OUGD601 - Needs editing

The research stage in the design process is the first iteractive stage which means that you will continue to revisit the following activities as your project develops and you acquire new knowledge of the field.

Task 1:

1 x design sheet outlining relevant contextual research

This design sheet must include at least 4 relevant areas of contextual research/information that will inform your design strategy. At least 1 of these areas must be related to your chosen CoP theme (Politics, culture, society, history, technology or aesthetics).

Some suggested contexts: Client / project background | industry / sector | cultural aspects | sub culture | specific technologies | the internet | social media | historical periods | branding | advertising | colour theory | psychology

• Psychology - Semiotics and narrative within visual idnetities? 
• Trends and issues in the application of visual identities within the culture industry 
• Industry/Sector taking ona  more corporate approach
• Is a corporate branding approach appropriate within cultural organisations with a range of programmes and performances. 

Task 2:

1 x design sheet outlining target audience research

In order to further substantiate these, you must compose 3 x "personas" representing three types of your ideal target audience/user. Each persona should have a name and cover all the aspects of geography, demographic and psychographic.

Persona 1

Name: Harry

Age: 30

Occupation: Fireman

Location: Holbeck

Persona 2

Name: Amy

Age: 21

Occupation: Student

Location: Hyde Park, Leeds

Persona 3

Name: Amanda

Age: 60

Occupation: Retired

Location: Leeds

Geographic Target Audience:

• Leeds areas
• Manchester and Sheffield

Demographic (age, job role, income, socio-economic status, nationality) 

Typically any people with an interest in theatre and comedy, between the ages of 15-70+

Psychographic (interests, values, beliefs, opinions, attitudes, activities, social groups, lifestyle) 

Interested in progressive, innovative theatre, enjoy a quirky, unique experience and venue, away from the beaten track, like to try new things, ok with exploring environments outside of their comfort zone. 

Task 3:

1 x design sheet identifying and analyzing relevant and related visual examples.

Edit below: 

Paintbrush packaging by French - Canadian Graphics Artist Simon Laliberté uses personification in his design, capitalising on the natural hair bristles of the brushes and transforming them into mustaches and goaties of the charmingly illustrated characters. The design attatches the two paintbrushes together using minimal packaging, resulting in minimal waste. This is also the sort of packaging you would perhaps use to restore the brushes in your workshop or tool box as they are 'too nice' to throw away. It may also play on the pun that a moustache is sometimes called a brush. 

This design by korean designer yeongkeun jeong is a convenient and slightly more environmentally concious way of consuming butter on the go as part of your lunchbox etc. A wooden knife which can be recycled replaces the foil lid of conventional butter pots, whilst eliminating the need to transport a potentially dangerous or inconvenient metal knife around with you.

yeongkeung jeong on the design’s conception: 

‘I wanted this product to satisfy people both sentimentally and emotionally. this runs parallel to my belief that eating is not just a behaviour to achieve satiety, but involves all the senses. I set about to achieve this by thinking about how the product could appeal to various people.

However the wooden and plastic elements of this design would have to be sourced from 100% recycled places to eliminate its carbon footprint. Due to the throwaway nature of this product it would be unethical / un environmentally friendly to use wood or plastic that was not recycled. 

The next example is bloom biodegradable chocolate packaging by British designer Connor Davey. The packaging is eco friendly and biodegradable. Seed-infused chocolate packaging can be planted to grow the ingredient of the former chocolate, therefore leaving no waste. Bloom chocolate would be given as an everlasting gift. This idea completely eliminates waste from product packaging and transforms into either a mint plant, chilli plant, orange tree or rose bush depending on the flavour of chocolate you purchase. The design is not only beautiful aesthetically (form) it is functional in the way it protects the chocolate, keeps it fresh and does not harm the environment. 

The final piece of packaging is by Catherine Bourdon and also employs a zero waste packaging system but for plants. The geometric paper made pouch contains a small amount of soil and some seeds. It's packaged in a way that makes it perfect for a gift, or something you could pick up at the register of the grocery store. When you get it home, the packaging serves as the pot you can put in your window while the seed germinates. Once it's ready for planting outside, just put the whole package in the ground and it will degrade around the plant providing nourishment. The colours and materials used make it aesthetically pleasing and modern while it is also extremely functional with no waste.

OUGD501 - Study Task 04 - Triangulation

The term ‘form follows function’ is derived from the article, ‘The Tall Office building Artistically considered’ written in 1896 by the American Architect Louis Sullivan. At the time when it was written, technology, tastes and economics were rapidly changing and design was beginning to become less about decoration (form) and more about the purpose it needed to serve (function). In the article he wrote:

‘“It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic, of all things physical and metaphysical, of all things human and all things superhuman, of all true manifestations of the head, of the heart, of the soul, that the life is recognizable in its expression, that form ever follows function. This is the law.”

However, there are multiple ways in which the term form follows function can be interpreted. Author of ‘Design Fundamentals: Elements, Attributes, & Principles’ Steven Bradley states that if form follows function means ‘beauty results from purity of function’. This approach favours simplicity to complexity. It states that beauty results from purity of function and not from ornamentation, comparing it to the way in which nature works.

The second interpretation is that ‘aesthetic considerations in design should be secondary to functional considerations’, prioritising functionality over all other design considerations, including usability, ergonomics, and aesthetics. Aesthetic considerations in design should be secondary to functional considerations.

Following this logic Bradley states that ‘every element would ultimately have the same design. Every functional item would have one and only one design. Before an object’s form could be changed, it would need to serve a different function.’

‘The principle of “form follows function” assumes that objects exist because of their function. That’s simply not true. There could be any number of reasons why something exists, from chance to some broad aesthetic value and anything in between. An object can exist for reasons other than function.’

Mother Ann Lee, the founder of the Shaker movement in America stated that ‘Every force evolves a form’ in this sense ‘function alone does not drive form.’ The form of a product should result from a number of elements including the client’s needs, the target audience, ethical obligations and material properties as well as functional requirements. All of these factors should contribute to the final aesthetic of a design to make it informed and allow it to withstand the test of time.

Both Mother Ann Lee and Stephen Bradley agree that form and function should be interchangeable to create a design that is beautiful, unlike Sullivan's mantra which suggests form should always follows function. 

OUGD501 - SB.2 - Initial Ideas

Should form follow function in packaging design?

Initial ideas for practical work in response to this essay question:

Create packaging that is usually considered aesthetically pleasing / desirable more FUNCTIONAL

Make pretty packaging more functional. Make something that serves a purpose/makes zero waste. 

• eg. homewares
• Candles where packaging eg. jar/glass can be used as something else once the wax has melted and be kept.
• Incense Sticks - Same concept where container is kept and used as something else eliminating waste. 
• Refillable cosmetics / beauty product packaging. Lush - scheme where you can refill for discount. 

FUNCTIONAL packaging made more aesthetically pleasing 

Make functional packaging like hardwares/DIY/crafts function better and look more aestheticcally pleasing / desirable and trendy such as the nails example from my essay. 

• Functional packaging includes:
• DIY/Hardware
• Cleaning products
• Gardening 
• Some Food
• Pets
• Electricals

BOTH AESTHETICALLY PLEASING and FUNCTIONAL 

Enhance packaging so it looks good and there is zero/reduced waste or the packaging can be reused so that there is zero waste. eg. Eric Benson Stafidenios Raisin Packaging. 

OUGD501 - Study Task 03 - Defining the Brief

Produce 1 x A3 design sheet that defines and outlines your research question and the design brief. Your sheet must address the following:

1. Research question: Should form follow function in packaging design? 

1a.What is there to study (ontology)? 

The arguments for and against, why is form important in packaging design? Why is function important? Which is more important? 

Is there a way to both enhance the functionality of a product as well as its form?

How can we know about it (epistemology)? 

Research, questionnaires, observe. 

How do we study it (methodology)?

Create it and test it. 

2. Defining the design problem: Whilst your research question should provide opportunities for both contextual/theoretical research and practical research, you need to ensure that there is an obvious design problem to resolve/explore: 

A product requires a form of packaging which is both beautiful in form / Aesthetically beautiful yet extremely functional eg. no waste, isn't thrown way, protects the product, is environmentally friendly and enhances the product.

3. "Client" needs or requirements: If there is a specific client or organisation or individual who you will be producing this work for (hypothetically) then you should take this opportunity to address any needs or requirements they may have. Similarly, if there is no obvious client needs then you should outline any specific requirements that will guide the project forward.

Eco conscious brands / clients, interested in functional packaging design that isn't excessive and needs to be there yet is also beautiful. Stripped back and straightforward to use.

4. Audience: Through defining the brief you should consider carefully who you are designing for and what implications this will have for the project (this can be tentative at this stage as audience research will offer further clarity).

Eco conscious consumers, vegans, people passionate about the environment but also trendy and with an eye for well thought out considered design.

5. Mandatory requirements: Here you should outline (again, tentatively at this stage) what the mandatory requirements of the brief are. For example, adverts must include the slogan "just do it" or design outcomes must include the company logo or Typeface designs must be functional yet contemporary.

Design must be be functional in some way eg. reduce waste or have zero waste or perform better, easier to understand.  Every design decision should consider why it is needed, if it is doing a job and how it could be less impactful on the environment / easier to use. Design should also be beautiful and stand out from other products on the shelf increasing it's form as well as function. 

For Studio Brief 02 I will create a form of product packaging which makes a design functional as well as help the product stand out on the shelf from it's competition.