Hàoqīng Wáng

GRAP2199 | Communication Design Studies

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Reflection

Guessing I’m the only one who didn’t have clear objectives for a particular course. I was thinking that uni is going to be a challenge for me and I’ll give it a try and see how it goes. I mean time flies... I was like, hæ?! didn’t even have time to set a goal and already sitting there tearing my bag apart looking for letterforms. I guess I do have a general objective like to explore and achieve ‘something’. One thing good about it is I can always easily surprise myself as I didn’t expect anything.

As for the course itself, it’s absolutely my favourite out of all the courses in semester one. The contagious laughter when everyone saw the Triadische Ballett is still in my mind. Other lectures also expanded my horizons in terms of some historical design movements, intriguing stories behind the matters. The workshops which were dedicated to teaching us practical design techniques and letting us explore and experiment hands-on activities. Our lectures and workshops were simply full of interesting, relaxing and enjoyable vibe, can’t imagine how much effort did Andy and Karen put in just for not making us feel stressed about the schoolwork.

The one I have to talk about is the Ask Me Anything assignment. I really think I’ve learnt a lot through this project, not only about zine making, but it also pushed me to complete an interview with my favourite creative. I’ve never thought about interviewing creatives on social media since I just felt that they wouldn’t have the time or willingness to spend on an obscure follower. The truth is, all the creatives I’ve asked were so nice and down-to-earth, some of them even had no complaints about responding in two languages and took time out of their busy schedules.

I’ve been inspired by several new creatives I found during this semester, and I did interviews with some of them for myself, the results were very inspiring and encouraging. I’ve done something I wouldn’t try on my own if there was no this course. Have to say it’s my pleasure to be part of this course. Thank you so much Andy and Karen!

I really think that keeping this short is much harder than keeping it like an essay in length...

Adjö!

[nickys-visual]

What was the most important thing I learned from Grap2199?

“Everything will be OK“

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Some paintings produced by my chosen creative @heikala

1. DAYDREAM; 2. STORM; 3. GRANDMA'S CLOAK; 4.THE DEEP; 5. DID YOU HEAR THAT?; 6. GHOST MIGRATION; 7. ARTBOOK ONCE.

More available on http://heikala.tictail.com

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Some common binding types.

Caimeiprint.com. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.se/pin/468233692490326690/

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Assessment 3: "Ask me anything!" Final design.

JPEG - All the pages (frontal, separated); GIF1 - Front view; GIF2 - Back view.

The general concept is to use transparency and overlapping composition to arrange the bilingual responses from my chosen creative @heikala . I’m happy with my outcome (generally...), but anyway it didn’t turn out the ideal way as I thought. It seems like there are still many crucial aspects to be improved. 

There are definitely many better methods of binding those sheets, Rivet binding makes a quite uncomfortable reading experience for my design as it has contents at the back of the pages... I had no choice though due to those tricky, slippery acetate sheets, and the thin bezels on some of the pages. Spiral or comb binding would be better in this case.

Another thing is that the staff from the printing store were too busy to trim the printouts from the original A3 sheets so I had to do it myself. The acetate sheets and the 300gsm glossy sheets were quite tricky so that I think all the pages I trimmed are slightly different in size, which leads to the transparent parts can’t match the following solid papers.

Have to remember don’t ever leave anything until the last minute cuz things always go wrong, somehow... should’ve done some printing and binding trials before.

Last but not least, this is such a fun and practical project provides us with opportunities to get into the worlds of our favourite creatives, let us learn and experiment many useful design techniques in various media. Considering this would be a perfect ending of this course for everyone, thanks to Andy and Karen.

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GRAP2199 | Week #11 | Workshop

Andy and Karen were introducing some practical techniques of using InDesign to form zines. Unfortunately I hadn’t got chance to try one out as my laptop kept coming up the blue screen of death all the time and InDesign didn’t function well. I hope I will be able to meet the deadline with the ideal design.

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GRAP2199 | Week #10 | Lecture/Relevant research

11 Design Manifestos You Must Read 

1. Ornament and Crime by Adolf Loos (1910)

This is arguably the founding definitive text of design, written so far ahead of it’s time it took until the 1950s and ’60s to see a lot of these ideas become conceptualized. If you only read one text off this list, make it this one.

2. The Bauhaus Manifesto by Walter Gropius (1919)

The Bauhaus Manifesto is layered in design politics and in-fighting of the time, as there were splits in fidelity to the Bauhaus movement occurring frequently. Check out our past post on the Bauhaus Movement.

3. Topography of Typography by El Lissitzky (1923)

Russian artist and designer El Lissitzky was a busy man, working under Kazimir Malevich he created propaganda for the USSR and was integral to the Bauhaus controversies being declared “un-German”. He was also incredibly talented, and his writing on Typography as a kind of architectural form is a must read for the Typo-nut in you.

4. First Things First by Ken Garland and co-designers (1964)

Ken Garland’s succinct manifesto is filled with brevity and lofty wit. Created with his co-designers (and co-signers of the manifesto), this is guaranteed to inspire you when your client-liaison isn’t going so well.

5. Ten Principles for Good Design by Dieter Rams (1987)

This beautifully designed manifesto is sure to delight. It’s to the point, clean, and literally practices what it preaches. It’s so sparse and minimalist, it can also be read as a kind of new-wave spiritual guide on how to live your life, which is you know, handy.

6. The Riot Grrrl Manifesto by Kathleen Hanna (1991)

Riot Grrrl feminists created this manifesto in the early nineties, and it reads as a brilliant product of its time. It was necessary for it to be written then, and still necessary to be read today. It’s fun, sassy, and most of all inspiring (to everyone, feminist or not), to get out of your comfort zone and create great work.

7.   Incomplete Manifesto for Growth by Bruce Mau (2000)

If you’ve ever been stuck in a creative rut, this is the manifesto for you. It lists practical and metaphorical ways we can grow, perpetually as artists. A lot of Mau’s ideas are taken from John Cage and the Black Mountain School artists’ ideas about creativity, and he intertwines these ideas flawlessly. Read it, you reap what you sew!

8. Designers Against Monoculture by Noah Scalin (2001)

This was written in response to a perceived “monoculture”, or uniformity in visual culture found in the post-Y2K, post-heroin-chic-craze of the intense 1990s design aesthetic. It’s interesting to find a manifesto that identifies the way design shifted in the early 21st Century and is proactive about changing the status quo.

9. Draft Craft Manifesto: On Making and Consuming Things by Ulla Engenström (2005)

For anyone who has made anything ever, by hand (so everyone),  this is an insightful and bold manifesto dissecting craft culture. Put your hot glue gun down and immerse yourself in Ulla Engenström’s brilliant ideas.

10. 1000 Words: A Manifesto for Sustainability in Design by Allan Chochinov (2007)

This elegant and sophisticated manifesto on sustainable art and design for the future is essential reading. In just 1000 words, we’re transformed into a place of recontextualizing and re-grafting our design goals to meet the need for environmentally aware design in every work we create.

11.  Towards A Minimal Model For Publishing & Design for the modern tablet, mobile and web (2012)

This rare nugget of gold has been written specifically for the future of publishing and design. It acknowledges that how we receive most of our information has changed to screen-based interfaces, and argues that good design needs to adapt (minimally) to this new, permanent shift.

Beth. (2013). 11 Design Manifestos You Must Read Today. Retrieved from https://blog.redbubble.com/2013/10/11-design-manifestos-you-must-read-today/

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Memphis Group

GRAP2199 | Week #9 | Lecture/Relevant research

The Memphis-filled apartment of Raquel Cayre. Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine

1986

Pee-wee’s Playhouse debuts. The spirit of the Memphis style (though not necessarily the philosophy) enters the mainstream. The movie Ruthless People, drenched in Memphis-inspired décor, comes out that year, too.

October 1991

Karl Lagerfeld, who filled his Monaco home with Memphis furniture, sells his entire collection at Sotheby’s.

February 2016

Supreme releases an apparel-and-skate-deck collection designed by Alessandro Mendini, who exhibited in the first Memphis show.

Schwartzberg L. (2017). The Memphis Design Movement Is Having a Moment. Retrieved from https://www.thecut.com/2017/05/the-memphis-design-movement-is-having-a-moment.html

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GRAP2199 | Week #8 | Lecture/Relevant research

Continued to explore the legacy of the Bauhaus.

SWISS DESIGN

Often referred to as the International Typographic Style or the International Style, the style of design that originated in Switzerland in the 1940s and 50s was the basis of much of the development of graphic design during the mid 20th century. Led by designers Josef Müller-Brockmann at the Zurich School of Arts and Krafts and Armin Hofmann at the Basel School of Design, the style favored simplicity, legibility and objectivity. Of the many contributions to develop from the two schools were the use of, sans-serif typography, grids and asymmetrical layouts. Also stressed was the combination of typography and photography as a means of visual communication. The primary influential works were developed as posters, which were seen to be the most effective means of communication. 

EMIL RUDER

Emil Ruder was a typographer and graphic designer who helped Armin Hofmann form the Basel School of Design and establish the style of design known as Swiss Design. He taught that, above all, typography's purpose was to communicate ideas through writing. He placed a heavy importance on sans-serif typefaces and his work is both clear and concise, especially his typography.Like most designers classified as part of the Swiss Design movement he favored asymmetrical compositions, placing a high importance on the counters of characters and the negative space of compositions. A friend and associate of Hofmann, Frutiger and Müller Brockmann, Ruder played a key role in the development of graphic design in the 1940s and 50s. His style has been emulated by many designers, and his use of grids in design has influenced the development of web design on many levels.

JOSEPH MÜLLER-BROCKMANN

As with most graphic designers that can be classified as part of the Swiss International Style, Joseph Müller-Brockmann was influenced by the ideas of several different design and art movements including Constructivism, De Stijl, Suprematism and the Bauhaus. He is perhaps the most well-known Swiss designer and his name is probably the most easily recognized when talking about the period. He was born and raised in Switzerland and by the age of 43 he became a teacher at the Zurich school of arts and crafts.

Perhaps his most decisive work was done for the Zurich Town Hall as poster advertisements for its theater productions. He published several books, including The Graphic Artist and His Problems and Grid Systems in Graphic Design. These books provide an in-depth analysis of his work practices and philosophies, and provide an excellent foundation for young graphic designers wishing to learn more about the profession. He spent most of his life working and teaching, even into the early 1990s when he toured the US and Canada speaking about his work. He died in Zurich in 1996.

Images:

1. Josep Müller-Brockmann, Auto Club of Switzerland Poster, 1955;

2. Cover of Typographie by Emil Ruder;

3 & 4. Page from Typographie by Emil Ruder;

5 & 6. Biography Eye Magazine Josef Müller Brockmann by Kerry William Purcell.

Designishistory.com. EMIL RUDER. Retrieved from http://www.designishistory.com/1940/emil-ruder/

Designishistory.com. JOSEPH MÜLLER-BROCKMANN. Retrieved from http://www.designishistory.com/1940/joseph-mueller-brockmann/

Designishistory.com. SWISS DESIGN. Retrieved from http://www.designishistory.com/home/swiss/

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GRAP2199 | Week #10 | Workshop

Was rushing out of the classroom in the middle of the class due to some kind of ‘situation’. Hadn’t got time to make a prototype in class as I missed out the second half of it. I (eventually) found this zine prototype I did and mentioned before somewhere deeply buried under heaps of files.

and some research relating to the differences between Prototype and Mockup as they seemed quite confusing and important being explained for a while.

Wireframe

A wireframe is a low fidelity representation of a design. It should clearly show:

– the main groups of content (what?)

– the structure of information (where?)

– a description and basic visualisation of the user – interface interaction (how?)

Prototype 

A prototype, often confused with a wireframe, is a middle to high fidelity representation of the final product, which simulates user interface interaction. It should allow the user to:

–  experience content and interactions with the interface

–  test the main interactions in a way similar to the final product

Mockup (mock-up)

A mockup is a middle to high fidelity, static, design representation. Very often a mockup is a visual design draft, or even the actual visual design. A well created mockup:

–  represents the structure of information, visualises the content and demonstrates the basic functionalities in a static way

–  encourages people to actually review the visual side of the project

Treder M. (2016). Wireframing, Prototyping, Mockuping – What’s the Difference?. Retrieved from https://designmodo.com/wireframing-prototyping-mockuping/

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GRAP2199 | Week #7 | Workshop

In week 7′s workshop we were looking for letterforms in surroundings on campus. Typefaces are literally everywhere.

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GRAP2199 | Week #9 | Workshop

WIP for this week's collage & zine workshop, and my creepy rap eels.

[memphismilano]

Ettore Sottsass, Carlton, 1981

[isobel-cameron-design-blog]

“Ikea on Acid” - Andy Simionato

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GRAP2199 | Week #8 | Workshop

This week’s workshop Andy and Karen demonstrated us how to make a simple zine along with the activity experimenting with some A3 and A4 papers. It was interesting to attempt to make them out. I was actually quite confused as I was somehow distracted and lost, so I wrote the numbers wrongly at the beginning. Anyway, I caught up afterwards and learnt some techniques. I don’t think I will be doing a zine for the Ask Me Anything project, but still, that was considered as really practical and essential techniques of making handicrafts. It also reminded me of a small project I did last year, don’t know if I still keep it somewhere... have to find out.

Karen also showed us a piece of their work and explained about the printer’s marks, like Trim Marks, Registration Marks and Colour Bars. I was really confused about those margins, edges, printing A4 on an A3 size and cutting it out to get the actual size... sort of things (probably I’m still confused), but still found the workshop was really helpful to me, appreciate that.

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Was blessed to have these generous replies!

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GRAP2199 | Week #7 | Lecture | Friday chill-out Triadische Ballett

German poster for The Triadic Ballet, at the Leibniz Academy, 1924

With his work The Triadic Ballet, Oskar Schlemmer pushed dance into the 20th century, using cartoonish costumes and bright colours in a bizarre exploration of modernity – and a new exhibition shows off his unique imagination.

Oskar Schlemmer: The Dancing Artist

is at Centre Pompidou-Metz until 16 January. All photographs: Oskar Schlemmer/

Archive C Raman Schlemmer

Oskar Schlemmer with students at the Bauhaus school, 1928

Schlemmer considered the performing arts a fertile but underdeveloped medium for expression, and looked to break out of its rules.

Sketchbook with dance figures, 1914-1922

Schlemmer’s grasp of theatricality, geometry and sheer eyecatching imagery has made him influential, with the likes of David Bowie and New Order clearly taking inspiration from his designs.

Guardian News (2016). Oskar Schlemmer's ballet of geometry – in pictures. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2016/nov/24/oskar-schlemmers-ballet-of-geometry-in-pictures

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GRAP2199 | Week #6 | Relevant research

Kaomoji and a...

Kaomoji (顔文字) is a popular Japanese emoticon style made up of Japanese characters and grammar punctuations, and are used to express emotion in texting and cyber communication. The word kaomoji is also synonymous to be referred to as Japanese emoticons. This concept is formed by the combination of two words in Kanji, “kao” (顔 – “face”) and “moji” (文字 – “character”).

Japanese are very emotional and creative nation. Therefore, in Japan emoticons are popular as nowhere in the world.

Japanese believe that eyes are the mirror of a human soul. Therefore, unlike Western emoticons where most attention is paid to mouth, in Japanese emoticons the most important part are eyes. In addition, kaomoji are so popular because you don’t have to read them sideways.

Many Japanese are good at drawing because Japanese is the language of drawings. Anime and manga are vivid examples of how closely the authors manage to convey a variety of emotions just by a set of a few simple lines.

In the beginning of internet and instant messaging – lack of face-to-face talk resulted in mistakenly taking parodies and humorous jokes the wrong way. Kaomoji is a result of manga and anime fans who wanted to correct those mistakes, avoid awkward writing situations, and express words more creatively.

Japanese emoticons are extremely diverse. Some of Internet sources state the number of 10000 but, in fact, there are much more of them. Such diversity may be explained by at least two factors:

unlike Cyrillic and Latin alphabets, which are usually written in single-byte character sets, Japanese writing requires a minimum of double-byte sets with a wider scope of characters;

kaomoji can express not only individual emotions, but also complex actions, objects, and even whole stories.

Kaomoji.ru (2018). Kaomoji: Japanese Emoticons. Retrieved from http://kaomoji.ru/en/

Moran A. We have to get a life... Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.se/pin/354236326922641864/