What Does Language Look Like: Introduction

          The title of the latest project to be undertaken is, "What Does Language Look Like?". This module is composed of two parts and takes place within groups of four people. It was designed in order to teach the possibilities for design using text by fabricating  context and presentation. The object of part one is for groups to build a three dimensional display of a randomly chosen word, and to convey the meaning of the word by manipulating the way the letters are presented and its environment. During the second part, everyone will construct a photo/essay accordion book which should also embody the meaning of the key word.
         
           Before choosing the group specific words to be studied, each student created ten, two dimensional pieces containing text. These pieces served to express the meaning of the word by editing the size and arrangement of the letters. After a brief critique, we studied our small compositions in further depth by creating 5 refined ones build on Illustrator. Once this was complete, groups were allowed to select their words.

          The word my group selected was:

    Capture

   

Reflections

            It was a long and in depth process to redesign our flashlight. The project requirements contained many meticulous steps intended to refine and consolidate the ideas within the group. Throughout the project I had a very negative attitude about having to complete the steps I saw as arbitrary when taken into account the amount of other work needed to be completed. However, after finishing the project, my perspective on these steps changed from negative to positive. In retrospect of the project, I am glad that I was introduced to the different methods generating new ideas and studying each one in depth. By having to complete these busy-work studies, I learned more about the composition of the objects and how they exist with space.

          One unexpected thing this project did for me was manifest a deeper appreciation for industrial design and the work done by industrial designers. Not only because of my undying love for design, but for the massive amounts of mental and physical stress they pile on themselves in order to create an acceptable product. The many long hours spent creating this object are no match, however, to the feeling of accomplishment after completing the project. My primary sense of achievement in completing this project lays primarily with knowing that I learned more about idea exploration and the creative processes necessary to create a prototype.