Visual Diary

Tom Poon

[tompoonrmit-blog]

Group Project

What?

In this project, we are going to develop and curate an exhibition of “Wot is a Book?” artworks from previous students to be exhibit in the glass-cases at the Library at the Dock. In this project, we will work collaboratively as a team for a successful outcome. During this project, we will need to coordinate with librarian from Library at the dock, reporting installation details and design process with them regularly.

Why?

We all agree that this an interesting challenge as it involves craft, communication and research etc. It is also a Valuable experience working on a public project and with the City of Melbourne. I alsi think that It is a learning tool of holding an exhibition (3D Modeling, developing ideas, installations, promotional & merchandising skills, interior design etc). On the other hand, we are able to create something very intriguing and spark a conversation towards different group of people.

How?

In this project, I measure whether I have reached my goal by evaluation from teacher, audience and myself. Personally, I think the working process is the most important in this project. However, the final result is also important. The main purpose of an exhibition is to deliver information to audience. I am looking forward to see how people think about our exhibition.

Lastly

I have discovered a lot during this project going. As we worked as a team, the major challenge appeared first was the problem getting along with each other. It took a bit time to bond together as one because we all had quite strong personalities and our own thoughts. However, we worked that out very well after understanding each other and sharing thoughts. On the other hand, that was my first time participating an exhibition project I was feeling a bit stressed and I did not know what I should start with, but I took it as a good opportunity to challenge myself. Then I did research about book and exhibition for a better understanding on this project. I am proud of myself. Lastly, we could not make this whole thing happened without any of our group members. I appreciate all of them.

[tompoonrmit-blog]

Because talking shit in person is dangerous

Title : Because talking shit in person is dangerous

Artist : Jingyao Pan

Year : 2018

Object : Book

Materials : paper

Dimensions :   128 mm X 190 mm

Edition : First edition/72 pages

Image credit : Google, Face book

About my book

This book is all about Keyboard Warriors. It is a collection of mean comments and keyboard images. Every mean comment comes with an interesting keyboard image in this book. It demonstrates a world of keyboard warriors.

The reason why I chose to make this book is because I see mean comment online all the time. I feel like keyboard warriors are actually around us, then I decided to make a book about them. This book can also remind people what they say online is hurtful to other people.

During the making process, I kept thinking what information/content should be included in my book, what kind of message I should deliver to readers? Should I be guiding them in my book? Should I make it easy to understand?…Many questions  going on in my head. However, after I had a better understanding on What is a book, I realised that the book is the one leading audience, the book itself will decide what to deliver. What I did in my book was just showing what I found. The connection will be built by audience.

[wot-is-bilby]

Layout for posters / catalogue so far.

[wotbook]

WEEK 12 | LAST CLASS

In todays class we worked on both our personal project and the group project.

For our group project all of us had their on task to do. Alexa and I was creating the ai. files for the title to be printed in vinyl. We both had to figure out the measurements we wanted to have and to fit it within the restrained of the vinyl size and printer. We found the biggest and the best size for the type set. Hopefully it will work out fine, when Andy prints it out.  For my personal project I printed out a rough prototype of the book. I had feedback from Andy and some of my peers, which helped me to go forward with my final book. I just have to wake up my life and finish the book and print out the final asap. 

[wot-is-bilby]

Week Eleven - group work

Today we met outside of class to discuss the front display and talk about the posters and the website. Andy printed out some photos of the exhibition windows and we cut and paste some different typefaces to test out sizes and styles.

I then did a rough sketch with a white gel pen of the typeface we have decided works best. It is a black letter, but simpler, longer and more narrow than the previous one.

[wotbook]

The start of my hand modeling career! 

[chloeee-liu-blog]

WEEK 10

This week we tested out the vinyl cutter for our window display. Russell started by teaching us how to use the cutter. We then calculated the measurement of the window to see how many pieces of vinyl paper we need due to a width limitation of the cutter. We are lucky to have 11 characters in the title ‘Wot is a Book?’ that exactly fits on the window perfectly. We thus need not worry about having to place two letters in one single piece. Afterward, we printed out two versions of our chosen letter ‘w’, one is cut in the exact letter shape while another one is a cut-out letter from a square. The former one was a more successful attempt as comes in the form of one single piece that makes tearing off easier. For the latter one, we had a problem in flattening the vinyl on the glass due to the large size. Many bubbles were left in between the spaces. Therefore, Andy suggested us to go for the first attempt as it would be easier for us reach success. Next week, we will continue experiment vinyl and do some further planning on the final paper.

After working on our group project, we were given some time to present and discuss our individual project. It was interesting to see everyone’s work and where we’re at as their topics are unique. 

[tompoonrmit-blog]

Testing on paper

[chloeee-liu-blog]

Web design

Group project

As the artworks are too tiny to display, our group and Andy suggested making a website with QR codes for the exhibition. Lulu and I are responsible for web designing. We had a meeting last week, discussing how we want to design the website. We both agreed to keep the web design as simple as we can because we only know the basic knowledge of Dreamweaver. We will make a homepage and individual pages for each book. These are some layout we made:

After consulting with Andy, he liked the layout on the bottom left and suggested us making a landing page for mobile version. He also mentioned that we needed not to make a website as he wanted us to focus more on the exhibition. Therefore, all we need to do now is to make a mobile layout and email him a pdf file.

[wot-is-bilby]

Week Eleven - group work

Today we met outside of class to discuss the front display and talk about the posters and the website. Andy printed out some photos of the exhibition windows and we cut and paste some different typefaces to test out sizes and styles.

I then did a rough sketch with a white gel pen of the typeface we have decided works best. It is a black letter, but simpler, longer and more narrow than the previous one.

[wotbook]

The start of my hand modeling career! 

[wotbook]

BOOK PROGRESS | 5

Since I am going for a minimal novel/reading book, i played around with different typography thats usually seen in those type of books, and see which one would fit best. 

[tompoonrmit-blog]

A keyboard map I made for my book

[chloeee-liu-blog]

Week 7

(group project)

This morning, we realized that the purpose of our project is all about how we design the space and how we place the artwork of last year’s student in the exhibition. It means that our project aim is to communicate and draw attention from people to see the exhibition at the Dock. Last night, I came up with an epiphany, realizing that we need not frame ourselves by a theme, as the definition of a book should be defined by the students instead of us.  

We then started sharing our thoughts and making mock-ups. Since the glass is on both sides, Paul wanted to create a paper wave which creates a sense of depth so that people from inside and outside can see the artwork. Then Alexa suggested sticking artwork on caution tape to draw people’s attention. And then my idea is making book stack that can be a platform for us to place the artwork on top. Also, Pan’s idea is placing helium balloons everywhere to promote our exhibition as it is cheap and everyone loves balloon. After having a discussion, we have decided to place the artwork on the right window, while placing some informative messages on the left window. As occupying both windows for the artwork may look too empty, we have decided to place them all on the right window which is larger in size.

For the promotion, we listed down all the things we are about to do and allocated the work. We have planned to make:

A logo as it is the representation of this project (Paul, Alexa & Pan) 

A website that can showcase the artwork in another way (Anna & Chloe) 

QR code which is easier for people to access our website (Anna & Chloe) 

A poster and balloon that can attract people to come to the exhibition (Pan & Parkon) 

To photograph artwork (Parkon & Lulu)

But before we started doing any of these, Alexa suggested us come up with a futuristic color scheme for our project to ensure the consistency of everyone’s work. 

I am so happy that we are finally on the right track and each of us started working something. We worked so effectively today and everyone showed their excitement about this project. We will also have a meeting at the Dock on this Thursday so that we can present our thoughts to a librarian.  :) 

[chloeee-liu-blog]

“FOR LAST YEAR'S WORDS BELONG TO LAST YEAR'S LANGUAGE, AND NEXT YEAR'S WORDS AWAIT ANOTHER VOICE.” T.S. ELIOT

[chloeee-liu-blog]

Week 7: Group meeting at the Dock library

We had a meeting at the Dock library and have finally summarized our idea today.

We further developed our previous idea. We have decided to divide the two windows into four by cardboard. The four windows can be viewed from inside the building and outside out if. However, two of the exhibition glasses will be covered up respectively on both sides. The first glass facing outwards will be covered up, yet with cut out letters of “Wot is a book” which allows people to see through. Each letter is placed at a different eye level so as to ensure everyone being able to see through regardless of their differences in height. Other than this, the third glass facing outwards and the second and fourth glass facing inwards will also be covered up. This also helps to resolve the lighting issue caused by reflection of the sunlight on the glass at daytime. This design also enhances visitors’ interaction with the exhibition as people have to walk back and forth from inside of the building to outside out it if they have to appreciate the exhibition in a chronological order.

[tompoonrmit-blog]

Because talking shit in person is dangerous - Part II

Keep exploring my topic.

[tompoonrmit-blog]

Talking shit in person is dangerous- Part I Today I took a keyboard apart to get some inspirations for my book. It was great to see what is inside a keyboard and they really inspired me how to explore the topic and how to apply these elements into design.

[wotbook]

Postdigital is a term which came into use in the discourse of digital artistic practice at the start of the twenty-first century. This term points significantly to our rapidly changed and changing relationships with digital technologies and art forms.

Roy Ascott (via wotbook)