Category: Unit 1 Methods

Written Response- Methods of Contextualising

In our exploration as a group, we recognized that the language and form of a document are powerful tools for driving action in the realm of climate justice. Tailoring the document’s language and visual elements to specific audiences, such as policymakers, activists, or the public, enhances its impact and potential for effecting change. Our approach centered on an interrogative position, employing translation and iteration methods to foster transparency within the document’s language and broader context.

To make passive language visually active, we engaged in different methods to transform the document’s tone, infusing it with a sense of urgency and motivation. This visual activation aimed to engage readers actively and to confront the critical issue of accountability in climate justice.

The interrogation approach was instrumental in unraveling hidden complexities and challenging the passivity surrounding climate justice. By looking at the document from different perspectives and emphasising accountability gaps, our explorations attempted to create a contrast between the content of the document and the action plans towards climate justice. These explorations compelled me to consider the power of design over the content and the transformative potential it holds in advocating for climate justice.

Exercises in Style

After going through and cataloging the contents of the document, we used Queneau’s method to dissect its language. This analytical approach allowed us to discern nuances and unearth hidden meanings within the document. Recognizing the urgency in the context of climate change, we systematically transformed the language, aligning it with the pressing nature of the issues at hand.

Our methodological journey extended beyond mere linguistic analysis. We transitioned the document from a conventional agreement to a proactive project proposal. This transformation aimed to shift the document’s narrative from passive acceptance to an active call for tangible initiatives. By examining the document through diverse perspectives, including those directly impacted, we uncovered the subtle nuances that often go unnoticed.

This method not only underscored the document’s language deficiencies but also shed light on the structural aspects, revealing a pervasive lack of accountability concerning climate change. Simultaneously, it brought forth urgent priorities that demanded immediate attention. The exploration through Queneau’s method prompted a profound reflection on the need for transparency and transformative action. 

The Medium is the Massage

While we retained the original medium of the document, our exploration focused on creating diverse variations to enhance accessibility and reduce intimidation. Drawing inspiration from McLuhan’s insights on mediums and their functions, we questioned how alterations in size, print, and format could transform the document’s perception and utility. By contemplating the distinct purposes of contracts and posters, we aimed to tailor the document’s form to serve its function more effectively.

In playing with size and print variations, our objective was to make the document more approachable and user-friendly. By breaking away from a one-size-fits-all approach, we sought to cater to diverse audiences and communication preferences. The exploration considered the inherent characteristics of different mediums, pondering how adjusting the form could better align with the intended purpose of the document.

While we did not transition to an entirely different medium, the process highlighted the malleability of the document’s form to influence its accessibility. The examination of size, print, and format variations was integral in challenging the conventional notions surrounding document design. It emphasized the role of design in shaping user experience and ensuring that the document serves its function effectively within the context of climate justice.

The Two Sides of the Paris Climate Agreement: Dismal Failure or Historic Breakthrough?

The essence of the agreement lies in the commitment of each participating party to furnish Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), subject to evaluation every five years. This periodic assessment is designed to facilitate open communication and ensure a responsive adjustment of action plans necessary for achieving the overarching goals of the Paris Agreement. While this mechanism establishes open channels for communication and promotes public awareness, a critical deficiency emerges – the agreement falls short in adequately emphasizing the urgency and accountability imperative in addressing the current climate crisis.

The document’s structure encourages transparency and collaboration, fostering an environment conducive to shared information and collective action. However, it is apparent that the urgency of the situation and the imperative for accountability are not accentuated to the degree necessary. The article 

UN Emissions Gap Report

Our exploration gravitated around the foundational principles of the Paris Agreement, which derives its objectives from the projections outlined in the Emissions Gap Report—an invaluable compilation of global climate data. In dissecting this data, we meticulously compared the information presented in the document with the insights offered by the Global Emissions Report. Additionally, our approach involved a commitment to regularly updating the document through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) updates from nations, thereby establishing a dynamic relationship between the evolving data and actionable plans.

By utilizing the same dataset, we conducted a juxtaposition with the Paris Agreement, revealing a stark disparity between the passive language employed and the profound consequences that both current and future generations are enduring. This critical analysis brought to light the urgent need to address the inadequacies in the language and the resultant devastating repercussions. The exploration underscored the document’s role not merely as a static record but as a living instrument that demands continual adaptation in response to the evolving global climate crisis.

Title of the Show

Taking inspiration from Julia Born’s exhibition, our explorations delved into the transformative potential of altering the container within which the document resides. This involved a dynamic examination of how changes in the presentation format influence both the content and audience engagement. We scrutinized whether the shift in container could inspire varied actions and provoke a transformation in language from passive to active.

This exploration aimed to gauge how the alteration of the container could impact the document’s resonance with the audience and elicit distinct responses.

The dynamic interaction with varying sizes and formats of the document facilitated a nuanced understanding of the symbiotic relationship between form and content. The inquiry into whether such transformations could catalyze a shift in language from passive to active underscored the potential of design to influence not only perception but also the behavioral response of the audience. We were able to make the document less intimidating and create more engaging responses when a reader interacts with it.

Climate Calendar

Our explorations pivoted significantly around a critical constant embedded in the Paris Agreement: time. With the Climate Clock marking 2029 as the pivotal year determining our trajectory in the face of global warming, the urgency of our collective action became starkly evident. The limited time frame compels us to urgently restrict warming to 1.5°C, a crucial endeavor to avert the looming existential threat to our collective future.

This project reference, the climate calendar, serves as a tangible manifestation of the mounting climate anxiety and frustration particularly experienced by the younger generation.

Delving into the data associated with the agreement, our analysis brought forth a collective position for activism. It became evident that our role as activists was not merely to adhere to the terms of the agreement but to actively propel climate change negotiations forward. The urgency imposed by the imminent deadline highlighted the imperative for swift and decisive action.

References

Queneau, R. (1981). Exercises in Style. New Directions Publishing.

McLuhan, M. and Fiore, Q. (2001). The Medium is the Massage. Gingko Press Editions.

UNEP (2023). Broken Record. Emissions Gap Report 2023. [online] doi:https://doi.org/10.59117/20.500.11822/43922.

Clémençon, R. (2016). The Two Sides of the Paris Climate Agreement: Dismal Failure or Historic Breakthrough? The Journal of Environment & Development, [online] 25(1), pp.3–24. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1070496516631362.

Born, J. (2009). Title of the Show.

Liam Prendergast (2024). Climate Calendar. [online] Behance. Available at: https://www.behance.net/gallery/188782743/Climate-Calendar?tracking_source=search_projects [Accessed 23 Feb. 2024].

Week 1- Methods of Contextualising

Brief: Work in small groups to consider your own position(s) within some of these contexts and develop a studio-based experiment that explores, deepens, or extends them critically.

Documents of Legislation

Paris Agreement 2015

The Agreement is a legally binding international treaty. The Agreement sets long-term goals to guide all nations to:

  • Substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to hold global temperature increase to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, recognising that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.
  • Periodically assess the collective progress towards achieving the purpose of this agreement and its long-term goals.
  • Provide financing to developing countries to mitigate climate change, strengthen resilience and enhance abilities to adapt to climate impacts.

The Paris Agreement provides a durable framework guiding the global effort for decades to come. It marks the beginning of a shift towards a net-zero emissions world. Implementation of the Agreement is also essential for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

How does the document claim positions through language and form?

  • The document is a legally binding treaty/ contract among 197 nations. ( Global scale )
  • It’s inclusive and neutral. An effort towards a common goal and future. The document considers how each nation comes from a different context and the process to achieve the same goal within the set duration might look different for each one.

How does this language and form impact how it is engaged with, circulated, (mis)trusted or understood?

  • The agreement was signed by the leaders and directly addresses the policymakers.
  • The passive nature of the language used does not force anything rather encourages, acknowledging the different capacities of each of the countries.
  • Doesn’t boast a definite future but an overall goal. The only definite given is the duration within which the goal is supposed to be achieved.
  • Doesn’t really state the urgency of the situation.

What other vocabularies does it reveal visually?

  • A preamble
  • A contract
  • A vision
  • An outline/ project proposal

What opportunities can graphic communication design provide in policy and legislative communication in the climate emergency?

  • Can be used as a mirror but also reflect within ( ask questions of accountability )
  • Translation 
  • Extracting subtexts
  • Create transparency among stakeholders, who are the stakeholders, who are the policymakers
  • Open communication/ awareness
  • Exploring possibilities through transparency

Written Response- Methods of Iterating

Draft 01

The project I remade is a platformer game with simple commands, underscoring the critical role of the designer’s skill in crafting an engaging player experience. The Unity Game Engine, similar to Simultaneous Interpretation, operates as a dynamic tool where the real-time feedback loop facilitates iterative design, requiring adaptability and experimentation.

A notable technical challenge involved learning a new programming language, C#, with a subsequent focus on trial and error within the Unity Game Engine. Overcoming this hurdle involved acclimating to language terms and refining communication with the engine. Unity’s Real-Time Camera feature stands out, enabling the creation of high-quality output  in diverse digital spaces, including 2D, 3D, AR/VR, and Mixed Reality.

The link between Unity iterations and Graphic Communication Design (GCD) was illuminated by the shared principle of reconfiguring meaning. Unity’s iterative process mirrors GCD methods, both involving the manipulation of elements to convey a specific message or experience. I would like to explore the tool further by using the methods of translating exploring the experience of the user. I will be looking at the tool and the process of using the tool as an iteration i.e. engaging in a process, where the process is the output.

Draft 02

I was fascinated by how changing variables like speed and time of the GameObjects affect the experience of the players. The interaction of the GameObjects with other GameObjects can make the game engaging for the player and elicit emotions like boredom, excitement or frustration which led me to wonder how can I put this in GCD context?

What if we add similar variables to graphic design elements to influence the user’s experience?

What if we give physics or audio variables to graphic design (visual) components- shape, size, colour, position, orientation, texture? How would these variables interact with each other in a 2D space?

While working on the iterations, various questions came up which were mostly about the form than the content. The iterations pretty soon came to be an experimentation of how we can reimagine the visual components of a page or even how can we reimagine and form a page itself. Unity game engine is intended to create an immersive experience with the user’s input. I tried to hack it by creating an experience where the user has no control over the input.

In his article “Fuck Content”, Michael Rock challenges the idea that content is the primary concern of graphic design, and argues that form is the essence of the discipline. He writes: “There is no such thing as bad content, only bad form,” quoting Paul Rand, and explains that the designer’s role is to shape, not to write, the content. He also claims that form is not a neutral or transparent medium, but a profoundly affecting one, that can convey meaning, emotion, and narrative. He states: “Designers also trade in storytelling. The elements we must master are not the content narratives but the devices of the telling: typography, line, form, colour, contrast, scale, weight. We speak through our assignment, literally between the lines.”

After applying Rock’s perspective to my project, I can analyse how the variables that I introduce to the graphic design elements affect the form and the meaning of the project. I can also evaluate how the form of my project reshapes the relationship between the content and the graphic elements of the page, as Rock suggests, and how it negotiates a new mode of communication and exchange.

By using Unity game engine, I am able to introduce variables that are not typically associated with graphic design, such as physics and audio, and see how they affect the form and the user’s perception of it. I am also able to create a dynamic and interactive environment, where the form is constantly changing.

In conclusion, Rock’s article provides a theoretical framework to understand the importance and impact of form in graphic design, and how it can be manipulated and experimented with to create new possibilities and experiences. It also helps me to situate my project within the broader context of systems that govern graphic design and language.

References

Rock, M. (2009). Fuck Content — 2×4. [online] 2×4. Available at: https://2×4.org/ideas/2009/fuck-content/.

Draft 03

References

Barthes, R. (1967). The Death of the Author.

Week 2- Methods of Iterating

Brief: Develop an iterative experiment that ‘hacks’ it to do something that it is not intended to do. Consider how you can subvert its primary function, use, or context.

Function– What is does?

A game engine is a software framework primarily designed for the development of video games and generally includes relevant libraries and support programs.

Use- How it does it?

Like most game engines, Unity has five components. The primary component is a program that contains the game logic, a rendering engine that generates 3D animated graphics. An audio engine component provides algorithms to create and manipulate sounds. For physical laws, a physics engine handles movement and collisions. For non-player actions and decisions, there is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) component.

Designing a game on Unity: Your game is composed by Scenes (Levels). Each scene contains GameObjects, which are the “things” that populate your level. – such as your player, your enemy, your terrain. Each GameObject contains Objects, also called components. These components are scripts that were programmed in order to do something specific, and then attached to a GameObject.

Context- What it does for?

Unity lets artists, designers, and developers collaborate to create immersive and interactive experiences that can work on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

The software does a great job in creating game experiences that the players/ audience can interact with for an engaging outcome.

Unity game engine is intended to create an immersive experience with the user’s input. I tried to hack it by creating an experience where the user has no control over the input.

Draft 02

I was fascinated by how changing variables like speed and time of the GameObjects affect the experience of the players. The interaction of the GameObjects with other GameObjects can make the game engaging for the player and elicit emotions like boredom, excitement or frustration which led me to wonder how can I put this in GCD context?

What if we add similar variables to graphic design elements to influence the user’s experience?

What if we give physics or audio variables to graphic design (visual) components- shape, size, colour, position, orientation, texture? How would these variables interact with each other in a 2D space?

While working on the iterations, various questions came up which were mostly about the form than the content. The iterations pretty soon came to be an experimentation of how we can reimagine the visual components of a page or even how can we reimagine and form a page itself. Unity game engine is intended to create an immersive experience with the user’s input. I tried to hack it by creating an experience where the user has no control over the input.

In his article “Fuck Content”, Michael Rock challenges the idea that content is the primary concern of graphic design, and argues that form is the essence of the discipline. He writes: “There is no such thing as bad content, only bad form,” quoting Paul Rand, and explains that the designer’s role is to shape, not to write, the content. He also claims that form is not a neutral or transparent medium, but a profoundly affecting one, that can convey meaning, emotion, and narrative. He states: “Designers also trade in storytelling. The elements we must master are not the content narratives but the devices of the telling: typography, line, form, colour, contrast, scale, weight. We speak through our assignment, literally between the lines.”

After applying Rock’s perspective to my project, I can analyse how the variables that I introduce to the graphic design elements affect the form and the meaning of the project. I can also evaluate how the form of my project reshapes the relationship between the content and the graphic elements of the page, as Rock suggests, and how it negotiates a new mode of communication and exchange.

By using Unity game engine, I am able to introduce variables that are not typically associated with graphic design, such as physics and audio, and see how they affect the form and the user’s perception of it. I am also able to create a dynamic and interactive environment, where the form is constantly changing.

In conclusion, Rock’s article provides a theoretical framework to understand the importance and impact of form in graphic design, and how it can be manipulated and experimented with to create new possibilities and experiences. It also helps me to situate my project within the broader context of systems that govern graphic design and language.

References

Rock, M. (2009). Fuck Content — 2×4. [online] 2×4. Available at: https://2×4.org/ideas/2009/fuck-content/.

Week 1- Methods of Iterating

Explore how a critical enquiry can be drawn out from an iterative experimentation with tools and media.

Brief: Identify a tool or medium that interests you but that you’re not experienced with. Find a project made by someone else that makes effective use of this tool or medium. 

I chose the software Unity Game Engine for the project with the intent of recreating a platformer game like Gris or Hollow Knight. But since I’m a beginner I chose to recreate a game in the same genre Flappy Bird. 

Since I’m neither a gamer or a game designer, this software is a new territory for me. I recently started playing games and was very fascinated by narrative based games like Edith finch and the animations incorporated in the games like Gris.

While looking for a project that makes effective use of this tool, it made me think about what are the uses of this tool or what is this tool’s original intent of use. So I looked it up.

  • Game Development
  • Cross-Platform Development
  • Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)
  • Simulation and Training
  • Architectural Visualisation
  • Educational and Serious Games
  • Indie Game Development
  • Film and Animation Production
  • AR and VR Experiences for Marketing and Advertising
  • Multiplayer Games and Networking

In summary, Unity’s effectiveness lies in its flexibility, ease of use, and broad range of applications, making it a go-to choice for developers in various industries.

After the initial desk research about the tool and some more games, I found out that it incorporates similar tools that are in video and 3D rendering softwares like Cinema4D and Premier Pro. Tools like cameras, lighting, and rigging for animations. It involves coding and can be used to create generative art. For the game art and animations within the game, a separate software is involved like pixelLab (asprite) and photoshop. 

I also came across projects like “Lightbender” by Carl Emil Carlsen, an audio-visual synthesizer instrument which was developed on Unity that makes effective use of this tool but also hacks it.

Iteration_1

refining to get a singular desired output.

To get acclimated with the software, I followed a beginner’s tutorial video. The video had step by step instructions for a simple platformer game similar to flappy bird. What the video included –

  • How to make a character appear and move it around the screen. 
  • How to make a character spawn in and delete it.
  • How to have collisions, gamer over, animations and sound effects etc.

Unity uses dev software Visual Studio that is used to write programming codes (C#).

(1) Following the Tutorial

Step 1 : Setting up Unity

Step 2: Physics and Programming

Step 3: Spawning Objects

Step 4: Logic and UI

Step 5: Fail State

(2) Making the game look like original game- Flappy Bird

After building a basic working structure of the game, I wanted it to look like the original flappy bird game. So I found a sprite sheet of the game online and added the background and the foreground.

Challenges faced: I used the code that was used to move and spawn the pipes for moving and spawning the foreground tile but the code didn’t work on the foreground. I used another set of code for the same later.

Insight: You can use different logic or write a different set of code to get the same outcome, just like translating. Everyone has a different way of thinking and this accommodates for that.

(3) Fixing the bugs and making the interactions feel like the original game

Insights

By recreating the game step by step, each step has a different experience. To make the gameplay more engaging for the players, stages like fail state and Highest score are added to the game. ( Game Mechanics)

Level of difficulty of the game can also be used to manipluate the engagement of the player within the game.

Designers have to decide how the components will interact with each other and how the player interacts with the components to meet create a particular game experience.

When I change the numbers in my game, the smaller the number the more easy and boring it got but a bigger number made it frustrating and hard to score. This influenced the gamers interaction with the game. ( Game Dynamics )

The process of using Unity Game Engine is very similar to Simultaneous Interpretation( when an interpreter translates the message from the source language to the target language in real-time). 

Key Critical Questions that emerged through this exploration

I was fascinated by how changing variables like speed and time of the GameObjects affect the experience of the Players. The interaction of the GameObjects with other GameObjects can make the game engaging for the player and elicit emotions like boredom, excitement or frustration. 

What if we add similar variables to graphic design elements to influence the audience’s experience?

What if we give physics or audio variables to graphic design (visual) variables- shape, size, colour, position, orientation, texture? How would these variables interact with each other?

Giving free reign to the users to manipulate the variability or taking it away from them.

Week 2- Methods of Translating

Hybridising

I was very interested in the subtle changes in the context of the film that the method hybridising was conveying. So I explored the method with experimentation in mind.

What would happen if now I change the sound of the folk songs or language of the dialogue? 

What would happen if I change the era of the train? A film about a modern technology? 

Hybridising the original with these subtle changes highlighted the form and the authenticity of the original. The context, the original was set in but also encouraged evaluation of the two different cultures and time portrayed. 

Week 1- Methods of Translating

Brief: Reconfigure the meaning of your selected material by changing its language (visual, linguistic, rhetorical, etc.), culture, region, time (historical, chronological, durational, etc.), scale (size, scope, etc.), value (currency, exchange value, etc.), or use to accomplish a specific purpose, such as circulating, transmitting, sharing, conserving, archiving, evaluating, analysing, quantifying, etc.

Since for cataloguing I chose a set of images and also engaged with text, I wanted to take film/ video as the chosen material. I chose a documentary film ‘Gadi Lohardaga Mail’.

I decided to use the methods of translating to change it’s form, language, region, time and culture to evaluate and analyse. 

Transcription

Paraphrasing

Hybridising

Extrapolating

Week 2- Methods of Cataloguing

I focused on one method, using image tags. I classified the images by creating tags for all the images and by also generating alt text for the images using ai using spreadsheets for visual representation and a method of sorting and creating an infographic in itself. 

Using spreadsheets, helped me to compare and contrast between the two languages used by me and ai to describe the same set of images. 

Classification– Image Tags and AI generated Alt Text

Classification– Tags

Classification– Alt Text

Classification– Alt Text Adjectives