Ditto Part 2

2/12/14

The workshop consisted of a crit in our groups from last time, we where discussing our research plan. 

I didn't really have anything different from the last workshop, and I was a little confused with what we where being asked to show/do.

However after we had been around everyones ideas I found that there where some really good ideas that where different but simple. 

I think that listening to others helped me understand what the brief was about, and what I needed to do. 

For next time I need to have my research method !

I need to have it written down as a diagram, and know how it would work for any brief. 

I need to name it and maybe give it an illustration or an icon almost like a logo/brand. 

Ditto

Ditto

Thinking about how you approach your work, (methods)

Influenced by
Goth & Punk music, 80s Horror Films, Rave 'Free Parties' 
Answer Me magazine (also influenced Vice)

At RCA became the editor of ARC Magazine

Likes what graphic design can do, communicate a story

Considers the audience
made FUN Magazine as a hobby was allowed to do what he wanted visually and content wise.
the last two issues have had 62 pages + 
it was distributed by American Apparel but was told off by the police for some of its content and so they stopped distributing it. 

Worked for VICE magazine, (at the time there where only 3 designers, 4 advertisers not like the many people that work there today) 

Worked there as a freelance and did photo-journalism pieces, and Andy Capper was very definite in the editing process. 
Did his own photography and own writing 
said it was an amazing experience, but didn't enjoy having somebody else tell him what to do.

In his final year at RCA made a book called Grobisce, where he went to Slovenia and looked into the cover up of the mass graves which is suppressed in all of Europe ( around fifty years ago, after WW2, the biggest massacre since then) 
On the project he took around 2-3000 images
photocopies in stacks of archives
interviewed 20-30 people
A big political issue within Slovenia

This was his first ever self made book to be published, big experience but not exactly in a good way, many restrictions etc. 

And so this led him to create his own publishing company - Ditto

And within this company they sought to use the risograph for its reproducing techniques, colour and aesthetic and cost effective production. 

Now have galleries, bookshops, but all revolves around publishing
But due to business expansion finds little to no time to actually design anymore as he always is ensuring others can and the business is working. 

They aimed to make the risograph a process 
but believes in using the appropriate print technique for the job

80% of the work is printing for others
20% Publishing

Printing- physically printing something out
Publishing- Producing, Distributing,

Ditto Studio: Part 1

The Brief: 

Task is to develop your own research methodology and find a way to communicate it.
Develop a clear and defined way of looking at the world, filtering it and editing what you find to fit your interests and working practice. 
Well considered and useful outcome

Firstly I thought about:

How would I answer a brief?

Usually I would: 

get the brief
see what the topic of the brief is about briefly by searching on the internet 'Literature Search'
Highlight keywords/ phrases
look into these words, related imagery, see how far the word goes
research further into the context, history etc
find more visuals via books journals online
devise concepts
begin sketching/ thinking about initial ideas 
decide concepts, decide mediums production methods 
continue development 
digitise
further experimentation digitally 
print 
crit 
further refinements, back to digital stage 
print final

I think that I like to look at the words and language of a brief I like to research into thier meanings and what else can be associated with a word, where it comes from its context, the context itself. 


I would say I tend to look at more qualitative research, and this is from a secondary source. 


context
noun: context; plural noun: contextsthe circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood."the proposals need to be considered in the context of new European directives"

synonyms:

circumstances, conditions, surroundings, factors, state of affairs; More

the parts of something written or spoken that immediately precede and follow a word or passage and clarify its meaning."skilled readers use context to construct meaning from words as they are read"

Thoughts on a new methodology,
use words/phrases find words associated, find their meaning further association,
cultural and historical contexts, and their meaning. Links.



Crit with Ben

moodboards
spider diagrams/mind maps -- both obvious forms of researching, how could you push these traditional ideas, find alternative ways of doing them. 

conversations with people
photos/ photoessay, use them don't just take pictures , get a colour palette from them etc
breaking things down into smaller details
using boundaries i.e. time boundaries can force you to make decisions quickly and interestingly. 

with my idea word association can lead you to an interesting place but the audience may not understand what its about as they haven't got the same thought process. Keep it relevant.

Coming up with a name or title for the method can really define the idea. 


I think by the next session I need to really define my method and explore how I could make it different, and really consider what I look at in a brief.