LCC MAGD 2015

DESIGN LITERACY
UNIT 1.1
WERONIKA RAFA
TABLE
OF
CONTENT
XX XX XX XX

hyperlinks
PB - Workshop with Paul Bailey
TC - Workshop with Tony Credland
VP - Workshop with Vanessa Price
E - Creative Experiment
SR - Secondary Research
T - Table of Content
XX - Other Related Content
beginning secondary experimental secondary
interactive features the research: method: research:
- Slideshow exploration psychology visualisation installations

experiment: first workshop: second workshop: secondary secondary secondary

first design writerly research: research: research:
impressions and media readers graphic design figurativity linguistics

classification: third workshop: defining contextual contextual

experimental
idiom towards the key framework: framework:
method
typologies strangeness problems organisation connections

the experimental adopting experimental experimental experimental

research work: the right method: method: method:
question techniques methodology addition subtraction multiplication

experimental experimental experimental methodology: questions,

emethod: method: method: evaluation of doubts, references
division substitution substitution the methods ambiguity
BEGINNING Having been interested in social
psychology, I focused on developing
THE the research inspired by the areas
EXPLORATION outside of graphic design. My initial
approach was to explore scientific
T SR1 SR2 E theories of love and interpersonal
attraction. The intention was to
translate this data into the language
of graphic design. However, when
concentrate solely on interpersonal
attraction, which is the potential
defining the key area of exploration, beginning of the romantic relation.
I found out the chosen topic to be
more complex than I had expected.
This context was to inspire the whole
journey, presented in this document.
Understanding that lead me to
narrow the focus of my research and
SECONDARY Before enjoying experimental work
I needed to familiarise myself with
RESEARCH: the theoretical knowledge about
PSYCHOLOGY the subject. This process started
from investigating psychological
T E1 E2 sources about love and attraction
and collecting web articles, which
could become useful during later
What I found intriguing were the
systematic, precise explanations of
stages of the research. These sources a subject so emotional as love. At
helped me to distinguish different
causes of interpersonal attraction
that point, social science reminded
me about the process of design.
and the behaviour related to them.

Aronson, E., Wilson, T.D.

and Akert, R.M. (2004)
Wojciszke, B. (1994)
EXPERIMENTAL These simple, visual representations
of the causes of interpersonal
METHOD: attraction were the direct outcome
VISUALISATION of my psychological research. When
making them, I wanted to organize
T SR all the information I had read about.
Such minimalistic, achromatic way
of presentation was chosen to
were not essential to the overall
development. However, they helped
balance the emotional complexity me to remember the data collected
of the content. Reflecting on the
eventual shape of my research, I
during my psychological investigation.
must admit these representations
 SECONDARY Looking at the areas correlated with
graphic design, I was interested
suggestive and their interpretation
depends on the viewer. With a
image of a kissing couple.
Reviewing what I had found,
RESEARCH: in the typographic installations subject so intimate as attraction I noticed that the strongest visual
INSTALLATIONS with emotionally charged content.
I chose to examine words instead
I believe it is better to relate it to
one’s personal experience rather than
statements were also the simplest.
I have a feeling that this reflection
T SR E of images because they are more attack people with a conventional will influence the future of my work.

Smith, S. (2007) Knotek, A. (2009/2012) Eades and Bergman (2013) Serviceplan (2011)
Osborne, J. (2009) Laurette, M. (2010) Lévêque, C. (1992)
EXPERIMENT: Meeting more than 30 people at
once made me think of the meaning
First Table Top Exhibition I decided
to make a layered, typographic
was right then when I started to
play with the concepts of meaning,
FIRST behind the first impression. I was installation inspired by these thoughts. layers and uncertainty. This was
IMPRESSIONS wondering how important it is and
when is the moment the impression
Although it was not understood,
I consider it an important part of
about to develop during the
latter phases of my research.
T SR1 SR2 XX changes into judgement. For MAGD my process. Strangely enough, it
1ST WORKSHOP: The workshop with Tony Credland
pushed me to become more involved
DESIGN in the general state of affairs. I believe
AND MEDIA in socially conscious graphic design,
so the idea behind the workshop
T E was something I could identify
with. Manipulating the narrative
of a story focused my attention on
fact that we don’t question them.
With my work I would like to
the way the media present their encourage the others to do just that:
content. I feel the problem here lies
not only in the messages we are
to question the familiar and reflect on
what we are being presented with.
given, as consumers, but also the
2ND WORKSHOP: The workshop with Vanessa Price
explored the values of connotation
investigation. What was important to
learn was that the meaning isn’t in
That piece of information makes
it worthy to choose an abstract
WRITERLY and denotation, through word and the image itself, but is brought to it by research question, because then
READERS image associations. Although I didn’t
realise it then, it was to become one
the reader. This means that everything,
from cultural codes to personality, is
you can’t control the influence you
make and it’s more of an adventure.
T SR1 SR2 XX of the key reference points of my own valid when interpreting the message.
 SECONDARY Although both described workshops
involved visual material, I could
RESEARCH: relate them to typographic designs.
GRAPHIC DESIGN The examples here show the ways
to question and manipulate the
connotated vocabulary (VP). At
that point of the research I was
designers approach the issue proved
to me that there is much to explore
experimenting with typographic within the meaning of the words
representations of culturally
coded expressions about love
and expressions we use everyday.

T TC VP E message (TC) while using emotionally and attraction. Seeing how other

Sourpuss (2015) Doloko, S. (2009) Evans, D. Yes Massa-Bidal, S. (2011) Swee Lim, H. (2012)
Wordboner (2011) Make misteaks Luffman, J. (2009) You are what you eat
SECONDARY Since my initial approach, centered
around psychology, the investigation
RESEARCH: progressed into linguistic direction,
FIGURATIVITY with strong focus on semantics. I
used the knowledge of interpersonal
T SR1 SR2 XX attraction to gather the body of the
needed figurative expressions. The
criteria of selection were based on
exploration angle, I would say it was
a gradual progression. After all, if
my subjective interpretation of the I hadn’t learnt about the psychological
expressions and the psychological
data I had collected earlier. Having
theories, I wouldn’t have been able
to collect the relevant expressions.
to critically review the change of the

English Idioms & Idiomatic

Expressions (2015)
Glucksberg, S. (2014)
The Idiom Connection (2015)
SECONDARY Because of the slight shift of the
research focus, I had to understand
RESEARCH: the terminology associated with
LINGUISTICS my new contextual framework,
that is: the figurative expressions
Working with linguistics proved
to be challenging, because the
On the other hand, the way
I’m describing these terms right
terminology was often open to now fits nicely with the linguistic
interpretation. Specifically, the
definitions of idiom, proverb and
ambiguity they refer to.

T VP SR1 SR2 about interpersonal attraction. idiomatic expression were fluid.

click on these shapes

se·man·tics noun \si-’man-tiks\

prag·mat·ics noun \prag-’ma-tiks\
: the study of the meanings of words and phrases in language
: a branch of semiotics that deals with the relation between
SEMANTICS
: the meanings of words and phrases in a particular context PRAGMANTICS
signs or linguistic expressions and their users

: a branch of semiotic dealing with the relations between signs : a branch of linguistics that is concerned with the relationship
and what they refer to and including theories of denotation, of sentences to the environment in which they occur
extension, naming, and truth

lin·guis·tics noun \li’-’gwis-tiks\

id·i·om noun \’i-dē-’m\
: an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its
LINGUISTICS
: the study of language and of the way languages work IDIOM
separate words but that has a separate meaning of it’s own

: the study of human speech including the units, nature, structure,

: a form of a language that is spoken in a particular area and that
and modification of language
uses some of its own words, grammar, and pronunciations
CLASSIFICATION: Once I felt comfortable with
differentiating the separate areas of
according to semantics (meaning),
pragmatics (intention) and lexicology
many of the expressions contained
indirect judgements. This discovery
IDIOM linguistics, I used them to organise (words). The grouping revealed convinces me that there is the need
TYPOLOGIES the body of idioms I had previously
gathered. The 3 classifications,
certain patterns in the formation
of romantic idioms. What I found
to further explore and question
the semantics of those phrases.
T SR1 E1 E2 showed below, were made interesting, yet concerning, was how

these can be enlarged

Resolution of these pictures enables
their enlargement up to 300%
without the loss of quality.
EXPERIMENTAL To be honest, I was doubtful during
the investigation. Intuitively, I felt
point, not even mentioning to
choose the right methodology
complicated. Nonetheless, I didn’t
want to reshape my investigation
METHOD: there was a connection between to explore the subject through and settle for something simpler.
GEINTTG LSOT interpersonal attraction and
figurative speech, but I wasn’t
graphic design. The ambiguous
nature of what I had chosen to work
T PB XX XX able to contextualise it at that with made the process even more
3RD WORKSHOP: During the workshop with Paul
Bailey we discussed how do graphic
TOWARDS designers explore uncertainties of
STRANGENESS the grey areas. Reflecting on those
issues today I can state that this was
T the turning point of my research. As
grey areas I understand ambiguous,
layered content, with place for
content. It took me some time to
reach this conclusion, but after I did,
interpretation, exploration, risk, but it all slowly started to make sense.
also chaos and doubts. Graphic design
inspired by that is conceptually driven, The issues related to the workshop:
with the form complementing the

COGNITIVE OPENNESS
[acceptance for what is new and
different, having the courage and
willingness to explore, respect
for the other point of view]
GREY AREAS
AXIAL THINKING
[exploration of what is ambiguous
and not clearly defined, conceptual, [exploration of different possibilities,creating the new content,
uncertain, in opposition to defined, searching in diverse directions, treating mistakes as part of
yet limited categorisation for black and the process, using new methods of the investigation]
white]

made during the workshop: the process of merging a camera with a piece of aluminium lfoil
iof muinimula fo eceip a htiw aremac a gnigrem fo ssecorp eht :pohskrow eht gnirud edam
DEFINING
THE KEY
PROBLEMS
T PB XX

COGNITIVE OPENNESS AXIAL THINKING Is there a fun

How could I encourage the society
to limit their judgement and
appreciate unfamiliar content? How
could it then be shifted to more
influential than graphic design
areas, e.g. human interaction?
CONNECTIONS
Am I capable to relate vague
concepts and explore them using my
set of skills? As a graphic designer,
how can I represent the chosen issues
in a clear way and stay true to their
ambiguous nature at the same time?
Would I find the optimal method
angle to this kind
and approach for my creative of exploration?
process? How could I organise all
possible ways of exploration? Finally, Would I be able
how could I use my research to
show the importance of diversities, to enjoy the
uncertainty and axial thinking?
journey without
compromising
GREY AREAS
the importance
To what extend can graphic design
guide me in exploring what may of the research?
be undefinable and unclear?
How can I communicate what
Would fun make
I learn during the process? IT shallow?
CONTEXTUAL After redefining the context I looked
at all the ambiguous areas of my focus
FRAMEWORK: and made a mind map with further
ORGANISATION issues associated with them. This was
my way of organising and reflecting
T PB VP XX on the before gathered information.
CONTEXTUAL Finally, I used that mind map to
find the connections I had been
FRAMEWORK: looking for. By pulling out certain
CONNECTIONS characteristics I defined the
similarities between Interpersonal
T PB SR1 SR2 Attraction and Figurative Speech.
EXPERIMENTAL The approach I adopted was centered
around using different techniques
WORK: and collecting the outcomes
TECHNIQUES of that experimental work.

T E1 E2 E3

click on these shapes

VISUALISATION ILLUSTRATION WRITING PHOTOGRAPHY

LETTERPRESS GLITCH CALLIGRAPHY SURVEY

PAINTING INSTALLATION COLLAGE WORD FORMATION

ADOPTING The progression of work was
unconventional in terms of the way
THE RIGHT I explored different methods of
METHODOLOGY investigation. During the process
there was never a clear distinction
T XX XX between my experiments, as they
all influenced one another. Because
of that I had to find a precise
ways of approaching my research.
While doing that, I discovered
way of their classification - this is similarities between the methods.
where I adopted the vocabulary
from mathematics. Those terms let
me to clearly categorise different
...
EXPERIMENTAL Addition refers to playing with
the expressions by introducing
to conversation. Different visual
contexts influenced the overall
serious side of the expressions. The
limitation of this method was the loss
METHOD: some new content, either visual meaning of the words, creating of ambiguity when adding the visual.
ADDITION or written. As a result some of the
outcomes exist as simple pictures with
alternative connotations. Humorous
way of playing with the subject
Although the meaning has changed,
it has not widen the possibilities
T SR1 SR2 XX captions, others – as introductions revealed more contemporary, less for individual interpretation.

time flies there’s more fish in the sea all is fair in love and war

cat and mouse game there’s more fish in the sea

EXPERIMENTAL
METHOD:
SUBTRACTION
T SR E XX
EXPERIMENTAL Multiplication involved refocusing
and reshaping the approach to
METHOD: the investigation. This process was
MULTIPLICATION centered on the visual, rather than
semantic, layer. As a result, the
T PB E XX outcomes here rely primarily on the
form, not the content. Comparing
that to the other methods, the
ambiguity of culturally coded
expressions is not as important, when
multiplied. This method relates to
the research by its visual symbolism:
uncertainty and ambivalence are
represented through the use of
repeated images, noise and illegible
content. Even though the semantic
layer is compromised, the obtained
results are actually quite attractive.
EXPERIMENTAL Division meant exploring the content
by looking at single words and
METHOD: letters of the phrases. The goal was
DIVISION to discover the new meanings within
the expressions. In relation to the
T SR E XX other methods, division was similar to
subtraction, because both directed
the focus to just parts of the material.
the idea, not the execution. It would
be important not to over design
It also stood in the opposition to them. By researching typographic
multiplication, when it comes to
the ratio of form and content. The
installations I learnt that such
simplicity may have a big impact.
experiments here rely mainly on
EXPERIMENTAL Substitution was carried out by
replacing parts of the content with
visual influences the semantics
of the content, not everything is
results of these experiments made me
question the contextual framework
METHOD: either visual or written material. This said directly. During the process I of my research. Should it be focused
SUBSTITUTION method relates to addition, but it
leaves more room for individual
started from exploring the complete
phrases and progressed into looking
on the figurative expressions or
rather on the words only?
T SR1 XX XX interpretation. Even though the at separate words and letters. The
EXPERIMENTAL One of the outcomes of playing
with the meaning, by substituting
METHOD: the image for the word.
SUBSTITUTION
T SR1 XX XX
METHODOLOGY: Reflecting on the methods and
their value for my investigation
EVALUATION OF I would summarise that the variety
THE METHODS of approaches was helpful. Some
methods produced similar results
T XX XX (multiplication resembled addition
whilst subtraction and division
lied close), certain experiments
contained many methods
simultaneously, limited legibility
of specific procedures was not
necessarily disadvantageous, simpler
ways of approaching the subject
were more effective whilst visual
methods produced less ambiguous
results. Generally, the received
outcomes could be categorised
as deep, humorous or neutral.

multiplication

subtraction

substitution

addition

division

visualisation

description
form

survey

content
QUESTIONS, It wouldn’t be right to end this
document showing a sense of
what I am most afraid of is choosing
the right set of linguistic material
What would happen if I just kept
IT simple, without illustrations,
DOUBTS, clarity and order. Although, on the to work with and in consequence photos and diagrams? Would it be
AMBIGUITY previous page, the methods were
organised, the research produced a
– abandoning some of the ideas.
Another problem arises when
better then? Would it be enough?

T XX lot of uncertainty. At the moment thinking about the visual form.

THE
END WRITTEN SOURCES VISUAL SOURCES

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