Web Site

www.victoriareynolds.com

Essay

My essay question is;

Is our history of technology design having an adverse effect on its future? Is our rate of progress being slowed by our dependency on tradition and convention?

I originally got the interest in the changing of designs from the 20th century to the present day, I am interested in design after the second world war and during the cold war, how was development of technology politically motivated? This goes way back to January when I went to the V & A Museum. I also found the rise of the 1990's interesting, the way in which products were designed were also effected by huge advances in technology. Also the huge communicative power in design was recognised from anti-consumerism, AIDS and environmental activists.

I have researched old quotes and footage from the 1950's to see what predications were made back then and too see how far we have come with those in the 21st century:

I wanted to look at why these things like some shown in this clip have not come about yet, have countries such as Japan who are the lead in future design had to stop designing due to not enough sales. I was interested in the development of technology such as telephones, home computer and television from the early days to now.

The difference in the design process, for example the discovery of streamlining which is significant to the shell and style of today's technology. Why designers design the way they do today, the problems they face such as products that don't work as mentioned in Don Norman's Book - the Design of Everyday Things. Also John Heskett's book - Industrial Design took a look at why designs were made and how this applies to today. John Maeda - Laws of Simplicity and Product Design by Graeme Vickers helped me understand how important it is to sell a product if it is kept simple. I was interested to research the marketing and advertisement changes from the past such as computer games.

The final part of the essay, I researched robots and how technology today communicates with us, do we feel comfortable with that. Technology today is starting to develop personalities such as AIBO, ASIMO, Roomba as well as NeCoRo and Actroids:

John Rimmer

Really enjoyed his talk, he spoke about the design and psychology behind it which is fantastic as this is what I was wanting to do for my dissertation. Talked alot about how can we move from physical to digital for example having books on your shelf makes an impression, websites such as facebook are recognising these aspects. I copied his PowerPoint presentation and he recommended a book called Jacob Nielson - Usability and a text book called Interactive Design also Donald Norman's Design of Everyday Things.

Talked and showed us alot of badly designed objects/machines that were quite funny. Definitely will be looking more at his stuff for my dissertation.

Saraphina Anderson

Saraphina came into see us in the afternoon to show us her work me, myself and I. Seraphina is an artist who, at present does not make any money from her work. Her work involves looking at her inner most feelings and simply showing it through video. I thought it was quite a brave thing to do and also quite unsettling. I didn't feel too comfortable watching the work but I can understand why she is interested in that side of art. Showing your vulnerable and highly emotional side through your work is quite a difficult thing to do.

Character Ideas

I got inspiration off drawings on the internet and cartoons such as Grumpy and Donald. I Like Hitchcock's face it looks super grumpy and his face shape is right. I have this image in my head of the old typical looking grump. I suppose that would come from Scrooge.

I want to add sound into my animation but only through small things like burping, slight movement like scratching head, slurping out of a glass. I would like there to be a song in the background such as Ackerbilk - Stranger on the shore. This was my Dad's favourite song and the more I animate this character he reminds me more and more of him maybe sub-consciously that is who I am basing him on, this is what I have created in Illustrator:

I've discovered a great website for sound http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/


This site was where I got my clock tic sound and rain and slurp, in fact all of my sounds. It's a great website but you can't register with a hotmail account.

Character Ideas

Ok, work has been a major pain. They have decided to have the busiest winter I have ever experienced in my time there which is great for the most important year!!. Oh well with all the set backs I am still staying focused. My aim is PMA Positive Mental Attitude. I shout that to myself everyday...very loudly so I hear it. Find that helps. So when I am not working I am at home eating peanut butter sandwiches and working on my character project. My friends will call and say are you coming out...before they finish the sentance I say NO NOT TILL JUNE!. Although I did venture to Mark Little Talent Contest a while ago and after my friends getting over the star struck thing (god knows why!) proceded to drink too much wine and heckled my way through the performances. Was quite good to see how performing arts students do their stuff.

Anyway how does that relate to character animation well as Micheal put it isn't Mark Little a character!!, that and all the other character's that performed. I actually got some inspiration from there. That being my character will daydream off into the moonlight thinking of himself playing the clarinet on stage.

I know what I want my character to look like. He will have a huge nose, grey hair, will wear, vest and shorts be very pasty white and a grumpy old sod. As he is going to be a pub landlord he will smoke and drink obviously. Although he is a grumpy old git he will be a sensitive soul too. Inspiration comes from these characters and especially Al Murray. Although mainly my experiences with landlords.

D & AD

Reading through the lots and lots of brief ideas I am torn between choosing one for illustration and advertising or one for animation. Animation would mean I can use flash again and I am just getting into that since my last project. The briefs that currently interest me are Nando's as I like the style of the current website. It comes across as very cosmopolitan. I was also thinking of keeping things simple and choosing a travel brief such as lastminute.com and Virgin, although neither mention that an airport or travel stuff need to be included.

My mind is going more and more towards the animation brief though. It is for a character animation of your choice of not more that 20 to 60 seconds. It explains that you should concentrate on animating it's personality as opposed to just focusing on the look of the character. It can be based on yourself or someone you know or simply fictional. I did a few mind bubbles and came up with various characters I have met over the years. Thinking of people I work with past and present. What traits do they possess, what annoys me about them or what do I like about them. Thinking of all these things I came up with an idea of a grumpy bloke. There was once a pub I worked in, I only lasted one night mainly because of the man who ran the place. He was obnoxious, rude and very loud when talking to his staff, to the customers it was a different matter. I have been back since and being a customer ( he doesn't recognise me anymore), it was a totally different story, I saw a totally different side to him, noticed how much the pub meant to him, it was his life and he put all his energy into that, quite humbling.



I'd like to maybe bring two sides of a character out. One side to be grumpy, fed up with his job, getting old and a more day dreamer side. I spoke with Linzi who came second in the D & AD awards last year. I showed her three storyboard ideas one based on the evolution of dance (above). Really like this clip very funny. I was thinking of animating my own character to different music. The other clip was based on a idea whilst I was out in a bar a few weeks ago, the camera basically acts as the character's eye and the only time you see the character is when she looks in a mirror or through a reflection in the window, problem with this was it didn't fully answer the brief. My final idea was the landlord slob and he smokes, drinks, fed up but wishes he had done something else with his life.

Week without the Others!!!

Well I thought it would be a great time to catch up on any outstanding work and although my progress was not as good as it should have been I did go up to London to the Victoria and Albert Museum to see some exhibitions. The reason I went was because I saw and advert for an exhibition of Illustrator Awards. I did however find some other interesting stuff here I will show you.

This exhibition demonstrated many different pieces from the 16th to 18th century, the image here was the most expensive and important item in the dinner service. It had become an essential element of the very grandest English dining tables by the 1730's and remained a focus for inventive design throughout the 18th century.

I also looked at some old paintings that included alot of people, landscape and movement. There were not many paintings of objects as there are today.

Next exhibition was from 19th and 20th centuries. Firstly the 19th century; Ideas about design have been transmitted in many different ways, by word of mouth, on paper and by the objects themselves.

Official concern about the quality of design grew during the 19th century. Following the Great Exhibition held in London in 1851, exhibitions and exhibits from many different nations were increasingly seen as a means of informing designers, manufacturers and the buying public on matters of design as well as being seen as a way of stimulating production.

Some posters were included here but unfortunately did not come out very well some were held in Paris in 1925. It gave special prominence to the decorative arts. It reasserted France of the definitive venue for the artist-decorators' style which combined elements of the historic and exotic with the bright colours and angular forms of contemporary painting. The style subsequently acquired from the title of this exhibition, the name Art Deco.


Exotism - a term applied to design implies an interest in appropriating the otherness (now labelled Art-Deco) of distant lands, including the unexplored territory of the designer;s sub-conscious. Present in the picture below was used between 1920 and 1940. These influences can be used in many ways including:

through form, that is through the shapes of objects as in the jar.

through subject matter, as in scenes or things associated with distant parts or in surreal combinations and settings.

through techniques and materials, that is through ways of making derived from other cultures.

Surrealism, an international movement of the 1920 and 30's involving all arts.



Furniture and radios from 1900's, funnily enough most of these are sold in high streets for a rather expensive price. Seems style is being recycled.





The exhibitions also gave information on inspiration for designers and how we extinguish art from craft and craft from product design.

For example the greater speed with which machines work can influence design in a direction compatible with machine production. Their relationship with craftsman has been complex. One hand machines can reduce the drudgery of production, on the other they can stifle individual self expression. While machines themselves do not cause the division of labour, their management has often encouraged it.


With the 1990's influence coming from the above it was interesting to see the transition. Many of the designs in this exhibition I related to, maybe that is because I remember them so vividly or because modernism is my thing. I remember in the 90's shrinking crisp bags under the fire and selling them at school as badges. Bizzare I know but the fascination with logo's becomes clear here.

Rona Innes

Discussed the Colour Wheel , the idea came from Isaac Newton. He split colours. Bauhaus Museum in Germany work with colour.

There are various colour wheels, primary (general colours), secondary (formed by mixing primary) and Tertiary (formed by mixing both).

Primary colours clash and are generally avoided unless hints and shades are used.

Analogous Colours are complimentary i.e. opposite each other on the colour wheel. Vermeer used vivid complimentary colours. Guild Wars Concept art have good shadow colours. Don't use loads of colours - stick to a palette. Good idea is to get a palette from a photo of nature just eye drop it and there is your palette.

Colour Schemes:

Monochromatic
Analogous
Complementary
Triadic

www.colourlovers.com

Layout basics:

Don't use more than two fonts, less colours you use the better and in two different shades. Bauhaus rules style typography and design. The Bauhaus logo is very cool!.

Watch out for font size, white space is generally good.

Grids:

Form a grid to help put your page together. placing the centre of interest: commonly used are the rule of golden thirds.

Diagonal Rule:

Lines that are horizontal or flat tend to be peaceful and reduce excitement in the photo. Diagonal gives feeling of action or excitement. Russian Propaganda show action.

Other websites:

www.http://tiny.cc/q8Had

Luciana Haill

Luciana's thing is how the brain works, she discovered her interest while she was ill in hospital and was staring at this strange equipment and now makes cyber dreams into reality utilising medical biofeedback technology. San Francisco scene inspired her and she bought a second hand IBVA (device that uses brainwaves to control visuals and sounds), this device can send signals to macs but she pointed out she is not a programmer. Travelling to Venice inspired her too in particular Miriko Mori, a New Yorker/Japanse Artist, Mariko had a credited input on the famous Minority report.

She has been to the Steim in Amsterdam. Advised us to look for Bio tracking in Brighton. People in Sweden created Brainwave and it works best when relaxed. She works alot with sound and has just done a tour around the UK. futureofsound.org also google lucianabrain.

People who buy it, has alot to do with hypnotherapy, lots of pop groups and artist buy it.

Sega has done a deal so in the future there will be games which involve ECG.

IBVA.co.uk and Institute of Unnecessary research.

Rona Innes

Really helpful talk today about physical computing. A book she recommended was Dan O'Sullivan - Physical Thinking. Rona brought in some Arduino boards to show us. We could purchased these over the internet. A website called www.wiring-org.co.uk tells the user how to connect these wires to the computer and to flash.

PHYSICAL COMPUTING


Stelarc (Australian performance artist): http://www.stelarc.va.com.au/


http://wiring.org.co/ Wiring boards
http://processing.org/ Processing
http://www.arduino.cc/ Arduino boards
http://www.nastypixel.com/instantsoup Flash Physical Computing



CONTROLLING FLASH WITH A WIIMOTE

Windows
http://wiiflash.bytearray.org/?p=52

Mac
http://screenfashion.org/releases/motedaemon/



WEBCAM INPUT


http://www.setpixel.com/ -digital art project using webcams

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/articles/webcam_motion.html -good starting point, Adobe webcam capture tutorial

http://www.neuroproductions.be/portfolio/misc/webcam_tutorial - good starting point - Flash webcam games


MICROPHONE INPUT


http://www.kirupa.com/developer/actionscript/microphone.htm -controlling Flash animations using the microphone

http://imm.sheridanc.on.ca/imm2004/chin/tutorial/ -blowing grass


http://www.nastypixel.com/prototype/?page_id=73 -webcam motion detection
http://www.nastypixel.com/prototype/?page_id=86 -Gesture controlling Google Earth

http://gskinner.com/blog/archives/2005/08/flash_8_webcam.html -snowstorm & game etc

http://members.westnet.com.au/lmwan/projects.html - Wan's webcam experiments

http://www.protozoo.com/?p=179 - generate and pop bubbles

http://www.discombo.co.uk/cam-experiments.htm - cupid game etc


http://www.webcamtastic.com/ -webcam goo


http://www.extendedreality.com/webcam_games_info.html - eyetoys type games - Eyekanoid etc
http://cam.playdo.com/default.htm


FLASH WEBCAM INPUT BASICS


http://www.adobe.com/support/flash/action_scripts/actionscript_dictionary/actionscript_dictionary817.html

http://livedocs.adobe.com/flash/8/main/wwhelp/wwhimpl/common/html/wwhelp.htm?context=LiveDocs_Parts&file=00001942.html _bitmap data

http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/tutorials/fla8at_cameraobj/ -making a video box


TROUBLE SHOOTING: Not getting a webcam feed?

This issue is most common for systems with several video drivers. After making sure that you have a working webcam plugged into your computer, try this:

1. Right click on the flash application.
2. Click on 'Settings...'.
3. Click on the tab with the camera icon.
4. Choose the appropriate camera driver.

For Mac users, your choice would likely be 'USB Video Class Video' or 'IIDC FireWire Video'.

I really liked the idea of using an interactive web camera or a microphone.

More thinking

Recently all I have been thinking about is interaction obviously. What can I do my project on? I need a theme. I have been using loads of tutorials at home in flash. Some may say this is the wrong way round, maybe they would say get your idea first then concentrate on the output but I have to be confident I can use the programme before I can get out of my depth.

The main problem is the theme. I want the user to navigate the person around a room, not sure which room yet. I also wanted to design an interactive web site. This obviously needs more thought. More reading is a necessity as I missed a couple of the discussions in class about the text.

Ellie Rees

Ellie talked to us about her interest in fine art with a touch of clasiical music and drama background. She emalgamted these aspects together and showed us some videos she made. Her first main influence was the Radiohead video No Surprises other influences included William Wegman, Maria McGramovich, Martha Rosla, Sylvia Plath - The day of the 24 cakes. Sophie Calle. She has a very theatrical approach to her work with a huge interest in opera. The first video was with James Redwood - a musician with whom she did a synchrinised musical piece with their toothbrushes. 

Another piece she did was including her interest in pop music and it was an Elton John classic. She had her arm in a coat pretending to be a man and another arm pretending to be a woman. She likes unedited film.

Discussions in class

Discussions about Interactivity, Beyond Inclusion, Interactivity is a tautology?? We discussed Marshall, Cybernetics and covered surveillance. Talked about Beyond Inclusion explaining how the users are becoming the actor. The users of new media are becoming the content of form. Points raised were how are we immersed into this media world. Are people more aware of the way media manipulates people. Do we feel that TV shows like Lost are a bad thing?.

Some websites in which we looked at for inspiration, this was an idea from Dan just to really start us off and see what floats the boat. Really good one was Tokyo-Plastic others were:

http://www.neonbible.com/
http://www.box10.com/
http://www.samorost2.com/
www.multiplication.com/interactive_games.htm
www.ferryhalim.com/original/g3/spider.htm
http://www.vansowerwine.com/
http://www.hoogerbrugge.com/
http://www.creaktif.com/
http://www.youthedesigner.com/
http://www.korn.com/

I really want to do a website for this project that interacts. I spoke to Dan about my idea of an interactive flash site but he did explain that I need to think of a theme and an end result - what is the purpose of it?. I am interested in Red Interactive agency - http://www.ff0000.com/. I love the way this site is so interactive and so addictive - with that I mean it keeps me hooked something Dan mentioned I should remember. The user doesn't want to be bored. Another website was http://www.feedthehead.net/ also love http://www.hoogerbrugge.com/. Like their whacky style but still kept the look clean.

Interaction project

Mike Blow

Mike spoke to the class on Monday 26th November about Physical Computing, examples like museum exhibits i.e. walking towards something and voice starts. and walking into a room and saying lights which come on.

We talked about Affordance which is an offered way of using something e.g. a handle to pick up a cup. Ergonomics designing things for us to interact with. Multi-touch like Tenon-on, Jazz Mutant, Graphic tablets, Microphones, remotes etc. also links to the way we play the guitar for example.

We looked at sensors like switches to pressure pad. Certain sensor names may include: Proximity that tells you where something is, PIR like a security sensor. Light sensors for example street lamps. Sound sensors in microphones, hydrophones (underwater), accelerometers, vibration. Infrasound this is used in haunted houses.

Analog and Digital input and output

• Analog Signal, continuously varying in level, non-discrete e.g. photoresistor.
• Digital Signal, only two levels, discrete e.e. switch

Output

Some devices can be controlled directly from the output board others like motors need circuits. Anything can be controlled electrically like LED's, lights, buzzers, sounds, smells, air, playback and household appliances.

Sarah Strickett

Sarah started her talk off from the very beginning, she was extremely honest which I admired her for. The film that she reallt aspres to is Close Encounters of a Third kind. Others were Journey to the Moon and Monty Python. She loved David Bowie especially Ashes to Ashes and Terry Gillian producer of Brazil. A pointer she made was to look up JIBJAB. Her website is http://www.sasskid.co.uk/. She showed a couple of her movies the favourite of hers had some snipets from the "White as the come" film, the original dracula movie also she had her friend perform as a mad guy. Many animations and lots of After Effects used. A video she showed was from Chris Shepard whom is her main influence at the moment. She mentioned she worked on 2DTV and Have I got News for You. Her advice to us was:

• Keep sketchbooks


• Listen to music


• Look at CD covers


• Take pictures


• Go to exhibitions


• Go to student shows


• See films


• Look online......One dot zero, resfast.

I really liked her work. We had a chat afterwards and because I was thinking of doing film at this point she mentioned I may want to look at Chris Cunningham or Sophie Calle.

Idea-Generating Exercises

What traditional ritual have you participated in, or are aware of, that reminds you in some way of an interactive narrative? What is it about this ritual that you think is like a computerized interactive experience?

-I was thinking of daily rituals such as eating, drinking, sleeping, waking up, going to sleep, needing food, needing excerise, needing social interaction. I thought of The Sims which covers all of these aspects and makes the user interact with the character. Also made me think of our need to socialise as a ritual and this could also lead to xbox racing games where you can connect to the internet and have conversations and play with other people on-line.

What game or sport have you played that you think could be adapted to a work of interactive entertainment? What would remain the same, what would have to be changed and in what way?

As a runner I was thinking of a game which involved a treadmill like in the gym but in a virtual room so while running there is something to look at and also some kind of shooting game. The treadmill would have to remain the same but the environment in which it is in would change obviously, a room with three screens one at the front and two either side maybe.

What work of traditional storytelling (a novel, a play, a movie, or even a comic book) have you read or seen that contains a narrative technique that could be applied to a work of digital entertainment? What is this technique, and how could it be used?


Can you think of any work of traditional entertainment (poem, short story, novel, play, movie, TV show etc.) that breaks the "fourth wall"? Describe how the fourth wall is broken in this work. Could the fourth wall be broken in a similar way in an interactive work? Why or why not?

....and finally

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My idea is to emphasize the fact all these low-cost carriers are trying to find new ways of getting passengers and at the same time making more money but with attractive price offers. The new add-on war with these airlines is apparant.

The other day when I was on a flight I remember an old lady saying to me, "I remember all those years ago when things were free and seats were bigger". It started to occur to me that it is more and more unlikely we will be going back to those days especially as population grows. With airlines pushing their staff to sell sell sell and advertisements spread all over national newspapers and airports it is clear that the competition is fierce.

As the seats in economy are pretty standard across the board and for years the economy passenger has been lumbered with the same old seat, I am proposing to make the seat a better place to be. A better entertainment system, internet, massage for legs to prevent DVT. A system on the aircraft that will store your information from e-ticket and this will also enable you to order items from your seat at ease as the system keeps the credit card details.

All these extras will be of-course add ons to be more appealing to this particular market.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/may/10/theairlineindustry.travel

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/23/npopulation423.xml

Update

It's been a while I know. I have been busy researching and finding ways I can make this idea work. I spoke with several engineers at Monarch and we chatted about the likelyhood of the new Nasa aircraft they suggested not and with future developments we have already seen the new Boeing 787 and Airbus 380 with engines that are taking more cost 20 percent more fuel efficient. As the States are trying to phase out oil as the prices have now gone up to $100 per barrel. This year alone we are using 80m barrels a day and they predict in 2030 we will need 116m barrels per day. Although some suggest that because the cost will be just too high we will find other ways instead of oil (Newsnight 8/11).

With Hydrogen fuel in high talks in the future it looks as though flying will be as accessible as ever. The idea of creating a new aircraft with faster engines and better for the environment appears already to have been done, I spoke to Captain Jason Newton at Monarch and he pointed me in the direction of the Blended Wing.



Another Engineer pointed out that because average commercial aircraft engines can only take 1200 degrees centigrade of heat from the engines, more and more they are wanting to use ceramics like Nasa use for their shuttles.

My idea seems to have taken a back seat as I was hoping I was the first to have thought of it! Although I must say I have enjoyed my journey so far. My tables are tured back to the interior of the plane.

Monday 15 October

After listening to Dan's talk I wandered off to the library for some more inspiration. I looked at the New Scientist and also The Economist. I got a couple of Computer Arts magazines out. Spoke to Dan about 3D animation for a plane and he advised after effects. I also mentioned my ideas about quicker air travel, found another link for Branson's quotes on half an hour to Sydney. Could I expand on that, I think so.

http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:km_kuT4_rYMJ:mgproductions.com/articles/ET0507-BransonProfile.pdf+richard+branson+half+hour+to+sydney&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=uk&client=firefox-a