Unknown Balthazar

Communication Design Blog

[unknownbalthazar]

Week Four

~ PRACTICAL ~

26 March 2019

This week the class started with some professional photography equipment being set up at the front of the room. I suspected we might be doing some stuff with photos and lighting. I was right. 

We were shown the different effects that lighting has on photos with creating and removing shadows, as well as the harshness of the lighting on the objects. 

A photo was then shared with us and we were taken on a little journey in the world of Photoshop. Working with the same photo, we removed blemishes and adjusted the colouring, allowing for a better photograph. 

[unknownbalthazar]

Week Three

~ PRACTICAL ~

19 March 2019

This week brought us new and intriguing ideas. We worked with writing paragrams (phrases that use every letter of the English alphabet) with limited resources. 

The paragram we chose was: The five boxing wizards jump quickly. 

In the first exercise, we were to write out this panagram using limited amounts of electrical tape. Initially we were given only 2 rolls of electrical tape however, quickly realised we would be needing more to complete the sentence. This was a lesson in how to use the resources you have to achieve the best results, especially if those resources are limited. 

In the second exercise, we were to write a panagram outside on a surface using limited amounts of water. This exercise was one where we had to work faster and with not many resources. We stuck with the same panagram as is had fewer words and each person in the group could write a word. This, meant that the project was completed faster and photos could be taken before it began to evaporate. This was a lesson in team work and how to best use the water to create something before it disappears.

[unknownbalthazar]

Week Two

~ PRACTICAL ~

12 March 2019

This week brought us new ways to think of communication and how we communicate. We were given a piece of play-dough and instructed to test out the ways to imprint and form words and messages into the material, finding the most efficient way. Through creating a question for our peers to decipher and reply to it became clearer about how things were visually communicated thousands of years ago, along with the importance of simple lines and images. 

The aspect of this class that I found most difficult was when we had to communicate to another class member through just images. It was harder to be specific and articulate due to only using simple images and was open to several interpretations. I asked what the other person thought of the message and turned out that it wasn’t clear and they were able to make several interpretations of what it might mean, as I did with theirs. This lead to us both just guessing it and hoping we were right. 

My message I sent:

The intended interpretation:

‘Is it going to rain today, will we need an umbrella?’

Their interpretation:

‘Did you bring an umbrella?’

The message I received: 

My interpretation:

‘.... Do you love me?’

The intended message:

‘You turn my world upside down, do you love me?’

[unknownbalthazar]

Week One

~ PRACTICAL ~

5 March 2019

I wasn’t sure what to expect when walking into the practical class in week one, maybe a few slideshows and the lecturer pouring out information and I would have to diligently take notes. 

I definitely wasn’t expecting to be dumping the contents of my back pack onto the table. So, I certainly didn’t think I’d have to then create letters and form words out of these items. 

This task was entertaining and similar to solving a puzzle, we had to work with the items, persuading them to form to what we wanted and needed. 

It was through this project that I had to open my mind and imagination to the possibility of what things could be and not just what they are or intended to be.  Charger cables formed the letter ‘M’, a stray bracelet created an ‘L’.

In groups, we gathered all these items that we had brought in and proceeded to manipulate them into forming the alphabet and numbers.