Showing posts with label VA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label VA. Show all posts
11.15.2012
VA: Garden Club Volunteering
Earlier this semester I had the opportunity to be a volunteer photographer at one of Rosedale's Garden Club meetings. During the evenings gathering guest speaker, Ryan, walked the club members through how to prepare a rain barrel for their garden. What I found interesting was that all of the materials that were used that evening was gathered by Ryan himself. A lot of the materials were actually found rather than purchased.
10.14.2012
10.08.2012
VA: Week 8 Reading
Cradle to Cradle
It's interesting and eye opening to look at the history of where we've come from in regards to environmental matters. Being presented with these types of readings really force me to think about my own practice, but also design as a whole and consider what type of impact am I having on our environment.
Sustainable Business
The summer before my junior year at KCAI I had the opportunity to work at IKEA. Just from my smallish experience with them I strongly believe they are SO concerned about their environmental footprint as Catherine Gray mentions. When you become an IKEA employee you have to go through certain training programs, which are surprisingly quite engaging, and they explain their corporate philosophy and how they go about developing their product. I'm done with my IKEA rant.
9.23.2012
VA: Week 6 Readings
He Might Be the Giant
hmm...I wasn't aware of Black Market Inc.
I was originally going to state that Fairey does own up to being somewhat of a hypocrite and that I find these contradictions a bit unsettling. In my head I was thinking, why would Fairey work with big companies if he just mentioned how he doesn't like how advertising manipulates people! I was also thinking that he probably has a say in what types of clients he chooses so then I decided to do a bit of research on Black Market Inc and it changed my mind.
Fairey believes his approach is effective because he keeps his illustrations bold and simple to contrast all the visuals in the world:
"There is more visual stuff then ever out there, more billboards, more ads, more everything. It's gnarlier then ever, and there isn't as much room for time consuming illustration."
It seems like a lot of larger companies are using guerrilla marketing techniques that I would like to say that we've society has become somewhat adept to it and therefore loses some of its previous impact. If Fairey uses his particular approach for both his client work and personal work and if people are familiar with it does it just blend in with the other visuals in the world and lose it's impact?
Questions
If Fairey uses his particular approach for both his client work and personal work and if people are familiar with it does it just blend in with the other visuals in the world and lose it's impact?
Guerilla Street Postering
First off, I really like Robbie Conal's enthusiasm in this article.
I think he makes a strong argument as to why guerrilla street postering is a necessity. It's definitely one of the oldest forms of communicating a message to a large amount of people in a somewhat permanent way. However, effective communication through this means requires some understanding of your audience and considering how you want to communicate to them.
Questions
Not so much a question, but don't think I'm understanding this statement below correctly. Could someone explain what he's saying here?
"Making art with the intention of changing people's minds about issues that are important to them is hubris. Personal catharsis works for me."
Adbusters
In a nutshell, Kalle Lasn suggests that as designers we have the responsibility to consider how our creations impact the world ecologically and mentally.
Question/Thought
This reading made me think about our meeting with Mr. Wetzel of Frank Rushton Elementary. He mentioned how he really liked what our visual advocacy class is doing and although he understands that the class focuses on proposing a solution, it's sometimes disappointing in how we don't necessarily execute the concept.
Should we approach this class with caution and consider the emotional/mental impact we're having on this community in regards to our proposed solution?
hmm...I wasn't aware of Black Market Inc.
I was originally going to state that Fairey does own up to being somewhat of a hypocrite and that I find these contradictions a bit unsettling. In my head I was thinking, why would Fairey work with big companies if he just mentioned how he doesn't like how advertising manipulates people! I was also thinking that he probably has a say in what types of clients he chooses so then I decided to do a bit of research on Black Market Inc and it changed my mind.
Fairey believes his approach is effective because he keeps his illustrations bold and simple to contrast all the visuals in the world:
"There is more visual stuff then ever out there, more billboards, more ads, more everything. It's gnarlier then ever, and there isn't as much room for time consuming illustration."
It seems like a lot of larger companies are using guerrilla marketing techniques that I would like to say that we've society has become somewhat adept to it and therefore loses some of its previous impact. If Fairey uses his particular approach for both his client work and personal work and if people are familiar with it does it just blend in with the other visuals in the world and lose it's impact?
Questions
If Fairey uses his particular approach for both his client work and personal work and if people are familiar with it does it just blend in with the other visuals in the world and lose it's impact?
Guerilla Street Postering
First off, I really like Robbie Conal's enthusiasm in this article.
I think he makes a strong argument as to why guerrilla street postering is a necessity. It's definitely one of the oldest forms of communicating a message to a large amount of people in a somewhat permanent way. However, effective communication through this means requires some understanding of your audience and considering how you want to communicate to them.
Questions
Not so much a question, but don't think I'm understanding this statement below correctly. Could someone explain what he's saying here?
"Making art with the intention of changing people's minds about issues that are important to them is hubris. Personal catharsis works for me."
Adbusters
In a nutshell, Kalle Lasn suggests that as designers we have the responsibility to consider how our creations impact the world ecologically and mentally.
Question/Thought
This reading made me think about our meeting with Mr. Wetzel of Frank Rushton Elementary. He mentioned how he really liked what our visual advocacy class is doing and although he understands that the class focuses on proposing a solution, it's sometimes disappointing in how we don't necessarily execute the concept.
Should we approach this class with caution and consider the emotional/mental impact we're having on this community in regards to our proposed solution?
9.16.2012
VA: Week 5 Readings
Towards Critical Autonomy
My understanding of this article is that there has been a shift in the nature of design. We've passed this era of being mostly concerned with originality as defined by personal expression to being dedicated to inventive contextuality.
Question
What does Andrew Blauvelt mean by inventive contexuality in this day and age? (not completely sure myself what he means)
Designer as Catalyst
This reading discusses similar ideas and concepts to some of the other articles we've read. We're at a point in time where design has moved beyond the traditional designer as an instrument of commercialism with the only purpose of communicating the message of the client. Instead, Max Bruinsma describes two different operative strategies, sedate consumers or to activate citizens. I believe, the former shares similar qualities to the latter. The biggest difference is that the system is more of a back and forth dialogue then one to one communication. Design as catalyst is about working within a frame, identifying and taking a stance on an issue, then making that known within the frame to initiate a dialogue.
Question
Do you think the tradition strategy, designer as an instrument of commercialism, can be applied to visual advocacy if we look the people/world as our client?
"Massive Change" Intro
As much as I love being a designer, I'm aware that some of the skills we're learning aren't completely unobtainable to others or always unique to our discipline. We do in fact share a large amount of skill sets with other disciplines, its a matter of practice, context, and the nature of our field. This idea of Massive Change will that Bruce Mau is relevant and I agree with his statement that "Massive Change is obviously ambitiously positive, and might be misunderstood as Utopian at first glance. But it is not futuristic. It is about what is already happening. I think people are being to understand more and more the value of design. We shouldn't be looking at the classical concepts of our disciplines anymore, we need to exchange ideas for goals through the context of our educations. However, I will say that I believe design is the glue that's connecting the other disciplines to shape this larger collaborative initiative right now.
Question
In a sense Mau is suggesting that we blur the lines of our disciplines. Do you think people will do so with ease and if they don't will it then slow down our ability to solve larger issues?
My understanding of this article is that there has been a shift in the nature of design. We've passed this era of being mostly concerned with originality as defined by personal expression to being dedicated to inventive contextuality.
Question
What does Andrew Blauvelt mean by inventive contexuality in this day and age? (not completely sure myself what he means)
Designer as Catalyst
This reading discusses similar ideas and concepts to some of the other articles we've read. We're at a point in time where design has moved beyond the traditional designer as an instrument of commercialism with the only purpose of communicating the message of the client. Instead, Max Bruinsma describes two different operative strategies, sedate consumers or to activate citizens. I believe, the former shares similar qualities to the latter. The biggest difference is that the system is more of a back and forth dialogue then one to one communication. Design as catalyst is about working within a frame, identifying and taking a stance on an issue, then making that known within the frame to initiate a dialogue.
Question
Do you think the tradition strategy, designer as an instrument of commercialism, can be applied to visual advocacy if we look the people/world as our client?
"Massive Change" Intro
As much as I love being a designer, I'm aware that some of the skills we're learning aren't completely unobtainable to others or always unique to our discipline. We do in fact share a large amount of skill sets with other disciplines, its a matter of practice, context, and the nature of our field. This idea of Massive Change will that Bruce Mau is relevant and I agree with his statement that "Massive Change is obviously ambitiously positive, and might be misunderstood as Utopian at first glance. But it is not futuristic. It is about what is already happening. I think people are being to understand more and more the value of design. We shouldn't be looking at the classical concepts of our disciplines anymore, we need to exchange ideas for goals through the context of our educations. However, I will say that I believe design is the glue that's connecting the other disciplines to shape this larger collaborative initiative right now.
Question
In a sense Mau is suggesting that we blur the lines of our disciplines. Do you think people will do so with ease and if they don't will it then slow down our ability to solve larger issues?
9.15.2012
VA: Rosedale Problem Statement
Visual Advocacy Statement of Problem
Problem/Question Statement
How can design empower elementary school students to make healthier lifestyle choices?
Audience
we're really interested in health in education. We found that more than half of those enrolled in school in rosedale are in k-12, which is the youth. From there, we noticed that 84.5% of k-12 rosedale students go to public school.
Our target audience:
Problem/Question Statement
How can design empower elementary school students to make healthier lifestyle choices?
Audience
we're really interested in health in education. We found that more than half of those enrolled in school in rosedale are in k-12, which is the youth. From there, we noticed that 84.5% of k-12 rosedale students go to public school.
Our target audience:
Rosedale Youth (ages 4 to 12) enrolled in Rosedale public elementary schools.
Supporting audience:
Supporting audience:
Family (parents/guardians)
Rosedale Elementary School Teachers and Administrators
Members of the Healthy Kids Initiative
Rosedale Development Association
Research
Rosedale, Kansas has a childhood obesity rate of 51% compared to 29% statewide
receptivity gradient: take the kids from "accept ideas" to "acting on the opinion"
Following is Information from Mary Welsh, Principal, Frank Rushton Elementary
Some physical activities that they participate in afterschool:
Rosedale Elementary School Teachers and Administrators
Members of the Healthy Kids Initiative
Rosedale Development Association
Research
Rosedale, Kansas has a childhood obesity rate of 51% compared to 29% statewide
receptivity gradient: take the kids from "accept ideas" to "acting on the opinion"
Following is Information from Mary Welsh, Principal, Frank Rushton Elementary
Some physical activities that they participate in afterschool:
-Girls/Moms on the Move (fall and spring for girls in gr. 3-5)
-Walking Club (all grades, parents invited, during some fall and spring months)
-Kickball Club (all grades, spring)
-Walking Wednesdays (used to be Walking Schoolbus, during fall and spring)
-Healthy Kids Club (gr. 3-4, shorter sessions for gr. 1-2)
-Kidzone which offers a martial arts component for a few weeks each
Some educational health activities and projects/programs in place:
-Walking Club (all grades, parents invited, during some fall and spring months)
-Kickball Club (all grades, spring)
-Walking Wednesdays (used to be Walking Schoolbus, during fall and spring)
-Healthy Kids Club (gr. 3-4, shorter sessions for gr. 1-2)
-Kidzone which offers a martial arts component for a few weeks each
Some educational health activities and projects/programs in place:
-They participate in the Energy Balance for Kids Program (gr. 3-5)It increased knowledge about healthy food choices and taught new games/activities. It also helped change the school lunch program in our district.
-grades 1 and 4 participate in the school garden project.
-Healthy eating is informally taught for all grades. Some grades have a more direct focus than others.
-They have 2 30 minute PE periods each week. Most of the kids enjoy them because it provides them with a variety of fun activities that incorporate new games or use of equipment that they otherwise don't have available.
Outside influences:
-grades 1 and 4 participate in the school garden project.
-Healthy eating is informally taught for all grades. Some grades have a more direct focus than others.
-They have 2 30 minute PE periods each week. Most of the kids enjoy them because it provides them with a variety of fun activities that incorporate new games or use of equipment that they otherwise don't have available.
Outside influences:
-Parent involvement varies greatly. Some parents fully participate; others have time/transportation limitations but support their children in participating.
-Financial status can impact nutritional choices. Some families with less resources rely on cheaper processed food. Some neighborhood stores have less options for fresh produce, meat, fish, etc.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Our research is still in progress. We've been in contact with other educators in Rosedale and plan to and we plan on meeting with them this week.
But here is what we've realized, Rosedale has many great activities and initiatives happening to encourage healthy lifestyle choices, but we're interested in how we can really empower kids to commit to a healthy lifestyle.
What if the after effect could eventually become: [receptivity gradient: "acting on opinion" to "become advocate"] in their futures?
Hope to Change
We want to empower elementary school students to make healthier lifestyle choices by teaming up with rosedale elementary schools and organizations to create rewards(incentives) for successful participation in health education activities.
How those changes will be measured
Success will be measured by an increase in healthier lifestyle choices made by Rosedale Elementary School students.
-Financial status can impact nutritional choices. Some families with less resources rely on cheaper processed food. Some neighborhood stores have less options for fresh produce, meat, fish, etc.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Our research is still in progress. We've been in contact with other educators in Rosedale and plan to and we plan on meeting with them this week.
But here is what we've realized, Rosedale has many great activities and initiatives happening to encourage healthy lifestyle choices, but we're interested in how we can really empower kids to commit to a healthy lifestyle.
What if the after effect could eventually become: [receptivity gradient: "acting on opinion" to "become advocate"] in their futures?
Hope to Change
We want to empower elementary school students to make healthier lifestyle choices by teaming up with rosedale elementary schools and organizations to create rewards(incentives) for successful participation in health education activities.
How those changes will be measured
Success will be measured by an increase in healthier lifestyle choices made by Rosedale Elementary School students.
9.10.2012
VA: Week 4 Readings
Graphic Authorship
I'll admit that this article was extremely difficult for me to comprehend, but from what I did understand, I don't agree with Michael Rock.
Question
How do you feel about his alternative models for design: designer as translator, performer, and director?
Designer as Producer
We live in a time where we can easily communicate and find resources that enable us to create projects. Our motivations are different from larger companies who determine whether they'll make things based on how they can profit from it.
We've gone back to this sort of structure where people have to fend for themselves in a sense. We have to make our own tools, tools that will tailor to us. I wonder if that's why DIY culture has become so popular in recent years?
Question
Do you think this rise in DIY culture is somehow related to the inability of larger companies to meet unique needs like designers?
Design With Intent (Debate)
Jessie and I have been asked to argue against this statement: "acting in a partisan manner through research or other design process discourages free thought and unfairly influences the minds of the audience members."
on this topic, here are some arguments we have found:
• it is our right and responsibility as designers and researchers to use the skills we have developed and the time we have spent learning about a given topic to present it in the most ethical and most useful way. other people don't have the time to sort through tons of neutrality and determine the best solution, but not only do we have that time, but we have been trained to identify that best solution. there's no shame in us rising to the call to action to do our job, and well.
• as they discuss in the section on catalyst design, we can use our position as designers to frame an issue and get a conversation started. it may well be beyond our power to direct people specifically, or influence their minds in a particular way, but we can give them a jumping off point to discuss.
• as our educations have (hopefully) prepared us to do, we should have a pretty strong sense of cultural literacy and critical thinking. having a transparently visible stance in a work can be much more useful in discourse than attempting to be neutral, because the well-defined stance gives people something to reject and craft an argument against, or hone in around, if they agree.
• given that it is impossible to be truly neutral, it's safer and better to have a well-reasoned and well-designed position than to deny your opinions and try to pass off something that, as neutrally as you may have attempted to make it, will definitely contain biases in your prioritization. it is much more insidious to allow people to internalize your priorities without realizing it.
• if your free thought can't withstand a touch of dialectic, maybe it wasn't all that much free thought in the first place? strong thinking can only get stronger and more reasoned when confronted with other people's opinions. anything that collapses the first time it encounters another thought is probably pretty arbitrary and not well considered.
I'll admit that this article was extremely difficult for me to comprehend, but from what I did understand, I don't agree with Michael Rock.
Question
How do you feel about his alternative models for design: designer as translator, performer, and director?
Designer as Producer
We live in a time where we can easily communicate and find resources that enable us to create projects. Our motivations are different from larger companies who determine whether they'll make things based on how they can profit from it.
We've gone back to this sort of structure where people have to fend for themselves in a sense. We have to make our own tools, tools that will tailor to us. I wonder if that's why DIY culture has become so popular in recent years?
Question
Do you think this rise in DIY culture is somehow related to the inability of larger companies to meet unique needs like designers?
Design With Intent (Debate)
Jessie and I have been asked to argue against this statement: "acting in a partisan manner through research or other design process discourages free thought and unfairly influences the minds of the audience members."
on this topic, here are some arguments we have found:
• it is our right and responsibility as designers and researchers to use the skills we have developed and the time we have spent learning about a given topic to present it in the most ethical and most useful way. other people don't have the time to sort through tons of neutrality and determine the best solution, but not only do we have that time, but we have been trained to identify that best solution. there's no shame in us rising to the call to action to do our job, and well.
• as they discuss in the section on catalyst design, we can use our position as designers to frame an issue and get a conversation started. it may well be beyond our power to direct people specifically, or influence their minds in a particular way, but we can give them a jumping off point to discuss.
• as our educations have (hopefully) prepared us to do, we should have a pretty strong sense of cultural literacy and critical thinking. having a transparently visible stance in a work can be much more useful in discourse than attempting to be neutral, because the well-defined stance gives people something to reject and craft an argument against, or hone in around, if they agree.
• given that it is impossible to be truly neutral, it's safer and better to have a well-reasoned and well-designed position than to deny your opinions and try to pass off something that, as neutrally as you may have attempted to make it, will definitely contain biases in your prioritization. it is much more insidious to allow people to internalize your priorities without realizing it.
• if your free thought can't withstand a touch of dialectic, maybe it wasn't all that much free thought in the first place? strong thinking can only get stronger and more reasoned when confronted with other people's opinions. anything that collapses the first time it encounters another thought is probably pretty arbitrary and not well considered.
8.29.2012
VA: More Thoughts on Rosedale
Here are the problems:
1. Not enough produce selling grocery stores only apple market & sunfresh & price chopper, wally world, physical distance also plays a role.
Reason: Zoning laws
2. Cultural norms that do not incorporate healthy foods typically grown in kansas.
Reason: Lifestyle due to lack of access
3. Shortage of perceived or actual time that encourages the consumption of unhealthy food. (eg fast food
Reason: Lack of knowledge of healthy meal preparation and dangerously appealing fast food advertising.
We think that there is a general lack of access to good foods, which leads to lack of nutrition literacy*.
This is an issue for college students as well. We feel the need to grab fast food because it's easy and tastes good. If we had been taught early on how to make good tasting food with healthier ingredients, we would have healthier lifestyles in college.
*Nutritional Literacy: being able to identify healthy foods such as vegetables and fruits and how to prepare them tastefully.
One possible solution that Rosedale was looking into is offering cooking/home ec classes in schools as well as community kitchens. With community kitchens or soup kitchens, we thought it'd be beneficial if members of the community could learn how to cook healthy meals at these facilities that also provide them with practice and knowledge of food prep. The food also feeds the people of the community, thus creating a positive cycle.
research reference(s)
Healthy Communities Wyandotte Rec.
1. Not enough produce selling grocery stores only apple market & sunfresh & price chopper, wally world, physical distance also plays a role.
Reason: Zoning laws
2. Cultural norms that do not incorporate healthy foods typically grown in kansas.
Reason: Lifestyle due to lack of access
3. Shortage of perceived or actual time that encourages the consumption of unhealthy food. (eg fast food
Reason: Lack of knowledge of healthy meal preparation and dangerously appealing fast food advertising.
We think that there is a general lack of access to good foods, which leads to lack of nutrition literacy*.
This is an issue for college students as well. We feel the need to grab fast food because it's easy and tastes good. If we had been taught early on how to make good tasting food with healthier ingredients, we would have healthier lifestyles in college.
*Nutritional Literacy: being able to identify healthy foods such as vegetables and fruits and how to prepare them tastefully.
One possible solution that Rosedale was looking into is offering cooking/home ec classes in schools as well as community kitchens. With community kitchens or soup kitchens, we thought it'd be beneficial if members of the community could learn how to cook healthy meals at these facilities that also provide them with practice and knowledge of food prep. The food also feeds the people of the community, thus creating a positive cycle.
research reference(s)
Healthy Communities Wyandotte Rec.
8.27.2012
VA: Week 2 Readings
Design of Dissent
Question
Would you say that at it's core dissent is about being a good citizen, someone that is concerned about the nature of society?
Graphic Agitation
Question
Would you say the concept of graffiti has translated into a digital space and if one is more effective then the other in some ways?
The reading emphasizes the evolution of technology. Do you think there a direct relationship between technology and the effectiveness of propaganda?
Emory Douglas
Question
What do you think of the concept of constructing a visual mythology?
Question
Would you say that at it's core dissent is about being a good citizen, someone that is concerned about the nature of society?
Graphic Agitation
Question
Would you say the concept of graffiti has translated into a digital space and if one is more effective then the other in some ways?
The reading emphasizes the evolution of technology. Do you think there a direct relationship between technology and the effectiveness of propaganda?
Emory Douglas
Question
What do you think of the concept of constructing a visual mythology?
8.26.2012
VA: Issues + Interests
Last wednesday the leaders of Rosedale Development Association were kind enough to meet with us to discuss the details and issues of their community. Here are some notable points of interest:
Personal Areas of Interest:
- Need for Visual Identity
- Communication Difficulties (Keeping in Touch/Language)
- No Formal Parks and Recreation
- Childhood Obesity
- Lack of Sidewalks/Bike Lanes (Safety Risk in Walking or Biking)
- Lack of Transportation (No School Buses)
- Possible Mural Update
- No High School (Must Attend Outside of the Community)
- Middle School Track in Rough Shape
- Minimal After School Programs for Students
Personal Areas of Interest:
In my initial research it was apparent that Rosedale is community concerned about their youth and children, which is always a topic that is near and dear to me. The community has already taken many steps to improve the lives of children from the Healthy Kids Initiative, The Walking Bus, Youth Programs and much more. My plan is to possibly team up with the community's schools or the leaders of The Healthy Kids Initiative to help develop solutions to alleviate the problem of childhood obesity (I know this sounds vague). Another area of interest is the Environmental Learning Lab for kids (shout out Jessie Ren), which has a lot of opportunity to help kids learn about their environment and possibly creating a generation of children concerned about the environment in which they reside.
Contacts:
Mary Welsh: Principal, Frank Rushton Elementary
James Poplau: Principal, Noble Prentis
Nanette Coleman: Principal, Rosedale Middle School
Zach Davies: Rosedale, Middle PE teacher
Peter Wetzel: 3rd Grade Teacher, Frank Rushton
Wendy Wilson: Co-director, Rosedale Healthy Kids Initiative
Heidi Holiday: Program Manager, Healthy Kids Initiative
Erin Stryka: VISTA Volunteer, Healthy Kids Club director
Contacts:
Mary Welsh: Principal, Frank Rushton Elementary
James Poplau: Principal, Noble Prentis
Nanette Coleman: Principal, Rosedale Middle School
Zach Davies: Rosedale, Middle PE teacher
Peter Wetzel: 3rd Grade Teacher, Frank Rushton
Wendy Wilson: Co-director, Rosedale Healthy Kids Initiative
Heidi Holiday: Program Manager, Healthy Kids Initiative
Erin Stryka: VISTA Volunteer, Healthy Kids Club director
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