Form vs Function

This illustrations demonstrated clearly on what is forms and functions. Does forms follows functions. Or functions follows forms? Meaning to say, is it better to look good but doesn't work well, or it can work well but doesn't look as good? Can we strike a balance between both of them? Objects that both looks really good and work really well? How can we make it look better? How can we make it work better? 

Take for example a pair of scissors, it works well, it is good at cutting paper and such. But does it look good? How can we improve the design in such a way that it looks more appealing to the user?

Taking a look at a popular shopping mall in Singapore ,ION Orchard, or the newest university in Singapore , SUTD. I'm sure there are really beautiful piece of architectural design. And also it works as well as it looks. It look really pleasing to eye and has an effective used of space! 

Or a top of the line branded wallet, yeah it does looks good, but it does the same job as every other wallet does! The job of the wallet is to contain money bills and cards. But the wallet's designer put an extra effort to make it look good even though it does the same job! 

Synesthesia

On the previous class of creative thinking, Lecturer Mickey introduced a word which was new to me. Synesthesia. It is a condition in which one sense is being simultaneously being perceived as if by one or more additional senses such as sight. Meaning to say, someone who suffers from synesthesia is able to feel colours, taste words and hear numbers. Wait, this does not make any sense to me? How do one be able to feel colours? It's not the case whereby I'm green of envy, I'm feeling blue today and I'm seeing red! They literally feel with the colour! On Monday though, and especially Monday and no other days, where most working adults will feel blue. Because who doesn't have Monday Blues?

Can't you hear it? The number "3" is yelling at you!

According to a person suffering from synesthesia, The colour of the various words and letters are as follows: The Letter "N" is sienna brown, "J" is light green, number "8" is orange and July is bluish- green. So imagine one that have go through a mathematical exam, and a person with synesthesia would be struggling to give a numerical answer but coloured the answer instead.

While I myself do not suffer from this disorder but there is an App, Sadly by your side which gives us a small glimpse of how synesthesia might feel. It is an interactive music video whereby you are able see colours in music and in songs.  
Video link here

So how does one actually see colours in sound? They see it not in the form of colour pigment such as paints but they see it like the colours we are see in computer screens, the colours of light. They see it in their mind's eye. 

Edgar Degas broke the rules of impressionism

Edgar Degas a impressionist painter in the 18th century. Although technically, Degas often differed from what the other impressionist always does. He continually look down upon their practice of outdoor painting or en plien air. Critics who reviewed his works often describe him as anti impressionism. As impressionistic works alway have bright dazzling colours which concentrates primarily on the effects of light. As the the impressionist wants to express what they saw in that exact moment. Most of Edgar art pieces are lacking of colours or the minimal use of colours, that is why his painting doesn't always look vibrant and dazzling.

Although, Edgar was regarded as one of the founders of impressionism but he considered himself to a realist instead. 

Design Fault or User Fault?

Before I begin this blog post, allow me to introduced myself for a bit.

I'm currently working at Epicentre as a Mac Evangelist selling iPhone, iPad and computers. My workplace is at Marina Bay Sands. Apple is known for their minimalistic and clean design, taking the minimal approach in designing their product. Apple has boasted that their products is easy to use and is user friendly to many first time user. So this is what I have encountered when I sold one of the iPad Air 2 to a customer from China.

The customer requested to download some applications to her new iPad. But being a first time user of iPad, she would need to set up a new Apple ID account in order to download apps onto her new iPad. The iPad was set to Mandarin already, she knows how to read and speak Mandarin. But at the first page of the set up page, she was stunned. It is like she is seeing a foreign language or some alienated language. I asked her to follow the instructions prompted from the screen and fill in the necessary personal details for her Apple ID. But she doesn't know how, she doesn't know where to press and what to do to what she is seeing. Obviously the user is feeling the frustration of not knowing what to do. Apple has created a great User Experience in all their products except for the Apple watch. 

So I observed her for a moment. Does the user blame herself for not knowing what to do with the iPad or is the User interface not easy enough for comprehension.When people have trouble using technology, especially when they perceive that nobody else is having the same trouble, they tend to blame them self. The more trouble they face, the more helpless they may feel. Believing that they are technologically inept. Or they may blame the product for bad user interface resulting in a frustrating user experience. Remember that Apple has boasted how easy it is to use their products to even first time user. But why is this customer having trouble with it? Even changing the iPad language to her own mother tongue. Is she just that technology idiot and just wanted to play candy crush or whatever they play in their iPad? Are they too lazy to fill out their own credentials because of the long list of items to fill up? Are they too lazy to crack their brain to fill up the blanks? So who is at blame here?


Reference: The design of everyday thing by Don Norman

The bee

The night before this incident, the bee had an overdose of honey at it's own honeycomb. The bee was taking in so much honey, that's it is way above the recommended intake value. Because of this overdose, the bee became intoxicated.

This cause the bee to have dizzy spells. As time passes, the vision of the bee became so blur that what the bee saw is a faint dull colour of the world around the bee, the sense of smell is not as sensitive as before and lacking in spatial awareness.

Frantically, the bee flew around aimlessly panicking. It flew and went to a room with a fresh rose and a painting of beautiful colourful boquet of flowers. But instead flying to a fresh stalk of rose. It flew to the painting. The visuals and colours of the painting is too overpowering because of the array of colours used in the painting. And as it flew towards the painting, it bump into the painting and tried to draw pollen from the painting. What the bee thought was pollen was actually painting residue.

Rules are meant to be broken!

There are some who create the rules and there are some who breaks them. But who creates the rules? We all have have heard this famous quote by a Spanish painter Pablo Picasso,

Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.

 But why should one break the rules? Are rules meant to be broken?  Breaking the rules may seem unconventional to many, but when a broken rule is applied to a particular painting or design correctly. It shocks the audiences, it surprises the viewer.

In designing typography, one of the well known rule is not to use more than two typefaces or font in one design. Why? Because each font conveys a different mood. When all the many fonts come together in a design. It will bombard the viewer with many different moods. This will confuse the viewer, unless your goal here is confusion. The following poster is designed by Müller-Brockmann. Because how this designer paid particular attention to the relationship between each other, how each font interact with each other and to the audience. He is able to be successful despite breaking the rules.

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Grey Matter.

Where have I heard of this before my creative thinking lesson last Wednesday? Ages ago perhaps. Whenever we are taught anything about thinking, using ours brains especially in a seminar or a classroom setting, there is this man who is often talked and discussed about. It is none other than the masters of thinking, Edward De Bono. Yes, I have heard of his name not once but several times throughout the course of my entire 23 years of existence.

So what is this term Lateral Thinking really means?
It is the use of creative and indirect means to solve problems, sometime it maybe an unorthodox method but well it works, doesn't? Using reasoning that is often not immediately obvious, not laid out plainly to us but it takes a little cracking of the head. Sometimes answers that we need cannot be obtain through a step by step approach. Such methodological can often lead to results that are unimaginative or something common, not new.

I have personally found myself thinking laterally but I don't even realise I'm thinking like that. So during the class, I now know that how to one is able to think laterally. And using it as one of the thinking tools to be able to help to study and lead my daily life more effectively.  

Like this how?

The past few weeks, I have been really out of my game. I don't feel like doing work, I'm gettting lazy,  I procrastinate. Everytime, I attempt to complete my assignments, I get a creative block, I don't know how to move on, I don't know how to move pass the creative block. With each passing hour, I'm getting stressed out with the amount of uncompleted assignments. As the assignments are ever piling up. I used to invest a good 4-5 hours or at most 7 hours at a assignment at one sitting. But this week, I can't even focus for an hour. I'm doing minimal work each day, slowing inching forward to completion. Class starts in few hours time, and my assignment is not even ready yet and yet I have other assignment to attend to. I'm doing last minute work. I need an creative breakthrough. 

It's not about eating, it's about using the food to deal with anxiety and stress. Eating to take my mind off the assignments, have a break. Eating good food cures me, it sustains and uplift me. Sleeping is a form of escapism. I want to run away from all the stress and just sleep it off. I do not want anything to do with all these stress and just turn away from it. But it doesn't work out this way, assignment will still be left undone, and hours will passed. 

It's not about eating, it's about using the food to deal with anxiety and stress.

How to beat a creative block?
Tap into your unconciousness. Get it down on paper. Always carry a sketchbook. Don't be afraid to step away. Finish what you've started. Put some fun in your studio. Dont retread your steps. Look in unlikely places. Expect the unexpected. Explore other creative disciplines. Expand your mind. Go against the flow. Take notes on life. Grab some 'you time'. Don't be bound by the design brief. Broaden the horizons. Push the boundaries. Get a fresh perspective. Sleep on it when you can. Shake up the surrondings. 


20 tips taken from this website
http://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design-tips/20-expert-tips-to-beat-creative-block-123523

Printmaking Workshop

This is my first hands-on experience at a printmaking workshop. I have heard stories about it, I have seen what it can produce. I have yet to witness the entire process in making one much less the experience in making one for myself.

Even though this is a short span of 3 hours induction workshop it really got my friends and I excited. We have learn about the different tools and equipment that goes around making a print.

With a first hand experience of making a silk print. I have now learn quite a bit on what goes into a print. The different and various steps and processes that goes into it as well.

Yes printmaking may seem fun at first but really tedious when really creating our very own print. But how can I push the limits and boundaries of printmaking/silk printing so that the print will be different from the rest. A cut above the rest. Nothing that is ever seen before. It takes a creative genius to be able to do this. But it could happen to students as well, couldn't it? 

Process of silkprinting

Silkscreen print on the drying racks

Manual Press

Working on a hydraulic press

Work by a final year student

Breaking the rules

Banksy, a satirical street artist. Little is known about this street artist as he remains to stay silent about his true identity. As he led a secretive lifestyle, his real name, age and place of birth remains a mystery to many. Many speculation have said that Banksy might be a lady or a team of seven artist. Due to the nature of his artwork, we know full well why the artist want to stay silent about his identity in fear of getting arrested for vandalism.

Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable. - Banksy

What does this quote even means?  Does this mean it the art can and should liberate the poor and oppress the rich? As the artist artwork always focus on political and social theme. To the politian viewing the graffiti, does it disturb the politician audience. Is hidden truth or values being brought out or being exposed that might disturb his conscience. Or to a normal civilian that view the same artpiece that in some ways comforts them knowing that someone is trying to make a difference.

Enough of words, here are some images of Banksy artwork. 

    Banksy Naplam Print

    Stealing one of the rings of the olympic logo

 "Rage" the flower thrower by banksy

  Graffitti outside a stripclub

Let's Brainstorm

Brainstorming is finding solutions or a conclusion for a specific problem by gathering a list of ideas spontaneously contributed by it an individual or group members.

Brainstorming is a technique use to generate new ideas, new solutions to problems often done in small groups. It's better to have five brains thinking and coming out of a new idea and/or solution than one brain could. With the combined forces of all the five brainpower. Creativity and problem-solving skills are multiplied by five. We are able to harness the full creativity and wisdom each brain has to work on a specific problem. I think brainstorm in a group is effective when it's done correctly, when everyone is open-minded to share and no judgement is being passed.   

Our group is being tasked to think on 101 Ways on how to wear a shirt. Overtime, interesting ideas have surfaced up such as by cutting holes in the shirt, rolling a shirt into a bra, wearing it as a cape, using it as a neck scarf or even wearing it as a bandana or turban. Of course it's hard to come out with 101 ways, but if we put our heads in and all our mental energy in it, it then can be done. But then, due to the different female distraction on the screen and a hungry stomach, we weren't able to fully utilised all our mental energy and brainpower. We have came out with a mind map to list down all the possible ways in which we can wear a shirt. 

 Photo taken by author

An hour Journey

Destination NAFA

Home 8am
Writing this post in the midst of heading to school. Morning train crowds are the worse because it is when you realise you are being packed like sardines in a giant tin can.

Yishun 8:20am
Normally, I would wear my earpiece but for this journey  I've made it an exception to removed my earpiece. Doing this will somehow heightened my sense of awareness.

Yio Chu Kang 8:31am
Different range of exotic smells my nose have picked up and it cause me to turn away but there is no space to move. Stop pushing me dude. Nanyang Polytechnic students have alighted the train. More breathable space here.

Ang Mo Kio 08:33am
Everyone is either on a  earpiece, watching drama on the phone or just reading a book. I've writing this post down. Some are just staring at the blank space. I feel this is going to be a long journey ahead. Damn, how I hate the morning train crowds. How I wish I had a motorcycle to ride to school. It would be a breeze.

Bishan 8:36am
Staring out of the train window into the pitch black darkness of the tunnel. Oh, more people have left the train but even more is added. Staring into the darkness has cause me to reflect as I see my own reflection on the glass panel. How's my hair? Is my shirt straight?


Braddell 8:39am
Reflection questions I ponder.
Why did I choose NAFA as my school of choice? I guess it would be a mystery I would have to find out. Fast. I need to find my purpose here in NAFA. I CAN'T SCREW IT UP. I JUST CAN'T. I CAN'T AFFORD TO.

Toa Payoh 8:42am
Sudden Realisation, if you have been following me closely. You would realise that I AM LATE FOR MY 9AM CLASS! It's non excusable that I should be late for class due to me missing multiple trains. Reminder to self, try to leave house earlier next time. I have few stops left ahead of me.

Newton 8:46am
One of my biggest fears is going to school on a crowded train with a completely done up 3D artwork. I scared people will squashed my model with their clumsy bodies breaking it or breaking the form of the sculpture. Or my 3D artwork is so huge that it become a annoyances in the crowded train. That's why I try to make my models small enough to be portable. I don't have the luxury of putting in a car and have my dad driving me down.

Somerset 8:50am
10mins to class start.
It's so hot in the train. The air is being so stale and my stomach is feeling funny.

Dhoby Ghaut 8:53am
Finally my stop, able to get a breather now. Hopping that the circle line train towards Bras Basah is waiting for me as well. Just nice. Train reach when I reach too. I'm liking this feeling.

Closing thoughts
I find this activity has cause me to be more aware of my surrounding and not towards my phone or listening to my songs. We need to look around, not stare at other people phones. Don't be so kaypo. Have cause me think more and process my thoughts. Using all this senses, looking around at people or outside the train and, smelling the sweat of another pits, accidentally brushing my arm against someone else. Hearing the conversation of my fellow commuters is able to cause me to think creatively.

Destination reached 8:59am

One day, One Picture

Photo taken by author

This is a scene set in the busy street in Bugis. Many people crossed this road everyday, be it students of NAFA, the vendor workers at Bugis Streets, Singaporean finding the cheapest deals here or tourist that have come here to sightsee. Put simply, people from all walks of life have treaded on this path. Busy as some pesdestrian may be, or some as carefree as the birds who fly in the sky. At this period of time, where people are rushing. They fail to see the beauty of surrondings, the beauty of life. It has to slow down. Stop and look around you. Do something different. Walk a different route to your destination. Talk to strangers. They just need to chill out, relax and take a break from this busy and hectic life we all live in. Take a little simple pleasure or maybe a cheap thrill some would say.

One day, One Picture.

Photo taken by Desmond Chew

Everyone have a different experience when they go through Basic Military Training(BMT). Well, this is my story to tell. BMT has it tough moment and also moments of rejoicing. BMT is designed in such a way that they will break you, remove all sense of individuality and incalcate a sense of uniformity. And once broken with nothing left, they will build you. They will transform you from a mere civilian enjoying the carefree life to a warfighter soldier in a matter of weeks.

Indeed, I have learnt a lot through the different trainings that BMT that has catered for their recruits. I also learnt more about how different people response to different situations. But most importantly, I learnt about myself. While there are some areas in my life I need to iron it out. Such as in high stress situation, I will began to panick. But over the months of tough and arduous trainings, the insane amount of pressure my sergeant have gave me. The relentless shouting and countless physical punishments I have to go through. I came out victorious. I'm able to better control my thoughts and emotions. I've successfully completed my BMT and officially passed out.

In the weeks ahead, it's going to be so much more tougher for I am called out to be a Guardsman. Who is unfailing in toughness and must be valiant in our actions.

Reflection on Elizabeth Gilbert: Your elusive creative genius

 This is my reflection on Elizabeth Gilbert speech on your elusive creative genius.

When she talked about the poet and the musician, Ruth Stone and Tom waits. When how inspiration or creative impulses hit but sometimes the creatives missed it. I can't help but wonder why? Why not have a pen and paper ready when inspirations hit you. Why not have it always with you? When you are out driving along the freeway, when you are working on an assignment, when you are travelling on a train. Have a piece of pen and paper ready is always essential for all people who work in a creative industry. Because you  never know when an inspiration, an idea, a song melody or a solution to a problem may hit you. It comes at any where and at any time. And when that hits you, you better be ready to record it down or at least jot it down somewhere for future references.

One thing that I do agree with what she had said. I am afraid I will never be successful in what I choose to do. I am afraid I'm going to slog myself to work my whole entire life without having a taste of success. I am afraid I can never make it in life. Earning big bucks and have all the pleasures in the world. We will all have some kind of designer block or artist block at some point of our life. But what are we going to do about it? Sit back and weep because you're inadequate and clueless on what to do? No, we rise above our situation and we go beyond the call of duty, to give more than we are expected to. 

NAFA WEEK SATU

My first week in NAFA went very quickly as I only have to go to school for only three days namely Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. If you have figured out fast enough, you will realised that I do have a very long weekend. Some of my non NAFA friends have commented and felt envious that I only have three days of school and my weekends are much longer than my weekdays. But having said that, students in NAFA especially the foreign students are paying so much on our school fees and yet we only had to go to school for three days? It just doesn't add up. But on the side note, we do have more time to complete each assignment though. So fair enough.

So on to my first day of school, my first class of the week is 3D fundamentals. We had a great time there learning about the different Elements of Design and Principles of Design. Learning about how every different lines conveyed different moods and suggest different meanings. Our first exercise is named Lines in Space. It is the classic Wire Frame project whereby we need to create a sculpture that made up of wires only. It is a fun project to embark on and I am looking forward to see the end product.

Beside academic issues, I also have really great friends in class who can be seen helping each other out. Figuring out how the ins and outs of the school. We ate lunch together, finding out more on where they come from and a little bit of their personal life.

For myself personally, I tried to open up myself to the people around me, making new friends as they come along, being friendly and the likes. I just do want to be found in a group of friends as quickly as possible because I do not want to be left alone in school and with without friends. Life would so miserable without friends right? I have certainly enjoyed their accompany and would continue to look forward for more.