OUGD505 Task 1 - Initial Starting Points

• Utilitarian Design - exploring functionality over aesthetic. How useful and functional can design be and what needs does it answer?

Ikea

Han Gao - The Shanghai-based creative explains why it is ideas, and not beauty, that comes first in his thoughtful practice. 

https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/han-gao-a-conjecture-graphic-design-120220

• Expressionism in design - exploring the role of expressionism in design and can commercial design be expressionist? 
• Issue of disconnection from emotion in design.
• Mass production industry and sustainability - creating a campaign focused on encouraging more sustainable shopping or forms of attaining clothes - independent stores, making your own clothing, recycling your clothing. Could also apply to other products such as furniture.
• Lack of focus on the importance of insects - the effects this has on the ecosystem. Focusing on the role of a designer being an educator - visual learning and communicating.
• Calls from unknown numbers - first world problems.
• Has science gone too far? - humorous, dystopian.
• Future Dystopia - A world where all design processes can't use the computer. This explores the issue of whether design is too digitalised, the return to craft and personal approaches. Also touches upon the exploration of disconnect within graphic design. 

Ideas - hand-drawn type, letterpress all bodies of text, hand-drawn negatives for screen prints. 

How would this be distributed and how does this relate to the audience? Merging the digital world/platforms with hand processes.

Could lead onto an exhibition to encourage others to explore this approach.

Could create a discussion by comparing with completely digitalised approaches.

Could continue discussion by creating half and half exhibition - one that's distributed digitally and one by hand.

• Guide on survivalism - contemporising public knowledge and PSA's.
• Possessions creating a sense of identity, self worth - how design plays into this.
• Third culture generation - personal issue, exploring identity.