Can we just call it the FINAL SHOW? :/
I mean, I’m not entirely sure if this post is just for my teachers or if there are anyone else going to be reading this, (if it is just a lonely echo, does a digital echo even exist?) but I will be writing with a open mind, that a random (like you) stumbled upon my post and is reading it right now.
This account is going to be documenting my graphic design bachelor year at Prague College, in Prague (Surprise, surprise.). It is a weekly (hopefully) update on what I have been learning, (or self-learning) or maybe just bull crap talk about design in general. On this post I’m sharing about one of our first classes, and what it was about.. here we go.
As classmates starting out this new semester, as future bachelor degree holders, we have a great project that needs to be overcome. Oh no, I am definitely not making it sound like an obstacle, yet it is indeed an obstacle.
As graphic design students, we need to have this one big party before we are done with the degree, the FINAL SHOW. Every students in the creative field has done it, which makes it quite difficult to make it original.
However it is indeed a wonderful thing, a great ending and occasion to celebrate all the hardship, and we would (at least I would) definitely like it to have a nice theme that makes sense, not just for the people coming to see the show but especially for ourselves. But we are students from all different backgrounds and also a blend of students who are starting the BA year after other educational background and students who finished the HND (High National Diploma), so there are not many things that tie up together. Few things we were able to think of was ; Design students, living abroad and that’s about it?
So Ondrej (one of my teachers) had us write down any words that popped into our head that’s related to design. A story telling, maybe something emotional or anything. 10 words per student. We stuck them to the wall and grouped similar words together and observed. Below are the result. (I’ve typed down per order given)
What was interesting was that design for us is highly connected to our emotions. Especially for me, I know that designing was something that I started freshly, so it is something new, exciting and gratifying(when done well) but also something scary, frustrating and is a reason for procrastination. (Btw I have no idea why someone put drugs up there. We are in Prague to be fair though.)
Anyhow, Ondrej fixed up some words together as below, but how so difficult it is to be relevant but still original with the final show! (Creative friends, really?)
Our team discussed for a bit, about which theme would be a good idea, however whatever came out of our mouth was over-used and cliches. At this point I started to think, maybe we should just start with cliche phrases and ideas but make it great somehow in designing or promoting the show?
Anyways, we came up with (actually my team did, cause I was late haha) the idea of a theme of a machine, illustrated with complicated details, which is associated with the word mix of Mind craft. (I still do feel that it reminds people of Mine craft, the game too much, but I suppose that can also be a good thing.) The idea behind is that design is not rocket science but.. it is still pretty complicated to come up with. (My phrase ‘it is not rocket science’ was rejected cause - over used.)
Second idea Juliana came up with is playing with words. Like how you can fill out the blanks when you are playing the game Hangman, it could be a participatory kind of design where people could fill out the blanks themselves when they see our posters, or we can release few words in different time period to keep the audience curious
We wrapped up our group discussion here, to think individually with a fresh eye-.
SO, individually, I was sometimes staring at windows thinking about what could be a good title, and a couple came up in my mind.
1. COME IN
It is inviting and it is about the space that we share(bishops court). We can use the planner of the space to draw lines on the ground to lure people to its direction,(like how it is like at the entrance of Kasarna Karlin - Couldn’t find an image...) and also on the poster. We can have a series of posters that can be put next to each other where one is the space(planner) and the other is a person , with one leg dipped in the space, so when they connect.
2. BLOWOUT
Blowout means a big party, and occasion, which is exactly what our show is. I’m thinking festive images, something like a pinata being cracked open, fireworks.. Also blow has some many meanings that we can definitely make use of, oh yes.
Whatever the theme is going to be, in my humble opinion, I think the show needs to be kind to the audience. A distinct theme, that will tie all students together somehow, if not, a tool that would make the visit to the exhibition an easy walk-through-guide.
Fingers crossed.
