Module code: MMDCD401 Module Name: APPLYING THE CREATIVE PROCESS TO 2D FORMS Module Credits: 5

RTQF : 4 Sector: ICT Sub-sector: Multimedia

1. Definition Multimedia is any combination of text, graphic art, sound, animation and video delivered to us by computer or other electronic device. 1.1 CD-ROM and Multimedia Highway  Compact Disc-Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) is a cost effective distribution medium for multimedia projects.  It can contain unique mixes of images, sounds, text, video, and animations controlled by an authoring system to provide unlimited user interaction.  Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) technology has come into usage which has increased capacity than the CD-ROM.  Now that telecommunications are global, information can be received online as distributed resources on a data highway, where we will pay to acquire and use multimedia based information.

1.2 Where to use multimedia?

Multimedia in business  Business applications for multimedia include presentations, training, marketing, , product demos, databases, catalogues and networked communications..  Multimedia is used in voice mail and video conferencing.  Multimedia is used in training programs.

 Mechanics learn to repair engines through simulation.

 Sales person learn about the products online  Pilots practice before spooling up for the real thing.

Multimedia in Schools  Multimedia provides radical changes in the teaching process, as smart students discover they can go beyond the limits of traditional teaching methods.

 Teachers may become more like guides and mentors along a learning path, not the primary providers of information and understanding.

 It provides physicians with over 100 case presentations and gives cardiologist, radiologist, medical students, and fellows an opportunity for in-depth learning of new clinical techniques.

 Adults and children learn well by exploration and discovery.

Multimedia at home  From gardening to cooking to home design, remodeling multimedia has entered the home.

Multimedia in public places  In hotels, train stations, shopping malls, museums and grocery stores, multimedia will become available at stand-alone terminals or kiosks to provide information and help.  Such installations reduce demand on traditional information booths and personnel and they can work round the clock, when live help is off duty.  Supermarket kiosks provide services ranging from meal planning to coupons.  Hotel kiosks list nearby restaurants, maps of the city, airline schedules, and provide guest services such as automated checkouts.

Virtual reality

Cyber is made up of many thousands of geometric objects plotted in three dimensional space: the more objects and the more points that describe the objects, the higher the resolution and the more realistic our view 2. Introduction to making multimedia 2.1 The stages of a project Most multimedia and web projects must be undertaken in stages Here are four basic stages in a multimedia project. Planning and Costing  Before we begin developing, we need to plan what writing skills, graphic art, music, video, and other multimedia expertise will be required.  We need to develop a creative graphic look and feel, as well as a structure and navigation system that will let the viewer visit the message and content.  We need to estimate the time needed to do all elements and prepare a budget.

Designing and producing To perform each of the planned tasks to create a finished product.

Testing Always we need to test our programs to make sure They meet the objectives of our project They work properly on the intended delivery platforms They meet the needs of your client or end user

Delivering To package and deliver the product to the end user.

2.2 What do we need? Hardware The Macintosh OS from Apple Intel-based IBM PC running Microsoft Windows

These computers with their GUI are the most commonly used platforms today for the development and delivery of multimedia.

Software Tools for capturing screen images, translating between file formats and editing our resources. Common tools such as word processors, spreadsheets and databases for presenting instant multimedia. Multimedia authoring tools Tools for designing and delivering multimedia on the web.

Creativity Before we begin a multimedia project, we must first develop a sense of its scope and content. The most precious asset we can bring to the multimedia workshop is our .

Organization It is essential we develop an organized outline and a plan that rationally details the skills, time, budget, tools and resources we will need for a project.

2.3 Theory of sketching, drawing, and computer-based drawing 2.3.1 Ambiguity and transformations in sketching

In order for sketching to be an effective tool for the creative process, sketching must be ambiguous. (Goel 1995; Garner 1990; Purcell & Gero 1998;) When sketching on paper, the creative process continues as the drawing is created; the creation of one hand drawn sketch leads to an idea for the next sketch. Garner defines this ambiguity as the production of a sketch whose flexibility deliberately provokes a variety of interpretations.

Advantages of using Illustrator for product representations include unlimited drawing space, easy storage of iterations, unlimited editing capabilities, a digital format, which makes it easy to add to presentations or reproduce, and any complicated curvature can be exported to.When working from

an Illustrator drawing, it is easy to explore many different in a design family without having to redraw anything; one can duplicate the original drawing and make changes with relative ease. It is also easy to control the ambiguity of the drawing by changing the amount of detail; Illustrator drawings can consist of just line in black and white, or can have color and shading.

It is important to remember that the use of Illustrator does not replace hand sketching, but merely supplements it. The purpose of sketches is by in large distinct from that of presentation drawings.

3. UNITY ONE: SOURCE INFORMATION ON 2-D DESIGN

Students will work with a wide variety of drawing materials, methods and strategies in a studio art context. Students will explore drawing concepts, form, and technique through production and critique of artworks, as well as address theories and histories of visual representation through readings and discussion. Students with little or no background in visual art are encouraged to participate as well as those who may have significant knowledge and experience. Not open to students majoring in art and design only.

Introductory drawing course with an emphasis on heightening visual awareness and utilizing basic elements of technique and concept. Media such as pencil will be used through a variety of technical and conceptual exercises. This course is designed for students who have little to no prior experience with drawing.

Using Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign). Students will receive instruction in the elements of visual grammar and establish a foundation for visual literacy based on design principles. Using hands-on exercises and problem-solving projects, students will work through the creative process and learn industry standards necessary to function in today's commercial art field. 3.1 Source information on 2-D design includes:

Primary sources are materials (data, government documents, photographs, letters, etc.) that are used by scholars to produce secondary sources (original research published in books and scholarly

articles). Some library databases include primary sources (e.g. historical newspaper articles), but many primary sources are found on the internet or in books.

2D Primary Information

-Data - Documents - Photographs - Newspapers - Books

2D secondary Film, video, internet

3.2 Evaluate and collate information to build a knowledge of 2D design

Elements & Principles of 2D Design

ELEMENTS:

 Line – The way we treat our lines establishes a particular/dominant mood/emotion.  Shape – Flat, 2D aspects of form, as opposed to volume (think silhouette)  Value/Tone – Relative lightness or darkness  Texture – Can be actual or implied  Space – Positive space is the figure/object you’re drawing; Negative space is the area AROUND the figure object you’re drawing  Color – (we won’t use color in Beginning Drawing)

PRINCIPLES:

• Balance – can be Symmetrical or Asymmetrical.

Symmetrical = dividing a composition into two equal halves with seemingly identical elements on each side.

Asymmetrical = balance based upon a visual sense of equilibrium that can be felt more than it can be measured. There are no specific rules for asymmetrical balance except that of diversity image credit

• Repetition/Rhythm – a repeating visual element (line, shape, pattern, texture, movement); a flowing and regular occurrence. A subcategory of repetition is pattern.

Pattern – any compositionally repeated element or regular repetition of a design or single shape; pattern drawing sin commercial art may serve as models for commercial imitation.

• Focus/Emphasis/Dominance – the prime center of visual importance within a composition to which all other visual elements yield; it holds the viewer’s attention because of its attractive and dominant influence on its surroundings Rule of Thirds – a compositional tool that makes use of the notion that the most interesting compositions are those in which the primary element is off center. Basically, take any frame of reference and divide it into thirds placing the elements of the composition on the lines in between.

Visual Center – The visual center of any page is just slightly above and to the right of the actual (mathematical) center. This tends to be the natural placement of visual focus, and

is also sometimes referred to as museum height.

Golden Rectangle – Another method of a rranging a composition.

Unity/Harmony • Scale – The overall size of an object

[collage by Nacick Paliughi]

• Proportion – The relative size of different elements of an artwork. An example is the exaggerated proportions in caricatures.

• Contrast – When one extreme is pitted against another. Bright vs Dark. Heavy vs Light, Rough vs Soft, etc.

• Movement – How the artist leads the viewer’s eye around the page • Depth – overlapping forms suggest depth; changes in scale can suggest depth; illusionistic perspective can suggest depth, atmospheric perspective (see images here) can suggest depth

foreshortening also shows depth

ELEMENT DEFINITIONS:

Line: The edge of a shape or form or the direction followed by anything in motion. -Implied Line- is a line that doesn’t really exist, but appears to be present. -Actual Line- is a line that is actually present.

Value: Shadows from lightness to darkness -Value variation gives a sense of space and depth to an object—emphasizing its three dimensionality. -Strong contrast in value can create emphasis.

Color: Color is Light reflected from a surface. It can create emphasis, harmony, emotions, unity, and movement. -Color has three distinct qualities: 1. Hue- color 2. Value- lightness to darkness of a color 3. Intensity- brightness to dullness of a color – mixing its complimentary color can dull intensity. Texture: Quality related closely to our sense of touch. It can create emphasis, movement, pattern, emotion.

-Implied texture- is texture that appears to be present but it is an illusion. It is not really present. - Actual texture- is texture that really exists and it can be felt.

Shape: Shape encloses a two dimensional area. Shape can create most of the elements and many of the principles. -Types of shapes: Organic-curved edges, continuous Geometric-sharp edges, angles

Form: Form encloses a volume or three-dimensional area. -Light and dark value variations and space are used to emphasize form.

Space: Illusion of depth and space. -Ways to create space: 1. Overlapping — Shapes or forms in front of each other 2. Holes and cavities

PRINCIPLE DEFINITIONS:

TEXT It is a collection of characters that makes the user understand very easily and special meaning is given. Text can be used for communication. The information what you are trying to say will be given as a text. Mostly, a text in multimedia plays a vital role Defn: It is a printed or written version of speech, and also it gives the main facts about the subjects.

About Fonts and Faces Typeface: A typeface is a family of graphic characters that usually includes many type sizes and styles. Font: A font is a collection of characters of a single size and style belonging to a particular typeface family. Typical font styles are boldface and italic. Type sizes are usually expressed in points; one point is .0138 inches or about 1/ 72 of an inch.

The font’s size is the distance from the top of the capital letter to the bottom of the descenders in letters such as g and y.

A font’s size does not exactly describe the height and width of its characters. This is because the x height (the height of the lower case letter x) of two fonts may vary, while the height of the capital letters of those fonts may be the same .

Computer fonts automatically add space below the descender to provide appropriate line spacing, or leading (pronounced “ledding”).

Leading can be adjusted in most programs on both Macintosh and in Windows. When you type lower case letters the ascenders and descenders will be changed but, for upper case it won’t.

Character Metrics: it is a general measurement applied to individual characters. Kerning: It is the spacing between character pairs. Here are some examples of the same letter displayed using different fonts. A A A A A A Times new roman Arial Century Gothic Courier New Cooper Black Verdana Cases: The font always will be stored in two cases Capital letters (Upper Case) and small letters (Lower Case). Serif Vs Sans Serif witty, comic, happy, technical, and newsy. Note: Serif versus Sans Serif is the simplest way to categorize a typeface; the serif is the little decoration at the end of a letter stroke. Examples: Times, New Century School book, Bookman, and Palatino are examples of Serif fonts. Helvetica, Arial, optima, and Avant Garde are Sans serif. he serifs are said to help guide the reader’s eye along the line of text.

Using Text in Multimedia Text in multimedia helps the user to Navigate through the multimedia project Designing with Text The text and the screen used for creating a multimedia project should be a related one. Clear font should be used of same sizes on the screens

Too much of text can make the screen overcrowded and unpleasant.

On the other hand, if you are providing public-speaking support, the text will be keyed to a live presentation where the text accents the main message.

Choosing Text Fonts o Decorative fonts and legible fonts can be used in the multimedia project o Use italic and Bold faces whenever needed o Using too many fonts on the same page is called ransom-note o In text blocks, adjust the leading for the most pleasing line spacing. Lines too tightly packed are difficult to read.

Importance of the messages should vary with the font size

In large-size headlines, adjust the spacing between letters (kerning), big gaps between large letters can turn your title into a toothless waif. Necessary background colors are used to explore the effect of text

Bold or emphasize text to highlight ideas or concepts, but do not make text look like a link or a button when it is not.

UNITY TWO: EXPLORE THE CREATIVE DESIGN PROCESS FOR 2D FORMS

What Makes Good Design? A beautiful design is not a product of great or a result of an idea. Rather, it is a product of carefully planned design elements chosen to create a visual representation of the idea and the imagination. Design is not about pictures placed together and arranged in a way that creates a story. Design is about creating harmony among the elements and having them come together in a final product that is unequivocally outstanding. 1.1. Use creative techniques to generate a range of ideas and options

 Storytelling: is one of the oldest methods of changing minds, whether informally in conversation or with more specific purpose, such as in speeches and business communication.

 Characters: The real people in the story.  Devices: Tricks of the trade.  Plots: The structure of stories.  Storytelling in Organizations: Where it can lead to powerful change.  Telling Stories: Ways to enhance the way you tell'em.  Articles: assorted other articles about storytelling  : is a way to generate ideas within a group setting. It is usually used in the beginning stages of a project, where the possibilities for the project are not clearly understood or defined. It provides a quick means for tapping the creativity of a limited number of people for a large number of ideas. The brainstorming environment fosters an uninhibited, non-judgmental explosion of ideas, concepts, policies, decisions, and strategies. In brainstorming, all contributions are valid, and the key to a successful session is to share as many ideas as possible without evaluating them.

 Brain writing is an idea-generating method that involves everyone in a group activity. While brainstorming encourages a group to generate creative ideas verbally where, without censorship, only the most vocal people tend to participate.  A is a graphical way to represent ideas and concepts. It is a visual thinking tool that helps structuring information, helping you to better analyze, comprehend, synthesize, recall and generate new ideas. Just as in every great idea, its power lies in its simplicity.  5W1H (who, what, where, when, why, how) is a method of asking questions about a process or a problem taken up for improvement. The answers to these six questions reveal the context of use – the people, their tasks, their tools and technology, and the environment in which they will be using the product you’re designing. Who Who are the users? What are their characteristics? What knowledge and experience do they bring to their tasks? Are there different user groups? If so, what distinguishes them from each other, and which user groups are most important? What What do the users do? What are the tasks they need to accomplish? You need to understand their tasks as a whole as well as the tasks that pertain to the product or system that you’re designing.

How How do they perform those tasks? While what asks about the tasks people perform, how asks for the details of how they perform those tasks. For example, paying a credit card bill is what someone does. How they pay it, gets into the detailed, individual steps involved in the task. Where Where are these people when they perform their tasks? Which physical characteristics of that environment affect how they perform their tasks? Lighting conditions, temperature, noise, interruptions, privacy, space, interactions with other people, physical movement, and other conditions of the location could influence how they perform tasks. When When do they perform these tasks? Are they in a hurry, or can they take their time? How often do they perform these tasks? If it’s something they do every day, they can learn and remember how the system works. If it’s something they only do a few times a year, it’s unlikely that you can rely on them to learn and remember how to use the system. Why? Why do they perform these tasks? What are they really trying to accomplish? People perform tasks because they want to achieve higher-level goals. For example, people use personal financial software to update their records of their bank and credit card accounts and to pay bills. Those are their specific, lower-level tasks, but their higher-level goals are to feel more control over their finances, to better understand and control their spending, and to save money. Supporting users’ tasks is merely the minimum. Helping them better achieve their true goals is what leads to an excellent user experience. How do you get the answers to these questions? You could simply ask people these questions, but it’s difficult for people to provide accurate answers by simply talking about what they do outside of the context of performing those tasks. Instead, the best way to learn this information is to go out and observe: The people who will be using your product To observe what they currently do and how they do it In the location where they do it At the time when they do it This observation, combined with interviews, would lead to answering why they perform these tasks.

These techniques help you in specific situations:

 Reverse Brainstorming – This is used to improve a product or service.  Star bursting – Star bursting helps you develop questions that you need to ask to evaluate a proposal.  Charette Procedure – This helps you brainstorm with large groups of people. (Conventional brainstorming becomes increasingly ineffective when more than 10 or 12 people are involved.)  Round-Robin Brainstorming – You can use this approach to get people to contribute ideas without being influenced by others.  Role storming – This technique encourages group members to take on other people's identities while brainstorming, thereby reducing their inhibitions.

 Metaphors and analogies: Now that we know metaphors can be powerful persuasion tools, let’s make sure everyone is on the same page from a definitional standpoint. A metaphor is a figure of speech that uses one thing to mean another and makes a comparison between the two. A simile compares two different things in order to create a new meaning. An analogy is comparable to metaphor and simile in that it shows how two different things are similar, but it’s a bit more complex.

Creativity techniques for idea evaluation brainstorming

 bulletin board: An Internet site where users can post comments about a particular issue or topic and reply to other users' postings  buzz sessions are short participative sessions that are deliberately built into a lecture or larger group exercise in order to stimulate discussion and provide student feedback.  Sequencing problems in Operations Research. ... It is the selection of an appropriate order in which a number of jobs (Operations) can be assigned to a finite number of service facilities (Machines or equipment’s) so as to optimize the outputs in terms of time, cost or profit.  Daydreaming: itself involuntarily triggers an uninhibited and playful thought process, incorporating the participant’s creativity and resourcefulness to play around with the present problem. It enables a person to establish an emotional connection with the problem,

which is beneficial in terms of coming up with a wonderful idea. The focus of productive daydreaming is a particular goal irrespective of whether it seems to be an impractical task.  Edouard de Bono’s six thinking hats: You can use Six Thinking Hats in meetings or on your own. In meetings, it has the benefit of preventing any confrontation that may happen when people with different thinking styles discuss a problem, because every perspective is valid.Each "Thinking Hat" is a different style of thinking. These are explained below:

 White Hat: with this thinking hat, you focus on the available data. Look at the information that you have, analyze past trends, and see what you can learn from it. Look for gaps in your knowledge, and try to either fill them or take account of them.  Red Hat: "wearing" the Red Hat, you look at problems using your , gut reaction, and emotion. Also, think how others could react emotionally. Try to understand the responses of people who do not fully know your reasoning.  Black Hat: using Black Hat thinking, look at a decision's potentially negative outcomes. Look at it cautiously and defensively. Try to see why it might not work. This is important because it highlights the weak points in a plan. It allows you to eliminate them, alter them, or prepare contingency plans to counter them. Black Hat thinking helps to make your plans "tougher" and more resilient. It can also help you to spot fatal flaws and risks before you embark on a course of action. It's one of the real benefits of this model, as many successful people get so used to thinking positively that they often cannot see problems in advance. This leaves them under-prepared for difficulties.  Yellow Hat: this hat helps you to think positively. It is the optimistic viewpoint that helps you to see all the benefits of the decision and the value in it. Yellow Hat thinking helps you to keep going when everything looks gloomy and difficult.  Green Hat: The Green Hat represents creativity. This is where you develop creative solutions to a problem. It is a freewheeling way of thinking, in which there is little criticism of ideas. (You can explore a range of creativity tools to help you.)  Blue Hat: this hat represents process control. It's the hat worn by people chairing meetings, for example. When facing difficulties because ideas are running dry, they may direct activity into Green Hat thinking. When contingency plans are needed, they will ask for Black Hat thinking. As a you must apply those techniques in other to design well your design so you have to be graphic organizers:

What makes the difference between a good idea and a great idea? Good ideas come along all the time and help people solve minor problems in work and daily life. Great ideas appear a little less frequently and require a little more work to execute. Great ideas aren't necessarily the result of highly-paid think tanks or drug-induced vision quests in the desert. Often they are unexpected moments of inspiration that help keep the napkin companies in business.

The big challenge of generating great ideas is freeing yourself from the conventional, mundane thoughts that occupy most of your brain time. Here are seven tips to help you open your mind and stimulate your great idea generator.

1. Engage in Observation Sessions

Great ideas won't happen in a vacuum. You need some way of getting your brain to think in new and creative ways. Commit time to specific sessions where you stimulate your brain into thinking differently. Being a New Yorker, my favorite method is people watching. A simple walk through Manhattan can introduce me to exciting activity and behavior that makes me think anew. Any crowded urban area, mall or zoo can do the same.

2. Socialize Outside Your Normal Circles

Hanging around with the same friends and colleagues can get you in a thinking rut. Take advantage of all those LinkedIn connections and start some exciting conversations. New people don't know all your thought patterns and old stories, so you'll have to revisit your existing inner monologues. The refreshing perspectives will help to surface new thinking and possibly a lightning bolt or two.

3. Read More Books

Books are wonderful for creating new thoughts and stimulating great ideas. For a long time, I didn't read much. When I added business books to my routine, it helped me learn more and expand my way of thinking. But several years ago, I started again reading fiction and histories. These stories really got me out of my daily headspace and activated my idea generator. Even if you can't make the time for a novel, go hunt down a bookstore and spend an hour browsing. You'll find plenty of thought stimulation.

4. Randomly Surf the Web

Google is great when you know what you are looking for, but the best way to generate new ideas is with unexpected learning. Take an hour each week and go on a web journey. Start with the I'm Feeling Lucky button and just take it from there. Try to pick the stranger and more obscure references as you surf and stretch your brain a bit.

5. Keep a Regular Journal

A journal is great for recording thoughts, feelings and the history of your life. It also is a great way to structure and develop ideation habits. If you don't keep a journal, start today. If you already do, simply add the practice of finishing every entry with: Here is my new idea for the day ...

6. Meditate

It's hard to come up with great ideas when your mind is crowded with everyday thoughts and concerns. You need quiet space. will help you clear your mind of daily business and stress. Then you can quietly focus on your future-- or solving world issues. Commit to two hour- long sessions every week and soon you'll find new ideas flowing.

7. Use Structured Exercises

Structure breeds creativity. Simple exercises can get your brain working in a focused manner to yield great ideas. With a partner, take ten minutes (timed) to come up with 42 ideas on a specific topic or problem. You may only think of 30 or 35 but no matter. You'll find that there are at least two or three gems in the list.

All of these methods require a commitment of time and energy, but that's the key to great ideas. You need to give your brain the time and space to work for you. If you try each of these methods, you are bound to come up with a great idea or two. Make sure you record them and set a plan of accountability. The execution is up to you.

The Creative Design Process resulting in an impactful and professional logo. However, if you don’t follow a design process, then you might face serious problems, which may undermine the credibility of your design skills as well as your business. Below is a design process which can help you reduce the errors which may inflict serious damage to your .

1. The Creative Brief

A creative or design brief is the most important part of the design process. It is the document on which the ultimate outcome is based on. Therefore, it is important to read the creative brief thoroughly and understand the client’s specific industry, business, and products/services. Also, ask your client questions to assess his psyche and to eliminate any ambiguity. Doing so will help you to develop a logo that is in line with client’s requirements.

2. Research as Groundwork It is very important to conduct thorough research of the client’s company and industry. It is advisable to study various fonts, colors, and designs used in industry. It is also important to research about the competitors to get the feel of the industry. It is also important to understand what kind of color combination, design themes and images the client wants you to use and their expectations are.

By researching and asking questions to the client, you showcase professionalism that ultimately reflects in your designs.

3. Paperwork This is an important part of the design process that tend to overlook. You should always start off by sketching your ideas on paper. This helps to execute ideas and pay attention to minor details. Designing on paper allows forming an idea and coming up with original logo design.

4. Design on Computer Once you are done with groundwork, you can then start designing on the computer. There is a variety of software for amongst which Adobe Illustratorand Photoshop are most popular. You can experiment with different colors, fonts, shapes and angles to create multiple variations of the logo. However, all options must follow the creative brief provided by the client

5. Presentation

Presentation matters. All options must be presented with color variation i.e. using CMYK, RGB, black and white and reverse options. Doing so will help client finalize a logo option of which different file formats will be delivered.

6. Feedback Feedback is very important. You should be alert and make the required changes once the client sends in their feedback on your design. It is also important to communicate well with the client so that you can make him understand the technicalities linked with the logo design. It is good to give advice custom logo design because clients want to see the changes and only then are they able to make up their mind about the right design option.

7. Delivering final files Once the changes are made and a logo option is finalized, the designer providing you logo designing then you should deliver the final files as soon as possible, ideally within the given deadline.

While the process mentioned above may seem to be slightly cumbersome and time-consuming for certain designers, but it will help the designer produce a professional and attention- grabbing design that will have a lasting value and catch your customer’s fancy.

THE DESIGN PROCESS SITUATION This refers to a practical problem or need which is to be solved. A situation can arise from our daily observation or a customer can present a problem to us. E.g. reckless disposal of cans/tins provide breeding places for some insects such as mosquitoes, which cause Yellow fever and Malaria to human beings. RESEARCH Research is divided into two and that is market and technical research. Market research aims at involving users of the end product in the design process whereas technical research involves analysis of existing or similar products in terms of their strengths and weaknesses. First you must decide what information you require. This of course will vary from project to project, and will depend upon the knowledge you already know. Research can involve reading (reading Magazines, Books, Journals and other written material), listening, talking to (parents, teachers, students etc.) and observation. If more detailed information is required, you may need to write a letter to a particular industry or research establishment. CONSTRUCTION METHODS ERGONOMICS This is the study of the parts of a human being in relation to his / her working environment. Human beings vary in size and shape and it is important to know for whom you are designing for. For example, the needs of a child are different from the needs of an adult. The design should be ergonomically sensible and in order to arrive to the correct sizes an area of study called ‘ATHROPOMETRICS’ need to be undertaken.

MAINTENANCE

The design should be easy to maintain and repair. - It should be efficient, reliable and easy to use

CONSTRUCTION & SHAPING - The design should be simple in construction because complex designs often fail. Do consider shaping and forming methods e.g. reduction, addition etc APPEARANCE - A product appearance is very important to the User or Purchaser. There is an observation, which says, ‘they will see it first before they switch it on.’ No matter how good or bad the design may be people are going to see it first before they can attempt to know how it works. This is why appearance plays a very crucial role in designing any product. Appearance of any product depend on the following: 1. Lines, shapes and forms 2. Texture 3. Patterns and Style 4. Colour

COLOUR - The choice of colour on finishing any product is important because it has an effect upon human moods. Bright colours - Yellow, Orange, and Red make us feel bright and cheerful Warm colours - Brown, Orange, make us feel comfortable and warm - Blue and white colours give a feeling of coolness Dark and Dull colours - Black and Grey make us feel sad and mournful.

AESTHETICS - This is the study of beauty. Here, you have to consider how you are going to beautify your project. That is, the design should be aesthetically pleasing. TEXTURE - shiny surfaces have a considerable appeal. PROPORTION- the design should be proportional that is, the relationship between the length, width and height. STRENGTH - The design should be able to withstand forces acting upon it. E.g. a chair should be able to withstand static and dynamic forces. The design should have a state of ‘EQUILIBRIUM’. It should also be sufficiently strong to resist rough treatment

ECONOMICS - The project should be made and completed within the given time or the time available SURFACE FINISH - The device should be protected from outdoor or indoor use or changing weather conditions, wearing and these depends on the type of project in question SAFETY - Everything you make should be safe in use.

WORKING MODELS This is a mock-up to show the final product / design would look like. Basically, there are three types of models and that is.

1. EXPLORATORY MODEL is used to investigate an idea. It can be made from cheap or scrap materials. It is used to visualise an idea and to help reach a solution. You may make several before you find the best solution. You might use it to check sizes and proportions, or to discover if an idea will perform as required. For example, designing a seed propagator, which can be sold as a flat pack, which can be disassembled when not in use for easy storage.

2. PROTOTYPE MODEL is a model, which resembles exactly the final object. It is made to confirm that the best solution has been achieved. A prototype is made with a great deal of care and accuracy. A range of techniques and tricks are used, so that visually it is difficult to distinguish the prototype from the real thing. Some prototype really work, others are just visually identical e.g. designing a simple device that can be used to pick up small steel objects, such as pins and needles.

3. DEMONSTRATION MODELS are used to explain an idea or a principle, to prove that the final product will work. The key factor is that they should operate the same way as the final product. Demonstration models can be used to describe how a system operates, whether it is mechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatics. In this case Fischer Technic or Lego Dacta kits can be used to model up an idea quickly.

ADVANTAGES OF WORKING MODELS (a) They are sometimes easier and quicker to produce than working drawings. (b) They can be moved about and viewed from various angles.

(c) In a model, problems such as stability, ease of use and whether it will work, are usually more obvious. (d) Models can be touched. (e) Errors are usually obvious and can be corrected. Note: Parts of a design can be modelled separately to check that a particular part works (i.e. to detect any mechanical design problems).

DISADVANTAGES (a) Appropriate modelling materials and construction kits are required. (b) Safe storage space is needed. (c) Copies cannot be made quickly.

MAKING A MODEL Before making a model, you will need to consider: - - the size it should be. - the kind of materials the model should be made from

SOURCES OF INSPIRATI ON FOR DESIGNERS & F ILM MAKERS

1. ART

For all makers of art and design a crucial source of inspiration is the work of fellow artists, designers and creatives of every kind. 2. GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS

The best way to experience art is in the flesh and fortunately our galleries and museums are bursting with great works and fascinating relics. There is a mass of inspirational art to explore, from the embarrassment of riches held by national museums such as the British Museum and National Galleries to the cutting edge work found in small contemporary shows.

3. THE INTERNET

It’s easy to take the Internet for granted, but it was only a few years ago that researching artists and creative techniques would involve trawling through libraries, searching for periodicals, and attending evening classes. 4. FILM

Many critics and historians consider film to be the quintessential art form of the twentieth century. The haunting quality of silent movies, the sharp design of light and shadow in film noir, the garish colours of Hammer horror

5. MUSIC

There are two ways in which music can be an important source of inspiration for artists and designers. Firstly, music can form the soundtrack to a designers practice, helping create a mood and ambience to accompany the working environment.

6. PRINT ADS AND POSTERS

Film and music are prompted with often astonishing posters and print media, as are every kind of commercial product, events and even ideas. 7. THE OUTDOORS

There come moments in every creative person’s practice that the inspiration dries up and the ideas stagnate. At these times it is great to have a break and get outside in the fresh air, have a stroll or take a bicycle ride. Parks and countryside, city streets and urban environments can all enliven the senses and invigorate creativity.

8. BOOKS

While the best way to see art is in the flesh, and so much is available on the Internet, one of the best ways to study visual work is in books. For book designers and typographers, of course, the book form is the best way to present their creations. Books are available on all types of artists, history and techniques, and they remain one of the most rewarding means of finding inspiration.

9. MAGAZINES

10. LIFE

The best art, design and creative works are directly inspired by the maker’s life. Working purely stylistically and aesthetically can produce results, but it is when artists infuse their work with their personal experiences of life that the work becomes enriched and truly enlivened.