Martyn Anstice Process Book Summer 2011

MDes Process Book MDes 2011/2012

Martyn Anstice

Semester: Summer 2011

proc

ess

book

C O N T E N T

MDes 6030

Intensive 1

Without Design/LeBlanc 4

Thesis Methodology/Ivey 6

Drawing/Meyers 8

Intensive 2 Parks Canada/Jans 10

Intensive 3 Wikipedia/Peters 16

Dalhousie Freelab/Knotweed 20

MDes 6200

Third Nature/Kaltenbach

1. Three Plants & Planter Design 24

2. Plant as Self Portrait 30

3. Plant as Biotechnology 32

4. Plant as Climate/Culture 36

5. Plant as The System 38

Planter Typeface 42

MDes Thesis

Concept Development 44

Presentation Poster 47

Martyn Anstice/MDes Process Book Martyn Anstice/MDes Process Book

54

The challenge was to imagine a world with-

out design.

Many ideas were explored, of which three

were selected to present: a. Naked Man,

b. blank shelf, and c. badly designed car.

Naked Man was selected as the concept to

proceed with.

The ‘Naked Man’ concept uses a humour-

ous approach to show that without design

we are very vulnerable and left with nothing.

The large headline is in contrast to the

smaller image of a naked man grasping his

private parts in an attempt to hide them.

The final idea: the blue is use to enhance the cold feeling with the smaller isolated human

MDes 6030

Intensive 1 Without Design/LeBlanc

Idea: to remove function

Development of the final concept


76

Key Insight The design process needs to be a feedback loop

Design of mobile

Mobile Research Process

MDes 6030

Intensive 1 Thesis Methodology/Ivey

The challenge was to examine personal

methodologies for thesis. A process that

focuses on a hybrid research/analysis/con-

cept/design was developed. Visually this

was expressed a as mobile that recognizes

the process is not a ridged series of steps

but a flexible system, a feedback loop,

where all the steps are constantly connected

with and to each other.

Key word search

Process and development flow


98

2. Final Drawings: Vehicle development

3. Proposed advertising with a 50s Jetsons style theme

5. A record of the drawing design process

6. A technical drawing for a patent, this drawing focuses on the roving land vehicle component of the main explorer vehicle.

4. A detailed drawing of the vehicle and its functions

MDes 6030

Intensive 1 Drawing/Meyers

The task here was two fold; one to develop

drawing/thinking skills and create a concept

for a vehicle that could be sent to explore

an unknown planet. The group created and

designed a biomorphic ‘jellyfish’ structure

that could survive and investigate the plan-

ets unique environment.

1. Original drawing exploration


1110

Stage Two: A mind map that highlights Parks Canada need for more visits

Stage Three: The development of ‘The Loop” theme

Stage Five: Development of visual branding for advertising and competi-tion component

Stage Four: Interface development, strategic concept into visual branding

MDes 6030

Intensive 2 Parks Canada/Jans

Parks Canada faces many challenges,

most significantly declining visits. A major

strength is that the parks held in high regard

by many Canadian citizens and is seen as

a valuable part of the national identity. The

target audience for this assignment is the 18

to 34 age group.

In order to encourage physical visits a

strategy was developed that proposes

virtual visits. This is based on present online

social media habits of the audience who

are encouraged to post images, video, or

stories of visits or impressions of a national

park on a website. This virtual visit can be

measured and will be the link to a physi-

cal visit. The key insight (tagline), “This is

my park,” reverses the focus away from an

internal offering, what Parks Canada does,

to an external one that present the parks as

owned by the citizens.

Stage one: Audience definition and SWOT analysis


1312

Advertising Design: These ads further illustrate the how the strategy is extendable across all park events and locations.

Key Presentation Slides: these two slides highlight the strategic direction, first the need for audience recognition and participation, and secondly, that a virtual visit is the connection to a real visit and in turn returns to the virtual visit. This creates a ‘loop’ effect.

Advertising Design: visually the emphasis is on all the activities available in the parks. The images are dynamic and energetic. The bold position statement leads the eye to a moment of storytelling related to each image. The ad is completed by the online element and the logo.


1514

Parks Canada Interface A critical component of the strategy is the digital elements. This shows the site where park visitor go to post their images and text

Parks Canada Mobile Application It was seen as an important part of the strategy that the creative also function in the mobile environment

Poster: this is a simplified version of the advertising with the basic message that park visits should be shared online.


1716

Intensive 3 Wiki:ed/Peters

The second section of this Intensive was an

investigation and exploration into the use

of Wikipedia by university students under

the proposed umbrella of ‘Wikipedian at

NSCAD University.’ I worked in a group with

Carley Hodgkinson and LeeAndra Cianci.

The first step was to outline the needs and

uses of a Wiki site at NSCAD. The creative

requirements of NSCAD was the first matter

dealt with since the site would need to be

more expressive and flexible than other

universities, Dalhousie for example.

This resulted in a Wiki home site based on

a ‘button’ concept. These buttons are a

system both digital and real, they can be

shared, sent, collected and awarded. They

also include and utilize a set of graphic

freehand icons. The next stage was the

development of branding and the term

‘Wikipedian’ was deemed too to broad, and

the name Wiki:ed was created using the

common ‘wiki’ phrase linked by a colon to

‘ed’ representing an abbreviation of educa-

tion. This gives the entity is a stronger voice,

identity and personality. This is mindful of

the social aspects and possibilities for Wiki-

pedia. We then explored graphic outcomes

in an event that we considered would be

typical of NSCAD.

Creative development of the Wiki:ed ‘Button’concept for NSCAD: brand identity, t-shirt application, Wiki page and a map of the related social media.

MDes 6030

Intensive 3 Wikipedia Entry/Peters

1. Les Usherwood

The verbal challenge was to find a knowl-

edge ‘gap’ in Wikipedia and contribute an

entry. My contribution was the creation of a

Les Usherwood page. As per the assignment

this was a ‘gap’ as Usherwood was an impor-

tant figure in Canadian graphic community.

This entry was, I am glad to say, accepted by

the editors at Wikipedia. I plan to continue

adding and expanded this page especially

the images section.

2. Carl Dair

I also worked with Ian Grey on a Carl Dair

entry and again this was a notable ‘gap.’

Carl Dair was an important figure in the

Canadian field of typography and graphic

design. His book, Design with type, 1967, is

still in use today and a valuable resource for

many designers.


1918

4. Icons/Tool design

5. Branding for Wiki:ed

6. Event application

Presentation of concept and creative for

Wiki:ed @ NSCAD on Wikipedia

2. Wiki:ed @ NSCAD page design

3. Button development

1. Audience definition


2120

4. Awareness structure letters

5. Fence structure development 6. Design and layout of presentation panels

MDes 6030

Dalhousie Freelab/Knotweed

The assignment outline had two compo-

nents: a materials investigation and an

awareness issue. I worked with Kevin Dahl

on this assignment.

To start, we created an objective that people

in Nova Scotia need to know about this inva-

sive weed and what can be done to control

it since it is extremely difficult to eradicate.

We conducted thorough and detailed mate-

rials investigation of the Knotweed plant and

its physical features, its invasive qualities,

methods of control and possible used for

the plant. With this knowledge we then

developed a creative strategy.

Creative concepts were generated that high-

light the need for awareness of the weed.

Large 3D letters and a warning sign were

designed as a mobile exhibit that could

be transported anywhere in Nova Scotia.

As part of the awareness strategy a pair of

provocative advertising style posters and a

30 second You Tube video based on Hitch-

cock’s Psycho film were created. A social

media component was also developed, a

‘Not Friends of Knotweed’ Facebook site.

1. Creative development: material exploration

2. Creative development: material exploration

3. Object and structure development Fish, whale, tunnel, tent, path, kite, wind structure


2322

3. Audience awareness and mobile 3D exhibit

4. Creative awareness campaign: posters, Facebook page, and You Tube video

Knotweed Display Panels

1. Outline of the issues, Assignment Objectives and materials investigation.

2. Study of issues, control, and possible uses of the weed


2524

Three Plants

The three selected plants are radish for self-

portrait (this is the grown-from-seed element

for this assignment), tomato for biotechnol-

ogy, and moss for native climate. This is pre-

sented in four linking landscape posters that

use the design concept of text as data. They

graphically display the plants and include

basic research investigation and rational.

Planter Design

A shelf structure has been designed as a

metaphorical surface that displays the plants

above ground and explores elements below

ground. The elements hang under the shelf;

these are messages, images and objects,

representing the roots of life, especially the

unseen and the unexpected. The rocks on

the floor represent bedrock.

The structure has and will continue to evolve

and change as new elements are added.

The shelf is also intended as a lasting

structure that takes its clues from the studio

environment and the intension is for it to

look like it has always been there. The next

task has been to develop the planter design

into a typographic project and, at this stage

the concept of a typeface for/of plants is in

development.

MDes 6200


1. Three Plants & Planter Design

2. Plant as Self Portrait

3. Plant as Biotechnology

4. Plant as Climate/Culture

5. Plant as The System

Planter Development: Typeface


2726

The final construction of the shelf with plants

A Note on the Plants

The radish seed did sprout but have only

grown to about one and half inches. The

tomato plant has grown to a huge size but

has no flowers. The original moss died from

overwatering and had to be replaced. I have

also added the Knotweed exploration jars,

as this only seemed appropriate.

MDes 6200


1. Posters

This series of three posters plus and an

expansion poster displaying an early planter

design. The posters are based on initial

research for the selection of the three

plants. Radish was selected as self-portrait,

the tomato for the biotechnology, and the

moss as the native plant. The visual concept

was based on the assignment brief of Third

Nature and a form of data flow. They were

displayed as a horizontal series with large

plus signs as a connective theme. The large

flowing script typeface was also a consistent

graphic element. See over.

Planter ‘Shelf’ development and evolution with the above/below ground concept, and hanging tag idea


2928

Third Nature assignment: The series of three posters presenting plant selection plus one with an early planter idea.


3130

The finished design

An exploration of cause and effect relating radish data to personal moments or events. These events were Rothko at The Tate/The Third Man film/Cirque de Soleil

MDes 6200

2. Plant as Self-Portrait

The design is based on the idea of the

unexpected peppery taste of the radish. The

design has a multi-layered surface with a

seed structure background pattern with the

ambiguous ‘unex’ letters from ‘unexpected.’

The technical data is based on three self-

investigation scales. First, limited scale is in

reference to size and is a comparison of a

large Rothko painting to the smaller radish;

next is a time scale comparing growing time

to the seconds it takes to eat a radish; and

lastly a colour scale comparing Rothko’s

colours palette to the radish plant colours.

Development of seed background

The unexpected nature of radish

Development of data flows


3332

Biotechnology poster displaying first the issues of malaria, then tomato plant production, and then malaria in relation to ethical concerns.

MDes 6200

3. Plant as Biotechnology

The poster design is based on data-sphere

imagery that displays the issues connected

with the modification of tomato plants to

carry an edible malaria vaccine. The concept

is based on the idea that malaria is a global

concern and tomato are round in form,

hence the use of ‘globes’ as spheres. The

design steps from the critical issues of the

malaria disease, to the tomato as a large

cultivated crop across the globe, to the issue

of vaccine distribution linked to the ethical

concerns of GMO foods.

Development of data-sphere imagery


3534

MDes 6200

3. Plant as Biotechnology Two

The focus of the original poster proved to

be too complex and the main theme should

have been the third element, the design

of the vaccine. With hindsight, a possible

solution would be to create three posters as

a series, this would allow for each section to

also stand individually and have their own

theme. Displayed here is an example of a

possible design outcome.


3736

4. Key stage of image inclusion, generation of scales of data, and further layout development

5. Working design

6. Completed design

MDes 6200

4. Plant as Climate

The concept for this poster evolved from

the written component of the assignment

where a comparison was made between a

native plant, moss, and climate in the form

of culture in the form of the local Halifax

architecture. The moss is described as a

survivor seen not only in the urban parks but

also in the urban landscape. This was then

compared to the unnecessary brutalist style

of the many modern buildings in the down-

town core Halifax. This in turn was compared

to the traditional wooden style of homes on

the north side of the Halifax Commons.

This design is very experimental and

exceeded the requirements of the assign-

ment. It is also an attempt to step away

from typography as a solution and be more

expressive with images as a narrative. The

poster incorporates a personal visual journey

as locations were investigated and recorded.

This journey is displayed in the use of GPS

code (another form of data). The central

area is a data exploration and comparison of

three main themes: time, Halifax climate and

the moss.

1. Research and analysis of moss and climate

2. Flows of data on an outline map of the Halifax peninsula

3. Intermediate layout development


3938

2. Inclusion of case study data

3. Two stages of design exploration

1. Generation of system design based on planter structure

MDes 6200

5. The System

The concept for this poster evolved from

the written component of the assignment

where a comparison was made between a

native plant, moss, and climate in the form

of the local Halifax architecture. The moss is

described as a survivor seen not only in the

urban parks but also in the urban landscape.

This was then compared to the unnecessary

brutalist style of the many modern buildings

in the downtown core Halifax. This in turn

was compared to the traditional wooden

style of homes on the north side of the

Halifax Commons.

This design is very experimental and

exceeded the requirements of the assign-

ment. It is also an attempt to step away

from typography as a solution and be more

expressive with images as a narrative. The

poster incorporates a personal visual journey

as locations were investigated and recorded.

This journey is displayed in the use of GPS

code (another form of data). The central

area is a data exploration and comparison of

three main themes: time, Halifax climate and

the moss.


4140

MDes 6200

5. The System Two

A further expressive experimental stage

has been explored for this assignment. This

focuses on the data flow examples that have

been discussed during the term and high-

lights the technical side of the data of the

case study while retaining the circular struc-

ture of the planter bowls. This is exploration

is intended to be a comparison, complimen-

tary, and additional to the design process.

4. Development of data scale5. Completed design


4342

5. Capitals development

4. Spice jar exploration

Planter Development

Jam Jar Typeface

In addition to the development of the

planter a typeface concept emerged.

While making the labels for the plant jars

a hand–drawn script was devloped. This

not only felt appropriate for the labels but

quickly and easily transformed into a key

character set. To see if the letterforms would

also work elsewhere a second set of labels

were created for a set of spice jars.

The face is whimsical, organic with lots of

swing. A set of complimentary, but not

matching capitals has also been developed,

this is somewhat based on the early Renais-

sance typography where italics were design

as separate typefaces without a matching

upright ‘roman’ forms. The face is tentatively

titled ‘Jam Jar’ and hopefully next term

time will be found to bring this concept to

completion and a published typeface.

3. Key Character Set

2. Letterform generation

1. Label from Planter bowl


4544

Thesis process

Key development map that identifies two main thesis themes: the crisis facing newspapers and the design of the news

Thesis key word exploration

MDes Thesis

Concept Development

The proposed Thesis topic is the news

industry and the design of the news. It will

examine how the news is currently chal-

lenged culturally, economically, and politi-

cally with a focus on the use and impact of

digital technology. The project will analyze

and investigate news design in the future.

Thesis idea map generation


4746

Early development of the poster

MDes Thesis

Thesis Proposal Poster

The design and concept of this poster is

based on a ‘mosaic’ metaphor, and is based

on a quote from the Thesis Proposal by

McLuhan from Understanding Media that

newspapers are of the “mosaic or parpicipa-

tional form” (p.283).

The visual intention is to create a mosaic of

media that and that the newspapers are no

longer straightforward producers of ink on

paper but have evolved into hybrid informa-

tion networks offering a range of delivery

systems that include websites, mobile appli-

cations and interfaces such as the iPad. The

four main sections are illustrated that point

to the issues that threaten newspapers: the

decline in readership, the decline in advertis-

ing revenues, media saturation, and the

impact of new technology.

The future of communication

design in the news industry

NEWSPAPERS ARE FACING A CRISIS that threatens their existence. This is forcing change. For example, newspapers are no longer straightforward producers of ink on paper but have evolved into hybrid information net-works offering a range of delivery systems that include websites, mobile applications and interfaces such as the iPad. They are truly evolving as McLuhan (1964) foresaw in Understanding Media into “the mosaic or parpici-pational form” (p.283). While the economic crisis is forcing change this creates many opportunities for transformation and innovation in news organizations. The Economist (2011), in “The Future of the News, back to the coffee house,” declares that the Internet “as well as demolishing old ways of doing things, it has also made new ones pos-sible” (p.4). In the same manner Kaye and Quinn state that media organizations “have often lagged at developing new systems and practices” (2010, p.14), they make an important point, “How many media companies have a chief knowledge of� cer or chief innovations of� cers? Not many” and continue to declare that, “media organizations must embrace innovation” (p.14). One of the ways news organizations can embrace innovation is to use com-munication design as a solution that can provide new insight, methodologies, and strategies. They need to explore how can design be used to attract new audiences that increase readership and revenues, and how design can create new systems and accessible formats that embrace both traditional formats and new technology. What is and will be the role of communication design in the news industry as it emerges from the present state of crisis? What innovations can design bring to the news industry?

Martyn AnsticeAugust 15, 2011MDes ProgramSummer 2011

References

McLuhan

Kaye and Quinn

The Economist

The

inte

rnet

has

turn

ed th

e ne

ws i

ndus

try u

psid

e do

wn,

mak

ing

it m

ore

parti

cipat

ory,

socia

l, di

vers

e an

d pa

rtisa

n—as

it u

sed

to b

e be

fore

the

arriv

al o

f mas

s med

ia –

Tom

Sta

ndag

e, T

he E

cono

mist

/p.3

4. The impact of new digital technology: “people will be buying their newspapers on portable reading panels than on crushed trees” Rupert Murdoch

IMPARTIALITY/In the internet age, transparency may count for more than objectivity/p.14

By providing more raw material than ever from which to distil the news, so

cial media have both done away with editors and shown the need for them/p.11

The l

ine b

etwee

n acti

vism an

d jour

nalis

m has a

lway

s bee

n somew

hat f

uzzy,

but

had b

ecome e

ven f

uzzie

r in t

he d

igital a

ge/p.13

American newspapers are in trouble, but in emerging markets the news industry is roaring ahead/p. 5

News providers throughout the rich world are starting to charge for content on the web and mobile devices/p.7

The end of mass media/News is becoming a social media again, as it was until the early 19th century—only more

Q: W

hat is and will be the role of comm

unication design in the news industry as it emerges

from the present state of crisis?

Q: What innovations can design bring to the news industry?

The people form

erly known as t

he audience/Social-m

edia technologies a

llow a far wider ra

nge of people to

take part i

n gathering, filte

ring and distr

ibuting news/p

.9

A. What are the iss

ues facing newspapers?

B. How sh

ould the news be desig

ned?

3. M

edia

sat

urat

ion:

New

spap

ers,

mag

azin

es, t

elev

isio

n, c

able

and

sat

ellit

e, r

adio

and

dig

ital

rad

io, I

nter

net,

mo

bile

ap

ps,

tab

lets

, and

fre

e co

nten

t

They

[new

s or

gani

zatio

ns] a

re tr

uly

evol

ving

as

McL

uhan

(196

4) fo

resa

w in

Und

erst

andi

ng M

edia

into

“th

e m

osai

c or

par

pici

patio

nal f

orm

”/p.

283

The decline of advertising revenues: clients are switching cheaper and more audience focused online media 2.

“At the industry’s peak in 1984, 63 million newspapers were sold daily in the US. Today that num

ber is closer to 33 million” Basin, 2009/p.34

The

dec

line

in r

ead

ersh

ip: a

n ag

ing

po

pul

atio

n th

at r

ead

new

spap

ers

but

is s

low

ly d

ying

and

yo

ung

peo

ple

, inf

atua

ted

so

cial

med

ia, d

o n

ot

valu

e o

r b

uy n

ewsp

aper

s 1.

It is the role of news organizations to “synthesize, galvanize, and make accessible complex ideas” Heller (2004) states in Design Literacy/p.88

1. Visual Research: The design of newspapers has not substantially altered in near 200 years.

2. Visual Research: Many newspapers look the same and therefore lack identity and personality.

MDes Thesis

Documents

Martyn Anstice Process Book Summer 2011