Major Studio Narrative: Mini-Thesis Prototype 2 (TG)

Version 2

Major Studio Narrative: Mini-thesis Prototype 1

Communico board 1…the FYI Frames..

Major Studio Narrative: Research Draft (TG)

This is my very, very rough draft…

msn_roughdraft

Major Studio Narrative: Mini Thesis Sketches Round 2 (TG)

Cocktail napkin sketches, round 2: This time I made product cards, or instruction manuals based on aircraft safety cards found on airplanes.  revise01.jpg    | |   revise02.jpg     | |   revise03.jpg 

Major Studio Narrative: Mini Thesis Research Outline Revise (TG)

Humans are creatures that rely heavily on all types of communication, creating languages and alphabets to exchange information and ideas. Since the rise of the age of technology, humans have strived to maximize the channels of socialization, producing more and more communications technologies, making it possible to locate a person anytime, anywhere, with just a few pushes of a button. Cellular phones opened up a new world of possibilities, making it more easy than ever to connect with friends and family. With the invention of the internet came chat rooms, instant messaging and electronic mail, or email. Humans then produced new technologies that would seamlessly integrate the best of both technological worlds, thus entering the world of short message service (SMS), better known as text messaging. 

There is no denying that user-friendly phone and wireless capabilities have proven to be beneficial in many ways, including a more interconnected social network, more ways to maintain familial relations, and well as expanded businesses, and business opportunities, in unforeseen ways. However, could the constant need to rely on a third party form a communication, which essentially serves as both a physical and virtual barrier, be detrimental to not only relationships, but also social skills? in our efforts to optimize methods of communication, we’ve compromised the quality and social skills necessary for face-to-face communication, and the more these technologies are overused, the more absurd their use becomes. 

msn_outline_revise.pdf

Major Studio Narrative: Mini Thesis Sketches Round 1 (TG)

“Cocktail napkin sketches” for my new prototype: fake technology glasses.jpg   ||    ||   text_manager.jpg

Major Studio Narrative: Mini Thesis Research Outline (TG)

 

 

Humans are creatures that rely heavily on all types of communication, creating languages and alphabets to exchange information and ideas. Since the rise of the age of technology, humans have strived to maximize the channels of communications, producing more and more communications technologies, making it possible to locate a person anytime, anywhere, with just a few pushes of a button. Cellular phones opened up a new world of possibilities, making it more easy than ever to communicate with friends and family. With the invention of the internet came chat rooms, instant messaging and electronic mail, or email. It wasn’t soon before long, humans had produced new technologies that would seamlessly integrate the best of both technological worlds, thus entering the world of short message service (SMS), better known as text messaging. 

There is no denying that user-friendly phone and wireless capabilities have proven to be beneficial in many ways, including a more interconnected social network, more ways to maintain familial relations, and well as expanded businesses and business opportunities in unforeseen ways. However, could the constant need to rely on a third party form a communication (essentially a physical and virtual barrier) be detrimental to not only relationships, but also social skills? in our efforts to optimize methods of communication, we’ve compromised the quality and social skills necessary for face-to-face communication, and the more these technologies are overused, the more absurd their use becomes. 

 

msn_outline.pdf 

Major Studio Narrative: Social Final

The final iteration of our project resulted in the creation of three trees, each representing the different forces that lead to social change within the lower east side. The trees are connected by the lyrics of Lou Reed’s song, Hold On, which was written in response to the Tompkins Square Park riot of 1988. Just as the park acted as a container for the groups that existed in the area, the lyrics act as a way of unifying the music, the people, and the police to the events of 1988. Each tree depicts themes of the group or force it represents, but is not restricted to it, thus showing how not only are they connected, but they had a distinct influence on the others and it can be read as a non-linear narrative. Visually we stuck to a black and white palette, to create a sense of nostalgia and history. The stencil style of illustrations is reminiscent of the types of murals that already exist within the lower east side. We used a simple typeface for not only legibility, but also because we didn’t want it to be another stylized element that would compete with the images in the trees. In addition to maintaining a certain aesthetic, the content and message of the song is so powerful, that we didn’t want a typeface to detract from that either.  All the way to the right is a stump, that represents several elements of the riot, depending on how the viewer wants to read it. In one interpretation, the stump is the gentrification of the lower east side, showing how this social force has removed the character and history of the area. The cutting of the tree also represents how a voice is being taken away from the people and stops the possible future generations to have a common space to manifest their ideas.  The stump can also represent the mark that was left behind; the social changes that came about as a result to the riot. 
We chose the location for the mural because we wanted to showcase an area that hasn’t been touched by gentrification yet.  
,br/>final.jpg, msn_composite.jpg

Major Studio Narrative: Social Prototype 2

Concept

We created a piece of street art to be wheat pasted within the Lower East Side (near Tompkins Square Park) commemorating the 1988 Tompkins Square Park Riot, that is representative of how the music and the people influenced and created social change in the area. 

 We want this piece to remind people of the events that occurred, why they occurred, and what happened as a result. The style and imagery aim to show the current residents the historical significance the square has had to music and society.  The tree is a metaphor for how the events branched out, and how social change is so deeply rooted in the events of that night. The social change that resulted was a conglomerate of different ethnicities, musical styles, and social classes. The people who currently live in the area, are not necessarily connected each other than their geographical space, thus  the tree becomes not only a symbol of the park, but also a way of unifying different groups within a single space. msn_trial.jpg, origfile.jpg, tree2.jpg

Major Studio Narrative: Mini Thesis Concept

concept  

I want to create a series of retro illustrations that explore the disconnectedness of a society in which the channels of communication have been maximized, while the quality of communication has been compromised. 

pitch

In our quest to construct a technological landscape that facilitates communication, making it possible anytime, anywhere, we’ve inadvertently created a sense of detachment and isolation. I believe that putting a “barrier” between people (i.e. a computer, a cellphone, a blackberry, etc.) has jeopardized our abilities to communicate, and ultimately led to the alienation the individual. This project will use a retro style of illustration to emphasize the irony of this situation. Essentially,  inject modern technology into a Norman Rockwell painting to demonstrate how intrusive, yet acceptable these technological crutches have become. Each scenario will depict a situation where the use of a third party form of communication is not required (i.e. exchanging vows at a wedding, or during a family dinner), thus the technology becomes out of place yet raises the question, “Is this scenario unrealistic?”

 

some style/inspiration frames