-Common Module - AY25.26 WOII-

[evelynregjo]

WOII : Compulsory | Summary

This whole WOII module helped me understand that all design forms are created in response to specific cultural, social, and historical conditions. It made me realize that the way we perceive art and design is also shaped by many individual factors such as personal experience, culture, and even the time period we live in.

From this perspective, art and design can be seen as a personal experience, where there is no absolute right or wrong. As Gerwen states, “Art is not a science: no art is turned redundant by successive developments in art; the arts do not form a logical whole" (Gerwen 1). Every artwork carries its own intention and language from the artist, meaning it cannot be judged from a single fixed viewpoint. What may appear as breaking the rules isn’t always wrong, and what seems outdated doesn't mean it lacks value. Instead, these differences create unique identities in design.

Because of that, I think cultural identity should be preserved and developed through a design framework so the message stays clear without losing its character. As Grafis Nusantara notes, design materials act as window to the past, reflecting social dynamics, technology, behaviour, and values of a certain time, showing how visuals function as cultural records. So instead of leaving it behind, I should carry it forward and apply it in my future design practice.

(225 Words)

References :

Thomas, Elfie. “Grafis Nusantara Shines a Light on a Forgotten Part of Indonesian Graphic Culture.” Www.itsnicethat.com, 31 Mar. 2022, www.itsnicethat.com/articles/grafis-nusantara-archive-graphic-design-310322.

Van Gerwen, Rob. “Art and the Vulnerability of Subjectivity.” Aesthetic Investigations, vol. 1, no. 2, Dec. 2016, pp. i–ix, https://doi.org/10.58519/aesthinv.v1i2.11988.

Wang, Shiwen Sven. www.itsnicethat.com/features/arts-and-labour-creative-industry-290424. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.

[evelynregjo]

WOII : Week 11 | Postmodernism

This is the first time I have found history truly interesting. It is fascinating to see how art evolved from being strict and focused on historical and religious narratives into movements shaped by social change. Each movement appeared as a considered response to the conditions of its era.

Modernism appeared as a response to the rigid traditional era, while postmodernism developed as an act of rebellion, encouraging artists to break the rules and use art as a form of self expression and communication. As Holt explained, “The value of such art is contained in its social, or antisocial, message, not in the aesthetic properties of the image. In this case, offense is the content" (Holt 88), showing that our art and design can function as a tool, not just decoration.

This understanding was applied in our class activity, where I created a postmodern style advertisement. Through this process, I learned how unconventional layouts and expressive ideas can create stronger impact and meaning. Postmodern design allows more freedom to challenge norms and communicate messages in a more critical way.

This approach is also reflected in artists like Barbara Kruger, who use art to express protest on political issues while Mike Haddad uses postmodern style in his illustrations. Their work shows how art can be both visually striking and conceptually powerful.

Overall, history is not only meant to be studied, but to be applied. By learning from history and adapting the ideas of postmodernism, I can create designs that go beyond aesthetics and function as powerful tools for communication and critique or simply using the style to establish a mood that enhances the delivery of the message.

(273 words)

References :

Holt, David K. “Postmodernism: Anomaly in Art-Critical Theory.” Journal of Aesthetic Education, vol. 29, no. 1, 1995, pp. 85–93. JSTOR, doi:10.2307/3333520.

Kruger, Barbara. Untitled (Questions). 1990/2018, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA), Los Angeles. MOCA, www.moca.org/exhibition/barbara-kruger-untitled-questions-2. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.

“Mike Haddad.” Heart Agency, 2025, www.heartagency.com/artists/mike-haddad. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.

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[evelynregjo]

WOII : Week 9 | Cultural Materialism

The most memorable moment from this week’s topic was when the lecturer shared a story about his trip to India, where many shop signs are still hand painted. As an Indonesian, I was reminded of similar practices which is hand painted fabric banners.

These fabric banners are often used by street vendors. After further reading, i found out that these banners from Lamongan are considered a form of vernacular typography (Iswandi and Mubarat 49). This shows that these banners are not random, but part of a locally developed visual language passed down over time, forming strong cultural identity in Indonesia.

Similar to India, hand painted and fabric based signage is influenced by economic and technological limitations. In the past, digital printing was not widely accessible or affordable, so small businesses relied on cheaper, handmade solutions. Although both contexts use similar methods, each develops its own visual identity shaped by local culture. This reflects cultural materialism, where visual forms are shaped by economic conditions and local craftsmanship, forming visual culture.

This topic also reminded me of my photography project last semester, where I documented advertisements for septic tank services in Indonesia, often placed on electricity poles. Their wide distribution reflects a shared visual system for fast, functional communication, while also revealing a larger infrastructure issue, where septic tank problems are frequent due to limited sanitation systems.

After all, this topic shows that many visual forms are shaped by necessity and limitation. Over time, they become normalized and embedded as cultural identity. As a young designer, this highlights the importance of understanding these contexts, valuing, and preserving them, as they contribute to each country’s distinct visual character.

(275 Words)

References :

Acharya, Chandrika. “Fads and Fashions of the Sign Industry: Delhi’s Hand-Painted Signs in Images.” Sahapedia, 2024, www.sahapedia.org/fads-and-fashions-sign-industry-delhis-hand-painted-signs-images. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.

Acharya, Chandrika. “Hand-Painted Signs: Forgotten Markers of the City Space.” Sahapedia, www.sahapedia.org/hand-painted-signs-forgotten-markers-city-space. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.

Iswandi, Heri, and Husni Mubarat. “Analisis Interpretasi pada Spanduk Pecel Lele Khas Lamongan.” Jurnal Ekspresi Seni, 2019, p. 49. https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/384486-analysis-of-interpretation-on-the-banner-912532fc.pdf.

“Kisah Hartono Bangun Bisnis Lukis Spanduk Pecel Lele dengan Omzet Puluhan Juta.” kumparan, 13 Nov. 2022, https://kumparan.com/kumparanfood/kisah-hartono-bangun-bisnis-lukis-spanduk-pecel-lele-dengan-omzet-puluhan-juta-1z9kuYF85Hn. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.

May, Tom. “Why India’s Disappearing Street Lettering Is Unmissable Inspiration for Designers.” Creative Boom, 10 Nov. 2025, www.creativeboom.com/resources/why-indias-disappearing-street-lettering-is-unmissable-inspiration-for-designers/. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.

Thomas, Elfie. “Grafis Nusantara Shines a Light on a Forgotten Part of Indonesian Graphic Culture.” Www.itsnicethat.com, 31 Mar. 2022, www.itsnicethat.com/articles/grafis-nusantara-archive-graphic-design-310322. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.

[evelynregjo]

WOII : Week 4 & 5 - How to Analyze a Design Work / Field Trip

Throughout the process of creating my trading cards for the studio project, I often questioned what truly defines a good design and how I could achieve it. By diving deeper into design analysis frameworks, I began to realize that good design is not defined only by how beautiful it looks. A good design creates value, communicating directly and emotionally with the audience. 

That value can be shaped by the materials selected, the craftsmanship involved, its practical function, and the intention behind its creation. Designers should therefore define values relevant to each project by analyzing the target audience, design context, and objectives (Kheirandish et al. 11). This emphasizes that design is intentional, where value is created through thoughtful decision making.

On the other hand, design also connects to familiarity and emotional engagement. This understanding aligns with our class activity, where we brought objects that stood out both materially and personally. My group chose a letter and a Pop-Mart keychain given by a friend. While they are unique in craftsmanship and material, what truly differentiates them is the memory attached to them. Through this, I learned that design gains value not only from how it looks, but from the intersection between material qualities and emotional meaning.

We also grouped designs based on themes, and my group focused on materiality. That perspective stayed with me during our visit to New Bahru, where a door caught my attention because of its material presence. From there,  I began analyzing the space through another framework which is transformation. As I walked around, I realized that the whole place itself represents transformation. It shows how design can reshape the past into something new.

Overall, by understanding design frameworks, I learned how to create designs that have value. Whether it’s a trading card, a personal object, or space like New Bahru, design becomes meaningful when it consider the intention, material, emotional connection, and creates new experience for the audience.

(321 Words)

Reference :

“About MAKE.” MAKE by GINLEE, GINLEE Studio, https://makestudio.sg/pages/aboutmake. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.

Kheirandish, Shadi, et al. “A Comprehensive Value Framework for Design.” Technology in Society, vol. 62, Aug. 2020, p. 101302, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2020.101302.

[evelynregjo]

WOII : Week 3 - Semiotics

Semiotics plays a fundamental role in design communication, as visuals alone may not fully convey messages or evoke specific emotions without signs and symbols. Rather than focusing only on symbols, semiotics is about how people interpret and construct shared meaning. This perspective is supported by Travere, who states, “Semiotics provides the tools to interpret these signs and symbols, enabling viewers to derive meaning from visuals” (Travere 29).

Personally, I understand semiotics as simplified visual language that makes communication more efficient. For example, Poleng pattern, widely used in fabric by the Balinese in Indonesia. Visually, this motif is simply a black and white checkerboard, but from a semiotic perspective, it carries a deeper meaning understood by the Balinese community, symbolizing the balance within good and evil. In Bali this motif is also placed on trees as a symbol of respect, sacredness, and the balance of nature.

The principles of semiotics are not only applicable to cultural symbols like the Poleng pattern but are also widely used in advertising and visual communication. From the class activity, I learned that we can utilise visual representation to create more meaningful advertisements to influence consumers. Just like this Burger King’s advertisement employs semiotic techniques by using the saw shaped fry and clear text to symbolize reduced fat content, aiming to attract health conscious consumers who want to enjoy fries with less oil.

From this perspective, semiotics allows me, as a young designer to embed meaning beyond literal visuals (text and images), while also helping me transform verbal ideas into powerful visual communication that resonates with the audience.

(262 Words)

References :

“Kain Poleng Bali, Arti Saput Poleng Motif Hitam Putih.” Pia Agung, https://piaagungbali.com/index.php/2024/03/28/kain-poleng-bali/. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

Mishra, SSIDDHARTH M. “Unlocking the Meaning behind Marketing Material with Semiotic Analysis.” LinkedIn, 20 Apr. 2023, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/unlocking-meaning-behind-marketing-material-semiotic-analysis-mishra. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

Travere, Alard. “Interplay of Signs and Visuals: Unveiling the Symbiotic Relationship Between Semiotics and Visual Communication.” Journal of Literature and Cultural Studies, vol. 2, no. 3, 2023, doi:10.56397/JLCS.2023.09.05.

[evelynregjo]

WOII : Week 1 - Phenomenology

When a person directly engages with a work of art, their experience often comes before any clear understanding. As Elias notes, phenomenology is an interesting perspective on art, as the emphasis on the concept of "perception" is very stimulating in approaching the phenomena created for visual experience (Elias 131). This makes me realize the importance of perception and personal experience in shaping how a work of art is interpreted and appreciated. 

Someone’s personal experience or even their cultural background can affect how they think and evaluate a work of art. As simple as being Chinese-Indonesian, I see red in two ways. In Chinese culture it symbolizes luck, and in Indonesia, the red in our flag represents bravery. This idea became very clear during the class activity, where each of us captured different things on the same topic, showing how individual perception shapes the way we interpreted the same topic.

This realization made me more aware of how perception can be intentionally shaped through visual art and design. While Noma Bar utilizes human perception in seeing art, by creating visual illusions that have become his personal style.

You are Enough

This is "You are Enough" by Aditi Manvi on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

On the other hand, artists and designers can also take advantage of this “naturally built” human behavior by creating works that reflect the life experiences of individuals. Such works can have a positive and meaningful impact on audiences, conveying messages that resonate on a personal and emotional level. This reflects the phenomenological idea that what the viewers see and feel is the key to understanding and appreciating art while art itself can influence both how we think and how we feel. 

(266 words)

References :

Bar, Noma. “Dutch Uncle.” Dutch Uncle, 2019, www.dutchuncle.co.uk/noma-bar.

Elias, Willem. Signs of the Time. Brill, 2023. Brill.com, https://brill.com/display/book/9789401200172/B9789401200172_s006.xml. 

Manvi, Aditi. “You Are Enough - 2D Animation Explainer - Mental Health.” Behance, 10 September 2025, https://shorturl.at/LWdZz. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026. 

Tom. “Negative Space Art by Noma Bar.” Bored Panda, 2011, https://www.boredpanda.com/negative-space-illustrations-noma-bar/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

[evelynregjo]

CTS A | Week 13 Compulsory Questions 3

A collaborative project I would like to pursue is with the Theatre Production and Management department. I want to create the background setting using LED screens with interactive design elements that help communicate the story, transforming the stage into an immersive environment. In this case, motion graphic based interactive visuals will enhance the narrative experience and guide audience understanding. Through this approach, the performance would merge the quality of an exhibition with the emotional depth of live theatre making the stage environment become more engaging.

For my final project, I would like to create an indestructible book for toddlers where I would also like to incorporate elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help toddlers manage tantrums. Children can become proficient at articulating their sentiments when associating emotions with colors and visual elements in art (Using Art to Explore and Communicate Emotions and Feelings). My aim is to design a book that not only encourages reading and sensory stimulation but also introduces simple CBT based strategies – naming emotions and calming visual cues. Hoping this book can support children in communicating their emotions more clearly while developing early emotional regulation skills. 

An organization I would like to collaborate with is Rumah Lukis Indonesia, a non-profit founded by an Indonesian influencer. Its mission is to provide art education and build schools for children in remote areas with limited access to learning opportunities. I would like to collaborate to create educational materials for their schools, such as posters, children’s books, and even digital art skills training.

I’m interested in a career as a graphic designer in advertising, focusing on branding and motion graphics. CTS A helps me think more deeply when developing design concepts. It also teaches me how to handle clients with emotional intelligence and how to respond to feedback where these skills are essential for creating effective advertising designs. Overall, CTS A will support me in the industry, improving my problem-solving as well as strengthening my relationships with partners and clients.

(330 Words)

References :

"About Me." Hanndeys, https://hanndeys.my.canva.site/#about-me. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

McHenry, Jackson. "How Frozen Reimagines Its Icy World for the Broadway Stage." Vulture, 20 March 2025, https://www.vulture.com/2018/03/how-frozen-reimagines-its-icy-world-for-the-broadway-stage.html. Accessed 20 Nov.2025

Rumah Lukis Indonesia [@rumahlukisindonesia], Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/rumahlukisindonesia/. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

"Using Art to Explore and Communicate Emotions and Feelings." New Life Student Care, New Life Student Community Service, 2025, https://newlifestudentcare.org.sg/using-art-to-explore-and-communicate-emotions-and-feelings/. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

[evelynregjo]

CTS A | Week 12 Compulsory Questions 2

Throughout this semester, I realized how each topic from CTS module shaped different essential skills as a design student. For me, critical thinking plays a role across all modules, it helps refine my approach to problem solving in every task. Another important lesson I learned, especially in Studio Class, was understanding the value of reliable facts. In Studio projects, I learned that ideas cannot rely on unverified information. Personally, I admire Paula Scher, a designer that consistently uses strong research to build her work. Research and studying real artists for inspiration helps me understand the world through someone else’s point of view and develop more meaningful ideas.

Additionally, collaborative skills have played an important role in supporting my work in Studio classes. Collaboration can infuse fresh viewpoints into stagnant projects (Bruce). Through group work in the class activities, I often gain new insights and perspectives that I can apply to the personal projects I am developing. 

In Craft, I discovered the importance of a growth mindset and emotional intelligence. Receiving critique is not always easy, but I am learning to stay calm and see feedback as a part of the process to improve. Sometimes, revisions are needed, where this taught me that mistakes are my learning opportunity. 

In the Digital Skills module, I realized how much organization matters. I created detailed notes and step-by-step guides for the technical processes so I wouldn't forget them. I also took screenshots to help me understand each stage of the workflow, and I include them in my CPJ as evidence of how I documented my learning process. In that sense, Digital Media did more than just teach me how to track my process, but it became my personal library where I can revisit the information and techniques I have recorded throughout the semester. 

Meanwhile, in Photography, I developed sensitivity and awareness of others. Not everything can or should be photographed. The emotional intelligence topic trained my observation, empathy, and ability to make thoughtful choices. 

(330 Words)

References :

Bruce, Daniella. "The Role of Collaboration: Exploring the Benefits and Challenges of Working With Other Artists." Art Business News, 1 August 2023, https://artbusinessnews.com/2023/08/the-role-of-collaboration-exploring-the-benefits-and-challenges-of-working-with-other-artists/. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.

"Paula Scher." The Great Discontent, 10 November 2013, https://thegreatdiscontent.com/interview/paula-scher/. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.

"The Public Theatre, Paula Scher." Athena Stokes, https://www.athenastokes.design/blog/the-public-theatre-paula-scher. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.

[evelynregjo]

CTS A | Week 11 Compulsory Questions 1

This specific scene of a girl on a merry go round came to my mind when we talked about CTS A. This merry-go-round perfectly represents our life, constantly spinning, going up and down. No matter how unpredictable the rides can be, we must continue and find a way to enjoy it. Through our high and low, it's our soft skills; empathy, mindset to grow, problem solving that help us to survive and keep going on. 

Each turn of the merry-go-round is like every step in our life. Life is made of ups and downs, highs and lows are an integral part. Making memories and creating experiences is what we do, every single minute (Balasubramanian). Balasubramanian also reflects on how the merry-go-round symbolizes how we react to our life, some kids will start crying, but some investigate the horse’s working, and some admire the ride. That’s life, it depends on how we react and respond to every circumstance. Learning CTS A can be a stepping stone that prepares us to handle every situation in our life, especially in our creative practice.

Over the past few weeks, collaborative skill was memorable for me. At that time we didn't really know each other yet we still needed to collaborate and build a strong relationship in order to create that installation. It taught me how to create a strategy where we can still collaborate at that time. This aligns with the merry-go-round metaphor, where each horse rises or falls at different times, yet still creates a harmonious rhythm and movement–In our different ways of thinking we created a harmonious and beautiful art piece.

Collaboration in group work builds shared strengths. Together, ants can move mountains — a reminder that even the smallest contributions matter when combined with others. The collaborative skills session made me realized that even in our individual tasks, we depend on one another to grow and improve. Just like my personal studio work research, was inspired by the ideas generated through teamwork. 

(330 Words)

References :

Balasubramanian, Bharath Kumar. "A Merry-Go-Round called Life." Medium, 3 January 2020, https://bharathbalasubramanian.medium.com/a-merry-go-round-called-life-c742a4c4749e. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

[evelynregjo]

CTS A | Week 9 Digital Media

Art is a continuous process of learning and exploration. In my journey as a young artist, knowledge, experience, and progress have become essential elements that shape my understanding and expression. The creative process journal also plays an important role in helping me reflect on this journey, allowing me to track my growth and understand how my ideas evolve over time.  

My development as an artist has been growing since I learned a lot for the past one term in Lasalle. It started with building a basic knowledge from basic fundamentals in design, digital skills, and even research through artists such as Neville Brody and Paula Scher also influenced how I think about design and typography for studio class project. Through research I learned how design elements could communicate. My creative process journal became a space to record these insights, helping me connect theory and explore ideas to my own work.

As I began creating my artworks, I documented every stage of my experimentation, including sketches. Over time I can clearly see my progress by comparing earlier works with recent ones.

Even many great designers consistently keep a creative process journal, proving how important it is in understanding and improving one’s work. Paula Scher, a designer I mentioned earlier, always emphasizes the importance of process books in her branding projects. For Scher, documenting the process helps her understand the visual decisions that shape the design’s identity.

Lastly, the creative process journal has become more than just a record or prototype design, it’s a tool that transforms my knowledge into visible progress that allows me to continuously grow as an artist.

(269 Words)

References :

Dwyer, Ned. "The $1.5m napkin: Paula Scher’s 5 minute logo." Nedwin Medium, Medium, 6 March 2017, https://nedwin.medium.com/the-1-5m-napkin-abd2702927d0. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

"Neville Brody | Discovering A Design Pioneer." Hue & Eye, 17 October 2024, https://www.hueandeye.org/neville-brody/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

"Paula Scher."Pentagram, https://www.pentagram.com/about/paula-scher. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

[evelynregjo]

CTS A | Week 3 Emotional Intelligence

Not a single day in my life have I ever questioned my emotional intelligence. When the lecturer asked the class, “Have you ever checked on yourself?” I realized my answer would be, “Never” I had never try to reflect on my emotion.

I think It's important to be able to process and understand our own emotions. By developing our emotional intelligence, we can manage the emotion in a positive way.  By doing that, I believe we are able to think clearly before taking action, so that our actions ultimately result in something good, both for ourselves and others.

In my opinion, self-awareness is the fundamentals for developing our emotional intelligence. We need to be aware with ourselves, understanding our own emotion, strength, weakness, and how we react in different situation. Eventually, this awareness helps us manage our emotion and cultivate empathy toward others, forming a healthy relationship. As in Thai advertisements, they use humor as a coping mechanism from the harsh reality of business to release stress.

Today’s class activity was stamp making. After spending two hours on my stamp, I ruined it despite putting in so much efforts. However, I realized I didn’t really feel angry with myself because I had prepared a spare eraser for such situations. Knowing my weakness, allowed me to anticipate and handle the worst possibility to overcome it. From this experience, I can learn that self-awareness is crucial and serves as the foundation to develop emotional intelligence.

In conclusion, it's important to know yourself, regulate emotion appropriately, and find your own coping mechanisms. In the end, we are the only ones who can develop our own emotional intelligence.

(271 Words)

References :

Wang, Carol. "Motion Graphic - Anger Management." Behance, 10 August 2023, https://www.behance.net/gallery/175902117/Motion-Graphics-Anger-Management. Accessed 17 Nov.2025

Williams, Eliza. "Why Humour is a Serious Business in Thai Advertising." Creative Review, 28 August 2025, https://www.creativereview.co.uk/humour-serious-business-thai-advertising/. Accessed 22 Sept. 2025.

[evelynregjo]

CTS A | Week 2 Collaborative Skills

Collaboration is a group of people working together to accomplish a common goal.  Through collaboration, individuals develop soft skills. These soft skills help us to think differently and extend networks.

On the other hand, a collaborator personally has strengths and weaknesses itself. As for myself, I am really open to every idea that my partner suggests. However, at times, I am concerned about the final result and question my partner’s ability to take full responsibility, as sometimes I feel their capability may be insufficient. 

In particular, collaboration plays a crucial role in art. As Wright notes, “collaboration in art occurs both among artists and with people from other fields, even beyond conventional art spaces and times”(534).

This aligns with what I've learned from today's activity in crafting class ; building an art installation in groups of five. With diverse backgrounds and perspectives, we created an art installation representing toxic relationships. A situation that everyone can relate to, regardless of their background. Well, collaboration can achieve what one cannot alone.

Subsequently, the second activity involved creating a monument to commemorate something. My group and I realized our limitations in drawing and entrusted one member to create the sketch of the monument. We were satisfied with the outcome and the meaning of the monument that we developed together.

If I had more time and budget, I would still make the same monument but using higher quality materials such as stainless steel and resin according to the design and materials we had created. Through this experience, I learned that everyone has their own strength. It is essential to maintain communication and openness to respect each other’s opinions. 

(274 words)

References : 

Perlson, Hili. "When Fashion Met Art: Brief History of an Illustrious Love Affair." Art Basel, https://www.artbasel.com/news/iconic-fashion-art-collaborations?lang=en. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.

Wright, Stephen.”The Delicate Essence of Artistic Collaboration”.Third Text, vol 18, no. 6, 2004, p. 534., https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0952882042000284943. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.