Author: Kismat Shrees

For this project brief we were tasked with choosing a tool or technique that we were not entirely familiar with before. I was debating choosing something digital or analogue. With the brief requiring multiple iterations over the following weeks, I needed an easily accessible tool simply for the logistics of the project but also something that was not overly technical.

Identifying a tool

After much thinking, I decided on Blender as my tool for this project. I had used the software before very briefly so I felt less apprehensive using it but as it is still new to me it presented a useful opportunity to learn a new set of skills within 3D design and modelling. Another reason for my decision is that I find the recent trend of 3D techniques being used in graphic design particularly interesting. I love the 2000s nostalgia being depicted in low-poly designs from artists such as

Modelling

Texturing

First Written Draft

With the conclusion of our second brief, we were immediately given our third brief, Methods of Translating. I found this project the most difficult in thinking of an idea as this brief was the most open-ended as of yet. In the context of this brief, the meaning of translation could be reconfiguring one thing through its form or medium and therefore transforming it into something else. The list of objects we could choose from was also very expansive ranging from images, videos or excerpts from a text.

For the subject of this brief, I chose to take an excerpt from Homer’s Iliad. The reason for this is because the epic poem itself is a literal piece of translation, from the original language of ancient Greek to the many languages it is now found in. I also wanted to explore the idea of how the Iliad has been translated in its form throughout history. Originally, the epic was passed on verbally through the oral tradition before being written down and then eventually being captured through many different mediums such as paintings, and now film and television. Yet, even before the epic was fixed in its written form it was being retold with faithfulness to the story’s main structure. I find it interesting how such a lengthy and dense epic was communicated effectively over time and between many different communities. I wonder how and whether erroneous changes to the story occurred and if they were assumed into the epic. Through this project I want to explore how meaning is transmitted and potentially lost with each transfiguration of the original content.

1. Visualising

2. Verbalising

3. Transmitting

This is my written response for the Unit 1: Methods of cataloguing brief. Please download the file below for a better view of my work.

References

Chapple, R. (2013) Image of a couple and baby, ProQuest. Eye: the International Review of Graphic Design. Available at: https://www.proquest.com/docview/1459648957?accountid=10342&imgSeq=3&parentSessionId=GX%2F%2BgZ8%2BcAln3tpNWcMuLp2p%2Bmdewvuuw9IcnUBBNUI%3D (Accessed: 02 November 2023). 

Chesley, P. and Stone, T. (2013) Image of a geisha using a Coca-Cola vending machine, ProQuest. Eye: the International Review of Graphic Design. Available at: https://www.proquest.com/docview/1459648957?accountid=10342&imgSeq=3&parentSessionId=GX%2F%2BgZ8%2BcAln3tpNWcMuLp2p%2Bmdewvuuw9IcnUBBNUI%3D (Accessed: 02 November 2023). 

Comstock Inc. (2013) Image of a diverse workforce, ProQuest. Eye: the International Review of Graphic Design. Available at: https://www.proquest.com/docview/1459648957?accountid=10342&imgSeq=3&parentSessionId=GX%2F%2BgZ8%2BcAln3tpNWcMuLp2p%2Bmdewvuuw9IcnUBBNUI%3D (Accessed: 02 November 2023). 

Comstock Inc. (2013) Image of a family praying around a dinner table, ProQuest. Eye: the International Review of Graphic Design. Available at: https://www.proquest.com/docview/1459648957?accountid=10342&imgSeq=3&parentSessionId=GX%2F%2BgZ8%2BcAln3tpNWcMuLp2p%2Bmdewvuuw9IcnUBBNUI%3D (Accessed: 02 November 2023). 

FPG International (2013) Image of a family, ProQuest. Eye: the International Review of Graphic Design. Available at: https://www.proquest.com/docview/1459648957?accountid=10342&imgSeq=3&parentSessionId=GX%2F%2BgZ8%2BcAln3tpNWcMuLp2p%2Bmdewvuuw9IcnUBBNUI%3D (Accessed: 02 November 2023). 

J, A.M. 1994, “Pictures for rent: Stock photography receives little attention and wins even fewer awards, but it makes up a kind of corporate yernacular that informs almost all levels of graphic design”, Eye: the International Review of Graphic Design (Archive : 1990-2005), vol. 4, no. 14, pp. 68-77.

Lang, R. (2013) Image of two young men, ProQuest. Eye: the International Review of Graphic Design. Available at: https://www.proquest.com/docview/1459648957?accountid=10342&imgSeq=3&parentSessionId=GX%2F%2BgZ8%2BcAln3tpNWcMuLp2p%2Bmdewvuuw9IcnUBBNUI%3D (Accessed: 02 November 2023). 

Porto, J. (2013) Image of an Art Director, ProQuest. Eye: the International Review of Graphic Design. Available at: https://www.proquest.com/docview/1459648957?accountid=10342&imgSeq=3&parentSessionId=GX%2F%2BgZ8%2BcAln3tpNWcMuLp2p%2Bmdewvuuw9IcnUBBNUI%3D (Accessed: 02 November 2023). 

slowmotiongli. (2013) KILLER WHALE orcinus orca, PAIR LEAPING, CANADA stock photo, iStockphoto. Available at: https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/killer-whale-orcinus-orca-pair-leaping-canada-gm1227190928-361839538 (Accessed: 02 November 2023). 

Stone, T. (2013) Image of a water droplet, ProQuest. Eye: the International Review of Graphic Design. Available at: https://www.proquest.com/docview/1459648957?accountid=10342&imgSeq=3&parentSessionId=GX%2F%2BgZ8%2BcAln3tpNWcMuLp2p%2Bmdewvuuw9IcnUBBNUI%3D (Accessed: 02 November 2023). 

Thatcher, C. and Stone, T. (2013) Image of a scientist working within a laboratory, ProQuest. Eye: the International Review of Graphic Design. Available at: https://www.proquest.com/docview/1459648957?accountid=10342&imgSeq=3&parentSessionId=GX%2F%2BgZ8%2BcAln3tpNWcMuLp2p%2Bmdewvuuw9IcnUBBNUI%3D (Accessed: 02 November 2023). 

For the Unit 1 brief of Cataloguing, my project “Taxonomising Fashion: Christian Dior Spring Summer 2001” seeks to categorise “specimens” of clothing from the Christian Dior Spring Summer 2001 collection through an objective and systematic method. A taxonomy was created to group together specimens by shared characteristics, creating a system that allows consumers to easily differentiate and sort through clothing. This project seeks to bridge together science and the arts, drawing parallels between the cataloguing methods of evolutionary biologists and taxonimists with fashion archivists.

After the conclusion of our first brief, Methods of Investigating, we were immediately given our second brief. Slight panic aside, I felt more prepared of what to expect in terms of meeting the brief guidelines. For this project, we were tasked with selecting a catalogue of our choosing, and then identifying, analysing and reconfiguring the relationships between the parts of this set. After encountering difficulties from selecting a broad subject in the first project, I knew that this time I need to focus on something small and specific that could be covered more in depth, especially given the shorter timeframe of this task.

This brief provided us with a lot of scope to focus our project on as we could loosely interpret a catalogue as being any kind of systemised collection. However, I knew I wanted to work with the classic example of a catalogue, such as a retail catalogue that itemised list of products to be sold as it would restrain my project enough to allow for a thorough investigation. I didn’t want to fall into the past mistake of proceeding with a open-ended subject. After scouring through the library database, I narrowed down to multiple different catalogues of furniture, accessories and fashion. Through individually examining the books physically, I decided to choose the one that most visually resonated with me.

Christian Dior – Spring Summer 2001, as it is identified in the database, is a catalogue or look book of that season’s ready-to-wear collection by John Galliano. The small book bears no name or even hardly any text. It is purely visual. I cannot seem to find much information about the catalogue online either, but I presume it was sent to customers or provided in-store to showcase the products. What I found interesting about the catalogue is the colourful photography that were intentionally artful as it was commercial and consumerist. The most interesting prospect with working with a fashion catalogue is I find that there is a lot of similarities between the systematic categorisation of vintage clothes by archivists, and of biological systems by taxonomists. From the start of this project, I was keen to introduce my scientific background as a biologist to create a new form of categorisation for a subject you wouldn’t necessarily expect with the full intention of bridging science with the arts.

1. Classifying

First, I needed to identify the products that were presented in the Christian Dior – Spring Summer 2001 catalogue before I could analyse and manipulate them. The method to this investigation involved itemising on a spreadsheet every product as they first appear in the catalogue. Each product was categorised by the type they fit into such as tops or trousers, colour and material. A detailed description was also created. This identification was first attempted from observing the details in the catalogue which was then supplemented with information from resellers and vintage retails online including Vestiaire, 1stDibs, Etsy and Ebay. However, not all information could be ascertained.

This method of classification draws principles from scientific classification where researchers would systematically categorise specimens by shared common characteristics. This exercise was helpful in cataloguing the products present in the book and condensing it into manageable system as before it was purely visual.

2. Taxonomising

Within evolutionary biology, there is this discipline of taxonomy. It is the scientific practice of classifying specimens into groups, normally resulting in a hierarchical system. Taxonomy organises groups into taxonomic units known as “taxa”. However, taxonomy is not just limited to the natural sciences. It has also been applied to organise objects or concepts in areas such as computing, business and economics. After having identified the products within my chosen catalogue, I am interested in seeing whether it would be possible to organise a subject such as apparel in which taxonomy is not normally applied to.

3. (Re)drawing

Following on the vein from evolutionary biology, I wanted to replicate the specimen drawings researchers would produce. These drawings were purely from first hand observation.

15th October: Following on from last week where I focused on documenting the textures of my environment through photos, I decided to now employ a different method. I wanted to best capture the three-dimensional features of these textures and I felt that chalk could do that. Through lying a piece of paper on the surfaces of various textures and terrain, and then rubbing chalk on top, I created a series of mark-making graphics.

I made marks on various surfaces including a manhole cover, concrete road, and reliefs on a stone chair. Personally, I found this experiment to not be a success. The details were not particularly clear apart from the text on manhole covers. I don’t know whether this is down to my technique or if mark-making is not the best application for this. Following on from this, I don’t know if texture of my physical site is something I can logistically focus on. Back to the drawing board it is.