mariaphilp-grad604-dr - Tumblr blog

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Reflections

This paper was a real eye opener for  me in terms of starting that process of figuring out who I am as a designer, being a student at AUT whilst working in the industry kept me working at such a fast pace that I had never had the opportunity to sit down and think about what I as a graphic designer bring to the table, and what that could look like visually.

All in all it’s been a great experiences, I know this because I still feel like there is a lot of work and discovering to do.

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Final Hand In Design

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Methods

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Context

After feedback from the formative I decided to start fresh on my writing, as I had collected more information and added to my final postcard set.

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Abstract

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Final Poster

Left: Without text

Right: With text

After going through my drafts I decided to only use one of the elements in order to create a bold and simplistic pattern than when paired with duplicate print outs can form a larger pattern and design.

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Final Postcard set

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Tried options of overlaying and repeated patterns but felt i was losing the positive & negative element.

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Image Explorations

Similar to my cards, I wanted to keep the image minimal and use black and white to represent darkness and light. This is an image of my workspace with multiple artboards joined together showing the potential to create geometric patterning.

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Feedback from Formative

There is still potential to delve deeper into contexts, Sue recommended I speak to Elwyn at the library for more texts.

I have gotten in contact with her and also John Vea to help source more texts and contexts.

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Switching card imagery

Above - Old card

Below - New card

I switched these cards as I felt the above image didn’t reflect the informal nature of talanoa. The below image is more familiar to Fijians, who often talanoa with a cup of tea and biscuits. It is a Fijian trick to soak the biscuits in the tea before spreading jam and butter over to eat.

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Added Cards

After speaking to John Vea an AUT mentor, he was able to read my cards and recommend artists with similar contexts to my current cards. Following along the lines of minimalism and conceptual art heavily based on the idea.

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Critical Commentary

Keywords

Motif

Traditional

Symbolic

Geometric

Abstract

Minimalism

Positive/Negative Space

Organic

Vivid

Cultural

Context One Symbolism, in its basic form is an art movement that has to ability to represent the things around us using a graphic or word. It relies on a level of collective knowledge and state of mind, it can even be its own language to tell stories and represent abstract ideas. Why do I find myself drawn to this context when it comes to design? Maybe, it is because that is what design is all about. Telling stories in the most rudimentary form. To me, this is where true sophistication in design lies. For example, there are many ways to draw one thing, but which way gets the point across to the masses? What will people recognize first in that drawing? How do their backgrounds and upbringing affect the way they think and see the world around them. Establishing other point of views and how I as a designer can bridge that gap and hopefully create an understanding between people. These questions are some reasons I would assume contribute to my love for symbolism in design. That may be a given for most designers, so what do I really see? Beyond the aspirations of most designers, I see a way of addressing what may sometimes be an uncomfortable topic using familiar ways of thinking. To simply allude to something bigger, a symbol that can best summarise a message. I would like my design to bring out the curiosity in people, I am happy if people are able to see many things in what I design, especially if it relates to their own personal experiences. This is because that creates dialogue, it allows us to share our own stories, express our own views and ask questions. Most importantly, people will be able to see what I value as a designer, including what things mean to me and how I see the world.

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My images have all changed since the first set of cards. This is because it was such a wide range and I really needed to figure out what I’m most drawn to and what will best inform my design practice. Hence the majority of Fijian objects and concepts because I find that my cultural background does play a huge part in my design practice.

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Using design methods and contexts that I am drawn towards to help inform my own ideas.

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Notes

Methods

How it’s made

Process

Technique *Quotes are handy, WIP, Hands or tools.

Context

Topic

Theme

Time Period

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Books I found at the library that helped me gain more information on indigenous art in the Pacific and how it has lived through time. It was interesting to see the similarities yet diversity of art throughout the Pacific and how it has affected graphic design and contemporary art.