For this assignment i am taking my service design from semester one and looking at the ways in which i can broaden my research in order to establish a more successful design.
To enable myself to do this i will have to consider the different techniques we have acquired throughout this semester, and hence allowing me to build a strong ground of research. By referencing previous assignments and referring back to some of the ideas Rholand Barthes adresses in his essay "The Rhetoric of the Image" i feel i'd be able to achieve this.
in semester one i was looking to create a service design which would reduce the amount of crimes associated with binge drinking. In this project I familiarised myself with the subject by looking at different books, journals and newspapers. This made me aware of the extent of the problem and who it had the greatest effect on. These sources were useful to me in that it enabled me to expand my knowledge of the dangers implicated within binge drinking and the amounts of crime directly linked to this. It also informed me of the main age groups usually effected by the problem and the areas in which drink related crimes would be most prevalent. However to establish a strong ground of research i would have to do more than just study the facts surrounding binge drinking. To create a successful service design i would have to gage to responses of the public, in particular the group of people thie issue would have the strongest effect on. From learning these techniques throughout semester two i feel there is a lot of changes i could make to my initial service design.
My design would predominantly target students and young people between the ages of 16-25. I feel to aquire a better understanding of he task i'd set myself I would have to observe people in the environments in which binge drinking would take place. This however would create severe health and safety implications as my design would be targeting binge drinking and crimes.
I could perhaps carry out questionnaires and surveys for bar managers and bouncers of clubs to establish an understanding of how the behaviour of people change throughout the evening. Is drink the main catalyst for crime of have other factors to be taken into account?
I would then refer back to Roland Barthes "Rhetoric of the Image" considering a lot of the ideas discussed within the essay. He suggests rah importance of images and the way that we can manipulate people into interpreting them in a certain way. Images teamed with linguistics can be used in a way that can create a powerful advertisement, and idea which should be prevalent in my design service as my ideas initially considered images as a way of diverting alcohol related crimes. The suggestion of people interpreting images in differet ways is well considered in Barthes essay. This idea is exemplified when he goes onto speak about how peoples backgrounds, upbringings and age are important in determining their characteristics, hence manipulating the ways in which they interpret an image of phrase. Because my advert would be directed at people of a similar age i would have successful established a common ground, thus allowing me to continue my research. To further my research i would hand out a series of different images to a verity of people from different age groups, background and cultures to see how they interpret the images which could be used in my potential design. By teaming these images with maybe a phrase or quote i would be able to retain feedback on how people related to the advert and i would therefore be able to create a design which suited a greater span of people. To better understand my subject i would like to observe people in an environment in which alcohol related crimes may happen. I would observe peoples behaviour and see how their repines to situations and attitudes change throughout the duration of the night. I feel by getting an aqurate result it would be important for me to observe a wide variety of people and in different areas. Is there areas of the country in which violence is more prevalent? is the crime percentage higher in big cities than it is in small towns?
I could also observe and research in countries which approach alcohol in a different way, for example in france where the drinking age is younger. Parhaps if alcohol wasn't so frowned upon we may carry a different attitude towards the subject.
In order to determine what the viewers would deem a successful design I could gather images of existing adverts relating to my subject. By showing these images to a wide selection of people from all ages, cultural backgrounds and lifestyles, I could begin to understand what method of advertisement is most likely to effect a society as a whole. This would also revert back to Barthes concept of linguistics in advertisement and question whether it is indeed an intrinsical part of an influential campaign.
To further my research of alcohol related crimes it would be important for me to gather statistics in order to determine the severity of the problem. I could interview specialists, doctors and people who work with young people. By gathering their knowledge of the subject and perhaps take their personal opinions into account i would gain an understanding of the issue on a wider scale; how it effects not just the people involved in the crimes but society as a whole, and the repacusions it carries.
By carrying out these various research techniques I would be able to establish the fundamentals of a strong service design. I feel what we have learned in semester two is important in allowing us to carry out a well balanced collection of research for our designs. To be able to create a successful design we must first research our subject and the people our designs will be aimed at. We should hence understand that social events, cultural backgrounds, upbringings and ages are all contributing factors in shaping a person and manipulating them into who they become. This therefore will alter the ways in which they interpret images and adverts. What might be successful in one persons eyes may not be in anthers. This is why it is important to develop an extensive amount of research so we can create an understanding of what would best address the majority of society.
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Interviews
In this assignment we were given various titles in which we were to develop a set of questions from. I chose the title "How do people accumulate stuff". Under this heading i was to investigate the reasons why people tend to hang onto belongings they maybe don't even have a use for. I considered the main items people may accumulate, and the reasons behind this by using my personal experience as a reference; Clothes people may choose to hang on to for various reasons such as expense, individuality and sentimental value. The latter i would expect to find predominantly amounts females. Other items i would expect people to accumulate would perhaps be photos (because of the sentimental value), family heirlooms for that same reason, and also items such as jewellery, birthday and christmas presents etc.
Instead of putting the names on my blog of the people i'd interviewed, i decided to instead just show their age and their gender. I supposed that males and females would show different responses to the questionnaire and that perhaps the males wouldn't be as comfortable answering questions about personal items and that perhaps they wouldn't have as much of an attachment to items with a sentimental value to that of a girl.
These are some of my interviews.
Female, 20, art student
- What sort of things are you likely to accumulate in your home?
"I'm likely to accumulate bits and bobs, most of it's from years ago and ends up sitting in my drawers"
-Do you find yourself collecting sentimental items, clothing or photos?
"Yeah i have a wall covered in photos of my friends, i'll hang onto a few sentimental things but mainly clothes and shoes"
-Why do you hang onto certain garments?
"I like to keep clothes which are versatile, i won't keep something purely because of the price it cost. I tend to keep things which i find comfortable or if i'll wear it a lot.
- Do you value sentimental objects over expensive ones?
"I value them in a different way. I'll hang onto a few sentimental items which remind me of the past but i tend to accumulate things such as clothes which are less sentimental.
-Is this because you have an interest in fashion?
"I like to be able to re-wear items of clothing and wear something different to the current high street fashions.
-Do you feel your life style/ personal style influences what you keep and what you throw out?
"Yes. I am a student studying textiles to i tend to accumulate things i feel will become useful at some point. I'll hang onto scraps of material and junk on the off chance that i'll create a purpose for it, where i'd imagine people from more academic courses wouldn't really feel the need to collect such items. I think the more hands on the course is the more likely people are to accumulate things.
Female, 24, Medical Student
-What sort of things are likely to accumulate in your home?
"Newspapers, magazines and mail tend to build up in my house. Clothes are another thing which i tend to accumulate…I'm not good at throwing things out. I always think i'll maybe need it one day so it languishes at the back of my wardrobe. The things i wear most often are at the front of my wardrobe where they're more easily accessible.
-Do you have a reason for hanging onto certain garments?
"They ones i hang onto are mainly vintage, i'll also hang on to thing thinking "if i loose weight". I have some clothes which have sentimental value, things such as school blazers, signed shirts, these things i'll obviously never wear again but have memories attached to them.
"What possessions would you be likely to throw out and why?
"Cheap Primark throw away fashion with no sentimental value. The things i keep for longer tend to be timeless items as apposed to cheap Primark clothes. The ones i keep are more ambiguous.
-Does your lifestyle/ personal style effect what you keep and what you throw out?
"I like to see potential in things and will keep them in the of chance that i could make something out of them.
-Do you value sentimental objects over expensive ones?
"I value both for different reasons, for example my designer jacket i found for dirt cheap at a charity shop. Although it didn't cost a lot i like the story behind it and its an item of clothing i've become attached to. Things such as school blazers which embody certain things i'll hang on to for sentimental reasons, they're to be looked at not so much to wear.
-Most of these questions seemed to revert back to the subject of clothes, what do you feel is the reason for this?
"i feel clothes are an expression of who you are, its natural to build up a collection.
Male, 22, student
-What sort of things are you likely to accumulate in your home?
"Just junk really, the usual junk; beer cans, deodorant cans, things i can never usually be bothered to throw out.
-Do you find yourself accumulating things such as clothes and magazine/ newspapers?
"I don't really buy magazines, not so much clothes either. I'll accumulate clothes on my floor but only cause they need washing.
-Since you've moved away from your parents house it doesn't seem you've collected many things, did you find you accumulate things before you moved out?
"I've piles of guitar magazines back home, also loads of uni work, loose sheets of paper but i assume i'll need them at some point so hang on to them.
-Do you hang onto anything with sentimental value?
"I guess at home i've hung onto things with some sentimental value, if it reminds me of a certain time.
-Do you value sentimental objects over expensive ones?
"Would i value some sentimental crap over my guitar? No way. I can't think of anything that would have that much sentimental value.
Female, 21, Student.
-What sort of things do you find yourself accumulating at home?
"Clothes, newspapers, documents…random pieces of paper. Also photographs.
-Why do you find yourself hanging onto these things?
"well i hang onto newspapers because i never read them fully and always assume i'll come back to them. So i'll leave them until to built into a pile then chuck them out at the same time.
-Do you accumulate a lot of clothes in your wardrobe?
"I only really collect dresses and shoes, this is because i know i'll reuse them.
-Which of these are items mentioned are much important to you?
"Photographs remind me of people, I like being around people a lot.
-Would you value clothes and photographs on the same level?
"No way. My photographs are the most importuned thing in my life- if i was to be in a burning building the first thing i'd be to grab would be my photographs.
-Why?
"'Cause there's nothing better to me than being reminded of your past and the people that have come in and out of your life. I tend to forget things quickly so its good to be reminded by photographs at different time in my life.
-What possessions do you throw away and why?
"Receipts, carrier bags, jewellery. I don't really like jewellery, i'll always have it for years and never wear it. And i'll always loose earrings. Out of clothes shoes and jewellery i value shoes the most, they're most practical.
I found the results of the interviews quite interesting. The answers i received from the girls seemed quite in depth and detailed. They seemed to place high value on sentimental objects and seemed more likely to hang on to items in the off chance they could find some for them. I noticed that lifestyles were also a contributing factor to what determined whether an item would be thrown away of collected. For example a textile student would be more likely to hang on to scraps of material and things they feel can be recycles and made into something new. They seem to see the potential in what essentially is "junk".
Comparing the female answers to that of the male there is a lot of noticeable differences. Males seem less likely to go into detail about their possessions. They don't seem as sentimental or even bothered by what they keep and don't keep. It seems they have a few items they'll value, maybe for expense of what they can be used for.
Instead of putting the names on my blog of the people i'd interviewed, i decided to instead just show their age and their gender. I supposed that males and females would show different responses to the questionnaire and that perhaps the males wouldn't be as comfortable answering questions about personal items and that perhaps they wouldn't have as much of an attachment to items with a sentimental value to that of a girl.
These are some of my interviews.
Female, 20, art student
- What sort of things are you likely to accumulate in your home?
"I'm likely to accumulate bits and bobs, most of it's from years ago and ends up sitting in my drawers"
-Do you find yourself collecting sentimental items, clothing or photos?
"Yeah i have a wall covered in photos of my friends, i'll hang onto a few sentimental things but mainly clothes and shoes"
-Why do you hang onto certain garments?
"I like to keep clothes which are versatile, i won't keep something purely because of the price it cost. I tend to keep things which i find comfortable or if i'll wear it a lot.
- Do you value sentimental objects over expensive ones?
"I value them in a different way. I'll hang onto a few sentimental items which remind me of the past but i tend to accumulate things such as clothes which are less sentimental.
-Is this because you have an interest in fashion?
"I like to be able to re-wear items of clothing and wear something different to the current high street fashions.
-Do you feel your life style/ personal style influences what you keep and what you throw out?
"Yes. I am a student studying textiles to i tend to accumulate things i feel will become useful at some point. I'll hang onto scraps of material and junk on the off chance that i'll create a purpose for it, where i'd imagine people from more academic courses wouldn't really feel the need to collect such items. I think the more hands on the course is the more likely people are to accumulate things.
Female, 24, Medical Student
-What sort of things are likely to accumulate in your home?
"Newspapers, magazines and mail tend to build up in my house. Clothes are another thing which i tend to accumulate…I'm not good at throwing things out. I always think i'll maybe need it one day so it languishes at the back of my wardrobe. The things i wear most often are at the front of my wardrobe where they're more easily accessible.
-Do you have a reason for hanging onto certain garments?
"They ones i hang onto are mainly vintage, i'll also hang on to thing thinking "if i loose weight". I have some clothes which have sentimental value, things such as school blazers, signed shirts, these things i'll obviously never wear again but have memories attached to them.
"What possessions would you be likely to throw out and why?
"Cheap Primark throw away fashion with no sentimental value. The things i keep for longer tend to be timeless items as apposed to cheap Primark clothes. The ones i keep are more ambiguous.
-Does your lifestyle/ personal style effect what you keep and what you throw out?
"I like to see potential in things and will keep them in the of chance that i could make something out of them.
-Do you value sentimental objects over expensive ones?
"I value both for different reasons, for example my designer jacket i found for dirt cheap at a charity shop. Although it didn't cost a lot i like the story behind it and its an item of clothing i've become attached to. Things such as school blazers which embody certain things i'll hang on to for sentimental reasons, they're to be looked at not so much to wear.
-Most of these questions seemed to revert back to the subject of clothes, what do you feel is the reason for this?
"i feel clothes are an expression of who you are, its natural to build up a collection.
Male, 22, student
-What sort of things are you likely to accumulate in your home?
"Just junk really, the usual junk; beer cans, deodorant cans, things i can never usually be bothered to throw out.
-Do you find yourself accumulating things such as clothes and magazine/ newspapers?
"I don't really buy magazines, not so much clothes either. I'll accumulate clothes on my floor but only cause they need washing.
-Since you've moved away from your parents house it doesn't seem you've collected many things, did you find you accumulate things before you moved out?
"I've piles of guitar magazines back home, also loads of uni work, loose sheets of paper but i assume i'll need them at some point so hang on to them.
-Do you hang onto anything with sentimental value?
"I guess at home i've hung onto things with some sentimental value, if it reminds me of a certain time.
-Do you value sentimental objects over expensive ones?
"Would i value some sentimental crap over my guitar? No way. I can't think of anything that would have that much sentimental value.
Female, 21, Student.
-What sort of things do you find yourself accumulating at home?
"Clothes, newspapers, documents…random pieces of paper. Also photographs.
-Why do you find yourself hanging onto these things?
"well i hang onto newspapers because i never read them fully and always assume i'll come back to them. So i'll leave them until to built into a pile then chuck them out at the same time.
-Do you accumulate a lot of clothes in your wardrobe?
"I only really collect dresses and shoes, this is because i know i'll reuse them.
-Which of these are items mentioned are much important to you?
"Photographs remind me of people, I like being around people a lot.
-Would you value clothes and photographs on the same level?
"No way. My photographs are the most importuned thing in my life- if i was to be in a burning building the first thing i'd be to grab would be my photographs.
-Why?
"'Cause there's nothing better to me than being reminded of your past and the people that have come in and out of your life. I tend to forget things quickly so its good to be reminded by photographs at different time in my life.
-What possessions do you throw away and why?
"Receipts, carrier bags, jewellery. I don't really like jewellery, i'll always have it for years and never wear it. And i'll always loose earrings. Out of clothes shoes and jewellery i value shoes the most, they're most practical.
I found the results of the interviews quite interesting. The answers i received from the girls seemed quite in depth and detailed. They seemed to place high value on sentimental objects and seemed more likely to hang on to items in the off chance they could find some for them. I noticed that lifestyles were also a contributing factor to what determined whether an item would be thrown away of collected. For example a textile student would be more likely to hang on to scraps of material and things they feel can be recycles and made into something new. They seem to see the potential in what essentially is "junk".
Comparing the female answers to that of the male there is a lot of noticeable differences. Males seem less likely to go into detail about their possessions. They don't seem as sentimental or even bothered by what they keep and don't keep. It seems they have a few items they'll value, maybe for expense of what they can be used for.
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Observe and Record
For this assignment we were set the task of observing people in public spaces. i chose to do this in firstly in Boner Hall while people were donating blood and secondly from my window watching people go in and out of shops in the centre of town.
In Boner Hall i found there was a lot of waiting about and queuing.
The first people i was observing was two nurses standing by the table where they were serving drinks and biscuit for those who had been donating blood. The two women nurses were both standing together, arms folded in a relaxed manner and chatting to one another. One of the nurses was yawning on occasion. I also noticed that they both seemed to be looking at people as they came into the hall, speaking to each other and from what i saw it seemed to be small chat. They're body language suggested the repetitiveness of a day at work, that they are used to the routine and simply trying to kill time between tasks at work. They seemed to be taking in their surroundings and observing the different people that entered their place of work. Their attitudes seemed far more relaxed to that of the people, mainly students, that were waiting to donate blood. Chairs were lined up in the hall and every so often we would change chairs to move up the queue. I noticed that the majority of people seemed to find this a tedious and slow process. I realised that if a person was alone they tended to fidget and look around the room, almost trying to keep themselves entertained or pass the time. A lot of people i found would bring out their phone if they were by themselves. One girl in particular was sitting at a table after donating blood, she was alone, and despite seeming fairly comfortable with herself she was constantly looking about for distractions and playing with her phone to keep herself amused. This suggests that people of a younger age tend to bore more easily, they seem to prefer being in company of others. Being in a situation where you're waiting in an unfamiliar place, with unfamiliar people seems to make people slightly anxious. I then went onto consider the body language of people who came in pairs of with a group of friends. Even though they were about to give blood, which to some people is slightly daunting if its a first time experience, they seemed to be able to chat away and laugh amongst themselves. They didn't seem as curious of their surroundings, more so with the people they were with. Although they were still waiting as long as the people who came alone, they didn't seem as intolerant or aware of the time needed to queue. Being amongst other people seemed to distract them from the fact they were about to give blood. The first queue was to be interviewed by the nurses to see if you're blood can be used, this queue was the longest. The second queue was people waiting to give blood. There didn't seem as much of an order to this queue, the seats seemed to be on a first come first serve basis. There was a few people standing about seeming slightly confused at what to do and who to speak to. I found that even if there was a spare seat some people seemed anxious, as if they didn't know to sit there of if it was designated for someone else. I feel that maybe there wasn't so much of an order here as nurses took different lengths of time to interview people, therefore the system from the first queue seemed to be abandoned slightly.
In Boner Hall i found there was a lot of waiting about and queuing.
The first people i was observing was two nurses standing by the table where they were serving drinks and biscuit for those who had been donating blood. The two women nurses were both standing together, arms folded in a relaxed manner and chatting to one another. One of the nurses was yawning on occasion. I also noticed that they both seemed to be looking at people as they came into the hall, speaking to each other and from what i saw it seemed to be small chat. They're body language suggested the repetitiveness of a day at work, that they are used to the routine and simply trying to kill time between tasks at work. They seemed to be taking in their surroundings and observing the different people that entered their place of work. Their attitudes seemed far more relaxed to that of the people, mainly students, that were waiting to donate blood. Chairs were lined up in the hall and every so often we would change chairs to move up the queue. I noticed that the majority of people seemed to find this a tedious and slow process. I realised that if a person was alone they tended to fidget and look around the room, almost trying to keep themselves entertained or pass the time. A lot of people i found would bring out their phone if they were by themselves. One girl in particular was sitting at a table after donating blood, she was alone, and despite seeming fairly comfortable with herself she was constantly looking about for distractions and playing with her phone to keep herself amused. This suggests that people of a younger age tend to bore more easily, they seem to prefer being in company of others. Being in a situation where you're waiting in an unfamiliar place, with unfamiliar people seems to make people slightly anxious. I then went onto consider the body language of people who came in pairs of with a group of friends. Even though they were about to give blood, which to some people is slightly daunting if its a first time experience, they seemed to be able to chat away and laugh amongst themselves. They didn't seem as curious of their surroundings, more so with the people they were with. Although they were still waiting as long as the people who came alone, they didn't seem as intolerant or aware of the time needed to queue. Being amongst other people seemed to distract them from the fact they were about to give blood. The first queue was to be interviewed by the nurses to see if you're blood can be used, this queue was the longest. The second queue was people waiting to give blood. There didn't seem as much of an order to this queue, the seats seemed to be on a first come first serve basis. There was a few people standing about seeming slightly confused at what to do and who to speak to. I found that even if there was a spare seat some people seemed anxious, as if they didn't know to sit there of if it was designated for someone else. I feel that maybe there wasn't so much of an order here as nurses took different lengths of time to interview people, therefore the system from the first queue seemed to be abandoned slightly.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
What have i learned from this project?
I found that by using the three random images and asking people to create a story from them, they tended to be more inventive as they had no restrictions. As i hadn't picked the photos to be used they were free to think as they wished and interpret the photos as outrageously as they wanted.
I couldn't really establish a strong link between the stories and thought by adding a fourth photo of my choice i could gain a sort of control.
I decided to bring in the idea of a food chain- birds eat mice. I therefore chose a net as my last photo hoping that people would catch onto the idea of hunting, or being trapped.
Interestingly the first of the feedback i received wasn't a story. Stewart told me of the feelings the images evoked and it appeared he found the images, as a whole, unsettling.
By simply adding one image of my choice, people began to think deeper into the meanings of the photos as opposed to simply seeing them as images. Without using words, by carefully selecting what we show the viewer, we can manipulate them in a way into thinking what we want them to think.
Once i put the images into an open facebook chat, people began to feed off each others thoughs and the idea of a story seemed to be abandoned. It seemed an example had been set on what people thought was to be achieved from the task.
I found it interesting how one images effectively changed the way everyone interpreted the photos. All their thoughts seemed to branch from the idea of restriction, everyone seemed to feel the images as a whole were unsettling, but when by themselves they are just images.
I couldn't really establish a strong link between the stories and thought by adding a fourth photo of my choice i could gain a sort of control.
I decided to bring in the idea of a food chain- birds eat mice. I therefore chose a net as my last photo hoping that people would catch onto the idea of hunting, or being trapped.
Interestingly the first of the feedback i received wasn't a story. Stewart told me of the feelings the images evoked and it appeared he found the images, as a whole, unsettling.
By simply adding one image of my choice, people began to think deeper into the meanings of the photos as opposed to simply seeing them as images. Without using words, by carefully selecting what we show the viewer, we can manipulate them in a way into thinking what we want them to think.
Once i put the images into an open facebook chat, people began to feed off each others thoughs and the idea of a story seemed to be abandoned. It seemed an example had been set on what people thought was to be achieved from the task.
I found it interesting how one images effectively changed the way everyone interpreted the photos. All their thoughts seemed to branch from the idea of restriction, everyone seemed to feel the images as a whole were unsettling, but when by themselves they are just images.
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
The 4th Picture!
So far all the stories have been rather random, there hasn't really been a strong link, possibly because i was using photos picked at random. I asked people simply to interpret the photos as they wished, to either write a story or whatever feeling or thoughts come to mind when they are shown the photos. I found the majority of my responses were made up stories, some rather elaborate ones...I feel by using random photos, there is no restraints or constrictions, the people i asked weren't encouraged to think a certain thing when analyzing the photos and therefore became quite inventive themselves.
I thought I could now incorporate the idea of a food chain and the pigeon to be seen as a predator. Some of the stories hinted towards this theme and although the image is of a computer mouse, the object itself, and the context (placed next to a pigeon) conjures images of the animal.
Stewart Agnew
Age:20
The top 1st pic, makes me feel quite trapped, almost lost, I think this is cos I have a fear of being locked in a tube station or something, but the picture makes me feel alone and uncomfortable. The second pic makes me think of technology, and connected to the first pic, how we would be lost without the dependency on technology, like going without electricity for a day, its amazing how we suddenly can't cope. We would have to return to old ways, like catching birds! Pretty much live like pigeons depending on only our selves to survive, having to make nets and stuff to catch animals.
Daniel McCance
Age:19
A person was online and noticed that there was some sort of event on which he needed to travel to in order to catch a pigeon. It was a pigeon catching competition which you had to apply for online.
I then showed the pictures so some of my friends on facebook to try and get some more feedback. By opening the chat i think people began to feed on each others ideas and a theme of constriction seemed to become established...
Khlaid Alsayed February 16 at 5:31pm Reply
Controlled freedom?
Like the bird, the mouse and train are free to be moved around, but confined and limited by their own net - the mouse to its monitor and train to its rails.
You are free to be free within the limitations provided by the state!
Alexander Cooper February 16 at 6:52pm Reply
Yeah i think a theme that ties them all together is restriction, but pigeons are still free to fly around, although they're still dependent on humanity for food
Khlaid Alsayed February 16 at 6:57pm Reply
pigeons aren't free. Council put spikes on lampposts to stop them sitting on them, feeding them is restricted or permitted in specified locations. Pigeons are used to carry messages or to race for money.
Pigeons are very controlled.
Hannah Spearing February 16 at 11:44pm Reply
i think they all say alot about impact, maybe spacial impact or impact on the public as a whole. the long dizzying daunting escalater seems huge now but with hundreds of people crammed on it it looks strangely smaller. the impact of technology is huge but it comes from very small pieces of wires and what not. one pigeon versus those masses of pigeons you see in town. but actually i've not got much to say about the net. ach well, first impression doll, these guys seem to know what they're talking about alot more. but just a wee thought on that net, it looks like an old tennis racket frame. x
Chris Donald February 17 at 10:26am Reply
first photo i would say reminds me of like a stairway to someones destiny or something, like their goal is to get to the top, the mouse reminds me of how we can take for granted technology, the pigeon just makes me remember always nearly getting shat on every time I walk past caird square haha, and then net could represent a form of entrapment or being lead into a false sense of security
I thought I could now incorporate the idea of a food chain and the pigeon to be seen as a predator. Some of the stories hinted towards this theme and although the image is of a computer mouse, the object itself, and the context (placed next to a pigeon) conjures images of the animal.
Stewart Agnew
Age:20
The top 1st pic, makes me feel quite trapped, almost lost, I think this is cos I have a fear of being locked in a tube station or something, but the picture makes me feel alone and uncomfortable. The second pic makes me think of technology, and connected to the first pic, how we would be lost without the dependency on technology, like going without electricity for a day, its amazing how we suddenly can't cope. We would have to return to old ways, like catching birds! Pretty much live like pigeons depending on only our selves to survive, having to make nets and stuff to catch animals.
Daniel McCance
Age:19
A person was online and noticed that there was some sort of event on which he needed to travel to in order to catch a pigeon. It was a pigeon catching competition which you had to apply for online.
I then showed the pictures so some of my friends on facebook to try and get some more feedback. By opening the chat i think people began to feed on each others ideas and a theme of constriction seemed to become established...
Khlaid Alsayed February 16 at 5:31pm Reply
Controlled freedom?
Like the bird, the mouse and train are free to be moved around, but confined and limited by their own net - the mouse to its monitor and train to its rails.
You are free to be free within the limitations provided by the state!
Alexander Cooper February 16 at 6:52pm Reply
Yeah i think a theme that ties them all together is restriction, but pigeons are still free to fly around, although they're still dependent on humanity for food
Khlaid Alsayed February 16 at 6:57pm Reply
pigeons aren't free. Council put spikes on lampposts to stop them sitting on them, feeding them is restricted or permitted in specified locations. Pigeons are used to carry messages or to race for money.
Pigeons are very controlled.
Hannah Spearing February 16 at 11:44pm Reply
i think they all say alot about impact, maybe spacial impact or impact on the public as a whole. the long dizzying daunting escalater seems huge now but with hundreds of people crammed on it it looks strangely smaller. the impact of technology is huge but it comes from very small pieces of wires and what not. one pigeon versus those masses of pigeons you see in town. but actually i've not got much to say about the net. ach well, first impression doll, these guys seem to know what they're talking about alot more. but just a wee thought on that net, it looks like an old tennis racket frame. x
Chris Donald February 17 at 10:26am Reply
first photo i would say reminds me of like a stairway to someones destiny or something, like their goal is to get to the top, the mouse reminds me of how we can take for granted technology, the pigeon just makes me remember always nearly getting shat on every time I walk past caird square haha, and then net could represent a form of entrapment or being lead into a false sense of security
Photo Stories
These are the three random photos we selected to hand out to people and the stories they came up with...
Kyle Donnachie
Age:22
A pigeon stole a mouse from PC World (because pigeons can't buy things), it was flying over the subway and dropped it down the stairs when it realised it wasn't a real mouse.
Fiona McMichael
Age: 20
- I took the subway to go buy a mouse for my computer and on the way i accidentally trod on a pigeon.
Matthew Flemming
Age:20
A mouse eats a pigeon because it's too small to get up the stairs to Subway (The sandwich shop).
To small to get up the stairs? How could the mouse ever eat the pigeon?
Well he's really hungry :)
But pigeons can fly!
Yeah, but this mouse is sneaky...he's called Tiptoes...ironically though, he's not tall enough to get up the stairs to subway.
How does Tiptoes get the pigeon then if he's on the stairs?
Well, you see! He was actually at the bottom of the Subway stairs, contemplating on whether to get the Texas Fried Chicken Panini.
Anne Flemming
Age:46
Pigeon - Trafalgar Square, feels sorry for them because you see a few with crippled feet.
Mouse - Surfing the net
Subway - Thinks of some exciting city such as, London, New York, Paris...people commuting to work.
Dorothy Donnachie
Age: 50
One day last spring whilst I was sitting by my open window I watched in mounting horror as a large overfed pigeon with a distinctly menacing look in its beady eye flew straight into my room, took a few hectic circles around the furniture before finally landing, or to be more accurate positively pouncing upon the computer mouse on the table by the door. At this point I should probably make it clear that I am not a bird lover and pigeons I dislike especially. I wanted the beast out of my room and fast. I didn't want to touch it and I couldn't find any neighbours at home that afternoon to assist so I found a large shopping back, threw it over pigeon and mouse before firmly fastening it at the top.
I raced down the stairs and out the front door of my flat almost running straight into my best friend who had been on her way to visit me. She was breathless and excited and in a jumble of words and shrieks told me that an episode of "Dr Who" was being filmed at that very moment in my local underground station just around the corner. Completely forgetting the purpose of leaving my flat and the undesirable content of my shopping bag I raced at full pelt in the direction of a certain David Tennant. We arrived at the station and ignoring the sign informing us regretfully that the station was closed and apologising for the inconvenience this was causing us we hurried towards the escalator. It was not functioning but we were not to be deterred so easily. We began our descent but after only a few steps I became aware of a nasty scrabbling noise in my bag. I looked down and saw with horror a beak and then a head emerging from it. I shrieked and then shrieked again when I saw that the beast was making off with my mouse.
It was all a bit confusing after that. There was a lot of wing flapping, and then unaccountably the escalator coughed into life. The unexpected movement pitched my friend and I headlong but fortunately we got tangled up with one another and didn't fall too far. Two large men then appeared and insisted on escorting us back out of the station. Just as we reached the exit I heard those dreaded wings again quite close above me and then felt a sharp pain as an object struck my head before bouncing on to the ground. My computer mouse. I felt a warm trickle down my forehead. I put a finger to my head expecting blood but no such luck. To put the seal on my day that wicked creature had just defecated on my head. Some luck and I never did see David Tennant!
Camilla Plekker
Age:20
The subway reminds me of being in france, where i saw loads of really ugly mice on the tracks, which reminded me of my mouse called Mozeltof which i had in South Africa. I also remember seeing a dead mouse carcass hanging in a tree which reminded me of the bird called a Shrike, who hangs its prey until it dies, (which is where the pigeon comes in)...Couldn't think of anything about pigeons except that i don't like them very much.
Kyle Donnachie
Age:22
A pigeon stole a mouse from PC World (because pigeons can't buy things), it was flying over the subway and dropped it down the stairs when it realised it wasn't a real mouse.
Fiona McMichael
Age: 20
- I took the subway to go buy a mouse for my computer and on the way i accidentally trod on a pigeon.
Matthew Flemming
Age:20
A mouse eats a pigeon because it's too small to get up the stairs to Subway (The sandwich shop).
To small to get up the stairs? How could the mouse ever eat the pigeon?
Well he's really hungry :)
But pigeons can fly!
Yeah, but this mouse is sneaky...he's called Tiptoes...ironically though, he's not tall enough to get up the stairs to subway.
How does Tiptoes get the pigeon then if he's on the stairs?
Well, you see! He was actually at the bottom of the Subway stairs, contemplating on whether to get the Texas Fried Chicken Panini.
Anne Flemming
Age:46
Pigeon - Trafalgar Square, feels sorry for them because you see a few with crippled feet.
Mouse - Surfing the net
Subway - Thinks of some exciting city such as, London, New York, Paris...people commuting to work.
Dorothy Donnachie
Age: 50
One day last spring whilst I was sitting by my open window I watched in mounting horror as a large overfed pigeon with a distinctly menacing look in its beady eye flew straight into my room, took a few hectic circles around the furniture before finally landing, or to be more accurate positively pouncing upon the computer mouse on the table by the door. At this point I should probably make it clear that I am not a bird lover and pigeons I dislike especially. I wanted the beast out of my room and fast. I didn't want to touch it and I couldn't find any neighbours at home that afternoon to assist so I found a large shopping back, threw it over pigeon and mouse before firmly fastening it at the top.
I raced down the stairs and out the front door of my flat almost running straight into my best friend who had been on her way to visit me. She was breathless and excited and in a jumble of words and shrieks told me that an episode of "Dr Who" was being filmed at that very moment in my local underground station just around the corner. Completely forgetting the purpose of leaving my flat and the undesirable content of my shopping bag I raced at full pelt in the direction of a certain David Tennant. We arrived at the station and ignoring the sign informing us regretfully that the station was closed and apologising for the inconvenience this was causing us we hurried towards the escalator. It was not functioning but we were not to be deterred so easily. We began our descent but after only a few steps I became aware of a nasty scrabbling noise in my bag. I looked down and saw with horror a beak and then a head emerging from it. I shrieked and then shrieked again when I saw that the beast was making off with my mouse.
It was all a bit confusing after that. There was a lot of wing flapping, and then unaccountably the escalator coughed into life. The unexpected movement pitched my friend and I headlong but fortunately we got tangled up with one another and didn't fall too far. Two large men then appeared and insisted on escorting us back out of the station. Just as we reached the exit I heard those dreaded wings again quite close above me and then felt a sharp pain as an object struck my head before bouncing on to the ground. My computer mouse. I felt a warm trickle down my forehead. I put a finger to my head expecting blood but no such luck. To put the seal on my day that wicked creature had just defecated on my head. Some luck and I never did see David Tennant!
Camilla Plekker
Age:20
The subway reminds me of being in france, where i saw loads of really ugly mice on the tracks, which reminded me of my mouse called Mozeltof which i had in South Africa. I also remember seeing a dead mouse carcass hanging in a tree which reminded me of the bird called a Shrike, who hangs its prey until it dies, (which is where the pigeon comes in)...Couldn't think of anything about pigeons except that i don't like them very much.
The Culture of Design
Chapter 4- "The Consumption of Design" seems to reinforce a lot of Barthes ideas of design. It begins by discussing how designers have to consider their environment, social issues and culture. Even this been researched it is impossible for designers to create something which will be appriciated by everyone. It is to be understood that society have a constant compulsion to establish a strong identity of self.
still to type up...
still to type up...
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