Thursday 13 December 2007

IDEA... Toilet Graffiti

I had recently purchased a copy of Banksy's 'Wall and Piece,' for £8 from Virgin!! BARGAIN!! This opened my eyes to other implications that street art can be a very powerful from of message. The idea of messages and pictures being put in places that is not the intention of the architecture, and strangers reading it, not knowing who did it really struck me. It reminded me of about a week ago whilst in a pub toilet, reading and admiring (or at least finding it amusing) toilet graffiti.

I loved how someone would start with a little phrase or picture, and how over time people would add, re-interpreted and evolve it into something that could cover a whole wall. As I said earlier, i like the stranger interaction element. people's comments can vary on a huge scale. Some say bold and profound statements ( or they like to think so) such as " trust no one except yourself." Then on a different level, someone may reply "but i trust your mum, as she gives head!!" You get it! This is a common occurrence of sexual, and mum joke themes. It can be argued that people express exactly what they want to say in these situations as their identity will be unknown.

Initial Ideas.........



When first looking at the brief I instantly thought of Flash, websites and viral games, which was something I wanted to avoid!!!!

Once i got passed the intial and obvious thoughts, i went deeper into thought, which took me back to the guest speakers we have had in during the future design project.

SIMON MORSE and SOHEILA SOKHANVARI in particular..

Simon's work had a running theme of human interactivity. His work itself wasnt obviousely interactive, but its messages and meaning lay in human interactivity. More so in his earlier work. One peice was basic icons that represented an office and showed routes of each person. He also did similar stuff but on the theme of choice using a flow diagram.

I especially liked Soheila's style of work. Her themes where around human conditioning. She would set up installations and sometimes participate, and observe how the public interacted and reacted. She wasnt trying to put her own messages in her work, but more so let it take its own course and observe the results.

This is a concept I really like and want an aspect of my project to incluse social experiments.

Mike Blows Presentation


I took a few pages of notes in detail that are in my sketchbook. In general, he explored the different forms of of interaction. Looking alot at the range of sensors available. I found this of benefit as it showed me to look at interactive eqiupment and what is availible. Ways for an audience to interact.(Being aware and non-aware of their action)

New Project! Initial Thoughts.....

(These are thoughts form a few weeks ago)
The last project 'future design,' and in general the 3rd year so far has made me approach my work and briefs very differently. Before i would get burried down in technology and often neglect my creative ideas. This is due to the fact the briefs often required a finished product, made in a certain way! eg, animations in AE, a music vid in final cut that has to be 1minute long ect etc...I feel this year the the briefs have alot of room for movement and creativity.
Im not overally experienced in Flash, and havent used it for soo long, that ive probably forgot most of it! But thats obviousely something ive got to get back into.
Back to earlier, im not going to let this drown me in software. I want to keep the technology apect faily simple but have a really well thought out concept of interaction. HUMAN INTERACTION is an area I'd like to explore......

Monday 10 December 2007

I have not fully read this text by Niklas Luhmann, but in class we touched upon the key themes. Overall the text made itself sound overcomplicated by its use of language, but infact what he was saying was fairly straight forward and wasn’t that forward thinking considering it was wrote in 2005. Which is rather ironic, as he talks about systems that work on effective design.
(MORE TO FOLLOW- INCOMPLETE)

Thursday 29 November 2007

Wednesday 14 November 2007

Last week!!!

The past week has been very productive. I decided to stay with my original idea and have finally nailed it on the head. When researching I came across a concept that was very similar to mine. This did momentarily dampen my mood, but however it helped me define my idea. It also backed that my idea could exist in the future.

Have been doing intense research on brain scanning to look at the current technology to see how far ahead mine is. Mine will be basically the same as current equipment, but alot smaller and portable. I read articles that they could only see this happening in the future and it was only a matter of time. If you look how most current technology is progressing, it seems to be making evrything smaller and portable. eg. phones, cameras, mp3 players, computers.

Thursday 8 November 2007

'Zoe Mode' (Games company) Talk




Today we had guest speakers in from the computer games industry. They work for a company called 'Zoe mode', based in Brighton. The two guys had very different background experience to each other which was interesting as we often stereotype game makers to be people that have been making games since they were 16 and nothing else....




John Taylor started out doing an art degree and got into concept art and character design. He worked for several comapanys over the years such as 'Dreamweavers, Gremlin, Infogrammes.' Now his job 0ften varies, depending on the game that their working on. Sometimes he might be designing environments, and sometimes he may be making spread sheets!


Ste Curran on the other hand was an avid gamer from a young age. But did not get into games design until later in his life. He did a degree in maths, and went on to train as a teacher. On the side he developed his writing and started writing columns and reviewing games for edge. From there he got employed for his critical views and went on to be a producer and then a creative director.




They both crossed paths and now work for Zoe Mode where they made games that are considered to be outer edges of game design, in terms of what the market wants. Games such as Singstar, Music Go, Melody, Crush, Utopia, Dance Star.




When questioned on how ideas come about, it was pritty much the same answer you'd get from any artist of some form. "whilst down the pub," or "having a shit." They themselves combine ideas in a room they call the lab. It seemed like their ideas where put into a database which could then be devoloped, re-used or altered. So for instance they could re-use certain aspects of ideas that they've already had, but then change and add new ideas. Ste made a point that there are more possiblitys when making games that would appeal to non gamers. This is due to not having to stick with formulas that are popular and sell. Such as 1st person shooters, driving games, sport games ect ect... Whereas games like Singstar and even bizzare games such as 'Brap the rapper,' where in which your a rapping dog and must rap to get the girl, which is infact a flower??? uh?




Anyway i found the talk as a good but brief insight into the games design world and particually interesting as alot of the games they desinged were music games. However it is too late into the project to start thinking about more ideas of muscial games!




Change of 'Hands'!!!

Okaaaaay....

Whilst doing more research ive come with a new idea and concept for my project, and im seriousely considering changing to it! my reasons are that im struggling to get my previouse idea down, and keep finding it hard to nail down.

After reading an article called 'Machines powered by heart muscles,' and 'Playing Piano with a robotic hand,' I came up with this concept.......

My idea is gloves that can control your hand movement and can trigger certain movements in the hand. The gloves will have updatable software and instructions for different uses .

An example could be you want to learn to play a certain peice of Mozart music for piano. You then download or purchase the information/instructions and apply it to your gloves software. From here you place your hands over the piano, and the gloves will then enable you to play that certain peice of music.

I then had to ask myself, why would i want an invention that enables you play any peice of music without ever hearing it? I myself heavily believe in learning the fundamentals in music, and am against things (to an extent) that enables you to make music without knowing much about music.. But i thought my gloves idea could enable people to learn instruments and peices of music in a different form of learning.

I myself when learning to play the cello, would find if i heard the peice of music played first and saw the certain fingering and bowing physically, i would benefit much more than spending an hour trying to read it straight from the music score. Once i knew how it should sound, i would use the music score as more of a guideline to trigger my memory responses. So thats where my gloves come in.....

With them they would enable people that have learning disabilitys or want a different way to learn music in a physical and visual form.

Monday 5 November 2007

ok... its been a while!!

During the past 2 weeks i had my ideas presentation to the class. i thought it went well, considering i hadn't really prepared for it and was the only the person not to use powerpoint. people seemed interested in my ideas and gave alot of great input and suggestions. it made me especially happy that not one person said "hasnt that already sort of been done?"

doing my presentation made me realise not to always think in a conventional way, such as using powerpoint and using slides! I literally jotted a few notes 10 mintues before i did it, and i think it went alot better than it would have if i'd heavily prepared for it! think outside the box man!!!radical, boxfresh, daniel on ice, natasha on gravel, me on you?

That day we had a guest speaker in , lets just call her (Miss X) for the moment! she was a interactive conseptual digital artist. her ideas where around the idea of human conditioning, and how mankind wants to destroy! she talked to us about some of her installations and i found her work and ideas very inspiring and interesting. she said that she wasnt trying to impose her ideas on people, but just see how people react to certain situations. a silent/invisible observer.

she really liked my ideas and had lots of feedback on areas for me to further my research.
- John Cage
- Earl Brown
- Christopher Wolf
- Black Mountain School
- Modern jazz
- Experimental

Thursday 25 October 2007

Interactive Musical Devices



This week i have been looking at new and old interactive musical devices! one being the 'Personal Orchestra'. it enables the user to simulate conducting an orchestra with real video footage in front of you and audio being played back in real time. the user can change the speed of the piece, the dynamics, basically all the things you can do as a conductor in real life. this is done so by actually using real conducting gestures and movement which is monitored by sensors. the amazing thing about this is how the video footage corresponds with slowing down the music. it apparently works very smoothly.




A more recent project existing is the 'Toy Symphony Maestro.'


The Music Toys developed by Tod Machover and his team at the MIT Media Lab for Toy Symphony are very sophisticated instruments designed simply to be played by any person with the desire to make music, with the specific needs and capabilities of young people in mind. There is no skill prerequisite-only the willingness to participate. There are three principal instruments used in the work for general audiences, and a fourth instrument for a more sophisticated musician. Through the use of Music Toys, children and adults alike can shape and modify musical lines with expressive gesture and delicate touch (Beatbugs, Shapers); use special software to draw lines that turn into musical compositions (Hyperscore); and also learn about the Hyperviolin, the latest in a series of enhanced expert performance instruments devised by the team. Each toy has a very specific musical and pedagogical function.


Thursday 18 October 2007

Gibson's self tuning guitar

gibson in the near future will have self tuning guitars in the shops. it allows you to have customised tuning presets aswell as standard tuning. its essential purpose is for live performances, enabling the guitarist to not have to keep changing guitars for differently tuned songs.
this is a small step in the possibilities of advancing anolog instruments. this however caused a stir amongst musicians claiming that you should be good enough to tune it yourself.
it is stepping in the direction of making it easy for people to play instruments.

Monday 15 October 2007

The Tenori-on

researched the 'tenori- on'.. a futuristic music making device covered in a grid of interactive lit buttons. 16x16 grid of buttons, midi out, sequencing, built-in sampling and motif sound capabilities with internal speakers.

did not like it! its not visually obvious to use, and looks too plastic like! its sequencr capabilities are also rather limited. i can picture its future as a hand held sequencer (gameboy like) being used by japenese kids on the bus to school. no more than a funky sound toy. available to you for a whooping £500.... i say go buy yourself a nice gibson guitar instead!

15/10/07 Over the past week!!

have been researching a broad range of everyday technologies to experimental new ideas. after going to the natural history musuem last weekend and looking at dinosaur bones got me thinking about bone mutation and the possibilities in the future..

have narrowed my research to the area of music, and instruments. what will they be like in a decades time. will analogue instruments such as violins, guitars still be around? computers are already becoming increasingly popular but will it just be computers generating musical sounds? will the use of analogue instruments become an underground movement and can only be played by a limited amount of people! an elitest underground movement!

must get my idea nailed in the next day or so and really crack on..
research musical software - teneri yamaha
- menome

Monday 1 October 2007