22nd November- first mentor tutorial

I presented my territory once again and the response was similar. It seems hard for at present to find that core idea that all strands of new idea can be pulled back to. I haven't decided to drop the digital element of my project though it seemed to be suggested. I do however want to explore the process of maturing in different processes elsewhere before i begin to apply it to the digital medium. It still stands as the maturing process being the core of my project and all things must be drawn back to this when discussing on tangents. Charm and individualism are two by-products of the maturing process and therefore will need to be explored in that context.

Design Brief

Digital-Maturation
Deterioration and Maturation are ways in which objects evolve and are able to move both forwards and backwards. This is apparent in nature where growth and life cycles are inherent in order for landscapes to evolve and thrive. Deterioration can be seen in analogue objects where mechanisms are used in order for the objects to process. Where mechanisms are present there is room for deterioration and movement to take place. In the digital world there is a tendency for objects to decrease in value as soon as use takes place. There is a binary relationship that takes place in digital products. Products either are in a working mode or broken beyond workability. However, seen in analogue objects deterioration can lead to a mass produced item to gain charm and character.Individualism is brought to what firstly appears a bulk-produced product. This is intriguing and through this thought, the opportunity to bring this maturation process into the digital world is the aim of the project.
The designer should bring the idea of forward movement such as seen in nature into the digital world. The outcome of the project should help to make digital objects increase in value due to use, similar to instruments being used and therefore, increasing in value. The project is not about the retro and using older styling’s to create ‘hybrid’ objects but rather about creating a more charming digital medium. Charm will need to be explored as a by-product of the maturing and deteriorating process. What are the maturing processes that take place that create this ‘charm’ within an object?
Realise the project as trying to add maturing process into digital medium and then the idea of charm as a product of that maturation process

territories after thoughts

I did not feel that my presentation had gone badly nor had it gone superbly well. I had a lot of suggestions to take in from all three tutors.

• One of the main points that came through was whether i ought to be focusing in upon one analogue area or whether i should be trying to broaden my possibilities.
• Another point is the idea that rather than instruments and wine maturing the ultimate of that idea is the evolution within nature. Organic digital??
• Changing and evolving through use.
• Where does the idea of charm lay within processes?
• Look at branding and when a product is re-branded such as the mini automobile. The way in which the vibe and sense of the mini is still present even though the form has changed.

I think for me at the moment i need to realise my project as trying to add maturing process into digital medium and then the idea of charm is a product of that maturation process.

Territories

Territories
1. How do people alter the way they interact with objects as they deteriorate?
2. Show objects that i collected. Recognise the area of objects that i have collected as analogue/mechanical objects.
3. Examples of charm. Interfaces, Acousmonium.
4. Tests and experiments that were carried out. The Tyger as well as the photos that were taken.
5. Maturation v Deterioration. Realisation of deterioration as maturation. How this helps to turn the idea of adding deterioration into the digital as a positive thing.
Violin/cello and the idea of wine.
6. Thinking of the idea of inversing the value after sale within computers. Let them evolve into more beautiful objects.
7. This is not about creating hybrid objects and introducing retor stylings into digital format.
8. Drawings that i completed and how they helped me produce new ideas.
9. The helvetica experiment. The deteriorating typeface.
10. Acceptance of struggle to find ways in which to realise my ideas and experiments.
Thank you

24th-25th October

Experiments

Through use of the found objects I wanted to begin to understand what these objects had become through their deterioration process.
I began to type using the typewriters as well as take photos. There was a definite charm within in these objects, the same type of charm that leads electro acoustic composers to use old speakers within new systems. Also the same charm that cause’s computer programs to use analogue interfaces to portray actions such as volume and painting.
I am beginning to get frustrated with the idea that I would maybe like to try and incorporate deterioration into more digital objects in order to allow them to deteriorate in the same manner in which the analogue objects I had come across had done.
However, one of my original post-it notes speaks of the transition from analogue to digital and I believe the new medium of digital lacks something which I am beginning to identify as ‘charm’ within it.

Finding Objects 24th October

Finding Objects

First day of research into my questions. I found the first question of the five that were made the most interesting. The area of deterioration was my point of concern and thought that my first port o call would be to start researching into deteriorating objects. I went and looked into second hand shops to try and discover what type of form these deteriorating objects would take. From my search I came out with a

Olivetti Typewriter
Brother Typewriter
2 Olympia Typewriters
Fed 4 Camera
Ilford Sport Camera

I also did some secondary research and looked into how computer programs use alnalogue interfaces in order to introduce a physicality into the program as well as methods in which Francois Bayle uses analogue speakers within a digital recording system.
Overlapping between digital and analogue systems is a curiosity to me.

Sketching out a project. 23rd October

Group work - Sketching out a project.

We spent a day looking at developing our context further. For me this was to push my new idea of Control in Objects further. I am interested in access within objects and the manner in which the user has control over the object.
For example the Mac and the PC. In theory the idea behind this is that the PC runs off of coding that the user is able to obtain and therefore change and alter. Whereas, the Mac is seen as more user friendly and the inner working of the Mac is hidden.
It was fixing objects and how this act of fixing can help build a relationship between user and object. By the end of today through discussing the idea with the group, the idea was explored and exploded.
Five questions were brought up and allowed me to look at moving my project forward. These are…

1.How do people alter the way they interact with objects as they deteriorate?
2.Can domestic objects be designed so that they can be accessed to be fixed rather than thrown?
3.How can people gain control when an object refuses to work for the user?
4.Through fixing/repair can relationships build between user and object?
5.Can domestic objects be seen as treasured objects that we do not continually trade in?