Tea always tastes better in a proper tea cup

Trip to Glasgow

This weekend I visited the Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery in Glasgow, and although I have been there a number of times before I always look forward to seeing the amazing displays. The main attraction for me has to be the astoundingly beautiful Crucifixion by the infamous Salvador Dali. I have always been a great fan of Dali's and to see one of his paintings in the flesh is a pleasure. I have probably viewed the painting around 6 or 7 times now, but it never fails to impress me. I truly believe that it takes genuine talent to produce a painting which can cause even the most sceptical of non-religious people to feel really moved when looking at it. I personally do not hold any religious inclination yet I have to admit that there is something mesmerizing about this piece.

The Ultimate Edition

I have been lucky to recently receive the new Blackadder Remastered box set! The Ultimate Edition boasts all four series, the 'specials', interviews with the original cast and more. I was over the moon when I opened this gift; I have always loved Blackadder and was desperate for these dvds. Thanks Darling...

Exit Through the Gift Shop

My sister got me some fantastic gifts for my birthday this year, one of which being the Banksy directed short film 'Exit Through the Gift Shop'. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from the film but I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is about a French shop owner named Thierry Guetta who becomes obsessed with filming street artists whilst claiming to be making a documentary, such as Shephard Fairey and Invader. He then makes it his ambition to find the infamous Banksy and film him at work.
The film basically concentrates on how this man got himself involved in the street art industry although he had no real talent of his own. Banksy describes it as , "Basically the story of how one man set out to film the un-filmable. And failed."
Well worth a watch!

Assignment 5

I would like to propose an investigation on Stress and how it can affect a sufferer in their day to day life, in order to increase awareness and acceptance of the problem and design something to help the sufferer cope with it.

“I'm so stressed” is a familiar term to all of us. We have probably all said those words at some point in our lives, whether we have actually felt stressed or not, yet what about those who actually are suffering?

Nowadays, so many people claim to be stressed that it is commonly perceived as 'normal' and not something to be taken particularly seriously. I do not agree with this.

I believe that stress is a massively underrated problem especially in the workplace, affecting thousands of men and women all over the world. It can destroy a persons life, whether they are the sufferer or someone close to them. It can cause mental and health problems. It can cause the sufferer to lose their job. All in all, it is a huge problem so I would like to give people the opportunity to understand what people with stress go through on a daily basis.

Personally, I would argue that in order to really understand a mental health problem like stress you must identify with someone who has suffered or is suffering from it. This is why I feel that observing an individual with high stress levels at their work or at their home and then interviewing them is appropriate. Of course, the subject would have to give their permission as would their workplace/family. This could be carried out by one person as it may be daunting for the subject to be observed by numerous people. The interview could also be conducted one-to-one. I also think that it would be helpful to attach a heart rate monitor to the subject. It is known that a persons heart rate increases when exposed to stressful situations, so having this device attached would provide an opportunity to examine what the subjects heart is put through when stress levels rise.

The way in which I would carry out the observation of the subject is relatively simple. Quietly watching for tell-tale signs of stress - such as fidgeting, twitching, changing facial expressions and sweating - and noting what caused the subject to become stressed. For example, if the subject is in the workplace and is handed a massive pile of paperwork to have completed in a short amount of time, what is their reaction? Do they immediately get on with the work, or do they panic? Are they shaking? Does their heart rate increase? If yes, by how much? Then, maybe a less stressful situation arises – a conversation with a friend. What is the subject behaving like now? Are they still getting stressed? Does their heart rate remain calm or does it fluctuate again?

By doing something as simple as observing the subjects reactions to different situations we can clearly note what causes them to become highly agitated and stressed. It may also be helpful to observe more than one subject. If multiple subjects were observed it would present an opportunity to compare and discuss the findings. This would provide a more solid basis for the results and give the observer the chance to see how differently people suffering from stress react when presented with similar situations.

I think it would also be beneficial to speak to a family member/workmate of the subjects. Doing this would provide insight into what it is like coping with someone who is highly stressed, and show how it can affect those close to the sufferer. A questionnaire could be fashioned for these people, with questions such as 'Do you find the sufferer hard to deal with?', 'Has it changed your relationship with the sufferer?' and 'How has it affected you personally?'.

Once the observation had taken place, the interview process could begin. Firstly, the subject would have to be totally calm for the interview to start. Then, by asking them questions such as 'What was the most stressful part of your day?' and 'What did you feel during that time?' a table of results could be created. Measuring their heart rate at this time would also be useful to see if they get stressed by simply remembering something which upset them before or not. The results from the observation could also be shared and their reaction to them noted. Do they even notice when they get stressed all the time? Did they realise that they have a nervous habit that reoccurs during stressful situations?

I would also share with the subject what their family member/workmate wrote on their questionnaire (with their permission only) and note whether it comes as a shock to the subject or not. It would be interesting to see whether the subject realised that their condition could become perturbing to others or if they thought that it was only themselves who was feeling affected by it. 
 

I feel that carrying out this research proposal could really benefit those suffering from stress and their loved ones as it would really show that stress is not something to be taken lightly. To show that even simple tasks in the workplace like placing a phone call can stress a sufferer out so much that their heart rate has increased dramatically and they can't stop panicking should also raise acceptance of the condition, and encourage people to be more understanding.

Overall, this would be an extremely essential piece of research to use in order to design something to support those who suffer with stress and show that they are not alone.

Summer Stuff

Since having a holiday with no work to do is non-existent at Uni (enjoy it while you can schoolies) we have been given some tasks to do over Summer.

• Read 5 books in relation to Design Studies
• Make 5 changes to your blog
• Contact 5 people whom you are interested in speaking to

So, here are my lists;

Books

1. Penguin by Design: A Cover Story 1935-2005 - Phil Baines. (Suggested to me by a friend, although it is not a hugely word-based book (haha) it has apparently got some fantastic images and describes how they were created, showing how design has progressed in Penguin Books over the years which I think would be very interesting.)
2. 100 Habits of Successful Graphic Designers - Josh Berger. (I may not be studying Graphics but I think it is important to learn about other areas of design as well as my own. Hopefully I will pick up some GOOD habits!)
3. The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell.
4. Snoop - Sam Gosling. (I know both The Tipping Point and Snoop were on or book list for last semester but I feel that if I were to read them again I may actually enjoy them... We'll see.)
5. Visual Communication: From Theory to Practice - Johnathan Baldwin & Lucienne Roberts. (Thought I'd throw that in to win Brownie points ha ha. Oh, and it's had a few good reviews!) 

Blog

1. Create a new background (far too many people have the same one as me).
2. Make a drop down menu with separate tabs for Design Studies, studio work etc.
3. Try and make a calender (I have seen a few calenders on people's blogs - find out how to get one).
4. Write a slightly more informative 'About Me'.
5. Get more followers!

People

1. Jemma Sykes, Textiles Graduate, RCA. (I will probably try to connect to her via email. I would love to speak to her and find out how she has gone about creating such amazing designs and how she got herself noticed.)
2. Joyce Young, Scottish Fashion Designer. (On her site you can contact her through email. I have actually met Joyce before, at a recent fashion show which I helped out at. I sadly didn't get enough time to speak to her properly, so I would like to get the opportunity to ask her some questions about her designs, how she began her business and ask if she could give me any advice.)
3. Lauren Currie/RedJotter, DOJ Graduate. (I would contact her through Twitter. She recently lectured us on her business and how she made herself known by using Twitter. I would love to speak to her more in depth about her achievements.)
4. 'Crystal Silver', creator of the shop 'Cissyface Vintage'. (Contact through email/facebook. I have mentioned Cissyface Vintage on my blog before and I am still in love with the products available. I think it's fantastic that this shop offers handmade, mostly recycled and totally unique accessories, so I am desperate to contact Crystal and ask her about her shop, where she got the idea for it and where she finds her recycled items!)
5. Steve Lazarides, compiled the book 'Outsiders'. (I would try to contact him over Twitter as I am awaiting approval to be his follower. Steve has some fantastic contacts and has written some really inspirational pieces about some artists whom I respect greatly. I would like to ask him how it is that he has gone about contacting these artists and whether he dabbles in art himself.)

Better get started on them then...

Whatever floats your boat I guess...

This is an interesting website featuring bad grammar and distasteful images, it's amazing what people will permanently ink onto their bodies. Imagine explaining some of these trashy tattoos to your grandchildren..!

http://ugliesttattoos.failblog.org/page/13/

Assignment 4

For Assignment 4 we have been asked to conduct some 'interviews' on a topic of our own choice. I chose to use the topic 'What object do people treasure most? Why?' as my basis for these interviews. I chose this because it was the one I found most interesting - why do we treasure certain things? It is strange how something could be crap to one person but mean the world to another. So, I started off making a mind map to see what possible answers I could get from this question.

I thought of the obvious answers; family heirlooms, gifts etc, but then when I properly thought about it I realised that a lot of people probably treasure things that they have bought with their own (hard earned!) money more than things which were bought for them. This is most likely because it gives you a sense of achievement - it feels good to be able to afford something yourself.
Anyway, to conduct my interviews I thought I'd take advantage of my flatmate having some of her friends from her course over (psychology) since it would be an easy way to interview people in a comfortable environment that I didn't know personally. I managed to catch them before they had drank too much and got some valuable answers to my questions.

Apart from one minor mishap (a clumsy interviewee spilling a drink on my notes) all went well.
The first girl that I spoke to took a while to take it seriously, but she got there in the end. At first she was stumped by the question, not knowing how to reply. Then I noticed that she had been fingering a necklace the whole time she thought. When asked about the necklace she lit up - it had been her mothers. She claimed to have received the necklace on her 18th birthday from her mother and been delighted with it as she had admired it on her mother before. She said that she always had it on and could never part with it for any amount of money. She then went on to say she'd swap it for a bottle of vodka but I assumed that was a joke..!
Interview number two was with Becky. She immediately stated that her most treasured item was a blanket which she made with her mother and sister when she was young. She still had the blanket and used it as a throw on her bed. Although it may not be worth anything she said that she could never part with it - it held too many happy memories for her.
Craig said that his most treasured item was his car. I immediately thought 'typical boy answer' but then he said that he had bought it himself. Most guys that I know have had their cars bought for them, so I was pleasantly surprised. Craig went on to say that he worked very hard until he was 19 and saved up £2000 to buy his car. Despite the fact that his friends were driving about in brand new cars and he was in a second hand one, he still felt proud because it was something that he had achieved by himself, he hadn't just accepted money from his parents like most others.
Leanne showed me a beautiful ring - white gold with a big fat diamond in the middle - and then said firmly;
'It is NOT an engagement ring! It's not even on that finger!', to which I hastily nodded and continued with the interview. She had received the ring from her boyfriend on their second anniversary (terrified that it was an engagement ring!) and hadn't taken it off since. When I asked her if she would ever be tempted to sell it she immediately declined, saying that it meant too much to her. Unless she got the right price on Ebay.
I then started to think I was losing their attention in favour of the bottles of wine, so I interviewed one last person and left them to it. Liam's favourite item was his Xbox. He had received it as a gift from his parents on Christmas and played it all the time. He said he would only sell it if a better console came out. I couldn't get anything more in depth from him so left it at that.
Although some of the answers could have been more helpful, I found the results interesting. It seemed that the girls were more sentimental than the boys, choosing objects which reminded them of someone special, whereas the boys were more interested in 'boys toys' but I suppose men don't often pass down jewellery or make quilts with their sons...
It made me think properly about my most treasured objects. At first I thought of a necklace which was given to me by my mother. It is a simple silver necklace with a little elephant pendant on it. Doesn't sound like much but it means the world to me and I barely take it off. I think knowing that my mother wore this necklace as a child makes it more valuable to me, and I think of my mum whenever I look at it. I also thought of a stuffed toy lamb I still have and have owned since I was a baby, imaginatively called 'Lamby'. I think most girls had a Lamby actually. Anyway I love this toy, it still has pride of place on my bed. Considering the fact that I am 20 this might seem a tad childish, but it means something to me.
Taking this into consideration I realised how difficult a question it is to answer, 'What is your most treasured possession?'. Most people will have more than one favourite object so it is hard to choose just one.

A Personal Achievement

I managed to make it up to the Glenashdale Falls on the Isle of Arran! No big feat you say? Well considering how upsettingly unfit I have become since starting University (too much... work) I think it's pretty impressive, backed up by the comment 'how the hell did you manage that', made by my lovely, supporting brother. Here's some proof.

Knit Samples for Fashion Forecasting

I have finally finished my sampling for my main project of this semester. After lots of swearing and throwing of yarns I think I've produced some successful pieces, hopefully my tutor will agree...