OUGD401 - Study Task 3/4, Reading and Understanding a Text/Summarising and Paraphrasing

How has technology changed graphics? - 

"Instead of passing off to specialists the various mechanical tasks necessary to bring art to print, the designer gained complete authority over the technical and formal creation of published work " - Davis, M (2012) Graphic Design Theory. London: Thames and Hudson, pg 208 

At first designers had no freedom with the finished product and could only be sent off to specialists to printed. Nowadays individuals have complete authority and freedom over their finished product if they wish. 

"As software developed, it became possible to create and output accurate facsimiles of printed work in a fraction of the time spent in hand-generated processes." - Davis, M (2012) Graphic Design Theory. London: Thames and Hudson, pg 208 

Technology has quickened processes by quite a lot. Meaning that you do not have to spend time waiting for a certain process to be completed and can produce much more work in the time you would usually be waiting. This may be seen as an improvement as you can get much more done in a shorter amount of time but it maybe seen as a sort of short cut and may not be interpreted as art because people may think the effort isn't there, the heart and soul of the piece has been taken away and replaced with a machine rather than using the hands on method. 

"it quickly became apparent that the interactive media held the potential for bigger and better things" - Davis, M (2012) Graphic Design Theory. London: Thames and Hudson, pg 209 

You can see in this extract that the author talks about technology improving interactive media for the better. She speaks of how some people found the transition between paper and screen hard but then grew to find it easier and gave them chance to do much more. 

"not a fixed point in time where one medium instantly displaces another." - Davis, M (2012) Graphic Design Theory. London: Thames and Hudson, pg 212 

In this piece of text we see the writer talking about another book and how throughout history technological advances occur regularly but do not instantly replaces older mediums, it's an evolutionary process. The writer seems to agree with this in what she is saying, she is almost including this quote to argue a point and tell naysayers that it's not to throw out the old process and replace it with the new but instead incorporate the both. 

"But new technologies shift our attention from the arrangement of content to the facilitation of behaviours and mediation of experiences in the environment" - Davis, M (2012) Graphic Design Theory. London: Thames and Hudson, pg 214 

Davis talks of technology changing the way graphics is seen. Just before this she speaks about graphics historically being used in text, books, signage and on screen. In this quote she talks about how technology has managed to change our perception an look more closely into layout and all different forms of design. 

OUGD401 - Finding Research Sources (Task 2)

CoP 2.

What is branding? Choose four internet descriptions.

Definition.org - 
http://www.definition.org/define/branding

brandingnoun

process in which a mark, usually a symbol or ornamental pattern, is burned into the skin of a living person or animal

I chose this as one of my four internet descriptions as I thought it showed off the word more than the modern meaning and showed the history and heritage linked to it. This I think shows what branding is from the roots of the word.

Oxford Dictionary -
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/brand

A particular identity or image regarded as an asset:you can still invent your own career, be your own brand'
This site is well trusted and gives multiple descriptions quite obviously as it is the official Oxford Dictionary site. I think that it portrays the word quite well thought using words like identity and asset, it's something you need.
School of Visual Arts -
http://branding.sva.edu/what-is-branding

Definition of branding:

Branding is a means of manipulating identity in order to manage perceptions.

I stumbled across this site after a quick Google search, the site didn't seem too official so I had a further look into it. After looking into the site more thoroughly I found there were multiple definitions based on quotes and opinions from staff and past students. I thought it was good to include one of these definitions because one I agreed with the statement and two it was was a good example to show use of different websites for reference.

Entrepreneur -
http://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/branding

The marketing practice of creating a name, symbol or design that identifies and differentiates a product from other products .

This I think is one of the best descriptions I have found. It's a straight to the point description and covers all literal meanings of the word. I was suspicious of the site again but I looked into it.

Overall this task was good to show how difficult it is to find trustworthy sites for information but also how easy it can be at a click of a button or a Google search. If you look hard enough and find trustworthy sites the internet is a brilliant tool to find information easily but should also be used alongside books and other means of gaining information.

OUGD401 - Visual Literacy (Task 1)

CoP 1.



Visual Literacy -

Society
Culture
Technology
Politics
History

http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/uncle-sam-range-ad-1876-granger.jpg

The image above looks like an advertisement and is in fact for Ranges like the one on the left of the image. Whereas the image below does not, it looks more like a piece of art to hang on the wall. Bold font stands out of the image and looks more serious and business like than the other. You can see that the image is trying to sell and therefore looks fake and set up everything sends a message in the picture the big message is AMERICA. Everything about the image screams that America is helping out the world and that it is a big power feeding the world. Speaking of the world you can see the not so subtle symbol of the earth reading through a list and looking at what other countries bring to the table. This also shows off the wealth of America and all the countries on the list. There is a sign of the times and inequality in the image showing the woman and the black boy serving food to all the countries. The first image is made to look organised straight to the point and convey a strong message that America is feeding and is providing for the rest of the world as if it's bringing it together showing they are already organised and well off living life how they are. 

http://www.blog.ryanhay.es/wp-content/uploads/deco-colonialism-both.jpg

This image compared to the top image shows a whole different idea. The first image is made to look un organised, the people are made to look unhappy and tired. The image holds a lot of false truths and looks to be aimed at white people. The Typeface like the first image is clear and bold but it has been made to stick with a kind of traditional African design to keep it looking authentic. The second image is meant to convey a sense of order everyone looks happier, well you can't actually see the black peoples expressions but it's meant to be aimed at white people to say that this way is much better. There are no woman or children in the second image unlike the top image where children are sat around the table and a woman is serving, in this image they're saying it's better for the woman and children as they no longer have to carry the loads. Like the first image there are black people being used to work and a bit more un subtle than the first this image quite clearly shows the white man on top and higher up than all the black people looking pleased. Comparing the two images is meant to make you decide that the right hand side is the better way and it should be done. Comparing it to the top image you can see that the way the image has been made is completely different, the top looks like it has been made to be printed in a newspaper to advertise for the company whereas the bottom looks like a piece of art and you wouldn't see it in a newspaper.