The One

Simplicity is about the subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful.

The 3 keys:

Away: more appears to be less by moving it further away. Eg google is away of storing information away from your own computer. While working on the point exhibition we utilized google docs to share information.

Open: Share information with collaborators

Power: Use power wisely, control the time you use power. As a designer spend some time away from the computer designing on paper, researching through books, take photographs and use your own graphics.

Power as an enabler / disabler: the use of adobe creative suite enabled us to design our logo and signs, though because of the limitless options available to adapt the designs was also a disabler, compared to the time it may have taken to hand draw the logo.

What I could take away from the process of the navigation system to add more meaning:

Simplify, less signs that are more obvious

New sign designs for the entrance to each exhibition Building

The design layout for these signs was adapted from the original logo and simplified. The signs need to be easy to read from a distance as visitors approach the building. The word "Point" is printed in black on orange. I thought it was important to keep a portion of the sign either orange or purple. Orange is more eye catching which is why I chose it. I haven't incorporated the graphic from the logo though it could easily be added.

Signage designs for the Point Exhibition

The sign at Architecture. The sign format will be duplicated for each department. Gallery, Print, Orange 11 ( fashion, sculpture, fine arts, photography, multi media and graphic design).

This banner will be the 3rd banner visitors will see on arrival, it will display the sponsors names.

A narrow banner reading "Entry Point", to be placed along the top of the CDU front entrance sign near the roundabout. It will need to be attached to ply board or heavy card to bend with the shape of the Arc.

A large Banner to be placed on the front of the Information building at Charles Darwin University.

Failure, the 9th Law

Questions:

Q. Using point as an example, describe an aspect of your work where you found a symbiotic relationship that is both simple and complex?

A. Designing the map for the exhibition has been both simple and complex as the main CDU map is incredibly complex and needed to be adapted to a simple and more user friendly version. Using the Hide and reduce principles.

Q. Have you had a " return on failure" during your work on the exhibition?

A. When Simone and I were working on fabric draping for the navigation system at the entrance of Orange 11, the roll of fabric was dropped and rolled down the stairs. This accident opened up many possibilities and from that came the end use for the fabric.

Pink business card with Positive / Negative logo

Trust and how the laws are applied through the exhibition process

During one of the first classes with this course, a drawing class, I felt quite uneasy about my drawing skills. I've designed textiles and clothing for many years but have never described myself as an artist. What I learned during this course is to trust that drawing is a skill that can be learnt, like anything, with the knowledge of drawing techniques, I could in fact draw. I relaxed and trusted that my knowledge and experience in design, could be adapted to the art of drawing, resulting in the expression of feelings and information through pencil, paint and charcoal.

Strategies that could be used to instill trust during the planning and running of the exhibition.

• availability of correct information
• consistency of how that information is delivered
• support if any issues arise in the meantime.
• positive feedback for the collaborators

What aspect of the event preparation would I undo..

• When preparing and prioritising a to do list, I would have done it once and done it well.
• The time frame we were asked to prepare, I would have printed it out onto an A3 sheet and placed it on the wall in a prominent position and as the weeks went by students could cross out in thick black texta, each task that had been completed. We may have kept on time this way.

Avoiding any more undoing..

• find out what I am expected to do, how I have to do it, and what the deadline is. I believe that the many small distractions and requests slow down the productive process.

The Laws and the Exhibition process...

Reduce: reduce the time it takes to perform individual tasks - Shrink the amount of work into smaller components, Hide what is unnecessary, Embody the collaborative work to create a spectacular event.

Organise: using SLIP in the initial organisation of tasks. SORT what needs to be done, LABEL the types of tasks, INTEGRATE tasks that can be grouped easily together and PRIORITISE what needs to be done when.

Time: Shrink the time it takes to do a task, by making sure others are not already doing it. Know what you need to do, simplify the details and focus on the deadline to complete the task on time. We have had many mini deadlines so far including logo design ready for printing / advertising material. Compiling information from each department about what their students will be exhibiting. This was needed for the website and poster.

Learn: by choosing tasks that utilise your skills, the work can be completed more efficiently. Through the process of collaboration knowledge is shared and strong ties are formed.

Differences: Day and night, positive and negative, simplicity and complexity, these are all balanced relationships, each require the other to exist to give itself meaning.

The navigation system for the Exhibition appears incredibly complex on the CDU map, though by eliminating unnecessary details the map can appear simple and user friendly.

Context: keep it simple, don't over crowd, too much information is too much information. Empty space is essential especially for the exhibition as there will be an abundance of stimulating visual exhibits, space can aid the digestion of the works. The walk between exhibition areas may be just what our visitors need to separate the different disciplines , creating a natural break between each.

Emotion: Of course more is better than less. Emotion is strongly tied to most individuals. Consumers purchase items they FEEL a strong connection to. We want the Exhibition visitors to FEEL there way around each exhibit, to appreciate the talents of the students, to fall in love with at least one exhibit, to hate another and to leave in the end after experiencing many emotions, mostly positive ones!

Trust: leaning back and undoing!! The leaning back part is Bec, Bee, Deb, Simone and Kathryn leaning and trusting each other. That as a group there is support, which has been demonstrated many many times in difficult moments. That there is a feeling of a shared workload, that everyone in contributing equally. The Undoing is just a part of the everyday process, especially on the Mac computers, don't we love that option!

Failure: is to drop a roll of fabric accidentally and as it rolls away towards the stairs, the endless possibilities unravel with it. Turning the accident into an artistic outcome to meet the navigational requirements of the exhibition. I live by this process, which can be unnerving for others to watch, but solutions arrive when a problem is served up. This is when I come alive!

We can learn through failure.... what not to do next time, how to do things differently etc...

Fabric draping ideas for the Exhibition entrance

Whilst deciding how to use the orange fabric for navigational purposes, the fabric roll was dropped and started to roll away. This " accident" opened further possibilities, from which came the concept of draping the fabric along the ceiling of the entrance way to Orange 11. This use would be effective even in the event of a rainy, stormy evening. The fabric could be kept in place for the week of the exhibition and wouldn't be in the way.

The walkway from Orange 11 to The Gallery will have the fabric draped between the poles

The ends of the fabric will be fringed with a purple fringing. All the lanterns will be purple and all of the fabric will be orange.

That's it!!!

playing with maps

Trying to simplify the complex Charles Darwin University Casuarina Campus Map....

Written content for the exhibition publication.

Last week we received written course and exhibition outlines from each department that will be exhibiting at the end of year "POINT" Exhibition. I was asked to reduce the information for the website. I will need to reduce it again to around 75 words per department for our main publication.

One image will be selected per department to represent the work that will be on show.

I am also working on a map of the specific area of the campus where the exhibition will take place. I am having trouble simplifying the details yet and keeping the aesthetics. I will keep working on it.

basket and woven mat photography

Playing with thresh hold and polarisation in photoshop.