Tutorial Two

I needed todays tutorial to gain some guidance about the direction of my project, as there are so many avenues and loose ends to tie up that I am struggling to connect together in a straight forward direction. I tried to visually make sense of what I wanted to find out by scribbling down these diagrams to highlight connections of theories and how to integrate different areas of investigation.

Where am I up to?

• Attended sustainability symposium
• Attended love arts conversation
• Both made me think about designing for social change rather than focusing in on mainstream advertising?
• Considering sustainability as an 'end goal?'
• Analysed language and imagery used within above-the-line advertising methods
• Further studied Eleanor Snare's presentation on ikigai and perception of self
• Further studied Steve Connor's area of expertise which is 'ethical advertising'
• Looked at theorists including Maslow, Herzberg, Freud and Skinner on the topics of motivation, self-perception and pain avoidance

What I wanted to gain from the tutorial:

• Need to tie up all of the loose ends
• Advice on theorists to look at
• Pin point an argument, what am I trying to find out?

Points Discussed

• When I spoke to Steve Conner at the symposium he said that illustration is becoming more of a popular tool within advertising as opposed to film and photography which seems to have 'run into the ground'- WHY is this?
• Why do we use illustration in certain circumstances? What is it about?
• It's universal, approachable and can communicate complex problems using semiotics
• What is the relationship between self idealisation, advertising and illustration?
• Discussed images used to advertise smoking (50's/60's) and campaigns against smoking (90's onwards)
• Using ethics to communicate so it is easy to understand

Pete picked up on the maps I had drawn out (above) and saw that as an illustration within itself, similar to an info graphical image. He highlighted the connection between self idealisation, advertising and illustration as a sort of self contained triangulation to be further explored, which made a lot of sense!

Instead of looking at illustration as a tool, he advised me to look at the empathy and emotion involved in using children and children imagery within advertising, and the higher impact that it can have on a mass audience. 

DING DING DING WE HAVE HIT JACKPOT!

This approach ties in everything that I have been looking at in an interesting synthesis which I am excited to properly explore now. I have a fair bit of catching up to do in terms of blogging and recording my research, as well as starting my actual essay, but now I have a focus then things should hopefully move along a little more quickly.