Studio Knowledge Object
In this final part of the studio, I will be addressing a fourth brief, which I have devised myself, and producing a reflective publication. I have designed this brief as a means to guide the development of my design practice. Through the process of addressing it, I aim to demonstrate and extend the knowledge I've gained throughout my journey in this studio.
My goal is to enhance my skills as a reflective practitioner of design, recognizing and articulating the knowledge I'm producing through design, both visually and through writing. This self-imposed challenge will allow me to further explore and evolve my capabilities as a designer.
A New Brief
Over the years, I have designed a lot of posters. These posters are designed wholly on tacit design knowledge which is developed with each poster. Because of this, it would be difficult to explain and articulate my design processes to other designers or people in general. For this SKO exercise, I took the opportunity to thoroughly reflect on my design practice and in turn grow as a designer.
Schönian Egg
I started the brief by asking myself the question, ‘Why even reflect in the first place?’ To answer that question, I studied the illustration “Schönian Egg” (Grauel) and this was how I interpreted it:
My Interpretation
The more you reflect on the small parts of your design practice, the deeper your practice gets and turns, you strengthen your knowledge.
Then I embarked on the journey to reflect on my design process and articulate tacit knowledge. I began by reverse engineering previous poster designs and tried to identify recurring themes and patterns. Doing this, I realized that these designs were heavily influenced by pop culture, cinema, culture, and music. Upon diving deeper, I identified a cinema theory in which I frame all my compositions.
The Tatami Shot
This is a cinematographic technique, invented by a Japanese filmmaker named Yasujiro Ozu. It is called the ‘Tatami Shot’. For a tatami shot, the camera is positioned at a rather low height, imitating the viewpoint of a spectator sitting on a tatami The camera, placed about 90cm above the ground, remains fixed and allows us to witness an everyday scene as if we were there beside them. Tatami shots invite viewers to simply observe by recreating the position in which a person participates in a tea ceremony. Ozu denies viewers the possibility of identifying with the protagonists directly. He transforms us into the witnesses of his characters’ actions, as we see everything from a close point of view which still retains a certain distance. (Aguilar, n.d.).
I learned about this technique when I studied Film Studies in the second year of my bachelor's degree. This has to be the reason it has been a great influence on the way I frame my compositions.
THEORY TO PRACTICE
Articulating The Design Process
When capturing a subject or a scene, I try to capture it in the most neutral way possible. This gives endless opportunities to explore contexts, themes, and more. This is done by shifting the camera at the eye level. This further allows me to develop an attractive composition around the image and finally add relevant context to it.
Theory to Practice
Use Of Tatami Shot in my Poster Designs
The next step of this reflective practice is to articulate the newfound knowledge precisely into a collateral which could be helpful for the design community. This would help other creative individuals to get an insight into my design process which would help build a collective learning sphere.
As a conscientious practitioner, my commitment to personal and professional growth drives me to explore additional theories relevant to my field, facilitating a deeper understanding of myself as a designer. In tandem, I strive to enhance my self-expression in design by making a conscious effort to be aware and articulate my implicit knowledge more effectively.
Next Steps
and Conclusion
I firmly believe that engaging in this extended practice will not only enhance my skills but also provide a robust foundation for my upcoming research project. As I delve deeper into this extended practice, I anticipate gaining a more profound understanding of myself as a designer. This heightened self-awareness will undoubtedly equip me with valuable insights into my creative strengths and areas that may require further development.
My research project, which is currently in its formative stages, revolves around the intriguing concept of bridging the realms of cinema knowledge and communication design practices. By delving into this intersection, I aim to explore the intricate ways in which cinematic techniques, storytelling, and visual aesthetics can be harnessed to enrich and elevate the field of communication design. This research venture promises to unlock new dimensions of creativity and innovation, as I seek to uncover the synergies that exist between two seemingly distinct yet profoundly interconnected disciplines. Through this journey, I hope to contribute to the evolution of communication design, making it a more vibrant and dynamic field that resonates with the artistry and narrative power of cinema.
Research Project: Cinematic Synthesis
Credits and References
Aguilar, M. J. (n.d.). Japanese Cinema: Ozu’s Tatami Shot. Retrieved 10 22, 2023, from www.wasshoimagazine.org: https://www.wasshoimagazine.org/blog/curiosities-of-the-japanese-culture/tatami-shot
Grauel, D. (n.d.). Schönian Egg.
www.instagram.com. (n.d.). Instagram. [online] Available at: https://www.instagram.com/inzadesign.co/ [Accessed 22 Oct. 2023].
Willemien Visser. Schön: Design as a reflective practice. Collection, 2010, Art + Design & Psychology, 2, pp.21-25. ffinria-00604634f
Yasujirō Ozu - The Depth of Simplicity | CRISWELL | Cinema Cartography (2015). Yasujirō Ozu - The Depth of Simplicity | CRISWELL | Cinema Cartography. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/2G7oeyOsfSg [Accessed 10 Sep. 2019].
Peterson, J. B. (2018). 12 Rules For Life: An Antidote to Chaos. Random House Canada Penguin Allen Lane (UK).