by victoria | Oct 30, 2012 | design methodologies
Every term my mind is more open to the possibilities. While all this preliminary work is at times time consuming – it serves as a good exercise. As able I try to introduce the students to the concept of preliminary work and record keeping. They live computer and so it can be a stretch. There is no formal organization when they do preliminary work, my own is getting better yet my physical methods need improvement. I may have a methodology now it needs refinement. This term also expanded the writing methodology which will be most helpful when it comes time to do a thesis project.’ Thankful … for a second chance when most needed, a Professor who doesn’t let us off the hook (no matter how painful) developing skill set and expanded thinking. Goals for the week – get it done! Get one night of 7 plus hours of sleep. Learn and implement into new more...
by victoria | Oct 30, 2012 | design methodologies
This week reviewing the three process binders included in the unit readings, I am struck with how different everyone’s binders can be. Jane Dorns was the most inspiring in that it was casual yet tight, it was also not elaborately designed and relied on the process to work out the details. It looked like a sketch book and not a project. In the PDF version half the spread was computer generated the other the sketch book page. An idea from Dorn’s Process is the yellow highlighting of usable or best ideas. This is very clever simple device used to jog her own memory and process as well as guide the reader through. April’s as well is very clean, white paper, small type and lines used to direct the flow. Again the same half page digital information and the other the sketch book. Turpin’s book is more “designed” yet her illustrations are wonderful. They are well done and rich with detail for thumb-nailing. *********** Ironic that this is the course content for the week because it has come to me that I need to sketch on half sheets of tracing paper so that I can scan them easier. I have tried to make my process binders simple and clean and have not succeeded at this. In past courses we were shown examples that look like we designed thought out final projects which in reality were process binders. What I take from this is permission to keep it clean(er) and spend more time on the ideation and less on the compilation. I do like to sketch on tracing paper because of the smooth surface and the way the markers leave...
by victoria | Oct 24, 2012 | design methodologies
Our processes determine the quality of our products. If we wish to improve our products,we must improve our processes; we must continually redesign not just our products but also the way we design. That’s why we study the design process. To know what we do and how we do it. To understand it and improve it. To become better designers. Dubberly,Hugh. How do you design?, (San Francisco: Dubberly Design Office, 2005) Two things passed my way today that got me thinking about the process and students. One was a link to a site which had 50 examples of creative brainstorming for logo’s (noupe.com) and the above quote of Dubberly from the intro to his new book, How Do You Design. My own process is undergoing an amazing amount of growth, I am invigorated by expansion of my knowledge and skills. In class or shortly after a few students were hanging around and we were talking about what design education could look like. This was in response to which software to use. In a short span of 62 credits, there is not enough time to evolve and explore further the skills obtained. Too much emphasis is on the teaching of software and not enough on thinking. Yet as possible small steps can be made – at least for now to get students thinking. Yet the process is lost on most. While many balk at the limitations or assignment perimeters, the hope is one day they will think back to being forced to sketch or brainstorm and illumination will...
