Fiona Fraser's Graphics

Independent study – Expanding the brand

Looking at other museum and there designs they incorporated their own brands and printed this on everything. Using this I look the red logo created and ran with it.

The colour red stands out from the typical museum signage and labelling the sign as a helper will humanise the bold sign. By knowing where they are and having a non-aggressive sign should make people feel safer and allow them them to have that idea of play.

Using these styles and templates it unifies the identity and makes the place seem whole and not with lots of independent collections. The museum becomes a place instead of a building holding these.

one to one – discussing moving forward

Coming from a Maker view I was encouraged to think bigger, better, brighter. I meed to tell the tutors as if they were the museum what needs to change as if I worked within the space. Saying I will design further, I will push the bar and make the change.

We discussed the idea of changing the brand – running with the idea of orange every where and challenging the current designs in use. The museum itself does not have a well known logo so they are using the national museum of wales or just leaving it out. Peter Smith created the logo design for the nationals however the individual logos are not used even if they do look great on their own. I worry that they do not work within the space as they need more designing implemented into the spaces.

https://petersmithdesign.com/National-Museum-Wales

Seeing these designs I can look more into the branding, with Cardiff being the red museum and out of these logos take that forward. A colour scheme is important and red has the meaning of hunger and the need for energy much like the need for knowledge that every museum pride themselves on. paring it with white should balance the harshness and anger from the colour and can brighten the dramatic power of ‘red.’

The tutor and I also discussed moving out of the museum and how the outside world would see the space. Passing by they currently have maintenance work on the roof so the building is just cladding with a plastic wrap. Moving forward the everyday pedestrians can see there are stairs up assuming that wheelchair users must use a less grand entrance almost second class, not worthy of a classic ramp or lift that would ruin the aesthetics.

Weekend starting 15th Nov – Independent Study 

For the idea I need to know how to help stimulate the mind for a visitor coming to the space. With the lecture on creative spaces and well being it set me on a path looking deeper into the idea of a space bringing happiness. The idea that curiosity sparks happiness and pleasure within the mind.

As a designer I can lock into this and stimulate the mind in exploring the museum. The concept of play is key to spark these feelings of joy and exploration. Thinking laterally you need to feel safe and secure to ‘play’. You need freedom, spontaneity and not to worry to be able to play. Linking this to the National Museum Cardiff, the signage needs to be ‘playful’ but yet informative. Personally I feel safer when I know where I am and where I will go next. when visiting there was a level of uncertainty as to where I was within the space and found it confusing to wonder around. Therefore even with my curiosity of the artefacts the idea of me ‘playing’ was out of the question as I felt unsafe.

The workers within the space seemed to know the answer before we even questioned them with directions, concluding that something needs to be changed.

One sign I found helpful was the direction to the evolution of wales. However, this was a minuscule stand alone A4 page which was hard to spot and we would have never have visited if one of our group spotted it.

Another sign was disorienting with different things on different sides. I had to walk around this blocky sign to find what i wanted instead of being given it plainly and simply.

In challenge to these current elements I wanted a large bright sign stating exactly what I would want as a viewer wanting to explore the space with a simple knowledge of it for the safety factor.

When visiting we used AR to show the space in a new light. To begin these experiences we had to stand in the correct place. Finding these places were hard as the sign was not catching to the eye and some of the colours were boring and understated. So I created a bight continuous design. The Dippy on Tour is already in use and I liked the designs but needed incorporating with the museum. I designed 2 others in a similar style to make it cohesive.

Week starting 12th Nov – Independent Study 

The initial idea I keep going back to is the idea of personalising a hospital for one patent and their family. A while ago my graphic tutor showed a 6 minute video of how it would be like to be laying in a bed all day with only the nurse or a family member to keep you company for a short period of time but that patient would mostly be alone. With having friends and family members in and out of hospital I know how much they dread going in even if it is for a day or two.

My thoughts are having a poster or banner on the ceiling above these places. Some other thoughts to develop this are;

• colour therapy – make the patents happier and calmer
• design stimulation – get the patents better quicker and give them motivation
• have it night and day – have change though-out the day?

Another Idea I have is the way finding in the National Museum of Cardiff. The current state is very chaotic and has no set plan that is used through out the museum. The idea of way finding I feel it would not challenge me as much as the hospital concept.

Overall I will continue to research both and decide soon on what path I would like to take forward.

Thursday 14th Nov – Dyffyrn Gardens + National Museum Cardiff

First up was Dyffryn Gardens. This was a beautiful grand manner with hidden gems throughout the extensive gardens.

Talking to the staff they feel dedicated to the place with restoration and progression of the place within the world. Being a national park the place has rules and regulations as well has strict budges. Having this talk first it lead me to think through the ideals and logistics of creating a design/ art work there.

When moving around the garden’s space the use of exploration was great however the likely hood of the public (mainly children) of loosing one another is great. looking around there was little to no signage of what the nature is as well as way finding. For this space I felt as if my work skills can only be used in that manner for directional signage.

Changing from this peaceful, explorational space to the National Museum where I found this chaotic and distracting. When looking at the art I found myself distracted by the signage and shire scale of writing. This was because the art was surrounded by words and everything was distracting with 3 tones of lighting creating more shadows as well as the overall designs of the space. The sight lines were over powering and there was no room to breath and just look at one artefact and one time. I could recreate the space with more negative space for that balance. This should allow the children to not be overloaded thus not disinterested or allow for more time spent within that space instead of being over whelmed and wanting to leave half way though.

Over all the idea of taking the art and artefacts within NM Cardiff is more engaging but I want to look as more idea that I have come up with.

Tues 12th Nov – Introduction

On the first day I was unsure of a lot of aspects from going in blind. I found out this was a makers field, which is highly daunting as my safety blanket is my laptop and printable computer work.

Moving forward we looked into the idea that a designer, a maker can create a piece to effect the space. But how can we define a space? Currently looking into public spaces, the generic idea is a place that is open and accessible to people.

Looking deeper the tutor discussed how would we experience that space? including thoughts of what the space is, how the senses react and what effects it makes to the emotions.

when creating my own work i have to think from both the designers point of view and the view of the public. questioning; why am i here? what got me here? does it (art work) change? timing? can i leave traces of mine, of others, human or other?

After the lecture I looked into the submissions of what is needed, progressing onto the art’s effects and how I should think moving forward.

some work that are examples of what has been discussed:

hiroshi nakamura – http://www.nakam.info/en/ – how can things nurture other things – shape prays to the forrest – more concerned about the space and the nature than the design- how can the design change/ adapt to the surroundings. are things soft? the design? the materials?

Rachel whitread ghost – https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.131285.html – personal space that are familiar, yet ghastly with the inability to be used as the original object/ place was intended.