Mapping Out the Region

BREIF FOR PROJECT 1

For the first project, the brief reads as follows:

Mapping is a principal used in cartography and information design it is: 'the visual documentation of data translated or transformed into the visual presentation of information'. The task of collecting and recording material documenting data subjecting it to analysis, developing an order and a sequence which determines the form of presentation are skills which will help as you begin to consider the direction of your individual work.

You are to document through photography, video/film, drawing, text or symbols the category of information you have drawn form a hat. [I chose "blue plaques".] All area you gather information from must be within a two mile radius of the 'Clock tower' in central Brighton. Try to record all the details of the data category eg numbers, variables in the form of the object, type, classification, size etc. Attempt to find a link between each of the data elements eg bus stops are linked by route. Consider variables in relation to the nature of your presentation, eg speed, time, distance, concentration, quantity, frequency. Can you develop new visual narratives between the data entries.

Present your final work either as a large format folded map sheet, chart, interactive piece or short film.

GETTING STARTED

After collecting my information, I started with the first basic step. This was figuring out what this two mile radius looked like. Not being from the area, I have no concept of how far around two miles is. Below is a map pieced together, which will, I think, eventually become a vector of sorts.

First Project, New School

The first project I have come across is one that strongly intercepts and pushes the idea of gathering data, around you. When Loren and I came to school yesterday [our first day] we had a bit of a private meeting with our instructors. The learning style here can be explained as what I would like to call "open ended teaching & learning". This type of learning seems to be more embracing of the creative output of the student. Instead of being told what to produce, as far as ideas, format, medium, scale, etc. I can do basically anything I can think of. This opens barriers to anything, anything. It's quite incredible. It is making me feel a little more "free" than the curriculum at KCAI. Some projects are very open ended but there still seems to be a "stilt" that we need to use. It's kind of hard to put into words at this point but when I come back, I'll have a keener of an idea as to how to state this fact.

Once fact is that we have a lot more time to concentrate on a single project. Instead of pushing out 3 projects (some of which are due on the same day), I can put 110% to one project to really test and [more importantly] show the results of my learning and knowledge of design.

More on this specific project later.