- step away from the computer
- a smile in the mind
- failed it
- i t e r a t e
1. These are techniques which I have learnt from the other modules that I've studied this year.
Hijacking an object is the idea of taking an everyday physical object and repurposing it to send a different message. This could be something like taking an item of food in its packaging but changing the design of the packaging to be something completely different. This technique is successful because it invites the viewer in by showing them something recognisable but then it presents a new idea to them through the elements which have been changed. Example:
This is the branding for a queer club night - it shows a recognisable bottle of poppers (a drug which is commonly taken by gay men in nightclubs) however, instead of having the branding of the poppers on it it has the club night name.
2. Step away from the computer - this was advice I saw given by a lot of the designers I was researching. I strongly agree that when you are stuck for inspiration staring at a blank Photoshop document etc is the worst thing you can do because there's no way you're going to get inspired from that. When you step away from the computer screen and look around, I find that I can find inspiration in almost anything without even meaning to look for it most of the time. The same goes for trying to get inspired from Instagram or Pinterest - whilst these places can be really useful for researching other people's design, I think it can be a hindrance to just look at other people's work all day because I eventually start to compare myself to them and worry about not being good enough. Then, if I do end up creating something I find that I'm trying to imitate, which is not what I want to do as a designer - I want to be original in my ideas and practices.
3. A smile in the mind is a technique that we learn about in one of our previous modules. A smile in the mind refers to the use of visual puns and metaphors in design. The idea is that the viewer will see the design and, although it might not be funny enough to make them laugh, it gives them a brief happy feeling. People like to be in on jokes, and they like to be reassured that they are in the know. These visual puns feed into that. Example:
4. Failed it - This is the name of a book discussing and illustrating how “We live in an era when everyone is striving for perfection and we have become afraid of failure, which limits our potential. Mistakes help us find new ways of thinking and innovative solutions, and failures can change our perceptions and open up new ways of looking things.”
I really like this technique because often, before I start making a piece of work I visualise how I want it to look in my head but then when I start to physically create, it looks different and this can be frustrating and kind of disheartening.
This technique is basically the idea is that if you accept the failures that you make and you stop trying to be such a perfectionist and stop trying to get things right on the first go, you will get a lot further. I can agree that some of the best work I've ever made has come from just messing around and not really being too serious, making just silly messy things and then refining them.
5. Iterate - Ben is always reiterating this one to us. When trying something out, don't just do one or two versions of it - do 10, 20, even 50. Creating variations on one idea opens up many more pathways to go down which you might not have thought of before. This technique also fits in with the 'failed it approach' - not everything you do has to be perfect on the first go, and through experimentation you can end up creating some really unique and honest work.
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