Degree Project: Research Experiments

I need a scare tactic that will wake up my audience by catching their attention, make them aware of the serious threat of HIV/AIDS and also stick in their mind permanently. What medium or combination of media will work best? I have already developed a powerful visual campaign consisting of bathroom posters and car fliers, but how can I incorporate the same type of imagery into a website or web advertisement so that it has an equal impact?

The following are different areas of exploration that I will pursue during the next few weeks.

Where is the most appealing place to write statistics on the model's face (What works and what doesn't)?

What kind of tool works best for writing on skin- pens, markers, eyeliner pencils, liquid eyeliner pens, etc.?

What kind of image treatment is most powerful?

-black & white?

-full color?

-duotone?

-high contrast?

Does a combination of several versions of the same photo treated with different colors shown in a looping .swf sequence create an effect that is eye catching?

How long does it take someone to read the statistic on each model's face comfortably?

How can different tweening effects add to the modes of appeal that the image creates?

-fade out or fade in?

-normal to high-saturation?

How can a voice recording of my slogan create a sound mark?

Does the sound mark work as a narration to the imagery?

In summary, I want to:

experimental typography with my campaign message

-writing on faces

-"slogan" type

-handwritten, computer type, moving type, etc.

experimental image sequencing

-using the photos I have gather from awareness campaign photo shoot in strategic order, experimental sequencing, layering, stacking, etc.

-incorporate stop motion by using multiple frames of similar image

-play with modes of appeal

experimental image treatment

-color choice (duotone, b/w, etc.)

-contrast, saturation, levels, filters,etc.

-using modes of appeal to generate new aesthetics.

experimental multimedia visuals/audio

-video, sound, imagery, type, etc.

-voice recordings

-combination of current imagery with textures, patterns, or other content with valid context such as statistics.

Degree Project: Question

The question I am going to address for my Senior Degree Project is:

How can a strategic multimedia visual campaign be used to educate and raise awareness about the serious threat of HIV/AIDS to the younger generation as a whole?

My Dream Design Job

Before I arrived at the Kansas City Art Institute, my artistic talent was only displayed through a limited range of pencil drawings and acrylic paintings. Fortunately, my four very rigorous and productive years at this school have opened my eyes and skill-set to much, much more. I've grown into a graphic designer and an artist who is interested in all sorts of things, including illustration, typography, photography, book design, interactive print design, web design, motion graphics, multimedia design & etc.

I've always been much more of a conceptual thinker than a creative thinker, but here lately, my concept driven design style has started to reach more and more outside of the box. I've always been an overachiever and a hard worker, but I was never actually stimulated artistically or creatively until I arrived at KCAI. My time here has made me realize that I thoroughly enjoy being challenged by technical things that require problem solving and "behind the scenes" kind of details. I thrive on perfection, concept, functionality, interactivity and purpose. I am excited by technology and the limitless possibilities that have emerged through computers and the Internet, as well as the special effects, animation, and motion graphics used in the movie/television industry.

With this being said, my dream job as a graphic designer would be to work at a motion graphics and/or screen based design studio that does movie trailers and other motion work. I would also love to do freelance website design work as well. Geographically, I plan to move to Los Angeles as soon as possible after graduation to start my career and follow through with my dream of living there that I have had since I was a child. The beautiful weather, the incredible amount of opportunities, and the forward-thinking attitude and energy from the people in LA will be just a few of the things that will make the move worth while. I have already started building connections with people in the industry who work in Hollywood and I am optimistic that I will find a lucrative and satisfying job that keeps me on the tip of my toes, while also paying my bills and allowing me to live my life to the fullest. :)

Illustration Ellective: Project 7

This is a Kansas City Star Magazine cover about the light rail. I am for its development because I believe it will benefit our city and bring us up to date with transit. I wanted to play with the use of typography as image.

WWW.ASENSEOFHUBER.COM!

I launched my new and refined design portfolio website! Check it out HERE.

The current site is intended to be viewed at full screen, with your browser's window opened up to it's maximum size and all chrome removed (status bar, bookmarks bar, etc.). There should be no scroll bars showing if it is opened up correctly! The document size may be too large for standard browser size, so I need to reconsider this issue.

My intention was to design a portfolio site to showcase my work while implimenting not so typical functions that challenge what is expected from the user, but still makes sense. Therefore, the drag and drop function, which is cool and unique, is important to viewing all of the portfolios content. This functions purpose is validated by the way I activated the boundaries of the screen that we tend to forget about. All work can be viewed at a small scale or full screen, based on the user's level of interest. I also implemented a slideshow in both views, to show multiple images of some projects.

I am most proud of the overall functionality of my website and how I explored the presentation of my work in a way that I've never seen done before. I taught myself a lot about Flash and actionscript 3.0, which I feel is useful knowledge for my career. I am happy with the "instructions" that follow the mouse around to give the user a better understanding of what they should/can do on my site. I think some of the small scale image boxes are lacking the gray space around the work, so I may revise those to be more comfortable, visually. I also struggled with getting my flash document to fit universally into the web browser so that it becomes compatible on all user's screens, and not just mine. Finally, I believe that a pre-loader may be necessary to keep the user's attention while the site loads.

Multimedia Experience: Reading response #4

The Screen and The Body
This chapter taught me that the only limitation of the screen is its rectangular shape, which serves as a cut to reality. The paragraphs about the imprisonment of the human body, also known as the user, made it clear that the computer screen is, in an essence, a medium that is limited by its physical existence. In the vast history of the screen that is described, the general trend has always been that, in order for it to be viewed, the body has to remain still. In early photography, the process of capturing an image or subject matter was limited by the exposure rate. For example, in the daguerreotype process, living things had to be immobilized or held still with clamps in order to capture a clear photograph. Eventually, cinema introduced a screen that allowed audiences to "take a journey through different spaces without leaving their seats." The body was intended to remain still, while the images on screen moved in order to present constantly changing frames of a simulated reality.

The cinema screen could also be viewed as a setting for a stationary camera to capture a virtual space that moves and changes its position with each shot. With this theory, the spectator and the camera are immobile while the presentation of imagery is doing all the work.

The introduction of virtual reality, which enabled the screen through which the virtual world of imagery is being viewed moves simultaneously as the viewer does (with limited motion), paves way to the same function of the computer mouse. The user becomes connected to the computer via this "joystick" that allows for interactivity and control of what is being viewed. This applies to my current M.X. project because the viewer of my portfolio site is controlling what they are looking at as they navigate the given content through using the mouse. The information on screen is a result of what they desire to view and when they desire to view it.

As a graphic designer, I haven't ever considered the history of the screen and how it's design actually influences, restricts or supports my personal design process. While working in Adobe software and using the mouse and keyboard as my connection to what I am seeing on the virtual window of information, I have never been conscious of the screen as such a dynamic medium before. Since the computer interface has become such an invisible, yet valuable part of my life and my design experience, this article opened my eyes to the importance of recognizing its existence and how its developed over time.

Multimedia Experience: Reading response #3

The Screen and the User
The screen is one of technology's oldest tools to present visual information through, where as the computer itself has only been around for a couple decades now. Today, the screen basically runs our world, whether it be on a computer, a phone, a television, etc.,  offering the flexibility to present every single type of information available.

I like the paragraph about the "dynamic screen" that discusses the representation that we are trained to focus on within the boundaries of the screen. As a window to a limitless world of dimension and possibilities, our eyes concentrate on what is shown on screen...instead of what exists beyond the physical space the window provides. The screen is filled with an image, creating an illusion that our eyes are not conscious of while navigating the computer interface.

With this in mind, I would like my portfolio website to break this illusion that we so often lose track of because of the ability to seamlessly sift through information and imagery with a simple scroll of the mouse. By making the user participate in accessing my portfolio's content by dragging and dropping what exists beyond the frame, or in other words, the image that is cut off or bleeding beyond the screen's immediate surface, I will be forcing the user to be more conscious of the screen's boundaries. I want the user to be presented with an interactive and innovative option of dragging something into view, instead of simply scrolling beneath the fold of a window.  In fact, I don't plan on my flash site having any scrolling at all– in order to really place emphasize on the way I have consciously chosen my provided information to be viewed.

In some cases, such as through virtual reality, the screen disappears altogether because of the way it is circumstances of how it is viewed and because of the illusion of being in an entirely different, yet believable, virtual space. I don't see this being useful for anything that I have designed thus far, or anything that I am interested in designing. The idea of simulating a new world that the user becomes part of through seeing only through the window of a screen seems far beyond what I want to do as a graphic designer. I want my users and viewers, whether of my portfolio site or any other design projects, to be conscious of the medium I am working on. I do appreciate the beauty of technology, but in a rational and functional way.

The history and evolution of the screen, as it progressed through classical, dynamic, VR, real time and beyond, is extremely fascinating. The fact that the screen was invented for military surveillance and was applied through the use of radar and is now being used by practically every human being in the world, makes me think about the invention and evolution of other critical elements of modern technology. The internet wasn't invented for entertainment, yet now it is what connects all forms of life and provides us with information far beyond what it was originally intended for. We are dependent on live, constantly updating frames of images to provide us with the most factual, up to the minute information...whether it be through news feeds on Facebook, weather forecasts, news headlines, stock market updates, etc. On top of this, we now have real-time interactive screens that involve the user on a whole new level. I think the screen still has so much evolvement in store, as we become even more dependent on the advancements and needs of a society ran by technology.

Multimedia Experience: Portfolio Directions- Revised!

Idea # 1. Individual triangles reveal work connected at the corner and the whole mountain of work can be dragged around the screen to view the work. The navigation exists as white peaks to the mountain..example shown is "about me."

Idea # 2. Similar idea, where the individual triangles reveal work connected at the corner, but this time, they can each be dragged around the screen separately to view the work at fairly large scale. The white triangle at each peak is linked to the 6 main navigation options.

Idea # 3. I narrowed my portfolio content down for this final direction and now have 21 pieces of work. The mountain of triangles is still working visually, but now each opens up (at the corner) a medium sized image of the project with a blurb about it. The triangle changes from a cropped image to a full color sample from the piece of work to indicate that it is opened. Hover over instructions tell the user to click the image to view it in full screen. This allows them the option of viewing the work at different sizes. The main navigation opens up as a full screen overlay that can be clicked to close out of.

I REALLY like this direction!

Multimedia Experience: Portfolio Content

This is a rough list of the content I want to use for my online portfolio. Eventually, I'll need to reduce the number of projects down to a solid group of about 15 strong pieces of work.

POSTERS
1. April Greiman Lecture Posters (2)
2. Ora Ito Lamp Posters (2)
3. Vote Poster (1)
4. "Yes We Can" Poster (1)
5. Body Modification Community Poster (1)

ILLUSTRATIONS
1. Winker
2. Wetmap

BOOKS
1. Good Design is For Everyone Book Mockup (8)
2. Watersports Book Covers (6)
3. Shuttlecocks Wayfinding Map (14)
4. 6 Degrees Book Cover (6)
5. Bike Tire Repair Manual (4)
6. Body Sculpting Magazine Spread/Icon set (3)

MISC.
1. Text Me Brand Identity
2. TypeCon Project/Experiments/Artifacts
3. Dead Guy Ale
4. Ziba Vodka Package design and Website Mockup
5. HIV Awareness Campaign (8)

MOTION
1. Sculpt Your Body Placards animation
2. Dental hygiene nonlinear Narrative
3. Bathroom hygiene data presentation
4. Floss animation

WEB
1. Beer coaster Collection website
2. Design Education P.O.V. website
3. Textme.com
4. BodyImage.com

Illustration Ellective: Project 6

This is a children's book cover that I illustrated using color pencil.