was converted using this trail, where the trail is the cutout, you could hide a message using
DEVELOPMENT
this trail and the only way to decipher it would be to compare this trail to the Braille characters. Therefore creating another form of code that would be classed as cryptography. A minor experiment was also done with the Braille system by connecting two dots in the same row. This connection was devised by combining both the Morse code and Braille system characters of dots and dashes to create a hybrid version of both. This hybrid Braille system could be arranged differently in order to produce a unique style of illustrative graphic.
Below Left: Image showing experiment with Braille characters being connected to create a trail. Right: Image showing the Braille system being combined with dashes from the Morse code system to create a hybrid version of the Braille system.
B A N A N A
BE
K I ND
TO
OT HERS
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Hybrid Braille Morse Eye
Continuing the experiments with the newly devised hybrid Braille Morse system, it was noted that the system could be shown differently rather from left to right like the original Braille design. After reviewing a section in the Data flow 2 book on designs made with a circular form, it was decided to try and convert the original hybrid system to a circular design. Because it was Black history month and this brief was about communication and messages, it was decided to use Martin Luther King’s speech as an example of how important some messages are. The entire speech was converted to the hybrid system in order to view the necessary characters for the
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and incorporated in the middle of the circular design and was converted to an animation. As he spoke the memorable words, the circular design with the hybrid characters was displayed for each sentence. This showed the relation between the spoken word, which we are used to and the written Braille and Morse code system that is not so common for some of us. Although, after presenting this hybrid wheel of Braille and Morse code, it was brought to my attention that the result for the brief needed to show this relationship between language on a different visual level. This led to more experiments and research.
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circular design. After converting the speech, some sections were selected in order to fit in the circular design comfortably so it wouldn’t be cluttered with too much dots and dashes. Each sentence was arranged in a clockwise direction with a clear black and white color scheme. To add depth to the design, Martins’ name was added in Morse code on the outer area of the hybrid system. This was also added to show the close relationship these codes have with each other. For a presentation showing what we had come up with so far with our personal practice, the original video of the Martin Luther King speech was found
THAT O N E
A DRE AM
DAY TH I S
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I HAVE
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NA T I ON WILL
R I S E
Below Left: Hybrid Braille system and Morse code incorporated in a circular design relating to the popular Martin Luther King speech. Right: Clip taken from the animation of the speech. Note the original video from the speech in the center of the design.
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While coming to a halt as to what else could be experimented with regarding codes and messages, colleagues were spoken to in order to gather any ideas on areas not realized. The idea of text messages as another type of code was brought to light, which allowed several ideas to be tested for experiments. Text messages are basically letters associated with digits on a phones keypad allowing for words to be spelt by pressing a dial several times to get the required letter for your word or
Phone Code
character for your sentence. Text messaging has developed its’ own language over the years with some phrases being cut short to two or three letters rather than spelling out each word. For example, LOL – laugh out loud, TTYL – talk to you later, LMAO –laugh my ass off, ROTFLMAO – roll on the floor laughing my ass off, AISB – As I said before and numerous others. For the experiment, the phrase ‘Be kind to others’ was converted into number form in relation to how it would look as a text.
The arranged numbers could easily be used as a code to hide information. It was further noted that the sound of the different dials could be arranged in order to create an interesting result. After converting the text to numbers, the sound was arranged in order matching the phrase. The phone code had a slight rhythm to it and could be used as a sound code in relation to Morse code. After experimenting with this phone sound, the idea of incorporating sound into the result for codes was researched further.
DEVELOPMENT Below from left to right:The phrase ‘Be King to Others’ in number form. ‘Be’ is the first set of numbers, second set is ‘To’ while the third is ‘Others’.
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The idea of sound seemed very interesting to incorporate within the brief to show a connection between codes, but the issue with illustrating idea was focused around which codes to use and would these codes contain sound. The other issue would be how to show the sound visually. Looking back at some of the research and experiments, it was noted that both Braille and Morse code could be used, especially since they were fused to create a hybrid version. Unfortunately, Braille was not created to produced sound; therefore further research was done to find any software that
Visual to Sound
could create music with dots. In order to create a unique sound rather than just converting the dots and dashes, an online software program called ‘Musical Matrix’ was found that created music using dots. In order for you to create any sound you simply click a dot and what seems like a wave, passes over all the dots and the one highlighted reacts with a sound. To create music, a series of dots must be highlighted in any order. This program allows you to create any type of rhythm for music. The phrase ‘Be kind to others’ was converted to Braille code and each character had to be manipulated in order to fit within the Light Braille dot
Heavy Braille dot
DEVELOPMENT
16x16 matrix grid as equal as possible. After inputting all the characters, it was noted that the sound produced was very flat, so in order to create a rhythm, the idea from a previous experiment, which consisted of connecting the dots in the Braille system to create a trail was used and all the dots were connected for each word. By connecting these dots a rhythmic sound was produced that could be used later to help drive the visuals for an animation. The next experiment focused on the issue of how to create visuals to accompany the sound and show the relationship between codes. Braille Grid
Light Braille dot
Heavy Braille dot
Line Connection
BE - in dot connection code
Below: The green grids are planned structures to help guide what squares to highlight in order to create a rhythmic sound.The black and white grid is the actual ‘musical matrix’ where the dots were highlighted and the rhythm was created. As seen within the last two images as the wave passes, the dots flash indicating a sound has been produced. Braille Grid
Light Braille dot
Heavy Braille dot
Line Connection
Braille Grid
Kind - in dot connection code (p1)
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In order to show a relationship between two codes visually, an animation called ‘Let Yourself Feel’ was discovered and helped create an idea. The animation consisted of a trail of smoke ascending and descending according the piano’s sound. A second trail of smoke appeared later in the animation, due to a violin being played on the musical soundtrack. Both trails of smoke seem to dance in harmony as both instruments are played to create a synchronized animation of visual sound. In relation to this animation, it was decided to attempt this type of harmony between Morse code and Braille. Although, both codes are not beautifully
Colored Smoke
composed to create music, they could be played together to drive a unique visual that is pleasing to the eye as well as demonstrating the relationship between two different codes that are similar in various ways. Further research revealed that the animation was created in After Effects. Following this realization several tests were done to figure out how to develop this trail of smoke and sync it to the sound. After further testing and some help from two tutorials found online, a successful version was created. After creating this effect, it was preferred to create an animation with a different element rather than just two trails of smoke similar to the ‘Let yourself feel’ animation.
DEVELOPMENT Below: The small image is a clip from the ‘Let Yourself Feel’ animation.The larger image is a clip from the test render of the smoke trail, which seemed to change into wet paint after the smoke has traveled further away from it’s origin point.
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For the final animation, the link between both codes would be illustrated through the idea of the water cycle found in nature. In order to add depth to the animation and relate to the idea of communicating messages with codes, the phrase ‘The Medium is the Message’ from Marshall McLuhan was converted into Braille and processed through the musical matrix to produce a different sound. This phrase was used to also illustrate the idea that codes created are the medium and because the medium carries the message,
Coded Harmony
which is important, it would mean that codes are the message. This phrase was also converted into sound using Morse code. As seen within the water cycle, water changes forms due to differing temperatures in the atmosphere, which causes water to become a solid (ice), liquid (water) or gas (vapor). Both Morse and Braille are codes used for communicating messages in different ways but they have similar attributes, so to show the relationship between the codes, the sound created for Braille is represented by the
cloud (water vapor) in the water cycle and the sound makes the cloud rise and fall and precipitation occurs and water falls into the ocean as rain, as seen in the trail of vapor from the animation. The ocean is represented by Morse code and reacts to the normal sound consisting of dits (dots) and daahs (dashes). This connection shows that water, whether in it’s liquid or gas form is still water, therefore codes regardless of what form given by humans to communicate messages, are still closely related in some way.
FINAL
Below: Image clip of the ‘Coded Harmony’ animation consisting of particles used to create a cloud dancing in the sky and water for the ocean.