Investigation & Practice 2: Assignment 01

360˚ Visual Language Investigation and Practice 2 instructor Katherine Szeto date Week 1, 13 July 2006

introduction

Visual language is an universal language which is used to communicate. The same rules apply to visual language as to any other language. The sound of language is meaningless in itself, but when sounds are put together, they gain meaning. Words can, in turn be grouped together to form sentences in so many different ways that they can be used to express infinite shades of meaning. All languages have been adapted to the needs of a particular society, so that choice of words and moods of expression are formed by prevailing circumstance. When society changes, new requirements arise and language must adapt, develop, and incorporate new words and expressions while older ones die out. But forms of language do not just differ greatly from each other. They can also influence each other and merge. New linguistic features can develop within a certain environment. They can live side by side with the old, and possibly dissappear after a while; but they can also spread beyond their linguistic community and gradually displace the old forms or add new varieties of meaning. A basic feature of language is that any language in principle has the capacity to develop and in this way adapt and improve itself. This is also the case with visual language.

briefing: part 1 with lecturer Pia Hansen

Search your environment in order to detect the visual language(s) of Shanghai. Analyse, classify and group your languages according to a system that you develop. Think about how they function and who the users of this visual language are. Present your prelminary findings on a large moodboard. Due Friday 14 July. Final results in the form of an A3 booklet. Due Week 5. Wednesday 9 August.

briefing: part 2

Use the visual language(s) to create a visual system to describe your immediate neighbourhood in Shanghai. Be sensitive to the different users of your system. Think not only about the wayfinding signs used to guide and inform, but also a way of making your designs interact and be involved with their environment. Consider all aspects! Think about facades, walls, street furniture, art in public space, maps, pavement, roads, lanes, etc. Maximum creativity is expected! Due date: Week 5. Wednesday 9 August.

learning outcomes

- Comprehend and analyse a range of examples of visual communication that reflect a variety of sources and application. - Apply a higher level of independence in resolving a design problem. - Synthesise research findings in order to help solve visual communications problems, which relate to broader aspects of contemporary design practice. - Manage a series of graphic design projects using a systematic process. - Expand upon creative and production skills applicable to a variety of graphic and communication media. - Implement typographic and image generating strategies appropriate to solving a visual communication problem.