Practical Investigation

Investigation Questions

1.TECHNIQUE(s)

- Publication design. e.g. magazines and newspapers
- Traditional printing methods?

2.CONTENT

- content of my choice that allows me to fully convey my hypothesis.

3.COMMUNICATION / MESSAGE

- Print and digital media working as a hybrid

3.RESEARCH / ANALYSIS

- Explore how magazines nowadays survive in such a predominantly digital age.
- Look for how print and digital medias have been combined previously. Successful? why or why   not
- Look at apps that already exist. e.g. newspaper / magazine apps. Have they taken over the         print publication?

4.EXPLORATION / EVALUATION

- Different ways in which both methods and medias can be combined
- interactive print / images coming to life

5.TESTING

- Produce a few examples of how the concept can come together

Questions

- What is your research question?

Discuss the role of print media in the digital age

- Do you have a hypothesis?

Print media has to work in hybrid with digital media in order to survive and have a future.

- Contexts of my research

Previous magazines are seeing a downfall in reader numbers. This is due to the accessibility of information online. A lot of magazines are now turning to websites and smartphone apps as an alternative, leaving behind the production of printed publications.

- Sources of primary/Secondary research

- Online: magazine websites, blogs
- existing printed magazines that survive the shelves

- How will your practical work answer the research question

Whats the best solution for combining print and digital media so they can both survive and thrive along side one another as apposed to digital taking over completely.

- What methods of research, development, creative and test work

- Traditional print methods...
  - Printing Press
  - Screen Printing

- Editorial Design

- Smartphone Application design

The History of Print

Throughout history, print media has had a hugely influential role on human civilization in a variety of different ways. The earliest signs of printmaking were found in East Asia as early as 220 A.D using a technique called Woodblock printing. 

This printing method later spread all over the world, reaching Europe in the 1300s and was used for printing on cloth, mainly for religious purposes. 


Around the mid fifteenth century, Woodcut books with both text and imagery developed as a ‘cheaper alternative to manuscripts and books’. 

The next integral phase of development happened with the introduction of movable-type printing. Movable type involves using movable pieces of metal type, each made by casting from molds. This method allowed for more flexible processes and thus further developing the world of print.

 In 1440, Johannes Gutenberg developed the revolutionary invention of the world’s first Printing Press. This invention is seen as one of the most influential events of the second millennium as it piloted the ‘age of modernity’ or modern era. 

Compared to woodblock printing, movable type using a press was quicker and more durable. This process resulted in the birth of typography and fonts. 


Usage of the printing press spread rapidly through Europe up into the Renaissance period. With the ever-growing world of print came hundreds of other machines and methods that have all contributed to the role print media has in the society of today. This role of print has been ever shifting throughout human history and thus I will be exploring if print media still has its place in the digital age of the new millennium. 

Essay Research

Sources of info

Presentations and slideshows

One of my sources of information came in the form of a 29 slide presentation found on Slideshare.net

The presentation gave me some key info that is very much related to my essay question. The format of the presentation meant that I could absorb the info in small chunks and so understand and use it easier and effectively. It is also a more engaging and stimulating method of research.

Online Articles

my second, larger source of info came in the form of online articles.

to use these sources of information, I first read through it to check that it was an academic source and that it made sense in cohesion with what I was writing. A lot of online sources can be very unreliable and can often offer information that is incorrect or inaccurate.

I have a few ways of making sure the source is acceptable for referencing:

- Including checking the legibility of the website itself by looking at the bottom for any sponsors/ awards etc. 

- I also cross reference information from two or more sources. This allows me to know whether the info is telling the truth or is just made up.

Books and other publications

Typically, this source is the most reliable as information rarely makes it into books without being checked for legibility etc. This means that text found in books can be trusted a lot more than whats found on the web. 

I've taken out a number of books from the college library as my main source of information.

Planning & Structuring an Essay

Module Question...


"What is the role of print media in the digital age?"


Possible sources of information to use as references...


Benjamin, W. (1936) 'The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction'.

Rock, M. (1996) 'The Designer as Author', Eye, no. 20 vol. 5

Davis, D. (1995) 'The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction'. Leonardo, Vol. 28

Davis, M (2012) Graphic Design Theory. London: Thames and Hudson 

Klein, A (2009) 'The Role of Print Media in Today's Technological Society' 

Wright, J (2013) http://www.ideastap.com/IdeasMag/ 


Examples of Graphic Design I will analyse...

So It Goes Magazine - A magazine started by James Wright in the middle of a magazine crisis

“Isn’t it a risk starting a print magazine in the current climate?” 

The world’s biggest small arts magazine.
http://www.ideastap.com/IdeasMag/all-articles/DISCUSS-can-print-publishing-survive-digital

Other well known magazines/ newspapers of the digital era

- Life Magazine
- Marie Claire
- GQ

"The pain that the newspaper industry is going through is well known by now"

- The Guardian
- The Metro 

BILLBOARDS

LIBRARY RESOURCES

Why are us as students recommended to use Libraries and the books within them

Why is information in a book considered more reliable and accurate than that online

Essay Map...

Introduction:

- Explain in more detail the key terms of the question; Print Media & The Digital Age
- Bit of background knowledge for each; history of print media and impact of digital age
- Explain HOW I will show the reader the ROLE of print media now; 
- Use 4 different examples of print media: 
   
   > Magazines

   > Newspapers

   > advertising billboards/ campaigns

   > Books used by students? 



Main Body:

1. Magazines


2. Newspapers


3. Advertising billboards/ campaigns


4. Library resources?? & why books are more reliable than online sources



Conclusion

Summarising & Paraphrasing

Summarised and Paraphrased notes 

Extract from Graphic Design Theory by Meridith Davis.

For many, memories of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre are less about any reporting at that moment and more about the iconic imagery replayed for days after. This point being in favour of the power and role of print media.

McLuhan's Hot & Cool theory - This theory explains that there are two categories for all media. Radio and Film are hot media because they're clearer and more information-rich and require less sensory participation. Political cartoons and tele are cool medias as they require more involvement. This theory, however, is a bit dated as television now requires next to no sensory involvement most of the time. 

Another of McLuhan's theories describes a Global Village. This is the idea that because of television, everyone has access to the same information and the same time all over the world. This can have major affects on nations and their practiced democracy. E.g. the Nixon v Kennedy election; Nixon appeared 'rumpled' whereas Kennedy appeared 'composed' on television.

Levinson explains that new media seek to remedy the problems of previous technologies. For example, GPS overcomes "physical clumsiness, inaccuracy and complexity of printed maps.

Thorburn & Kenkins speak about how the graphic design press in the 1980s were preoccupied with debates concerning the loss of traditional craft and designer control du to the introduction of the Macintosh and design software.

Developing key notes into a structured paragraph

Structured Paragraphs

Meredith Davis writes about the role of technology  in the Graphic Design World. She discusses which of both digital and print media has more of an affect on viewers and what affect each of them have on design itself. She starts by explaining how audiences once viewed photography as the ‘denotative documentation’ of fact, however due to advances in technology such as photoshop, it is now seen as an ‘eternally malleable fiction’. Photoshop started out as a computer software to aid design but very quickly became a verb in itself ‘referring to the digital alteration of images’. The 'cut and paste’ marks that were once visible to the naked eye are now ‘seamless’ which means that how design is made and distributed is as important as the subject matter. This has had a huge impact on the design world as people are now drawn to design that makes you think about how it’s done rather than why. Print media on the other hand has less emphasis on the production qualities and is far less seamless. This is one reason print media is still seen to have the most trust in advertising in magazines and newspapers. As well as trust, print media can have a much more lasting effect on the audience, take the New York 9/11 bombings for example. Memories of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre are less about any reporting at that moment and more about the ‘iconic imagery’ replayed for days and weeks after. Any live reporting was soon forgotten about but the print images on every newspaper tabloid, magazine and billboard stayed with the audience until this very day. This proving that amongst all the advances in technology, print media still comes out on top in having a larger and more lasting impact on the masses.

  

  Davis then goes on to discuss what affect technology has had on the process as well as practice of graphic design. ‘No longer are capital, approval, and production time necessary to distribute content’. It is clear that Davis does not agree with this change in the industry as she explains that although it has contributed to a wider availability of information, it has ‘not always promoted a greater understanding or assign deeper credibility’ to the information displayed. This leads on to a theory by Marshall McLuhan describing a Global Village. This is the idea that because of television, and other forms of digital information distribution, everyone has access to the same information at the same time all over the world. This has had and continues to have 'major affects on nations and their practiced democracy’. Take the Richard Nixon versus J F Kennedy election for example, through the digital media coverage, certain images were created of both candidates. Nixon appearing ‘rumpled’ and disordered wheres Kennedy held his own and appeared far more ‘composed' when on television. This undoubtedly had an affect on the end result. This further emphasises why print media still needs to exist as it is a lot more personal and open to interpretation allowing the audience to form their own opinions and beliefs.

Reading & Understanding a Text

 


 In today's session, I was set the task to find and examine a piece of text relevant to my chosen essay question. The question I have chosen involves looking at the role of print media in the digital age.

The extract I will be examining is Graphic Design Theory by Meridith Davis.

  The book starts off with a paragraph that clearly disagrees with the ever decreasing role of print media in todays society. It goes on to say that "the digital revolution distracts designers" and that "computer technology collapsed typesetting, design and photographic processing". Just looking at the language used such as 'distracts' and 'collapsed' I can tell that the author strongly disagrees with technology and its role.

  However, the author then goes on to talk about McLuhan and his theories of electronic media. The general tone of McLuhan's theories is that media has played a very positive role in filling in the gaps and act as a solution to all aspects of design that need resolving. He does mention, however, that print media can have an even stronger effect that digital in some cases. Take the 9/11 attacks for example, memories of the event will be less about the media coverage at the time and more on the devastating images produced and seen for days afterwards.

A short selection of key points...

- For many, memories of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre are less about any reporting at that moment and more about the iconic imagery replayed for days after. 

- McLuhan's Hot & Cool theory - Theory explains two categories for all media. Radio and Film are hot media and political cartoons and tele are cool medias.

- Another of McLuhan's theories describes a Global Village. This is the idea that because of television, everyone has access to the same information and the same time all over the world. 

- Levinson explains that new media seek to remedy the problems of previous technologies. 

- Thorburn & Kenkins speak about how the graphic design press in the 1980s were preoccupied with debates concerning the loss of traditional craft and designer control du to the introduction of the Macintosh and design software.

Key quotes...

- "Although these circumstances expanded the available information, they did not always promote greater understanding". This referring to the the increasing accessibility of tools and skills to just about anyone who wants them.

- "Electronic media is not just a tool but also a means of social and cultural production"

- "The collision and convergence of old and new produced outcomes that often define particular periods in our technological history"

- "Design educators still ponder the efficacy of introducing students to the computer in their earliest design experiences, rather than focusing on conventional strategies.

Compare & Contrast Essay

Compare and Contrast two Examples of Historical images.

Image 1

Image 02

The first image in question is an American advertisement from 1876 for a kitchen appliance under the name ‘The Uncle Sam Range’. The image is by Schumacher & Ettlinger of New York. The image that I am comparing it with is a poster produced by the Empire Marketing Board produced and displayed between 1930-1931. This poster portrays an image of Britain and their colonialism in East-Africa.

The first aspect of each image I will be comparing is the choice of font and styling. At first glance, image number 1 clearly has a very patriarchal styling with the primary use of the three colours strongly associated with the U.S flag; red, white and blue. This theme is used all over the image, through the people’s outfits, the floors and the furnishings. This gives the image an immediate sense of patriotism and cultural pride. There is a large title across the bottom of the image that reads ‘THE UNCLE SAM RANGE’, this text is written in a typeface associated with Western America. This typeface has been used to further strengthen patriotism as it reminds viewers of the importance of Western America during the 18^th century.

The styling of image 2 very much accommodates Africa and its image. Both images featured on the poster convey a typical African environment with warm colours and sparse landscapes. As well as imagery, the font used underneath both images is very much typical of African styling as it has a hand-rendered look about it. The overall styling of the poster is a lot more humble than Image 1 as it is a lot less assertive.

The next aspect I will compare is the purpose and meaning behind both images. Primarily, the purpose of Image 1 is to advertise and sell a domestic cooking appliance. However, it is clear that this is not the main intended message portrayed. The overwhelming sense of cultural pride throughout the image suggests that this advert has been used to boost patriotism and give the US citizens something to celebrate and be proud of.

  The contrasting, humble purpose of image 2 is intended for the East African population. It is meant to persuade them that the work the British are doing for them is majorly beneficial and that with their help the standard of living in East Africa will be majorly improved (in this case due to transport provided such as cars and boats). To be more specific about the target audience, the poster is definitely aimed more towards the affluent classes of Rhodesia etc as they have more resources to contribute and further boost the colonialism.

  The main historical reference to which image one conveys is the 100 year anniversary of the US gaining independence from the British empire. The small clock on the wall featured in the top left hand corner of the image displays two different years; 1776 and 1876. The advertisement also denotes the growing consumerism in the western world as more and more people find themselves with disposable income and can therefor afford to buy extravagant cookers.

 In contrast, the historical context of image 2 denotes British colonialism in the early 20^th century. This was when the British really took hold of the economy and infrastructure of East Africa and provided them with a higher standard of living.

  In conclusion, although sharing some similar qualities, the two images are very different in the methods used to convey a message as well as the actual message itself. Image 1 being very over-the-top and patriotic with the use of the colours and iconic symbols, whereas image 2 takes a slightly more humble approach of persuasion.