jamie-heng

[jamie-heng]

WOII Compulsory: In Summary

What I have learnt in World of Ideas & Imaginations have taught me about understanding how many factors affects the design of my work. My experience personally bleeds into the work I create, shaped by my thoughts and understanding, I understand that is Phenomenology.

Aesthetics to me is how something represents itself visually and functionally, seeing a design style like Swiss style, minimalistic and structured or culture like Thai culture shaped by the environment and way of life with very elaborate costume design and jewellery.

Various aesthetics being inspirations or ideas for the things I design.

With Design Analysis Framework in mind, it will help break down the structure of what I am observing to give me key information about what the structure is trying to depict, the implication behind it, the process that led to it and the function of the structure.

Learning about Cultural Materialism is about how external factors affecting my audience influences me. I would need to create my design based on my audience's need, what they would look for.

With all the things I have learnt from this module, I will carry it forward in my design journey.

(193 words)

[jamie-heng]

WOII: Week 10 - Poststructuralism

With poststructuralism in mind, when I contemplate about something I must take in mind that my perception will change based on the external factors affecting the world, nothing is definite, and I will keep it in mind in my design journey.

For this activity in pairs, we had to provide images that we have taken and pair them with texts we find with no context in mind. It made me realise that despite it not having a clear meaning, it was chaotic to me at first but to someone else they might have a different understanding about it due to their experience or interpretation.

It reinforced that fact that by deconstructing it, there are many meanings behind a structure there isn't a fixed answer, there will always be a different answer for every person.

For my Crafts Workshop, Conditional Screen Printing, we had to experiment with screen printing and design different layouts with the provided materials.

Since I was done with experimenting with the screen, I wanted to try different layouts and elements I wanted to include a sense of rhythm and asymmetrical balance, only using specific parts of the design. I only used squares to try and create a pattern, some rhythm as well.

My final work for this workshop had me working in a pair, I found it difficult at first as we were having trouble deciding on the layout due to our differences. It challenged us to not be so rigid in creating something too complex with the limited time we had and to just explore using the design principles of negative space and repetition in mind, sticking to just two colours.

(275 words)

[jamie-heng]

WOII: Week 9 - Cultural Materialism

There are many factors that affects how culture is shaped, for example based on one's environment, cost of supplies or the amount of manpower. A building may collapse due to certain factors such as poor building materials, an error in design or poor craftsmanship.

So, when I design something, I will keep in mind about the current factors that may affect the audience that I am trying to communicate in my design.

For this activity, my groupmates and me chose the fictional world of Dune, the barren, dry environment of this fictional world made us think of promoting hydration products was what the target audience needed in their daily lives.

For my Crafts Workshop, 'New Ways of Seeing Type', we had to think of a memory and an emotion associated with it and create a typeface based on that. I chose the memory of my parents looking after me when I was ill and not feeling well, I felt very loved for being cared for and having their attention.

Those memories of being taken care of by my family is uniquely my own experience. I wanted to execute the feeling of love I felt in my design.

(197 words)

[jamie-heng]

WOII Compulsory: Week 5 & 6 - Design Analysis and Field Trip

When I was tasked with analyzing an object for this activity, I knew that I had to take my time to observe my chosen object that I have brought to decipher. But it was hard for me as I took it simply as it is and found it hard to have opinions of it, the framework behind it.

Though by using the Design Analysis Framework, I have a step-by-step guide in breaking down the object so I could observe its details.

The activity where we had to share our objects, we chose materiality and memories as our themes, although these are goods that can simply be brought, I was reminded that people took time to study the craft of crocheting and using yarn and their effort to such objects, so their value as handmade objects plus the memory of receiving such crafted goods from someone made me see connections to the themes we chose.

For the second part of our assignment, we had to find new places or objects to group under a new theme. So, I decided to go with consumption.

There were a lot of Singaporean paraphernalia with a lot of items depicting popular landmarks like the Merlion or the Marina Bay sands. However, I wanted to focus on the over-consumption of these sorts of souvenirs as there was a surplus of goods that doesn't meet the demand of what people would normally wish to purchase as a souvenir as these goods were garish and typical.

Something more suited for young children as based on the aspects of the merchandise, the quality was decent enough and had really colourful and cute designs.

The design analysis framework was useful for helping me break down the elements in my studio module, when I had to analyse my chosen designer's work for recurring elements that showed up often in his work and the design principles behind it.

(316 words)

[jamie-heng]

WOII: Week 2 - Aesthetics

The aesthetics for Thai culture is reminiscent of that of a festival, with bright colours of gold, red and white for example and their graceful dancing whilst wearing elaborate and intricate costume designs companied with gold jewellery. (ThaiCyclopedia, Tasty Thailand, Zyteng)

That is my impression of Thailand's culture based on how it's structured. The form of how it is structured.

Why I turned my eyes to Thai culture was due to this week's activity where we had to document a hawker centre's store sign and design a character based on the aesthetics of the sign, our own interpretation.

The cuisine behind my chosen sign was Thai cuisine.

The name of the sign, 'Mr Thai', directly tells me the origin of the cuisine's country, coupled with the fact that the text of the sign is a bright, bold white with a vibrant purple background reminded me of the festivity atmosphere of Thailand's nightlife. (Sean)

Which tells the function of the sign.

With both the form and function in mind, that makes up for the aesthetics of the sign in mind, that is what Aesthetics is to me, the perception and knowledge of a subject forming the impression I have in mind.

For my studio work this semester, which was designing a poster amongst other works, I wanted to incorporate the design elements found in Armin Hofmann's works which is Swiss design. Swiss design is a minimalist design style that is contains angular, grid-like approach and sans serif typefaces. (Bifolco)

Armin Hofmann's works contain organic elements and sans serif typefaces with a different variant of thickness for font style. (MoMA)

This was my result of using the Swiss style aesthetic, which is a type of aesthetic, using my knowledge of the style to showcase the grid system I chose, the minimalistic design elements and the use of primary colour, red, with black and white colours.

(299 words)

ThaiCyclopedia. Colourful Culture: The Hidden Meanings of Colours in Thailand - ThaiCyclopedia. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025

Tasty Thailand. Why Do Thais Buy So Much Gold? And What Do They Do With It? – Tasty Thailand. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

Kelvin Zyteng. Unsplash. 12 Feb. 2024, https://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-people-walking-down-a-street-next-to-a-lush-green-field-f7pQuPm11vc. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

Siborey Sean. Unsplash. 27 Mar. 2024, https://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-people-walking-down-a-street-at-night-ZIqrQ-LBL1g. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

Justin Bifolco. Penji, 30 Nov. 2022, Parsing Simplicity: What is Swiss Style Graphic Design? - Unlimited Graphic Design Service. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

The Museum of Modern Art. Armin Hofmann. Kunsterziehung in USA, Gewerbemuseum Basel, 1.Sept.-7.Okt. Eintritt frei. 1961 | MoMA. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

The Museum of Modern Art. Armin Hofmann. Giselle, Basler Freilichtspiele. 1959 | MoMA. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

[jamie-heng]

WOII: Week 1 - Phenomenology

A source of light can create shadows in the background. For example, when a person's standing in the sun, a shadow is reflected back onto the ground behind them.

That was what I imagined 'shadow' to be. An appearance of what happens when light conflicts with an object or background. That was my interpretation of the themes of shadows and time in class today, one of many interpretations about the subject.

When I saw my classmates' interpretation of the themes, one of their interpretations was how time passed visibly with each season based on a tree. Done through images showcasing the passage of time, you can visibly see how the tree matures and ages before starting its cycle of life once more.

Phenomenology to me is how I will consider the experiences I have might shape the outcome of my designs. As my experiences will reflect in the things I design.

During Digital Skills & Applications, Week 1's Expressive Type, we were trying basic ways to manipulate and settle type in Adobe Illustrator and our task for the day was to digitally manipulate the type to express the meaning of the word.

Without changing the font family, I had to interpret how I was going to alter the type to my understanding of the word, for example the word, 'progression', as a noun means, 'the process of changing or developing towards an improved situation or state.' (Cambridge Dictionary)

I chose to alter the letters to be bigger each time, adding a shadow to emphasise the size of each letter. That was how I chose to display progression which could have been done differently but that was the way I did it due to my understanding.

(285 words)

Kristina Kutleša. "Blossom Tree". Unsplash. 14 Apr. 2022, https://unsplash.com/photos/a-tree-in-a-field-with-a-fence-around-it-rEdfXipMrq0. Accessed 10 April 2024

Vitaly Mazur. "Red Autumn Tree". Unsplash. 3 Oct. 2023, https://unsplash.com/photos/a-tree-with-red-leaves-in-a-park-hKGkX7unagw. Accessed 10 April 2024

Tīna Sāra. Unsplash. 11 Apr. 2021, https://unsplash.com/photos/leafless-tree-on-snow-covered-ground-HgSE5lAwNuo?utm_content=creditShareLink&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash. Accessed 10 April 2024

"Progression". Cambridge English Dictionary. PROGRESSION | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary. Accessed 10 April 2024

[jamie-heng]

Summative Assessment Compulsory Question 3: Connect CTS A to your learning and professional journey.

For the collaborative projects I would like to do, I have an interest in working with other people in music or fashion design, helping them with editing a music video with digitally drawn details or using InDesign to make a fashion editorial of the clothing they designed. I think it would be interesting to work with students from a different school as every school has a different system for teaching. For example, I would like to work with students from Nanyang Academy of Fine Art (NAFA), another local school in Singapore, with students from their Fashion diploma in the School of Fashion Studies, it would be interesting to work with someone from a different school to see what we can do together with the different ideas and foundation we have.

A final project I would like to do would probably be a campaign of sorts, as throughout the school term as I got more comfortable with documenting and experimenting with different materials, techniques and texture. Perhaps I would like to experiment with showcasing a collage of people with different mental illnesses and their struggles with their day-to-day life with the discrimination they face and the lack of help they receive. Be it through drawings, photos or old newspaper articles talking about such matters I want to bring awareness to the issue.

An organisation I am interested in working with is Singapore Cancer Society, they have organised many social media campaigns and competitions to bring awareness to lung cancer for example. I hope that I can design their social media campaigns so that I can attract more attention to their cause. For example, in July 2023, they held an Inter-School Competition to try and raise awareness about cancer. (Singapore Cancer Society)

With CTS A, I have learnt to be more mindful of other people’s opinions and thoughts as I have to understand their motivations and goals in order to work together with them so with more understanding and patience there are two jobs I might be interested in professionally which is being a children book illustrator and being a graphic designer. As CTS A makes me consider what story I want the children reading the books I am illustrating to see. For them to understand the moral or educational values while enjoying the drawings of the story.

(386 words)

Singapore Cancer Society. “The 6th Singapore Cancer Society Interschool Competition Awarded 4 Student Projects To Strike Out Cancer.” 22 Jul. 2023. https://www.singaporecancersociety.org.sg/about/media-centre/press-releases.html. Accessed 15 November 2024

[jamie-heng]

Summative Assessment Compulsory Question 2: Connect CTS A to all your other modules (and components).

CTS A is something I can use in relation to my other modules as critical thinking is a skill that’s required on a daily basis, to ensure our work meets all the requirements and expectations. The seven weekly topics all have their part to play when it comes to the other three modules such as crafts workshop, studio, photography and digital skills. 

In some of the weekly topics, there might be more than one module that requires certain skills such as collaborative skills as throughout the semester there were usually collaborative tasks or group work we had to do. We had to communicate our thoughts and ideas during week 6 studio work, we had to bring about 20-30 items from our home and arrange it categorically, we had to work together to discuss how we were going to arrange it, be it through colour, shape, size or alphabetically. 

Another weekly topic that comes into play during our other modules is assertion & conflict resolution since during group work there might be disagreements due to conflict of our thoughts and ideas. Using what I have learnt from that week, I now understand that everyone will have different opinions and perspectives when it comes down to it hence I have to try to work together with my group members despite our differences and come to an agreement, something we can compromise on as that is how we can put aside our differences and settle it through communicating with one another.

Overall CTS A can help broaden our mindset and thinking as CTS A helps us with aiding our modules effectively teaching us to think outside the box. To consider how our design will appear to the audience and how we want it to be perceived, to document our process so that we can learn from our mistakes. We also have to make sure that our citations and our sources are factual with proper links and citation, to uphold our integrity as designers to not plagiarise other works of art.

To collaborate with other designers in the industry using our strengths to create something entirely different from what we can do by ourselves simply by listening to and working with one another.

(369 words)

[jamie-heng]

Summative Assessment Compulsory Question 1: Discuss the seven weekly topics as a whole!

The Critical Thinking Skills module is a guide for me to understand how I as a designer can learn skills and extend my knowledge to aid in my work as a designer and to improve my understanding. For example, during week two we had to work together with our group mates to build a monument however we weren't so familiar with each other hence we had trouble communicating as we did not have a clear goal in mind for our monument, but we managed to come to an agreement to finish it in the end.

Since this was a module about critical thinking, we chose a brain as the design of the mind map as with the five of us in a group it was a collective effort of every member working together, collaborating our thoughts and ideas for our objective like a hivemind. But personally, what I would have done differently was perhaps a plant as the design of my mind map, one of my groups in my class made the mind map in the design of a potted plant which I found to be very organised as each leaf represented a week hence, I did a sketch of the mind map inspired by it, I opted for a tree as I wanted a seed to be at the root of the tree showing the culmination of the past seven weeks.

My favourite activity was during week 5, we got to go out of school to explore our surroundings to look at logo designs for different brands like food stalls, product packaging.

Working in a group, I get to share my thoughts and ideas with the rest of my group and in turn they share theirs. By doing so we have more ideas at our disposal, and we can get feedback from each other, beneficial in helping us improve and better our perception and creativity. From the 'Collaborative Skills Melissa Quek' video, "It's okay you don't always have to agree you don't have to be in harmony but what you're doing is you're trying to do the best for the work that you have decided to get to the goal that you have chosen to reach." and "You can be a better collaborator by thinking about these things, listening to each other, giving space to hear someone else and then building on it." (MB, 00:19:04-00:19:19), (MB, 00:19:26-00:19:35).

(406 words)

MB. “Collaborative Skills Melissa Quek” YouTube, 12 Aug. 2021. https://youtu.be/ddegE_VjzmA?si=y3XmhmeGnqbPAdQc.  Accessed 14 September 2024.

(MB, 00:19:04-00:19:19), (MB, 00:19:26-00:19:35).

[jamie-heng]

Growth Mindset

During this week’s class we had to draw with our non-dominant hand redesigning a brand’s logo. I found that challenging as I am unaccustomed to doing so. However, based on the video by Damaris Carlisle, ‘Growth Mindset’. "What you want to aim for is a growth mindset so when you experience a failure, start looking at it as an opportunity to grow. What is it that you can learn from this and change to make improvements next time. When you get feedback don't think of it as a personal attack on you as a person but think about it as feedback on your work and think about the fact that you can actually make changes to improve next time."

We have to push ourselves to do things that we find challenging so that we can grow, to improve ourselves even if it isn’t fantastic.

After we were done with our sketches, we laid them out on the floor and I quite like the ‘iJooz’ redesign specifically the ones on the tablet there is one shaped like a cup, the initials forming it while the cup holds the juice, I find it to be a really creative and modern redesign. Based off the 'iJooz' redesign, if I had to redesign Mentos' logo, I would like to have the type be surrounded by an outline of a mint leaf to show off the refreshing taste of the candy.

(236 words)

MB. “Damaris Carlisle Growth Mindset” Youtube, 30 Jul. 2022. https://youtu.be/yCbWvI8BQpI?si=fy_mA6d5cEkoFc1O. Accessed 22 September 2024.

(MB, 00:12:52-00:13:26)

[jamie-heng]

Collaborative Skills

My strengths as a collaborator are I am open to working on duties assigned to me and I like to give my thoughts and insights to my group members. However, I feel that my weakness as a collaborator is that I would take the project too seriously when I could have taken things in a more lighthearted manner.

Although the end result may not have been up to my expectations, I had fun in the process. It was supposed to be just an activity to work with my group members in an easygoing, relaxed manner that we all grouped in our opinion and thoughts that led to us completing our monument with something everyone was happy with.

"Project researchers came to the conclusion that it didn't matter who was on the team what mattered was how team members treated each other. Teams where everybody talked, and everybody showed respect by listening and paying attention created a psychologically safe atmosphere inside the team and psychological safety of each member in the group had a positive effect on the team's ability to succeed." (Coding Tech, 00:03:28-00:03:52)

If I had more time and an unlimited budget the monument, I would design would just be a website with information on the athletes, on their lifetime’s accomplishments. Such as on British Broadcasting Corporation’s website in the sport’s section, in the subsection ‘Sports Personality’, there would be an article dedicated to deceased sport athletes for each year in the BBC’s website. (British Broadcasting Corporation)

(248 words)

Coding Tech. “Secrets Of Successful Teamwork: Insights From Google” Youtube, 12 Oct. 2018. https://youtu.be/hHIikHJV9fI?si=aDkbkv7CCak9Nnhq. Accessed 14 November 2024. (Coding Tech, 00:03:28-00:03:52)

British Broadcasting Corporation. “Sports Personality of the Year 2023: Remembering the stars we have lost.” 19 Dec. 2019. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/sports-personality/67726877.

Accessed 14 November 2024

[jamie-heng]

What is Critical Thinking

Critical thinking to me is the process of which I have to think outside of the box. I can’t simply look at it as it is, but I must question it from a designer’s point of view. I must analyse what my client requires of my services, “To be a true critical thinker means being creative, reflective and adaptable. Evaluating the evidence to decide for yourself what is accurate, what is relevant, and do I have sufficient info to make a decision on this topic.” (Macat, 00:01:13-00:01:31).

Integrating Mindfulness into my learning environment, in order to elevate my ability to focus on my work I will take short breaks in between my work sessions so my eyes won’t feel tired, and I won’t feel too dull from working too long with appropriate breaks or taking some time to close my eyes and take deep breaths to calm myself down, preventing any emotional outburst. 

“We need an exercise. We need a framework to learn how to be more mindful. That’s essentially what meditation is. It’s familiarising ourselves with the present moment.” (TED, 00:05:28-00:05:34).

Doing the first group session in the first week. It was fun discussing with my group mates as we were able to collaborate our ideas no matter how silly it was. It had some point to our discussion despite how roundabout our methods may have been. It was a great experience to work on our communication and collaborative skills as we were unfamiliar with one another.

(248 words)

Macat. “What is Critical Thinking?” Youtube, 2 Feb. 2016. https://youtu.be/HnJ1bqXUnIM?si=g54s8x2Xv8yHEhyd. Accessed 14 November 2024. (Macat, 00:01:13-00:01:31).

TED. “All it takes is 10 mindful minutes | Andy Puddicombe | TED” Youtube, 12 Jan. 2013

https://youtu.be/qzR62JJCMBQ?si=tfqX5Cuo64_hFpj2. Accessed 14 November 2024.

(TED, 00:05:28-00:05:34).