WEEK 3: Session 2

Session 2:

In this session I talked to phoebe about my 4 concept posters. She offered some great advice on where I could take them next. She said that the message that I wanted to portray in which ever direction I was going to take it would have to be much clearer that it currently was. The ideas she liked and saw potential in were the history ones and the don’t forget your roots idea. 

The talk with phoebe made me realise i need to go back to sketches as my ideas weren’t coming across as well i wanted them to. 

After class I worked on more ideas and discovered that I wanted to focus on the history that the flag holds. I found more artist models that were more appropriate in the type of design style i wanted to take in rendering the ideas.

WEEK 3: Session 1

Session 1:

We got into groups of 4 and critiqued our 4 A3 posters that we were assigned to do for homework using the de bono colour hats. The exercise was quite interesting infact. It was interesting to see other student’s perspectives. 

The exercise that followed made me think about what I want to portray in my posters. 

We looked at words and how they can affect a poster as well in this class. After class I continued to think about the power of words in my poster and played with this a bit more. I used this idea more in my 'don’t forget your roots’ idea, using typography to make it more interesting. 

WEEK 2: Session 2

Session 2:

In today’s class we shared the 2 thumbnails that we chose from the thumbnails that we worked on for homework. Looking at other people’s work was good as I saw other ways of approaching the flag topic. 

We then did a random input exercise, we were put into group and were given a kitchen utensil TONGS, we then had to come up with words that can relate to it. We then were give an EGG BEATER we had to draw thumbnails with this. I really enjoy exercises such as this one as I learn to think outside of the box. 

The discussion that followed which was about word and image was very helpful as I got to see how important word can be to an image. 

After class I continued to think about the exercise we did in class, thinking about the different approaches we took in class made me move away from my initial ideas and made me think outside of the box. I then came up with the “don’t forget you roots” idea. The idea is quite to my initial ideas, I will continue looking at how I can portray this. 

WEEK 2: Session 1

Session 1:

We showed out homework which was about 5 A3 VCD precedents. There is one that I really loved, a very touching composition using flag smartly and meaningfully, I have attached it below. 

From the other homework which was doing thumbnail drawings I learned more about the toolbox concept and visual rhetoric. I didn’t know that rhetoric came in three different forms, Juxtaposition, subversion/addition and pastiche. I wasn’t very surprised that everyone had similar ideas, which is why i tried to make mine very thoughtful!! I remember a teacher once saying to me that all the first ideas you get are the first ideas that everyone else will get so always try think outside of the box. 

This was followed by a game where we had to pick a number, we were given symbol and metaphor. I chose number 1 ‘sheep’ and number 19 ‘better the devil you know’. Tested my thinking but was really cool exercise. 

WEEK 1: Session 2

Session 2:

In today’s class the debates went down. I found the first debate unconvincing as they needed more eye contact, felt like they were reading too much off the paper, wasn't communicating to the crowd as well as it could have been. The points that were made were really good though, they just weren’t communicated to the level that they should have been. 

So I talked to Mikaela one of the speakers from our group and advised that we moves around and keeps eye contact to keep the audience’s attention. Our team won the debate!! A great way to start the class. 

After the debates we were given more information on the choices we had for out topics. Public schools vs private schools, changing the flag vs not changing the flag. We touched on rhetoric devices, tangible and intangible ideas, signs, symbols  and themes for the topics. 

When I came to New Zealand, i was accepted, and felt like a part of new zealand, so that is what the flags represents to me. I decided to focus on not changing the flag because this is something I can personally touch on. 

WEEK 1: Session 1

Session 1:

Today’s class we took a look at the brief focusing on Ihi and Wehi which are the maori terms for the next 6 weeks. We took a look at rhetoric devices, the were examples shown to us, this gave me a better idea of how these devices are used. We got into groups and were assigned a set of images. Followed by a discussion. We talked about the sets of images to gain a better understanding of how rhetoric devices work. The group that I was put in for debate the next day was against changing the flag. 

After class I continued thinking about the debate and thinking of ways that we could make our debate relatable and smart. I came up with an idea to draw a flag then rip it in half and the end concluding with a sentence like “is this what you want?”. I will find out tomorrow if the group likes the idea.