We have now been split into groups dedicated to a specific area of making the exhibition - with our Design Studio theme - a success. I am in the group which is charged with organising the exhibition, managed by Sav. My tasks for this week are:
- Acquire free food from Tesco for the exhibition
This has been achieved. The services manager of Tesco Church Langley has agreed verbally to give us a voucher to spend on food for the exhibition. I have written a letter and expect a positive reply soon.
- Check availability of TV screens and DVD players
This has also been achieved - I have a spare DVD player and a computer monitor available for use. The only expense will be an AV to VGA plug of some kind to play back the DVD player on the monitor.
- Contact Anglia TV News to arrange coverage
Not yet confirmed, I have emailed them requesting coverage.
- Create personal invite list for exhibition
I am currently making a list of potential guests I would like for the exhibition, who I will then contact.
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
2 New Slides: Concept
Above are two "Concept/Aim" slides for the two themes, showing how the work relates to the themes.
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Slideshow Piccies
CV Improvements
Based on feedback I received, I have changed some aspects of my CV:
- There are now two distinct booklets: "Portfolio" and "CV" to make it easy for employers to find the information they are looking for
- The Portfolio booklet has a simple cover and plain colour backgrounds to allow my work to stand out
- The Portfolio booklet contains examples of my current projects
- The information in the CV booklet now follows a more traditional order: Statement, Details, Skills, Previous Emplyment
- The disc case cover is now labelled "Curriculum Vitae: Portfolio Included" to show there is not just a CV in the case
- The showreel DVD is clearly labelled as "Showreel" as just having "CV" written on the disc
Above: New disc case insert
These changes should make the contents of the case clearer and make the information easier and quicker to find, as well as showcasing my latest work. The new CV can be found here, and the portfolio booklet can be found here.
- There are now two distinct booklets: "Portfolio" and "CV" to make it easy for employers to find the information they are looking for
- The Portfolio booklet has a simple cover and plain colour backgrounds to allow my work to stand out
- The Portfolio booklet contains examples of my current projects
- The information in the CV booklet now follows a more traditional order: Statement, Details, Skills, Previous Emplyment
- The disc case cover is now labelled "Curriculum Vitae: Portfolio Included" to show there is not just a CV in the case
- The showreel DVD is clearly labelled as "Showreel" as just having "CV" written on the disc
Above: New disc case insert
These changes should make the contents of the case clearer and make the information easier and quicker to find, as well as showcasing my latest work. The new CV can be found here, and the portfolio booklet can be found here.
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Exhibition/Museum Visits
As part of the research for this module, we have to visit other museums and exhibitions to get an idea of how information can be displayed to inform and entertain. The places I have visited are:
Mercedes-Benz World
The modern MB World is located in Surrey and is designed to showcase Mercedes' newest vehicles and display its classics in a bright, airy environment.
It also has interactive displays such as a simulator "ride"; information kiosks and cinema booths:
In keeping with the modern feel, the information displays are stylish and interesting to look at:
The displays above are designed to add features to blank wall space, something which our exhibition space will have a lot of.
The way objects and concepts were displayed is also intriguing. The above example image on the left is a display about car safety systems. However, instead of just using images, the objects themselves such as an airbag and ABS control board are displayed in glass cases, similar to how products are displayed in a modern boutique. This also is in keeping with the brand's "premium" theme. In the image on the right, there is a display of available colour swatches for car exterior and interiors. The different options are shown in a palette form, which could be applied to the "design studio" theme of our exhibition as we could show a palette of colours used in our work. Also on this display is a tactile element as different interior fabrics are attached to the wall and alloy wheels are also displayed. This, again, is in keeping with the "buying experience" theme.
An important part of the MB World experience is not only being able to sit in most of the cars on display but also being able to drive/be a passenger in a multitude of Mercedes cars on a test track. In my opinion, this is a massive plus point as most museums do not include any way to experience the subject matter first hand or offer anything to do except look at exhibits. This is especially a problem for automotive museums as walking around looking at the objects creates a desire to play with them, an opportunity which is not present in many. Most importantly, the test track enables visitors to engage with the Mercedes brand in a memorable way. I'm not suggesting we put a racetrack in our exhibit, but maybe a way for visitors to have a go at design themselves would be a good thing - for example, a laptop where people could try Photoshopping or play with primitives in 3D Studio Max.
Another notable thing at MB World was the staff - the moment we walked in, two "greeters" offered us a free visitor guide and explained the best path to take through the building. The building itself was also deisgned with the visitor experience in mind - there was a clear path through (top floor to bottom) to ensure the visitors experienced everything, but each floor was split into two distinct sections to allow visitors the chance to explore.
Brooklands Motor Museum
Brooklands motor museum is a "traditional" outdoor museum - that is, a lot of old stuff in a shed next to information boards, with very little indication of the path visitors should take through the museum. The exhibits were also roped off and the one exhibit which could be explored, a Concorde, required an additional payment and tours were at set times. The Brooklands museum highlighted the issues common in many museums, issues which were addressed extremely well by MB World.
Above: Roped off exhibits, display boards with lots of small print, and Concorde.
Also, some of the exhibits at Brooklands seemed "run down" - the aircraft had wings or tail sections missing - but I'm not sure if they were undergoing refurbishment at the time. Either way, this does not give an impression that visitor experience is a priority:
In Brooklands' defence, it included a free simulator (below) so visitors could engage with the F1 exhibits and was attended by a knowledgeable member of staff. However, it was tucked in a dead-end corner. This was a common theme at Brooklands - to exit an exhibit, you had to walk back through it and leave through the entrance instead of having a consistent path.
Beaulieu Museum
This museum is a bit of a mixed bag - it has a spacious exhibition hall and a fairly clear path through the grounds, but the exhibits are all roped off and the display boards tend to be overloaded with information. Some of the side exhibits suffer from the same problem as Brooklands - the lack of a clear path through the exhibit. Also, there is almost a complete lack of interactivity at Beaulieu - there is a passive monorail to allow visitors a scenic trip through the museum grounds, a small track with sedate "go-karts" for children and an arcade racing game in the corner of the main hall, but there are no stimulating interactive displays, cinemas or simulators.
Conclusion
Through my visits to various museums and exhibitions, I have concluded the most important aspects are:
- Visitor experience: Specify a clear path through the exhibition, but allow visitors the opportunity to explore from the path
- Environment: Must not be cluttered! Bright, modern and airy with natural light is good.
- Displays: A good way to occupy blank wall space- must be simple, clean and 3D features/objects can be used where appropriate
- Exhibits: Physical exhibits should be accessible and in pristine condition, this doesn't really apply to us as most of our work will be on displays
- Interactivity: Interactive kiosks and videos are good, but the best way to get visitors to engage with the brand is by letting them have a go themselves!
Mercedes-Benz World
The modern MB World is located in Surrey and is designed to showcase Mercedes' newest vehicles and display its classics in a bright, airy environment.
It also has interactive displays such as a simulator "ride"; information kiosks and cinema booths:
In keeping with the modern feel, the information displays are stylish and interesting to look at:
The displays above are designed to add features to blank wall space, something which our exhibition space will have a lot of.
The way objects and concepts were displayed is also intriguing. The above example image on the left is a display about car safety systems. However, instead of just using images, the objects themselves such as an airbag and ABS control board are displayed in glass cases, similar to how products are displayed in a modern boutique. This also is in keeping with the brand's "premium" theme. In the image on the right, there is a display of available colour swatches for car exterior and interiors. The different options are shown in a palette form, which could be applied to the "design studio" theme of our exhibition as we could show a palette of colours used in our work. Also on this display is a tactile element as different interior fabrics are attached to the wall and alloy wheels are also displayed. This, again, is in keeping with the "buying experience" theme.
An important part of the MB World experience is not only being able to sit in most of the cars on display but also being able to drive/be a passenger in a multitude of Mercedes cars on a test track. In my opinion, this is a massive plus point as most museums do not include any way to experience the subject matter first hand or offer anything to do except look at exhibits. This is especially a problem for automotive museums as walking around looking at the objects creates a desire to play with them, an opportunity which is not present in many. Most importantly, the test track enables visitors to engage with the Mercedes brand in a memorable way. I'm not suggesting we put a racetrack in our exhibit, but maybe a way for visitors to have a go at design themselves would be a good thing - for example, a laptop where people could try Photoshopping or play with primitives in 3D Studio Max.
Another notable thing at MB World was the staff - the moment we walked in, two "greeters" offered us a free visitor guide and explained the best path to take through the building. The building itself was also deisgned with the visitor experience in mind - there was a clear path through (top floor to bottom) to ensure the visitors experienced everything, but each floor was split into two distinct sections to allow visitors the chance to explore.
Brooklands Motor Museum
Brooklands motor museum is a "traditional" outdoor museum - that is, a lot of old stuff in a shed next to information boards, with very little indication of the path visitors should take through the museum. The exhibits were also roped off and the one exhibit which could be explored, a Concorde, required an additional payment and tours were at set times. The Brooklands museum highlighted the issues common in many museums, issues which were addressed extremely well by MB World.
Above: Roped off exhibits, display boards with lots of small print, and Concorde.
Also, some of the exhibits at Brooklands seemed "run down" - the aircraft had wings or tail sections missing - but I'm not sure if they were undergoing refurbishment at the time. Either way, this does not give an impression that visitor experience is a priority:
In Brooklands' defence, it included a free simulator (below) so visitors could engage with the F1 exhibits and was attended by a knowledgeable member of staff. However, it was tucked in a dead-end corner. This was a common theme at Brooklands - to exit an exhibit, you had to walk back through it and leave through the entrance instead of having a consistent path.
Beaulieu Museum
This museum is a bit of a mixed bag - it has a spacious exhibition hall and a fairly clear path through the grounds, but the exhibits are all roped off and the display boards tend to be overloaded with information. Some of the side exhibits suffer from the same problem as Brooklands - the lack of a clear path through the exhibit. Also, there is almost a complete lack of interactivity at Beaulieu - there is a passive monorail to allow visitors a scenic trip through the museum grounds, a small track with sedate "go-karts" for children and an arcade racing game in the corner of the main hall, but there are no stimulating interactive displays, cinemas or simulators.
Conclusion
Through my visits to various museums and exhibitions, I have concluded the most important aspects are:
- Visitor experience: Specify a clear path through the exhibition, but allow visitors the opportunity to explore from the path
- Environment: Must not be cluttered! Bright, modern and airy with natural light is good.
- Displays: A good way to occupy blank wall space- must be simple, clean and 3D features/objects can be used where appropriate
- Exhibits: Physical exhibits should be accessible and in pristine condition, this doesn't really apply to us as most of our work will be on displays
- Interactivity: Interactive kiosks and videos are good, but the best way to get visitors to engage with the brand is by letting them have a go themselves!
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Concept Update: Scrapbook
The group has decided to go with a scrapbook/design studio theme for the exhibition. The area would feature:
- A desk with art materials and unfinished sketches lying around
- A whiteboard for visitors to draw on
- A feature wall of newspaper cuttings
- Our work would be on display boards
- Rough sketches on the walls
- The team would wear white shirts with a logo sketched on and other personal drawings
The aim would be to inspire creativity in the audience and provide an insight into the creative process.
- A desk with art materials and unfinished sketches lying around
- A whiteboard for visitors to draw on
- A feature wall of newspaper cuttings
- Our work would be on display boards
- Rough sketches on the walls
- The team would wear white shirts with a logo sketched on and other personal drawings
The aim would be to inspire creativity in the audience and provide an insight into the creative process.
CV/Portfolio
I have based the design of my CV/Portfolio on the packaging of a PlayStation 3 game as I hope to enter the games industry. I have used a Blu-Ray case as this is the container used for games on this console and designed the sleeve to replicate game boxart:
Inside the case, there is a booklet which is designed to look like the instruction manual for a game. This booklet contains the usual CV fare as well as examples of my previous work. There is also a playable DVD in the case which features my showreel video (click to watch). The label on the DVD is, again, designed to look like one found in a PS3 game case.
A PDF version of the booklet is available for employers who accept applications by email. The contents of the booklet and showreel will change as I complete more work.
Inside the case, there is a booklet which is designed to look like the instruction manual for a game. This booklet contains the usual CV fare as well as examples of my previous work. There is also a playable DVD in the case which features my showreel video (click to watch). The label on the DVD is, again, designed to look like one found in a PS3 game case.
A PDF version of the booklet is available for employers who accept applications by email. The contents of the booklet and showreel will change as I complete more work.
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Exhibition Ideas
In this module, the purpose is to create an exhibition for our work. The area must be branded/themed and contain 3 samples of our best work as individuals. My suggestions for the theme of the area are below:
1. Chaos/Disorganised
Chaos is an interesting theme as it is very easy to simply throw work everywhere and paint the walls a random colour, but to create a deliberately chaotic environment with a set path for visitors to follow and a coherency to the design is far more difficult. Work could be displayed in newspaper cuttings, discarded magazines, or on peeling posters on mock brick walls. There is also opportunity to splash paint everywhere and graffiti things, which is always good fun!
2. Industrial
I have chosen an industrial theme as it is easy to create a dramatic environment. Walls decorated with steel patters, work hanging on chains from girders and metal-framed TV screens could be used. To guide the visitors round, there could be mock health and safety signs. Also, these signs could be used to create atomsphere at the entrance. A soundtrack in the background of metallic sounds could also be used.
The work i would display in the exhibition is:
1. Mr Roboto
Mr Roboto was a 2D animation I created in the 2nd year set to Mr Roboto by Styxx. It tells the story of a refuse collecting robot who is treated with disdain by the workers in the surrounding city. However, when "clocking off" time comes and the workers are free of their stifling, soulless jobs and go out for the evening, they will happily smile at Mr Roboto and give him tips. Mr Roboto is both a design exercise - the title character is designed with a "form follows function" philosophy and the environments takes inspiration from many different sources such as Japanese anime and the "steampunk" design style. The animation's purpose is to offer a comment on modern society and the negative effects it has on people such as constraining happiness and creativity.
2. BBC Four Idents - Sci-Fi and Discovery
For a Year 2 3D module, I created two idents for the digital channel BBC4. One of these was titled "Discovery" and featured a Rube Goldberg Machine (a complex device designed to perform a simple function) which switched on a TV. A video of it is below:
The other ident was an experiment at mixing CGI with real video using green screen. It featured a stereotypical alien character, wearing a union flag waistcoat, landing on earth to introduce a British Sci Fi season:
3. 3D: Face and environments
The 3D face was a modelling exercise designed to enhance our skills in complex and organic modelling. We created a 3D model of our own faces and textured/animated them:
The other aspect of my 3D work I wish to show is my environment design, one based on the Large Hadron Collider and the other based on a Coalworks:
1. Chaos/Disorganised
Chaos is an interesting theme as it is very easy to simply throw work everywhere and paint the walls a random colour, but to create a deliberately chaotic environment with a set path for visitors to follow and a coherency to the design is far more difficult. Work could be displayed in newspaper cuttings, discarded magazines, or on peeling posters on mock brick walls. There is also opportunity to splash paint everywhere and graffiti things, which is always good fun!
2. Industrial
I have chosen an industrial theme as it is easy to create a dramatic environment. Walls decorated with steel patters, work hanging on chains from girders and metal-framed TV screens could be used. To guide the visitors round, there could be mock health and safety signs. Also, these signs could be used to create atomsphere at the entrance. A soundtrack in the background of metallic sounds could also be used.
The work i would display in the exhibition is:
1. Mr Roboto
Mr Roboto was a 2D animation I created in the 2nd year set to Mr Roboto by Styxx. It tells the story of a refuse collecting robot who is treated with disdain by the workers in the surrounding city. However, when "clocking off" time comes and the workers are free of their stifling, soulless jobs and go out for the evening, they will happily smile at Mr Roboto and give him tips. Mr Roboto is both a design exercise - the title character is designed with a "form follows function" philosophy and the environments takes inspiration from many different sources such as Japanese anime and the "steampunk" design style. The animation's purpose is to offer a comment on modern society and the negative effects it has on people such as constraining happiness and creativity.
2. BBC Four Idents - Sci-Fi and Discovery
For a Year 2 3D module, I created two idents for the digital channel BBC4. One of these was titled "Discovery" and featured a Rube Goldberg Machine (a complex device designed to perform a simple function) which switched on a TV. A video of it is below:
The other ident was an experiment at mixing CGI with real video using green screen. It featured a stereotypical alien character, wearing a union flag waistcoat, landing on earth to introduce a British Sci Fi season:
3. 3D: Face and environments
The 3D face was a modelling exercise designed to enhance our skills in complex and organic modelling. We created a 3D model of our own faces and textured/animated them:
The other aspect of my 3D work I wish to show is my environment design, one based on the Large Hadron Collider and the other based on a Coalworks:
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