Ecuad Summer Internship Report

7/30/2019 Ecuad Summer Internship Report

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Rafael Puyana

Master of Applied Arts Candidate

Emily Carr University of Art + Design

April 27 2011

This report summarizes my internship for the academic summer interval from May 1 to July 31 2012. It

summarizes my work with Vancouver based studio Hybridity, and as Instructor for the department of

Continuing Studies at Emily Carr University. It also contains a description of my roles and responsibilities

and the insights, and acquired knowledge for my artistic and professional practice, and the impact of this

summer internships in my masters thesis project and research.

My professional relation with Malcolm Levy started on February 2012, during his Interactive Installation

workshop at the Center of Digital Media in Vancouver. The positive results in this workshop led into the

offering of a space in Levy's studio for my summer internship.

My work for the Summer Institute for Teens at Continuing Studies was fostered in early 2012 during my

teaching assistance role in the Media Arts Workshops taught at the LoVe organization (Leave Out of

Violence). This experience left a positive impression in both LoVe and Continuing Studies regarding my skills

as media arts instructor, and my competence for working with multicultural young students.


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Role: Interactive art director, prototyping designer, visual and user interface designer.

Start: May 1 // End: June 31 2012

Direct Supervisor: Malcolm Levy [email protected]

"HYBRIDITY IS A COMPANY MADE UP OF A NETWORK OF ARTISTIC

COLLABORATORS. WE COMBINE DISCIPLINES TO CREATE ART

PROJECTS THAT ARE HYBRID IN NATURE. HYBRIDITY PROJECTS FLOW

FROM INITIAL CONCEPTION THROUGH TO PRODUCTION AND INTO

FRUITION.

There is a small nuclear team composing Malcolm Levys team: two project managers, one resident

programmer and a network of collaborators who are called on board depending on the project needs. This

encourages flexibility in team structures as well as non-fixed connections of skills. I can be senior art

director in one project, or junior programmer in another at the same time. In this multidisciplinary

environment, the interaction between artists, programmers, musicians, curators, and writers, nurtures

what hybridity calls cross-pollination. Under this concept, individuals collaborate organically in multiple and

diverse projects conceived, managed, produced and facilitated as innovative media platforms for public

engagement.

As a digital artist and art director, I was in charge of the visual prototyping and visualization of two

interactive installations. My work consisted in the creation of sketches, concept boards, animated 3D

models, and video simulations for the visual exploration preliminary to the programming phase. Both

installations had previous iterations explored in by other members of the team. My responsibility was to

assess the successful and unsuccessful features of these past versions, and leverage them into enhanced,

and improved versions. It was my duty to bridge Malcolm Levys creative vision towards the development


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team using my simulations and prototypes which worked as starting points of discussion, analysis and rapid

assessment of risks and possible new features.

Street Language explores public vs. private space, large scale

projection, collaborative experimentation, abstraction, and audience

interaction

For Every Second of time is a large-scale interactive projection that will take place in the Nuit Blanch night

event in the streets of downtown Toronto during the night of September 29, 2012. When I got on board, the

project was already defined as an outdoors visualization of an indoors-private music event and its intention

was the discussion about the public and the private space in contemporary urban life.

WALL USED FOR PROJECTION, DOWNTOWN TORONTO. GOOGLE MAPS STILL IMAGE > HTTP://GOO.GL/MAPS/MMDWN


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I investigated visually a new concept that used motion capture of bystanders, and projections of this data on

the side of the building. I had total creative freedom for proposing how these bodies will be represented and

digitally transformed. I used the idea of the tridimensional body as a cluster of particles in a virtual space. It

was a way to explore the tensions between body representation and body abstraction, as well as how to

engage viewers into simultaneous passive enjoyment and active participation.

STREET LANGUAGE. STILL IMAGE FROM ANIMATED PROTOTYPE. SEE ACCESS TO VIDEO IN THE APPENDIX SECTION.

Investing time and energy in visualizations and prototypes sets up the right initial discussion across people

involved, optimizes the user of resources, and reduces the risks for misleading assumptions. For instance,

these visualizations helped Hybridity into report effectively to Scotia Bank about the latest changes and final

results of the installation before the programming phase started.


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For every second of time will create a space for contemplation, and

discussion around the Holocaust and the attempted, and some times

fatal, escapes from Europe during this time in history.

As opposed to Street Language, where I had complete freedom to repurpose the concept, this project had

several features already designed. Initially, this installation was envisioned as a corridor/tunnel (see image

below) that will guide visitors in front of a small window in a wall at the end of the corridor. Inside this

window, viewers will be able to see a projection of Malcolm Levy's project Other Frames, which contains

footage from locations related to Walter Benjamin's failed attempts for escaping Europe in 1940.

PRELIMINARY VISUAL CONCEPT BY MATT MARSHAL AT HYBRIDITY.

In the process of revising the existing documentation, I detected a few flaws in the design regarding the

experience of the viewer in front of the tiny window. Only one user could see the installation at a time, and

also viewers wont be able to experience the overall projection in detail due the close distance from the

window to the screen (see image above).

I solved this by removing the window and the flat screen behind, and repurpose them as a large cylindrical

room that could engage viewers in a collective experience. This decision led to another improvement into the

experience of the corridor. I envisioned an interactive functionality that tracks users positions, following and


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surrounding them with video fragments of Other Framesfrom the arcades in Paris; central urban locations

in Walter Benjamins Arcades Project.

FOR EVERY SECOND OF TIME. STILL IMAGE FROM ANIMATED PROTOTYPE. SEE ACCESS TO VIDEO IN THE APPENDIX SECTION.

This installation was the perfect opportunity for the articulation of multiple disciplines, technologies, and

theories that my practice was missing before. This single project expanded my practice beyond the limits of

the computer screen and opened a new window into interactive architecture, exhibition design, and visual

conceptualization using 3D modeling and motion graphics. Also it was a unique chance for integrating

technology, interaction and digital art, with Walter Benjamins critical theories about the city, as well as the

strange circumstances of his death.

I worked as a consultant for Hybridity in the User Experience analysis and strategy for their websites

Hybridity.ca and hibriditymusic.ca. I worked closely with their team in detecting the key features in their

organization and projects to be displayed in their websites, and delivered a complete set of wireframes

document with all the information architecture, strategy and UX interface explorations.

I will not cover in detail this component of my internship since this was a separate negotiation in a

consultant / client relation that I prefer to leave only as short reference in this report since it becomes part

of a separate discussion. However, this portion of the internship gave me valuable insights, and helped me


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contextualize my professional practice as digital artist, digital art director, and designer in a Canadian

context. In addition, it expanded my portfolio with more projects not related with marketing but closer to

experimentation in art and design.

I have mentioned several positive outcomes across my experience with Hybridity but in general, I want to note

that my work for them was a reaffirmation of how my experience in the interactive industry could work in

articulated conjunction with my artistic practice. Not only with art and experimentation working as tools for

leveraging design innovation, but in the other way around, where it provides solutions, knowledge and

innovation in the arts. In addition, part of this great experience is witnessing how Canada invests in innovation

and recognizes the arts as an important sector in the economy and as a key player in the constant

development of the Canadian culture and society.

Finally, I want to share with the Grad Office, Emily Carr, and the Career + Co-op office that my relation with

Hybridity was extended into a new exciting project as part of a Mitacs Accelerate Grant. This new project will

be of key importance for a specific technical research in my thesis regarding augmented reality and Open

Frameworks libraries as well as for the continuous expansion of the reach of my work in arts and design.

Thanks to all of you for your support.


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Role: Graphic Design Studio instructor.

Preparation: May Start: July 3 // End: July 27 2012

Direct Supervisor: Sadira Rodrigues, Nicky Ward.

SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR TEENS 2012 . PHOTO: RAFAEL PUYANA

"The Summer Institute for Teens is ideal for students ins grades 10, 11

and 12 who want to develop both a portfolio and a set of core skills in

preparation for post-secondary training in art or design. Four weeks of

hands-on studio practice is complemented by discussion and in- class

critique."


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1. Understand the significance of graphic design in a contemporary context.2. Visualize the role of graphic design as a tool for translation, bridge, and mediation in our

contemporary society.

3. Initiate a professional and critical encounter with graphic design beyond its visual dimension.4. Be able to combine the capacity to produce visual works with a supportive critical discourse.5. Be able to grasp the basic notions of typography and composition in the creation of graphic design

pieces

6. Receive, listen, and digest critical feedback from peers and instructors.

1. Understand the role of typography in graphic design.2. Become familiar with the extensive field of design beyond its graphical expression.3. Understand the basic workflow of graphic design practice from ideation, planning, production, and

distribution.

4. Recognize the role of the visual creation in the new digital culture, and the creative potential ofnetworking and sharing.

Students will be challenged with graphic design theories, discussions, and exercises that will introduce

them to the areas of typography, composition, information visualization, visual narrative, layout and logotype

design. These areas will be developed through readings, presentations, and extensive sketching work

combined with series of workshops in essential digital and online tools used in the graphic design industry.


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"I didn't know Kevin could make this beautiful of things"

Said Kevin Gao's mother during the exhibition opening

SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR TEENS 2012 . PHOTO: RAFAEL PUYANA

In May 2012, Continuing Studies invited me to redesign from scratch the syllabus for the graphic design

studio 2012. My assignments are designed under two basic principles: there are no industry-oriented

projects therefore; all assignments contain a mandatory personal, intimate and experimental approach.

There are no assignments related to redesign famous brands, solve real marketing problems, or reproduce

commercial aesthetics. On the other hand, all assignments are limited in material and format: Work only

with pencil, use just one color or typeface and so on. I have used obstructions in my classes with the

conviction that they foster outstanding creative results and forces students into more conceptual thinking

instead of just searching for "cool" visual aesthetics.


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SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR TEENS 2012. PHOTO: JONAH KELLAM

In a daily basis, class was divided in studio work in the morning, and computer lab work in the afternoon.

Taking advantage of the fresh energy in the morning, we worked in sketching sessions, library research,

conceptual discussions, brainstorming, analog techniques for image transfer, drawing and so on. Then,

after lunch, we transitioned the morning work into their digital versions using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe

Illustrator. We covered enough base knowledge for making them create digital collages, image

manipulations, vector typographic compositions, illustration and so on. The day always closed with a design

critique and the preparation for next class assignment.

All courses at the Summer Institute for Teens work toward the final group exhibition in the Concourse

Galley at the end of the month. For my studio class students chose two of their favorite successful ideas,

made improvements to them, printed them in high quality and installed them in the exhibition. This provided

for the public an overall summary of the progress, evolution and assignments of the course.

There was a large amount of work taken out from the original course outline. One of the complexities of this

course was the hour intensity. During four weeks, students worked in the classroom during 7 hours, 3 hours

a day, so the risk for exhaustion was always around the corner. However, I always understand my syllabus

as a trip across the country without the pressure of time. I abandon the pressure for covering all the


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assignments and subjects and instead, I share with my students the joy of slowing down, spending some

time in certain assignments, and skip some routes and places for the sake of knowledge.

SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR TEENS 2012 . DESIGN AND SKETCHES: SASHA MILLS

The class started with a group of exercises in typography fundamentals; I invite students into fall in love with

specific typographic characters by drawing them with pencil over and over again and enjoying the nuances of

the type features. Then we move into more compositional works with letter anatomy. Afterwards, we work

with words as visual representations of concepts and ideas. Finally, we use paragraphs with typographic

concrete poetry. This is a demanding amount of time invested in typography, so students get impatient for

not arriving into more pictorial or photographic tasks.


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SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR TEENS 2012 . DESIGN: SASHA MILLS

For taking a break into typographic design, I introduced a new assignment for playing with grid design and

photography from the student's neighborhoods or favorite places in town. The next assignment was related

to corporate design. Students worked in free drawing and then synthesize their sketches as fictional brands.



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For the last assignment I invited students into my artistic practice, or better to say, I opened my practice to

them and transformed it into a collective creative jam in the classroom with awe-inspiring results.


SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR TEENS 2012. INTERROBANG LOGO, MALONE CHENG, VARIOUS TYPGRAPHIC COMPOSITIONS.

What if we call the exhibition interrobang. Says Jonah while explainsthat interrobang is the symbol that represents questions made in an

excited manner.


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Using my practice in the visual narrative assignment was a breaking point in the definition of my thesis

project. Witnessing the creative capabilities of these twelve teenagers inspired me into thinking about

imaginary visions of the unnoticed life in cities.

The work that I have been doing for Continuing Studies in both, the Summer Institute for Teens, and the

Media Workshops at LoVe, has presented wonderful challenges for my experience as graphic design

instructor, artist, and designer. I have witnessed with total surprise how teens today understand and digest

design principles in an innate way. It feels as if they were wired and preloaded for absorbing and producing

outstanding visual solutions, ideas and concepts. It opens a lot of questions for me about the impact of

contemporary visual culture in the way our society produce natural designers. For me, this fact challenges

completely the future of design education and graphic design. I am now more than ever excited about this

shift in design pedagogy.

During 2013, I will keep working with the LoVe organization and tentatively I will be the 2013 summer

institute instructor of graphic design, or how I suggested to Continuing Studies: calling this class

Visual Design and Communication

Thanks !

My virtual studio contains videos of the different prototypes and visualization for Street Language and For

Every Second of Time. Visit > http://is.gd/XJ5RwX or scan the code below

Documents

Ecuad Summer Internship Report