Publishing 2: Project 1

27.03.2017 - 26.04.2017 (Week 1 - Week 5)
Jessica Ngu Wei King (0323639)
Project 1

Week1: Formats
On the first lecture, the class started by introducing ourselves as there are few new students who just joined us. After that, we were given a short lecture on formats throughout the history. Mr. Vinod then explained to us about the module and what we have to do throughout the semester. He also brief us on our first assignment and showed us an example of a senior's work. During tutorial session, we had our first exercise, which was to determine 3 different sizes of the book for our assignments. At the end, we had to choose one of the size of the book with stapler binding. 

Outcome from the lecture: 
- The first writing system comes in the form of counting technology.
- The purpose of writing system was to record trading in Mesopotamia. 
- The writings were done on clay tablets.
- However, in Indus Valley, there were not much known on keeping record. 
- Cuneiform was introduced during that time, which was the earliest system of writing. 
- They record on government, trades and religions on soft clay using pointed tools.
- The Egyptian could read and write hieroglyphics. 
- They wrote on papyrus (a thick type of paper).
- During the China civilization, they introduced writing on bamboo strips threaded together. 
- Later they printed on paper in a scroll format. 
- The Chinese also discovered movable type.
- Paper has became widely available in Europe. 

Week 2: History of print

Outcome from the lecture: 
- The classics of Confucianism were carved on stone in China.
- The first printed document was in Korea, known as the sutra.
- Later in Japan Empress Shook commissioned the Hyakumanto Darani (known as the one minion pagodas & Dhahran Prayers). 
- This was the first time woodblock printing was introduced in Japan. It was used on a large scale.
- Chinese was the earliest known printed book, discovered in a cave in Dunhuang. 
- It was a scroll with 16 feet long and a foot high. 
- It was also the world's first printed illustration.

Week 3: The grid
Before lecturer starts, as usual he asked questions to the class. He questioned us whether we can or cannot design without grids. In my opinion, we can design without grids, while grids are just a guide that makes the layout look more organized and consistent throughout every spreads. Then, he explained what are the grids for. He also explained the purpose of grids to the class and showed some examples of a book and its grid systems. 

Outcome from the lecture: - Grids act as a guide for arranging the content more organize and consistent.
- It allows designers to systemize informations in a way that becomes easily to read and understand.

- Used by typographers, architects, photographers.

- Some people see grids as prison, but it can actually show the personality of designer as well.

Instructions

Project 1

Description
In this project you will be asked to create and design a book of 32 pages that is smaller than A4 but bigger than A5. Your task will be to:

1. Write 3000 words (English/Malay) on any subject that you are familiar with, for example: yourself, your family, someone who inspires you, your hometown, or an experience or an idea/belief that you feel strongly about, etc. The text content must be divided into 3 chapters minimum, it must also have 3/4/5 subtexts (sidebars) and one caption per chapter. You have 1 week for this.
   
2. Identify 16 areas in your written text for visualization, you may use any medium that is suitable for your topic/direction, for example: illustration, photography or mix-media. You have 3 weeks for this (after completing your 3000 words).
   

As you proceed through the stages of the project you will be given exercises that will help prepare you for the following or the current stages of the project. Project 01 must be finished within 4 weeks.

Requirements
The student must document the above progression in their eportfolio and A3 hardcopy portfolio. The results of the two phases must be collated and presented in the sample format shown in class. The 3000 words is to be formatted and submitted on A4 paper, at 9pt Helvetica, 11pt leading, consisting of all textual information of the book from front cover to back cover. A thumbnail printout of all 16 visuals as shown in the sample produced in class.

Submission

1. All gathered information (failures, successes, epiphanies, sketches, visual research, printouts, websites, images, charts, etc.) documented logically and chronologically in the A4 Clear Sheet folder. The works must be labelled and dated.
   
2. All gathered information (failures, successes, epiphanies, sketches, visual research, printouts, websites, images, charts, etc.) documented logically and chronologically in the eportfolio for the duration of the project in one post.
   
3. Typed content of 3000 words, formatted on A4 paper. (Left Aligned, 9pt Helvetica, 11pt leading, consisting of all textual information from front to back cover).
   
4. All 16 visuals placed in InDesign, using the predetermined page size and printed out in colour in a thumbnail printout.
   

Objectives

1. To develop students ability to generate own content.
   
2. To develop intimacy with content generated.
   
3. To develop students ability to communicate visually. 

Submissions:

Part I: Content generating 




Part II: 16 Visuals Thumbnails

Progress/ research

Week 1: 
We were required to write an essay on a topic that we are familiar on. So, I decided to write about myself, about my past, my current life, and my dreams in the future. 

Week 2-4:
As for the 16 visuals, my idea was to create a book like my own diary, since the book is all about myself. The book will have a lot of sketches, handwriting and doodles in it. At first, I decided to try on the visual style as below (Fig.10). But it didn't work out like how I imagined it will be. So I tried another style which are the photo collages and drawing using pastel colors . When I showed to Mr. Vinod my visual references and my outcomes, he said it was not strong enough compare to my references. He asked me not to compromise and continue on what I wanted to achieve in the beginning. He also taught me the technique on how to achieve the outcomes.

Fig.10 Visual Reference

Fig.11 First try on photo collages and pastel color.

Fig.12

Fig.13

Fig.14

Fig.15

Fig.16 I went back and tried on the style I wanted to work on based on the references

Fig.17 

Fig.18 Mr. Vinod suggest me to work on my assets, then using photoshop to make the collages

Fig.19

Fig.20

Fig.21

Feedbacks

Week 1:

Contents are ok, but need to change the copyright format. Subtexts should be added and fins the 16 visuals that I want to illustrate.

Week 2:
Visual references was interesting. Suggest not to change visual style and not to compromise. The collages are not strong enough compare to visual reference. 

Week 3:
Suggest adding texts across the images. Can add some colors, masking tapes. Try playing with layers and see how it works. 

Week 4: 
Can work faster using photoshops while achieving the same effect/ feeling of collages. Suggest creating few pieces of assets first (writing full pages of texts or sticking masking tapes on one paper), then transfer to computer and work on it digitally. 

Reflections

Experiences 
I think semester three was really stress and tired compare to the previous two semesters, not only we have 6 modules, but the workload for each modules are increasing, and it will never end... even though I was informed that sem 3 will be much more busier, but I never expected it will be this much.. Starting from week 1, I was already feeling anxious, afraid that I couldn't do better in this semester. But the good thing was that there were few new classmates joined our class, which makes the class much more interesting. On the first day of this class, we were asked to write an 3,000 words about a topic. At first, I scared that I can't produce the essay within one week time because I don't writ essay so often, but at last I was able to do it before the date of submissions, which really surprised me. I think making visuals for our book was quite fun and interesting to do, where I get to explore more on things I've never done before. 

Observations 
I noticed that I have become more confident in this semester. I also find out that I was able to let my self explore more and experiment on different design styles that I always wanted to do (but do not have the courage to do it). I find out that sometimes I was afraid that I couldn't produce something before the deadline, so I gave up on things I originally wanted to do. I also realized that even in such stressful time, I am still able to procrastinate sometimes (which I find it really weird, and I'm wondering if anyone was doing the same thing too ...?) 

Findings
I found out that it can be a good thing to procrastinate sometimes as it can reduce my stress, however I will make myself more disciplined, and control my time efficiently.