Week 9: Message delivered
Lecture | Form & function
How do we read, understand, and engineer communication?
This week’s lecture consisted of a podcast hosted by Sussanna Edwards and Sam Winston. The focus of the lecture was form and function and through this process how we communicate a message or an idea.
The information shared by Sam became invaluable for this week’s challenge.
Brainstorming in four segments was an example given by Sam on how he would approach this week’s challenge. It was this method I had adopted for the outcome of this challenge.
The scenario is you are standing in a particular part of the city or an environment you are interested in.
The four segments are as follows:
Process: The process is your own investigation. What do you find relevant or interesting about the environment? Is the area deprived, how can this message be conveyed?
Materials: What materials or tools I am using or am going to use to perform the task? In this instance, I used a camera and Photoshop in my final outcome.
Language: What Language am I going to use? What is the message I am trying to convey?
Design: What is the style or composition?
I suppose the point Sam is making in the lecture, is that the environment is the means for your outcome. It’s how you utilise this to engage with an audience. In addition to this, Sam encouraged us to be curious, embrace the challenge, and have fun.
I decided to use the lecture as a platform to investigate further how to communicate, through form and function.
Graphic design isn’t exactly art. Sure, it has facets similar to art, and both require an incredible amount of creative skill and imagination, but it differs in one main aspect — function. (Carbajal, S. 2019)
Communication through graphic design involves behavioral responses.
Design is encompassed into a phrase graphic designers know very well, “form follows function”, whereas art can be defined as the opposite, function following form. (Carbajal, S. 2019)
In addition to the four factors considered by Sam Winston. I had also come across other pieces of research that would contribute to the idea process.
As a graphic designer, before I am handed a brief for a project, I would be told what it is I am creating. In this brief moment, it’s easy to understand what kind of path you are likely to follow, in terms of what the purpose is you are trying to achieve.
In this instance, there are three points to consider. Content, audience, and medium.
It’s no use generating ideas, designs, layouts, wireframes etc. if the function has not been clearly understood. (Morris, A. 2021)
Content: Why am I creating this piece, and what benefit will this have to others? What is the purpose of this piece?
The content is a big driving force behind the design as this is what you are trying to communicate. It could be purely long copy, such as a novel, or maybe it’s an editorial piece with a combination of images and text or perhaps an advertising campaign with a mix of flyers, posters, tv ad, or signage on a wall to direct people. Understanding the content – what it is and what it’s aims are will help with making design decisions. What is this information trying to do? (Morris, A. 2021)
Audience: Ultimately, in my opinion, this is the biggest thing to consider, as this is who you are selling your idea to. It’s important to keep this in mind when creating a piece.
When considering the design, keeping the intended audience in mind is very important. We’ve already discussed that the main aim of any piece of design is to communicate the message, but there needs to be an audience for the message and they are a key element. Understanding who they are, what they do, how they will interact with the design, where they will most likely be and at what time etc. (Morris, A. 2021)
Medium: What is the product? Knowing the product can dictate the type of audience you are targeting.
The medium is another major consideration, for example the type of material, the dimensions, it’s location, where, when and how it will be used. (Morris, A.2021)
Workshop Challenge
I began this challenge by venturing out into the city. My chosen area was outside the University of Leeds, specifically an area known as Woodhouse. It’s one of my favourite areas in the city, this is mainly due to the architecture surrounding the area. It has a pleasant mixture of old and new. In addition to the architecture, the people of the area are a mixture of students of all ages and races. Each with their own style shown off through fashion. Exploring the area gave me a sense of vibrance and strong energy and I wanted to reflect this in my final piece.
I wanted to take advantage and utilise the different perspectives, the architecture offered and use this as a canvas in my final outcome. I experimented with different images before deciding on a composition I was pleased with.
In these experimental pieces, I decided to use words that were not only familiar to the area, but also attributed to my own thoughts of the area itself.
Final Piece
I am very pleased with the overall outcome of this piece and feel it definitely shouts a statement of Leeds being a vibrant city. The overall composition and positioning of the typography are what really make the piece stand out. I am glad I was able to utilise the shape architecture of the Parkinson building in my work.
I really enjoyed the task and found it a great opportunity to showcase my chosen city. I felt at times the way I approached the task, I was creating a piece for Leeds City Council. Envisioning that I had a client in mind for this particular project really helped in creating this piece.
References:
Morris, A. (2021) Reborn Media Web Design, Reborn Media. Reborn Media Web Design. Available at: https://www.rebornmedia.co.uk/graphic-design-elements-form-follows-function (Accessed: April 12, 2023).
Carbajal, S. (2019) Form follows function: Why graphic design is different than art, Digital Beauty. Available at: https://digitalbeauty.com/graphic-design-is-different-than-art/ (Accessed: April 12, 2023).
