#but I think its important to take a closer look at certain behavioural patterns he displays

[imviotrash]

Wishing an underaged character you don't like would get abused is not the hot take y'all think it is...

[alittlewhump]

Unbidden - Act 2, chapter 8

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Content warnings: None

Morgan followed the sound of voices through the archives. He'd taken a more familiar route this time, one that skirted closer to the markets than he'd liked. Blaise and Cain were discussing something, but Cain stopped mid-sentence when he spied Morgan.

"Morgan! It's good to see you again, friend, though I had not expected you so soon." Morgan allowed himself a small smile. He'd missed Cain and his stories, his easy friendliness.

Blaise spun around to face him. "What are you doing here? You-" She seemed to lose her train of thought briefly as her eyes lingered at the collar of his shirt. "You should be resting."

"I want to make up for the time I've lost," Morgan said, growing serious again. He didn't feel tired, exactly, and anyway there was no respite to be found in his shared room. "There are demons seeking the tomb of Tal Rasha as well. Time is of the essence. What is it you've found?"

He couldn't read Blaise's expression as he came around the table to look at the books laid out across it. It turned out that finding the tomb would only be half the problem. There was a specific artifact needed to open it, and it had been split into pieces. A staff, which Morgan recognized from a tour of the local museum, and an amulet, which Blaise had already managed to recover from the demons who had held it. But it was not as simple as just having the pieces; there was a strange device required to bind them together, and that was guarded in yet another tomb by magical traps set by an ancient order of mages known as the Horadrim. Cain was familiar with this order, luckily enough, and was certain that he would be able to use the device once they'd located it, and it looked like Blaise had already eliminated several options from a long list of possible locations for that tomb.

It was growing late in the day, though, and Blaise flatly refused to start a new expedition before the morning. "You might be fine," she groused, not sounding as though she believed that to be the case at all, "but I'm hungry and tired. I'm going back to the palace. You can come with me, if you want. You could probably use the rest."

Morgan didn't want to go back, not yet. He looked down at the map on the table in front of him. Most of the marked locations were far enough from the city to be troublesome, but within a reasonable distance of a waypoint. Potentially good ways to keep himself occupied, to make sure his skills hadn't suffered too badly from disuse. Unfortunately, he'd never accessed most of the waypoints. He would need help with that.

"I'll stay here for the night. I can catch up on research." He paused. Perhaps someone else could act as a guide, someone he wasn't already deeply indebted to. "Is there someone who could show me to these waypoints?"

"Yeah. Me. Tomorrow." No luck there, then. Blaise put one hand on her hip. "Are you really sure you want to stay here?"

"Yes." He'd fled his room for a reason. If he didn't have something useful to focus his attention on now, he was going to come apart at the seams. He just needed to occupy himself, and that was going to be much easier here.

"All right, fine. But I'm not going to take you anywhere tomorrow if you haven't gotten any rest."

Anger flared suddenly hot in Morgan's chest. She kept insisting he rest, as though he hadn't just lost - how much time exactly wasn't clear, but it was certainly at least a few days of precious time, while she apparently picked up the slack. Did she still think of him as a child, someone who needed to be taken care of? Just another responsibility to shoulder? He slammed his open hand down on the table, growling "I don't want-"

He caught himself there, squeezed his eyes shut. Took a deep breath. Control. She had every reason to see him as an inconvenience, and that wasn't important. How others perceived him was inconsequential, he reminded himself. The only thing that really mattered was the Balance. His most important task was to find and stop the demons intent on upsetting it, and he wasn't going to get any closer to that goal by antagonizing a person who could help him. What he needed was her cooperation, not her respect.

"I apologize for that outburst," he said, opening his eyes but keeping them deferentially cast down. "It was not called for. I have had my fill of sitting idle, but I will rest when I need to."

Blaise was silent for a moment. "That's... whatever. Fine. See you tomorrow." She left without further comment. Morgan smoothed down the paper he'd rumpled in his childish show of temper. Not counting the claw vipers, it had been a long while since the last time he'd let himself get agitated to the point of lashing out. He was still on edge, not feeling quite settled in his skin after all that had happened. How long was it going to take him to get back to normal? He would have to focus his meditation on regaining emotional control for a while. This type of behaviour was totally unacceptable.

Cain cleared his throat. "Shall we continue? I believe I have at least another half hour in me today." He smiled warmly and Morgan relaxed a little. He could count on the scholar to leave well enough alone, to focus on the task at hand as he so badly needed to do.

"Yes, please."

Cain dedicated the better part of the next hour to filling in details about the Horadrim and their role in imprisoning Baal. He had managed to put together a diagram of the runes he suspected would be holding the demon lord in place, which Morgan set aside carefully to memorize later. He also had a general idea of the area where the Horadric cube, the device required to reunite the staff, was located, and what manner of traps would be securing it. The trouble was that the desert landscape had shifted over the intervening years, so none of the nearby landmarks were there any more. It was in this general area that Blaise had been concentrating her efforts, having gotten clearance from her superiors to pursue the lead. She had made impressive progress. Hopefully she would still be willing to work with Morgan after he'd repaid her efforts with nothing but a short temper. She didn't tend to accept apologies well, though. He'd just have to work harder at making himself useful.

After Cain retired for the evening, Morgan settled into what felt like a reasonable pattern of alternating between study and meditation. He had to ease himself into it at first; the urge to focus all of his energy on the problem of finding the cube was very strong. But the longer he studied, the more he realized he did need to rest himself properly. Once he passed the initial hurdle of forcing himself to stop and meditate, it was actually a relief to do so. It was good to meditate with peaceful intent again. The familiar, uninterrupted mental exercises were calming in a way he'd sorely missed, and it felt like a luxury to be able to sit in a comfortable chair again. Of course, everything felt like a luxury, compared to... well. It was nice to have a fresh appreciation for the small things.

By the time the sun was coming up, Morgan was satisfied that his understanding was at least adequate. Blaise and Cain found him leaning over the table comparing two maps, trying to pick out notable landmarks from the older one that might still be recognizable in some way.

"Good morning," he greeted them, looking up from his comparison a few seconds later. Both appeared to be in reasonably good spirits.

"Morning. So, do you still want to go out today, or do you want to keep studying?" Blaise lingered at the threshold while Cain made his way around the large table.

"I'd like to join the search today. I've rested," Morgan added quickly at the expression that flickered across her face. "More than I expected. I can keep up."

"Right. Get your gear and some breakfast then, we should go before it gets too much hotter."

Morgan flinched as a hand came down on his own. He'd almost forgotten Cain's tendency towards this sort of casual contact. The old man patted his hand twice, smiling encouragingly.

"Do stay safe out there. Good luck."

"Thank you," Morgan said, sliding his hand away. "I'll meet you at the waypoint," he suggested as he headed past Blaise. She didn't agree or refuse, instead following him out of the archives wordlessly. She only broke her silence once they were outside.

"You know you don't have to do this," she said, uncharacteristically quiet. Morgan searched her face, but couldn't identify the expression on it.

"No, I do. I can't just stand by and do nothing as evil gathers its forces. As a follower of-" he caught himself, remembering they were out in public. "I am obligated to do everything in my power to ensure that Darkness does not triumph over the Light," he explained instead.

"After all you - I mean, don't you think you've done enough by now?" Her unreadable expression didn't budge. At least it wasn't anger, he decided. That was a positive.

"No. There is no 'enough' until the Balance is righted. And even then, there will always be more to do." It wasn't a single task to be completed, it was a duty that extended past the definition of 'lifelong' as most people knew it. Long after his body was dust, even long after his spirit faded, there would still be more to do. It just wouldn't be his to do any more. But since there was still life in him in this world, he had to keep working toward the larger goal.

Blaise seemed unsatisfied with his response, but they had reached the waypoint. "Well, I guess I'll scout ahead while you get yourself together. If I'm not here when you get back, just wait for me."

"Very well." He turned to head towards the palace. If he was fast enough, he could get equipped and still visit the marketplace before it got too busy. There was a vendor who sold nuts and cheeses, good nutrient-dense foods that would be suitable for eating while travelling. It would save time if he could avoid larger meals altogether.

Morgan was relieved to find his room empty when he reached it. It wasn't that he didn't want to see Jemali, exactly, but he wasn't looking forward to it either. Not before he managed to get a handle on his emotions. To dismiss the lingering ache of disappointment that he'd invited in by allowing himself to believe briefly, stupidly, that the kindness he'd received had been anything other than a transaction. Of course he knew better, but it had been a moment of weakness. Nothing to do for it but try to get stronger.

His equipment was still as he'd left it. Despite not wanting to keep Blaise waiting longer than necessary, he let himself fall into an easy rhythm of tightening and checking buckles, running his fingers along the edges of the straps to find any thinning or splitting spots. It was a pleasantly tactile exercise, and the familiarity was a comfort.

The small bag of trinkets had been placed back with the others. It was tempting to go through them, to satisfy his vague curiosity about the cost of Jemali's service, but he'd already spent more time than he intended here. It was time to move on to the marketplace, then the desert. Yes, it was good to have an itinerary again.

[val-aquenta]

Mace Windu Appreciation Week for the prompt: Vaapad and Shatterpoint. Fun fact I had no idea how to spell vaapad xD

Here on ao3

Mace moves the lightsaber in a familiar pattern, the kata’s he has created coming forth in his memories easily. The purple blade lights him up, giving his face and his clothes a purple hue. The colour is not the most special thing. Purple blades, indeed blades of any colour have been wielded, even the long-ago stolen darksaber with its unique colouring is not exactly novel. A result of an interesting crystal-Jedi pairing combined with the technology of the time resulted in the now unique colouring and sound. Mace’s blade being purple is not the most special thing. Jedi have wielded purple before. The kata’s though, those are special. Cyslin had called it a result of his ‘overeager imagination’ paired with his ‘dissatisfaction with the traditional forms.’ Perhaps she is right, she often is.

He swings the blade down in an aggressive strike before stepping back and twisting into a more defensive position. The form itself is neither focused on defence or attack, as it changes with almost every user. It is simply a way of focusing, of redirecting something not wrong or unhealthy, but sometimes unwanted, into something helpful. It is not limited to fighting, in this sense, but it also spans into everyday life. 

The door swishes open, and Mace sees a robed figure in the corner of his eyes. “You’re late.” Obi-Wan sighs, undoing the brown cloak and neatly folding it onto the benches. Mace stops for a moment, taking a small breather. 

“I know.” The contrite expression turns to him. “I am sorry, I had to help Anakin with his… never mind. It was a battle, to say the least.” The not exactly anger, but almost anger sparkles around him, crackling slightly in the Force with an unpleasant feeling. Obi-Wan jumps into some warm-ups, stretching his back and muscles when he’s done. Mace joins him. He calls the lightsaber to his hand, a bottle of water close behind. He takes a sip, offering some to Mace. Mace turns it down. He knows that if he drinks too much, he will end up vomiting at some point during or soon after the spar. 

“Ready?” Mace asks, settling into the familiar starting stance, the hilt held loosely to his side. It is not confidence or arrogance in his pose, it is simply a man who is aware of himself and, to a degree, of his opponent as well as their respective skills. With the frequent sparring and their growing friendship, Mace would like to think that he knows Obi-Wan’s skills decently enough. 

Obi-Wan smirks. He is not arrogant either, though there is a spark of confidence in his eyes. He knows, perhaps he won’t win, but he might, and he might as well have fun along the way. “Of course.” His blade springs, a bright blue hue, similar to the old crystal he had lost on Naboo. It lights up his face with a blue shade. The blade swings, humming as Obi-Wan shows off some ornamental twists before settling into his typical two-fingered soresu stance. His feet are on the floor, ready to move should the need arise, but also ready to stand firm. “I think it better to ask you if you are ready to lose, Mace.” The confidence is there, though Mace is unsure exactly how much is real and how much is part of the odd facade the man puts up during spars and fights. It is aggravating sometimes, but amusing most of the time. He can easily see how an opponent might get frustrated with the strange behaviour.

Mace snorts unimpressed at Obi-Wan's unnecessary twirls as well as his words, “We shall see who loses this match.” He thumbs on his blade, his lightsaber’s low hum joining Obi-Wan’s. “Wouldn’t want to get too cocky, would you?” He questions teasingly, a familiar smirk settling onto his face. 

Obi-Wan does not exactly laugh, but he might as well. The humour and delight sparks around him in the Force, soothing the jagged edges of frustration. “I’m not cocky, simply aware.” And with that, they clash. Mace rushes forwards, as he often does, keen on finishing the job right after it has begun. He also knows Obi-wan, with his form of soresu, won’t move to start the spar. The blue and purple clash with a sharp familiar noise. The crystals sing, a joyous song at the happiness and delight sparkling around them. It has been too long since they have sparred. There is a quick flick of the wrist, his blade falling away from the clash to counter Obi-Wan’s short jab at him. The jab turns defensive as Mace goes for a sweep. 

“Getting ahead of ourselves, Knight Kenobi? I did not take you for offensive measures.” Mace flips back, the blade coming around to take a jab that is deftly pushed to the side. Obi-Wan’s hands are somewhere above him. Any swings from the side are quickly blocked by quick flicks of the wrist. Indeed, Obi-Wan has become a Master of soresu as was his goal. Mace steps back for a moment after a few fruitless clashes. He takes a deep breath and really falls into the familiar feeling of vaapad. 

Nothing much negative exists to fuel his fight, but he would be idiotic to not be able to fuel his fight with positivity too. He channels the happiness at this spar into the fight, hoping to prolong the fight to reach a nice satisfying end. Obi-Wan’s eyes narrow, his long hair slicked slightly with sweat. He knows what Mace is doing and, before Mace goes any further, Obi-Wan is jumping forwards with a bold attack, more like his older ataru style. It is a high jump paired with a downwards slash, truly a clean show of acrobatics and stead practice in ataru. It, however, is easily blocked. Mace has sensed it before, has seen the move not exactly telegraphed by Obi-Wan’s body, but due to Mace’s friendship with Obi-Wan, visible from the bright blue eyes. 

Mace blocks and moves to the side simultaneously, humming as he wants to go up to the platforms suspended from the ceiling. He takes a lead up, effectively blocking the strikes aimed at his legs as Obi-Wan jumps up, jostling the thin platform as he lands. They trade blows, shifting back and forth in quick small steps. They trade barbs too, harmless ones filled with subtle joking and humour. Obi-Wan allows Mace to dictate the fight, and so he follows the man when he moves backwards onto a larger, more stable platform. “Scared of losing your balance, old man?”

Mace responds with nothing, narrowing his eyes. Talking during a fight, when not necessary like now, is not exactly something Mace loves. He aims a blow, packing a punch behind him that Obi-Wan struggles slightly to block. Obi-Wan takes steps back, pushed backwards until his feet tip at the edge. Looking backwards for a second, Obi-Wan takes a breath and pulls himself away, landing lightly on another platform, thin too and similarly jostling as Mace lands, not far from Obi-Wan. “Running away, are we?” He teases, pairing it with a heavy blow. 

“No. ‘Course not.” Obi-Wan gasps a bit, the hair turning a rather dark brown. Obi-Wan has supreme balance, as all Jedi do. There is a familiar hum as they draw on the Force to keep on the thin platform. They trade blows moving forwards and backwards. Soresu suits Obi-Wan, his blade easily blocking the heavy blows that rain. It would seem effortless if not for the evident fatigue on his face. Mace has had decades of training and perfecting his art form. Obi-Wan, not so much. His opponent has not spent enough time mastering his form, and it shows in the occasional slips to ataru. He’s not entirely… comfortable in this new form. Mace spots the final tell, a small slip that leaves him open. He takes advantage of it, rushing forwards and disarming the man with a quick flick of his blade. There is a stop, their heavy breathing filling the air around them while Mace falls down from the slight high that comes from the joyful fight with his friend. Redirecting the joy, it leaves him somewhat euphoric. It is not something he has a problem with during a real fight. 

“You’re getting better,” Mace says, thumbing off his blade, the purple light disappearing. While the blade was not at full intensity, it was still unnerving to have one close to one's neck. Obi-wan wilts, breathing heavily. “You’re still not fully comfortable though.” He notes. 

Obi-Wan nods, a little bit of annoyance at himself evident in the furrow of his brow. “I know. I’m just… used to ataru.” He takes in a deep breath, calming down his racing heart. Mace clips the sabre to his belt, smoothing out some of the wrinkles on the looser tunics he wears to spar. “Thank you, Master,” Obi-Wan murmurs, bowing in thanks. Mace looks at him, blinking in slight surprise. While he is a Jedi Master, it is novel that Obi-Wan refers to him in this more personal manner. It is significant, judging by the way Obi-Wan’s eyes search his, looking for the response. 

“It is my pleasure, Obi-Wan” Mace responds with a soft smile. Obi-Wan had wormed his way into Mace’s heart as a youngling once, then again as the student of his friend, and now as an equal. Obi-Wan smiles, his presence tangling with Mace’s, a happiness pulsing through the air. Something shifts and another shatterpoint forms at the cracks of another, hovering between them. He grunts a bit, hand reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Obi-Wan’s joyful face falls to confusion and worry. He steps forwards, a bit closer, his hands reaching out to rest on Mace’s. 

“Are you alright?” Mace nods tiredly in response. He’s used to it. It has been part of him his entire life. That doesn’t mean the ability is a pain to have on certain occasions. “Is it… another one?” Obi-Wan asks. He doesn’t fully understand Mace’s ability; it is hard to explain to someone who does not have the ability. Both able to see the cracks on physical objects, like the weakness within a transparisteel glass, but also sense the cracks bending towards important events. Anakin, Obi-Wan's padawan has many such cracks pulsing powerfully through the Force. The crack between them, a promise of something important sits like a ticking time bomb between them. Mace does not know if it is a bad thing or a positive one. He hopes the latter, for both his sake and Obi-Wan’s.

“Yes,” Mace responds, sighing deeply as the pain of a new crack forming falls away. 

Obi-Wan looks down nervously, hands fiddling in front of him. Usually, the long robe would hide it, but without the robe, the fiddling is evidence. “I’m sorry, Mace.” 

Mace shakes his head, “It is not your fault, my friend.” He reaches out and lays his hands on Obi-Wan's fiddling hands, stilling the nervous movements. They stand for a moment, calmly breathing. “Come on, my friend, I find myself in search of tea.” 

The ginger perks up, “I got a new sample of Felucian tea. I think you’ll like it.” Obi-Wan chatter excitedly, wiping at his face with a towel and pulling his lightsaber to himself and clipping it at his belt. “I don’t recall the name of the flower in it, but it’s named sweet tea. I haven’t tried it yet; I wanted to share a pot with you. It smelled heavenly though.” Mace listens, bemused, to the chatter about tea. “That is if you want to share a pot?”

“Of course I would.” Mace nodded, folding his outer robe over his arm, and following Obi-Wan out the hall. 

[skullssales]

Costume: The Language of Fashion

Welcome to the unending Knot! As we put together for Halloween, lets take a appear on the customized of costumes. Costume and customized are eventually the identical word, costume being only the custom of how one dresses, however these two varieties of the phrase got here into English by way of extraordinary paths. Each are from Latin consuetudo which means custom, dependancy tracing its source back to a Proto-Indo-European root which means oneself, which also offers us the words self, suicide (killing oneself), idiom (ones possess means), and ethnic (a band of people dwelling together). At bottom, then, costumes and customs are approaches we outline ourselves. So Im going to take a seem at one of the most language of fashion, and also at how trend can perform as a language, communicating your status, background, identity and more to the arena round you. Customized came into English first, in the 13th century, through Anglo-Norman French within the feel of ordinary apply. Costume however came by means of Italian after which French to arrive in English within the seventeenth century as a technical time period within the quality arts to consult the type of portray or sculpture of a unique historical period.

Costume step by step came to refer to garb rather, now not handiest in the basic experience (as in bathing costume), but in addition the specialized feel of apparel of a special tradition or time (think custom), as in a national costume. Of course the feel of costume we are inclined to believe of first is the outfit worn for specific events reminiscent of Halloween, Mardi Gras, or a fancy gown celebration. A further contemporary phenomenon is cosplay, a eastern portmanteau of the English phrases costume and play, where contributors dress up to recreate characters from a sort of media including comics, video video games and films. Cosplay is extra than just hanging on a dressing up, thoughit has developed right into a highly complex tradition with specified subgroups, in which the choice and variety of costume indicators allegiance to a certain fandom, may also be an outlet for creativity and for difficult stereotypes and cultural norms, and also can point out facets of your price method to different contributors of the group.

However its no longer simplest what we think of as costumes that can participate in this operate. Fashion has continuously been principal in marking ingroups and outgroups, equivalent to whether youre a part of a unique social, religious, or political motion, if you happen to belong to a unique subculture, or effectively how cool you’re. One severe example of this is the macaroni. In and across the 18th century it used to be fashionable for younger guys of way to go on the so-referred to as Grand Tour to Europe to absorb the finer features of European culture and history. Within the 1760s a bunch of such vacationers grew to be enamoured of Italian tradition, as a result the macaroni membership, and took to carrying outlandishly exaggerated patterns of apparel and fashion, with bright colours, much lace, gold embroidery, and comically oversized wigs.

In succeeding generations there was once both an outgrowth and a backlash to this trend known as dandyism, led partly by way of essentially the most noted dandy Beau Brummell, which used to be equally obsessive about matters of sort, however as an alternative moved closer to a incredibly refined look with dark colours, exquisitely tailored clothes, long trousers instead of breeches, and difficult neckties. This kind set the trend for the formal mens go well with that we still know at present. These trend traits grew to be immortalized within the track Yankee Doodle, wherein the uncouth American, most likely not part of the ingroup, rides into city on a pony as an alternative than a horse, and considers the mere ornament of a feather in his cap adequate to qualify him as macaroni making him a Yankee Doodle dandy! Now, its no accident that costume and custom come from the same root, as we are able to inform by means of watching at a parallel pair of words, habit and addiction. That is, dependancy meaning custom and dependancy that means clothing, as in a nuns dependancy. The phrase, which etymologically means what one has, comes by way of French from the Latin verb habeo that means to have.

Both the English addiction and the Latin habitus might refer to the outside, so ones appearance or in different words garb, and to ones interior or persona, and from this develops the feel of ordinary behaviour. Latin habeo goes back to a Proto-Indo-European root this means that to provide, acquire (observe the reciprocal nature of this phrase), and correctly gives us the phrase give, though fairly not the phrase have, although the 2 roots do share a an identical semantic development indeed behaviour, concerning have, mirrors addiction within the sense of routine action. While the word dependancy used to consult clothing frequently, today its customarily restricted to the apparel of monks and nuns.

Another detail of a nuns dependancy that used to be fashioned to ladies mostly was the wimple, a form of material that covered the pinnacle and neck as much as the chin, as it was once viewed immodest for a lady to show her hair. Of course trend changes and the wimple was once dropped by means of every person except nuns, and instead different adornments had been observed for the necks of females, such because the gorget or gorgias, a style of throat protecting which derives its name from the French phrase for throat. This new apparel used to be considered so fashionable that we get the word gorgeous from it. Unless you consider the alternate conception that the phrase is a reference to the Greek thinker Gorgias who used to be apparently really into luxurious and displaying it off.

He was mainly recognized for praise rhetoric and wrote a reward piece for Helen of Troy, whose gorgeousness kicked off the Trojan conflict, exonerating her from any blame. A further neck masking that became standard within the later core ages and early today’s durations was once St Audreys lace, so known as in view that it used to be offered at St Audreys fair. St Audrey, or to offer the long-established Anglo-Saxon variant of her name thelthryth, used to experience necklaces in her early life, and when later in life she bought a horrible tumour on her neck, she took it as divine retribution for her self-importance, a story acknowledged through the Venerable Bede in his Ecclesiastical historical past of the English persons. So i suppose these St Audreys laces have been thought of as modesty preservers. Best as soon as again, trend alterations and by the 17th century these laces came to be inspiration of as inexpensive and gaudy, and so St Audrey used to be shortened to our pejorative phrase tawdry. Bad Audrey, what a legacy! But getting back to those wimples, the source of the word wimple will not be distinct, however it’ll come from a Proto-Indo-European root this means that to turn (as in a cloth wrapped around the head), a root which also gives us the words wipe, whip, and vibrate.

This root additionally gives us the word gimp. No no longer that gimp, however a kind of braided twine used for trimming fabric and in lace–like St Audreys lace, I suppose. Although speakme of that other type of gimp (to not mention whips i assume), this would remind us of yet another part of fashion, apparel fetishes, though perhaps the less stated about that the simpler, notably within the context of nuns! Getting back to these nuns, at the same time they had been covering their hair for modesty, the monks were doings whatever altogether distinct with theirs.

Tonsure, from the Latin for barber, is the shaving of some part of the hair in order to exhibit religious devotion. Extraordinary devout traditions have different patterns of shaving, like for illustration in the Roman church where the very prime of the top is shaved. The Irish church within the medieval period, alternatively, had another pattern of tonsure, a point of so much competition. Certainly the Venerable Bede (don’t forget he wrote about Saint Audrey) connects this difference to the corresponding change between the Roman and Irish approaches of calculating Easter, and the fine climactic second of victory in his historical past is when the English definitively adopt the Roman practise over the Irish. An instance the place coiffure rather did make a decision ingroup and outgroup! No person now really knows what that Irish tonsure used to be like as descriptions are vague, however one suggestion is that the hair was shaved at the front ear to ear however allowed to grow at the back.

So business within the front, celebration within the again? Genuinely there may be a different candidate for the medieval mullet. In the 6th century Procopius wrote of this coiffure in Constantinople where it used to be known as the Hunnic appear. Incidentally, the modern day word mullet for the hairstyle seems to go back best to the Beastie Boys 1994 tune Mullet Head, although some sources additionally point to the 1967 movie Cool Hand Luke wherein the time period mullet head is used, though its not absolutely clear that this is a reference to shaggy hair. The expression mullet head goes again to the 19th century within the feel a silly individual, and springs from the fish mullet, whose title can most likely be traced again to a root that means black. So clearly hairstyle like garb is an essential marker of fashion and thus costume and custom. There had been of path many top notch hairstyles over time, many with fascinating etymologies.

Famous might be are sideburns, named after the the united states Civil warfare normal Ambrose Burnside. Within the seventeenth century when King Louis XIV of France started to lose his hair very likely as a result of syphilis, his donning of a wig kicked off a trend for wigs. Even folks who werent thinning on prime began to put on them. That is what we could now call a celeb fashion pattern. A equivalent trend trend sparked through sickness round that equal time was once the fashion for wearing synthetic beauty marks, at first to hide scars left through smallpox, however soon as a fashionable item in itself. An additional superstar hair fashion was once the pompadour, named in honour of Madame de Pompadour, mistress of Louis the XV. This trend trend would ultimately return some 200 years later on the heads of the greasers in Nineteen Fifties the united states, most famously exemplified by way of Elvis Presley. Well developments do come and go. Of direction clothing as a marker of tradition has been around ever on the grounds that it moved beyond the in basic terms realistic, however the swiftly moving fashion pattern had to wait except the late core a long time and early modern day period to relatively take off. Official tailors commenced to appear in Europe in the 14th century.

And although the button had been round when you consider that ancient instances, believe or no longer it wasnt unless the thirteenth century in Germany that the buttonhole was once invented, permitting the button for use as a fastener. Both of these traits, the tailor and the button, resulted in extra form fitting garb, as a substitute than the loosely draped type of earlier eras, and this used to be the real impetus for trend trends. Moderate variants in reduce and form would exchange quickly, going inside and outside of type. Maybe the primary first-class runaway trend craze is slashing, in which cuts are made in an outer garment to disclose the lavish materials of the garments underneath. This development began off with Swiss squaddies, after defeating the forces of Charles the bold, duke of Burgundy, threading bits of material taken from the tents and banners of their enemies by means of the holes in their possess ragged clothing.

After they again home, the kind caught on and soon unfold by way of Europe. This displaying off of additional fabric is an example of conspicuous consumption, essentially showing off your wealth, like the prominently displayed fashion designer trademarks of at present. Of path to be competent to show off by means of clothing you had to be of the higher classes. Actually throughout the core ages and early present day interval, legal guidelines have been handed to prevent curb class men and women from dressing above their stage.

You see right now there used to be the upward thrust of the middle type all of a sudden non-nobles had disposable earnings, made out of alternate and manufacture as an alternative than the land owning of the noble classes. So these so-referred to as sumptuary legal guidelines have been handed proscribing what people might wear at one of a kind levels of society. This wasnt of direction the first time such restrictions existed. In ancient Rome, for example, best Roman citizens, in different words free-born Roman men, were allowed to wear togas. It used to be a marker of repute and rank. I someway dont think these Romans would approve of the toga celebration! Speaking of which, that institution tradition started it appears in 1953 at Pomona tuition, and later grew to be noted within the movie country wide Lampoons Animal residence. Nevertheless, before this there is a narrative of First girl Eleanor Roosevelt throwing a toga party to spoof the criticism of her husband FDR as being like a Caesar. As soon as once more, the politics of trend. As for apparel as a marker of repute, even after those sumptuary laws were dropped, it wasnt relatively unless the advent of competent-to-wear clothing, with standardized sizing that you would purchase off the rack with out want of tailoring, that fashion really started to be democratized.

Eventually the center category could be trendy as well. Despite the fact that those outstanding clothier trademarks of today, and the whole haute-couture world, show us that fashion and status are quite still a factor. Getting back to France, the dwelling of trend, a further fashion-setting elite used to be Marie Antoinette, spouse of King Louis XVI, who is the ultimate illustration of excessive extravagance.

It seems that she preferred being known as the queen of trend to the queen of France. Her designer Rose Bertin, who is the primary noted fashion clothier, created the trend doll as a way to disseminate the in trends to Marie Antoinettes loved ones and friends, and this was form of a precursor to the fashion magazine as we know it at present. Really the very first fashion publication was once Castilgliones The guide of the Courtier from the early 16th century, which dealt with etiquette at court docket. The magazine Mercure Galant from the late seventeenth century began to offer advice concerning the trendy tendencies, and by means of the late 18th and early nineteenth century there have been numerous such publications in general with trend plates demonstrating the styles. Marie Antoinettes successor as fashion pattern setter was once the Empress Josephine, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. Rejecting the lavish styles of Marie, Josephine took a web page from the neoclassical developments of the day and wore attire an identical in variety to the peplos of old Greek females, cinched excessive above the waist.

We now comprehend of this because the empire waist in honour of Empress Josephine. Additionally to being belted on the waist, the old Greek peplos used to be fixed on the shoulders with broaches often called fibulae. Without a doubt the fibula is similar to the modern day defense pin. The protection pin was reinvented in ultra-modern instances by using a man named Walter Hunt, whose other important fashion declare to fame is inventing the lockstitch mechanism that makes the stitching desktop viable. The stitching machine is honestly the mixed work of a number of different inventors coming together. The one to quite make it sensible, viable, and popular was Isaac Singer, who put into practise the today’s manufacturing facility creation approaches to mass produce the machines. Singer was subsequently sued for the patent by way of inventor Elias Howe, who had designed his own lockstitch mechanism, Walter Hunt having declined to patent the thought as he used to be afraid it might put seamstresses out of labor.

But in the end, it was Singers stitching machine that helped to democratize trend, not best making manufacturing of garments more cost-effective and less complicated, however making it possible to do the work in the home. As for Elias Howe, his other fashion claim to status is developing with the primary automatic, steady clothing closure in different phrases the zipper. Unusually, Howe made so much money from his lawsuit in opposition to Singer that he on no account stricken to market his zipper, and it wasnt until the thought used to be later reinvented by way of Whitcomb L. Judson at the finish of the nineteenth century and additional developed by using Gideon Sundback that the general public got the zipper as we know it today.

Incidentally, the word zipper initially talked about the boot it was once designed for, no longer the fastener itself, but the term soon transferred over. At present the zipper is the fastener of alternative on many other forms of garb, such as jackets and probably on trousers, besides on buttonfly denims, the place the button remains as a quaint holdover of days previous. Speaking of jeans, this staple of brand new trend was invented for the nineteenth century gold rush, as the miners wanted tough durable trousers for working in. The tailor Jacob Davis had the proposal of setting up trousers with rivets to make stronger the seams. He bought the hard denim material from wholesaler Levi Strauss, and eventually the 2 went into trade collectively, and Levi denim denims were born. However the language of this fashion predate this invention and is derived from far afield. Jean is an ancient sixteenth century word that comes from the city identify Genoa, and came to consult a rugged variety of fabric that came from there.

The word denim is derived from the French de Nmes meaning from Nmes, a city in southern France. And to high it off, dungaree, one other identify for jeans, comes from the identify of a village in India, Dungri. So this icon of american fashion actually comes from far and wide the sector! And indeed as the globalized 20th and 21st centuries have become more and more fragmented and uncentred we can now not speak a few single trend, and there are some distance too many trends, styles and subcultures to say right here. But probably one of the most hanging that borrows from the prior is the goth style.

Combining retro Victorian patterns with the gloominess of gothic horror fiction, the development used to be taken up via these feeling isolated from and wishing to rebel in opposition to mainstream tradition. And that brings us properly back to Halloween costumes. There seem to be a quantity of traditions that contributed to dressing up in costumes at Halloweenwhich I discussed in some element in my video on Jack-o-Lantern. One part of this practice is that it offers licence to misrule, dressing up in taboo costumes, and breaking average social boundaries. In additional latest years there’s the unfortunate pattern of dressing up in the (regularly stereotyped or caricatured) country wide costumes of other cultures, decreasing these cultures to a type of costume that may be placed on via any individual. Additionally theres the sexualized costumes, chiefly where it creates a pointy contrast, as within the attractive nun costumes. Far from that modest wimple! If trend is a language, might be we should feel about what we’re saying with these costumesand no longer make a habit of it! Thanks for observing! If youve loved these etymological explorations and cultural connections, please subscribe to this channel or share it; you can also signal up for electronic mail notifications of recent videos within the description under.

And verify out our Patreon web page, where which you can make a contribution to help me make more videos go away a remark or query, or tweet @Alliterative; which you could additionally read more of my thoughts on my web publication at alliterative.Internet .

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[soltheshiny]

The Incident at Adamant

Snow pattered against the window pane. Fat flakes shining briefly beautifully white before melting. Streaks of water running down the patterned pane. Beyond the lead lined diamonds of glass the distant sky was dark and grey. Misted with white as the snowstorm raged outside. In his favourite high backed chair the room was warm. An unfamiliar cosy warm that dragged at his eyes. Comforting and drowsy. It was a sensation he was entirely unfamiliar with. In the wide streets and foreboding architecture of home the heat was dry and settled across your skin. His parents expensive estates all designed to be wide and cool. A respite from the constant heat he adored. In distant Tevinter heat was the constant and the cool shade of inside the relief. In the south however the opposite was true. The biting cold he had never really experienced outside of harsh desert nights was almost constant. The snow replacing the sands. Here the cosy bone deep warmth of the fire the relief to be relished. He found himself snuggling deeper into the chair. His legs thrown lazily across the arm as he sipped some cheap Fereldan vintage he’d found in the Inquisitors rooms. A bottle they had been going to share before settling down for the night. He recalled there plans being interrupted as they often were by some urgent missive from some far away town he did not recognise the name of. He sighed. It had briefly hurt to open it without him. But his own wines and the better vintages The Herald’s Rest had recently required held no pleasure for him tonight. It was a night for bitter, cheap wine. Easily discarded and hard to swallow. Just like the news he had received.

He shot the window a grimacing smile. Scolding himself for his wasted self pity. None of this was going to bring him back. Not the cheap wine they were meant to have shared. Not feeling sorry for himself and certainly not staring into the night doing nothing. He grabbed the book he had been failing to read from his lap and threw it onto the side table. Cursing quietly in his mother tongue at his own inability to do anything. He just had sit and wait. It was all he could do now. It hurt. Rubbing his brow he sighed heavily and adjusted his position. His legs beginning to ache. It had been another long day of meetings and discussions. As Leliana had been quick to point out, the Inquisition could not grind to a halt just because of the incident at Adamant. He found himself gritting his teeth and taking a deep draught of the bitter wine. Adding to the sour taste in his mouth. It was all anyone would refer to it as. The ‘Incident at Adamant’. Distantly he could hear Solas pacing. The only other presence in the tower this late in the night. The many other members of the inquisition long since retiring. As he held his arms and adjusted the wine glass he listened. Mostly for something to do to distract himself. But he found himself caught in the moment. The deep silence and warmth of the late night disturbed here and there by the birds above. A slight shift or chatter from the crows in there cages. A rustle from the room below as Solas poured through old tomes. Attempting to find a way to locate Trevelyan. A memory forced its way into his mind. A wide childish grin and deep amber eyes gazing into his own.

“Call me Max, Dorian. Unless you prefer to be formal Altus of the Imperium, Dorian Pavus?”

He closed his eyes and bit down on a long stream of curses. He already seemed to be consigning him to death. But all he had was the same information from a myriad of scattered reports. At the very top of Adamant, the Inquisitor faced down Corypheus’ pet. After a brief struggle involving Warden Commander Clarel which led to her death the structure collapsed. Casting Max, Blackwall, Iron Bull and Varric into the abyss below with the dragon. The dragon or Archedemon or whatever Corypheus’ pet actually was had been sighted after. Flying back to its foul master. But the no trace had been found of the others. There was only a brief report from a Warden scout on the battlements. Claiming a green light had burst into life beneath the falling Inquisitor and they had disappeared into it. He took another sip. Shaking his head to free himself from the same circular thinking. It had been a week. Wincing he stretched and sat upright. Hearing as he did sure footsteps below. He paused. Listening in as the familiar tones of Cassandra echoed up to him. Her and Solas conversed briefly. Awkwardly. He couldn’t make out the substance of the discussion. But he didn’t need to. He could hear in there tone the awkward and slightly begrudging manner they addressed each other. He straightened and stared past the bannisters to the room below. Glaring at the warm light filtering up into the darkened library. The only other light a soft candle burning near him. Daring the seeker to disturb him. As he willed her to leave he heard Solas loudly bid the Seeker goodnight. There was a heavy pause as a door swung shut. Then heavy footsteps on the stairs. He cussed and stretched. Rolling his shoulders as he prepared for the Seeker nose being poked into his business. He reclined as he awaited Cassandra. He may feel like curling up and abandoning the day. But by Andraste’s tits he was not allowing anyone else to know that. He still had his pride. Cassandra stalked from the stairway with purpose. Her dark eyes falling on him as she approached. Marching to a halt she inclined her head, curt as ever.

“Good evening, Dorian” She said gently. Her rolling accent disturbing the deep silence.

“At this point I do believe we are closer to the morning Cassandra” He responded dryly.

She sighed heavily and gestured towards the chair beside him. A plainer affair than his own.

“May I sit?”

“Do I get a choice?” He snapped a little harsher than he meant.

She threw him an aggrieved look and sat in the chair. Staring intently at him as they both paused. Waiting for the other to begin. Finally she caved.

“I just...” She said, groping for the rest of her sentence. “wanted to see how you were. I know the Inquisitor and you were… close”

“Close?” He said sitting upright and fixing her with a glare. “Is that what we’re calling it? I didn’t realise that because of a single ‘incident’ as you all refer to it, my relationship with Max had been downgraded. You know full well that we were more than ‘close’ Cassandra. Now if you came her to lecture me get it over with”

Cassandra recoiled from the force of his wrath and he immediately regretted opening his mouth. He didn’t usually approve of discussing his and the Inquisitors relationship. But he was sick of the tip toeing. The pitying looks and whispers as he passed. Not being able to do anything was bad enough without having to put up with that as well. He watched as she wrung her hands in front of her. Staring awkwardly at her own hands A thing she did when she needed to express something honest with deep felt emotion at the root of it. She had always been awkward at exposing her emotional underbelly. It was a side of her Max had seemed expert at prying out. The deep emotional creature lurking beneath the steely shell she constantly wore.

“Forgive me. I did not mean to offend. I know you and the Inquisitor were… together.” She said the sentence haltingly. Biting into each word as if viciously considering the next for any trace of deviance. “I thought I should check on how you were doing and pass along this”

He would have bitten at her for her bad attempt at babying him if he she hadn’t of peaked his curiosity. Intrigued he watched as she reached for her belt and pried a letter free from the leather. Carefully she extended the heavy envelope towards him. Eyeing him warily. Foreboding filled him as he placed his wineglass on the side and took it. With her eyes open him he opened the envelope. Noting the seal had already been broken with some annoyance and withdrawing the letter within. As he did he felt something heavy within the envelope. Pausing he withdrew an item sealed within. He studied it distantly as he smoothed the letter on his knee. His curiosity and grief deepening. The item was a small silver ring depicting the sunburst symbol of the chantry. He frowned at it and set to reading. Seeking answers from the paper in his lap.

Dear Seeker Pentaghast,

I thank you for your letter. Although we have not had contact with my son in many years we still grieve for him. It is a comfort to know the Inquisition still hold hope for his safe return. Though I fear this may be a false hope, I pray to the Maker I am wrong.

If you could send word with any news we would be grateful. Should the Inquisition require any aid in the search please contact me directly. Any aid House Trevelyan can provide to locate Maxwell, or aid the Inquisition in over matters will be granted if we are able.

I have heard tell that my son has found a suitor amongst the Inquisition ranks. Though I cannot be certain and am displeased my son never contacted us if this is true; I attach the following for his suitor. Maxwell passed this ring on to his younger brother before the conclave for safe keeping. He had not contacted us for its return and we assumed he wished it kept within the family until he was certain he could once more keep it safe.

He commissioned it to commemorate him leaving our home to begin his service amongst the Ostwick Chantry. It has always held a lot of importance to him and considering the circumstances we believed his suitor, whomever they be may appreciate it as a reminder.

Awaiting your word,

Bann Trevelyan

He gripped the ring tight in his free hand and couldn’t help but let his lip curl. He had known that Max had also had bad blood between him and his family. His amatus briefly mentioning just a few of there behaviours that made him embrace the Chantry with great relief. But he had never gone into great detail. But now he didn’t need to. The letter laid out pretty clearly would kind of people they were. Not to mention striking some disturbingly familiar chords. He growled in the letters general direction and retrieved his wine. Taking another deep swig as he turned the ring in his fingers. Reclining once more he noticed Cassandra’s eyes on him. The seeker eyeing him distantly. Her expression betraying nothing.

“So tell me Cassandra” He said fighting back the vitriol in his heart. “What are your opinions on this letter and the great Bann Trevelyan?”

Cassandra straightened and steepled her fingers. Staring at them for a long time before breaking her silence.

“I believe I understand now why the Inquisitor did not have contact with them.” A short bark of bitter laughter escaped him and echoed in the lofty chambers. Shattering the warmth of the room and making him take another drink.

“I think they have certainly made there thoughts clear. Why is it that so many families these days seem more concerned about whether or not there offspring has managed to secure a marriage. Than whether or not that offspring continues to breathe?” He said thinning his eyes at the ring.

With a deep sigh he slipped it onto a finger and held his hand to the candle light. Twisting his fingers this way and that to make the light dance across the metalwork.

“I could not say” Cassandra said distantly. “Marriage is a concept I have hotly debated with my own family for many years. I can say I still do not understand the obsession. Nor do I wish to”

He rose and she looked up sharply at him as he stretched. Allowing the letter to fall abandoned on the floor. As she reached to retrieve it he paced forward and snuffed out the candle.

“On that note I am retiring to my bed” He said.

He did not wait for a response but stalked off before she could follow. Leaving the Seeker to the dark enclosing hush of the library. As he paced into the main hall and eyed the distant throne, careful not to spill his wine he paused. His eyes falling on the door the left of the giant throne. A huge piece worked into the likeness of Andraste being burned. A tad melodramatic for his taste but it was certainly striking. He found himself walking towards the door. His feet taking him on a familiar path without his input. Guiding him of their own accord. Numb he pushed the door open and strolled up the wooden staircase beyond. Each footstep heavy. Each tread echoing hollowly in the large tower as he followed the winding staircase. He reached the top and stared distantly around the room. Undisturbed except for the stolen wine.The windows were closed and the curtains drawn. The darkness stifling as he flicked his hand towards the fireplace. It flared into life. Warm light thrown across the plush carpets. The light soaking into the fine white silks of the Orlesian bed. The fire threw heavy shadows across the room and for a moment, if he squinted his eyes he could picture him. There at his desk in the heavy shadows of the chair. Head bent as he wrote as he had often watched him doing before. Quill scratching as he wrote another report or letter to some incredibly important foreign figure neither of them had heard of. He paced forward and felt the emptiness of the room. Heard his footsteps echo. Dampened only slightly by the rugs. His eyes fell on the painting high on the wall above and behind the bed. The stone owls staring down from the ceiling. His eyes wandered as if it was his first time seeing the room. Or perhaps the last.Tears prickled in his eyes. Even if Max’s family had abandoned hope he would not. Even if the Inquisition gave up on him he would not. Until he was presented with a cold corpse he would not believe his amatus was gone. Could not believe it. He finished his drink with a single swig and placed the empty glass on the desk. As he had done many times before. Remembering him scolding his love for leaving him alone in the bed. Now alone with an empty glass. He smiled ruefully at the memory and paced round the desk towards the bed.Finding himself sinking onto his side. Collapsing and letting the mattress rush up to embrace him as his chest grew heavier. Before he could stop himself he nuzzled forward and caught the indescribable scent of his love. It clung to his sheets and pillow. Though faded now he could still smell it.

Grief consumed him. With a broken heart he clutched the pillow and sobbed himself to sleep.  

[vidusha-seewoo]

Product Packaging Design

The Genius of Design –

Objects of Desire tracks the explosion of wild creativity that happened during the ‘designer decades’ of the 80s and early 90s. By addressing wants rather than needs and allying themselves to the blatant consumerism of ‘retail culture’ designers emerged from the back rooms to claim a starring role in the shaping of modern life.

According to David Berman,

“Designers have enormous powers to influence how we see the world, and how we live our lives.” 

He thinks that we should constantly be aware of what we do, affects for whom we work, and how our work affectsothers.But whatever our good intentions may be, we cannot ignore the reality that deisgn is a business and has to live by the rules of business. It is another fat that those rules need to be rewritten.There is hope for more  awareness and responsibility, even in the world of commerce that we’d rather not belong to but cannot escape from.

What is the role of packaging?

According to the publication "Private Label Buyer," studies show that packaging of products can increase customer satisfaction, increase visibility and set one product apart from its competition. In essence, packaging plays a pivotal role in the branding process of the product, attracting customers and providing customers what they’re looking for when they take the product home.

1. Function

The true function of product packaging is to protect the product during shipment from the manufacturer to the store selling it. Packaging is also a form of protection as the product sits on store shelves waiting for consumers to come along and purchase it. In marketing and market development, packaging is the “dress” on the product, which can play a role in whether the product sells in a new market or to new customers.

2. Branding

Product packaging also plays a vital role in the branding process of the product. InvestorWords defines a brand as a symbol, wording or another type of mark that differentiates a product or business from its competition, and branding is an essential part of marketing for many products and companies. Some products carry different branding, depending on the market in which they are sold, especially in different countries.

3. Benefits

Packaging can help sell the product because it provides space for sharing information about the product, such as nutritional information, usage or directions. For example, some packaging contains marketing messaging on the front to attract customers to pick it up and look at the product. In essence, the packaging can help to paint a picture of how the product benefits the customer. When developing a product in a new market, it is important to conduct market research, such as focus groups, to determine what is appealing to the new market. For example, preferences of colours, pictures and labels on products can differ from one country to another or from one group of customers to another.

4. Features

Packaging also can share information on the features of the product. Size, measurements, uses and more printed on the packaging of a product can help customers decide if the product fits their needs. For example, if a customer is shopping for an under-the-sink garbage can, he needs to know the measurements of a product to make sure it will fit under his sink. A package box or label that details the height, width and depth of a garbage can on a store shelf can help the customer quickly determine if it fits under his sink--ultimately helping him make the decision about whether to buy it.

5. Identification

Packaging also can help customers identify the products or companies they are loyal to. For example, if a local restaurant decides it wants to sell its famous salad dressing in retail stores, the salad dressing packaging and label may carry the restaurant's logo, name and colour scheme. Using packaging that carries the same brand helps customers of the restaurant identify the brand when shopping at the local grocery store. Once consumers start buying the product, packaging helps them quickly identify the product when shopping. When introducing a product in a new market, packaging can help to garner the attention of a prospect. For example, vibrant colours may prompt a new customer to stop and look at the product because of the bright colours or because the design is one she has seen before.

Discuss the aesthetics, graphic information systems and ethics that are critical for packaging design today and for the future.

"Good design looks good, but good looking does not make good design." Prof. Michael Hardt (University of Lapland Rovaniemi, Finland) looks at the impact of unethical design on current global issues, and our growing recognition of the role designers play in this process.

There is an increasing number of New Designers looking for creative and innovative ethical design concepts. The design students of the University of Lapland added 25 new projects. The astonishing learning is that behind nearly every ethical project idea there are promising new business ideas. Advertisement and packaging of alcoholic products were also seen as very critical. But regarding the results of the Prohibition in the United States in the 20ies of last century, forbidding alcohol was not seen as an appropriate method. The solution for alcohol misuse problems is not NO alcohol but LESS alcohol. It could be so easy: Dosing devices (a used in pubs) and clear advices that the consumption of more than x-units per hour is not smart. The students concluded that ethics should be a must in the design education. The international designers organisations should develop a code of conduct for ethical behaviour and implement means to protect their members against attempts from clients to force the designer to create unethical designs.

Aesthetic Packaging

Good-looking packaging design – such as the curvy Coca-Cola bottles or the Altoids mints tins – significantly increases the likelihood that a consumer will choose the product even if it is more expensive and an unfamiliar brand, a USC study has found.

“Consumers appreciate and are willing to pay more for something that is new and different and visually pleasing to them,” said Martin Reimann, the study’s lead author and a USC doctoral candidate of psychology.

The implications of the power of aesthetic packaging could level the playing field for new products entering a competitive market and suggest that investing in beautiful packaging pays off, Reimann said.

Who do I consider to be a good packaging designer?

Let’s see what makes and breaks good packaging design.

1. Clarity and simplicity

Next time you go to a supermarket, pick a random shelf and browse through some products. Glance at each and ask yourself two very simple questions:

What’s this product for?

What’s the brand behind it?

So remember rule number one: be clear about the product, be clear about the brand.

2. Honesty

By depicting a product ten times better than it actually is, you’re misleading and ultimately disappointing the consumer, which only leads to poor sales performance and very bad brand image.

Consumers have nothing against simple, inexpensive products, as long as they know what they’re buying! Of course they expect “face lifting” to some degree but not to a point where product appears to be something entirely different.

As a designer, your task is to represent the product in the best way possible but keep in mind that consumers – you included – deserve to be treated right.

3. Authenticity

Originality, character and memorability are at the heart of great brands and of course, great packaging designs.

This packaging design from Colin Porter Bell is a great example of authentic and memorable packaging design.

Be bold, be different and look into other product categories for unexpected sources of inspiration – spirit label designs can be a great way to brainstorm ideas for that new chocolate packaging project.

4. Shelf impact

From a shopper’s point of view, a product is never seen alone and never in great detail. Because of the viewing distance from shelves and the fact that products are arranged in rows and columns, all we see are veritable patterns made of various products. It’s not until a certain pattern attracts our attention that we decide to take a closer look.

Shelf impact is something you need to test and explore in your designs. You can do this by imitating the placement of your design on an actual shelf and surround it by other products (for best results, use several rows and columns of each product). The more distinctive it looks, the better it sells.

5. Extensibility

A product packaging design concept should allow for an easy introduction of a new line extension (product variation) or a sub-brand.

Good packaging design allows for easy variations without loosing visual appeal.

To avoid this, you should always design product packaging with the future in mind. This means creating a visually systematic design which allows for easy changes of product visual or other information, so you get a fine looking family of products in the end.

6. Practicality

Practicality deals with the actual shape, size and functionality of the product container, not just the label or wrap. The more practical the product, the more sales it gets – when Heinz turned the ketchup bottle upside down, sales skyrocketed.

Turning things on their head helped Heinz sell more ketchup when ketchup industry was in growth crisis.

To wrap up...

Packaging design is a large and demanding design field always looking for designers who can deliver both product originality and sales performance. Packaging is the last message a consumer sees and a last chance to convince him to buy the product. Clarity, honesty, authenticity and other rules described above play an important rule in this process but are by no means the final word on the subject.

MAKING PACKAGING SUSTAINABLE

By definition, packaging encompasses every sector of the economy – everything needs packaging, from herbs and spices to nuclear reactors. As a result, it is a huge market, set to reach almost $1 trillion by 2020, up from $839 billion in 2015. There are five main segments – paper and board, rigid plastic, glass, flexible plastic, and cans.

All these materials are among the biggest sources of waste and recycled material, and sustainability is one of the key challenges for packaging companies. The sector is at the forefront of the fight to reduce waste, to lightweight products and to introduce a circular economy.

For some products, this is easy – everyone knows they can recycle cans, cardboard and bottles. However, when it comes to plastic packaging it can be a bewildering experience, not just trying to work out what type of plastic the packaging is, but also whether your local authority accepts it for processing. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, just 14 per cent of plastic packaging is recycled and at least eight million tonnes a year leaks into the ocean.

The newly heightened awareness of the problem of ocean plastic and the speed of recent developments in the fight against climate change, such as the signing of the Paris Agreement in the past few weeks, mean it is inevitable the industry will face growing pressure to make packaging more recyclable and degradable both by simplifying the materials involved and through innovations in design. Plastic, in particular, is likely to be in the spotlight, not just because of its impact on pollution because it is made from oil, a fossil fuel that contributes to climate change.

TECH INNOVATIONS

But at the same time, technological advances in digitisation, sensors and the internet of things are pushing in the opposite direction to make packaging more complex so products can be better tracked, secured and monitored.

“I think we’re at a tipping point: the intersection of e-commerce and sustainability,” said Marianne Rosner Klimchuk, associate chairwoman of the Fashion Institute of Technology, at the recent DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation. “This moment in time is that pivotal point in which sustainability and e-commerce are coming together [with] people looking to reduce use of materials and thinking about innovation in terms of e-commerce.”

Although the technology is too expensive to be widely adopted at the moment, many millennials expect 3D printing to transform the world of packaging in years to come. In the same way that many products will become increasingly bespoke, so will the packaging. Coca-Cola and Nutella have led the way in packaging with people’s names on, but in future individual designs may be possible as well and packaging may play an even more important role in marketing products as a result of augmented reality.

Ultimately, packaging will have to respond to the same challenges that retail as a whole has to face. In addition to megatrends such as the ageing population, changing household sizes and increasing urbanisation, packaging will increasingly have to tell a story to consumers who, thanks to the spread of social media, are ever more inquisitive and proprietorial about the products they buy. The packaging of the future will carry more information than ever before.

What is all this fuss about carbon footprint?

The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).

What is Green Packaging and Why is it Better than Conventional Packaging for Humans and the Planet?

While green packaging, which is also known as sustainable packaging, are commonly known terms in use today, a significant number of people struggle with their meaning. Green packaging is the use of manufacturing methods and materials for packaging of goods that has low impact on the environment and energy consumption. In other words, sustainable packaging uses environmentally-sensitive methods, including energy efficiency, recyclable and biodegradable materials, down-gauging, reusability and much more.

The importance of green packaging to humans and our environment is incalculable. A great deal of energy is used in the production of traditional packaging such as plastics, corrugated boxes, plastic bags, and other packaging. Most often, the source of that energy is fossil fuels that add millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere per year while discarded conventional packaging ends up in landfills or oceans causing soil, water, and plant contamination.

By using sustainable packaging, manufacturers and consumers can eliminate these contaminants that destroy the atmosphere, soil and water of our planet. This can be done via use of lowering packaging content, creation of recyclable or biodegradable packaging, and use of alternative energy means such as wind, solar and biofuels in the production and transport of the packaging.

Plastics made from polyethylene are among the most widely used packaging today and among the greatest threat to our environment. Increasingly, manufacturers are utilizing recycled, recyclable and minimalist packaging wherever appropriate. Biodegradable plastics are also in use with mixes of plant-based plastics that replace some or most of the non-renewable petroleum or fossil-based resources used in conventional PET plastic (A type of plastic resin widely used in plastic bottles).

Today’s plastic bags from an increasing number of manufacturers are meeting the sustainable packaging threshold with use of Post-Consumer Recycled Polyethylene (PCR PE), which are plastics made from the consumer stream of waste such as bottles, caps and recycled plastic bags collected in commercial and residential recycling programs. Additives are used by some manufacturers to make the plastic bag biodegradable so that it breaks down over a shorter time when disposed of in a landfill.

When it comes to cardboard packaging, major manufacturers are creating corrugated cardboard from 100-percent postconsumer recycled fiber or virgin mixed with recycled fiber to create corrugated cardboard that is also completely recyclable and biodegradable. Many more are reducing or even eliminating the amount of corrugated cardboard they use in packaging, replacing it with foam blocks at corners and bands around the product. The foam is lighter than the corrugate and reduces shipping costs and damage that can occur during loading/unloading and transportation.

There is even sustainable packaging in the areas where molded packaging is used such as egg carton containers and consumer product packaging. The use of 100-percent recycled newspaper, which is mixed into a slurry with water, and vacuum-formed on screened molds creates molded fiber packaging that is resilient and strong enough to compete with most vacuum-formed plastic, expanded polystyrene (EPS), and corrugated designs. The used product has a high recyclability factor and significantly cuts the energy consumption needs in the production over conventional packaging.

This is really only a primer on green packaging and the materials and uses that make it sustainable packaging. As more Americans increase their understanding of the importance of sustainable packaging and more manufacturers increase their use, we can ensure a future with clean water, air, and soil for all.