Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Thematic Project Final Step

Final Step

After finishing the ideas and sketches, we picked the best idea and try to expand it more. So our final out come is here.




from here we expand it further,




and then just a couple of retouching we have our final design,



and thus, we finished our final assignment for the semester.

Thematic Project step 3

Step 3

The next step that is required after we are done with the essay is that we need to produce sketches and ideas for our final outcome. So we come out with several ideas using the creative process method that we learned throughout the semester.

Method No.1: Juxtaposition
Simile:
Idea 1




Idea 2





Metaphor:
Idea 1




Idea 2





Method No.2: Random word/picture association


from one of the topic, pick one and turn it into an idea

Idea 1




Idea 2




Idea 3




Idea 4

Thematic Project step 2

Step 2

After the first step which is to create a mind map of the theme, we are required to do an 800 words essay about our theme. We should have our design statement and then create the essay. Our design statement is "Creative Multimedia is expensive". And here is our essay.

800 words essay:

How did I derive creative multimedia to Expensive?

In this modern age and times, there is a lot of career path that one can choose to traverse through to make a living. Be it engineering, biology, management, law enforcement, multi-level marketing, all these professions require ample amount of sweat, blood, and tears in order to climb to the top of the ladder. Believe me when I say the cost of going down the Creative Multimedia path tops off the chart, although the benefits can surpass most of the other professions, more often not.

First off, to be a person working in the Creative Multimedia field, one must have good tools in order to compete with the others in the battlefield. The most important gadget one simply has to have is a good personal computer. A top specification computer goes a long way in making every work easier. From graphic designing, 3D modeling, flash scripting, animation rendering, information gathering, a fast computer makes all the difference. A very good computer costs an arm and a leg, and keeping it up-to-date with the latest hardware costs the other arm and leg. Not to mention the additional computer accessories, which include the tablet (or unnecessarily expensive PC tablet) for graphic designs, good speaker sets for sound designs, a good microphone for recording sounds, a high resolution monitor for increased workspace, good processor for faster processing, and even good mouse and keyboard for ease of use. And a good mouse pad for comfort. These may well cost over RM10,000, in a very rough calculation.

The software, on the other hand, costs another computer or two. The computer itself, with a good Operating System, adds up to the cost. The most basic editing software one should have on the computer is Adobe. As of this date (27th April 2010), the Adobe Master CS4 Collection costs RM9899 to purchase. Another essential tool for 3D modeling is the Autodesk 3D Studio Max, and the most recent one costs a hefty RM14,600. Add another Sony Vegas 8 for sound designing, and little software here and there to enhance everything, and Creative Multimedia professionals are well on their way to thinner wallets.

Even if you have all the latest hardware and software, in a few months time, new updates will come out with better features and better performance. After a year the hardware and software will become nearly obsolete compared to the newer versions. Obtaining the initial computer is expensive, but even maintaining the computer is expensive.

Basic needs out of the way, any person considering Creative Multimedia as a career need to calculate the costs of studying in a university to get a Bachelor Degree in the field they are interested in. These certificates do not come cheap. A good university may charge you well over RM20,000 for the piece of paper. Another university may charge you up to RM40,000. This is just the basic fees. Add in the costs of living in university areas, renting apartments, eating the food, buying groceries, and one will find out that these cost some pretty pennies.

Going specifically more into the education part, even the projects and assignments costs a lot. Comparing Creative Multimedia to Engineering, Management, and Information Technology, each and everything costs a lot more. For example, one does the project, prints the project on an A2 glossy paper, and then hands it in. If the work is rejected, another print would be in order. It may not seem as much, but the total adds up ridiculously, as getting the work rejected is commonplace among everyone. And the total number of subjects taken directly relates to the amount of money wasted on miscellaneous things.

Miscellaneous things such as the mounting boards, mounting spray, cutter, rendering markers, acrylic paints, printing costs; the costs of these things may be meager at first, but in truth, Creative Multimedia students have spent thousands on these.

Even if one managed to go through all the rigors and expenses of the student life, throughout their career, the same things will be repeating. The cost of everything goes up as the stakes get higher. Clients will be rejecting the proposal left and right, and Creative Multimedia workers are hard pressed to make sure their ideas get accepted and willing to spend the money to do so.

Creative Multimedia may be a new career choice for people nowadays, but it is quickly rising to be the top career. Thus, competition among those working in the field is rampant and hazardous. One has to keep updated with the latest technology and knowledge in order to even be inside the circle of Creative Multimedia. Without sufficient interest and effort in the Creative Multimedia pond, one may find themselves quickly drowning in the currents.

Expensive as all the expenses are, Creative Multimedia is not without its merits. If one is a hardworking person, never gives up, never afraid to try out new things and willing to learn, the person is already halfway towards a successful career. The hurdles of money may be great, but the rewards are even greater.

Thematic Project

Step 1

This is our final assignment that require us to create something to define the word "creative multimedia". This is a group assignment, and our group consist of 4 people. What we have to do in this assignment is to show the lecturers the process from which we come out with the idea until the final outcome of the project. So here is what we did in this assignment.

The first step is for us to come up with a logical mind map for the word "creative multimedia".


a logical mind map of the word "creative multimedia"

Then we have to do a focused mind map from one of the topic above. So we choose the sub-topic "design".


the focused mind map for the word "design"

Monday, April 5, 2010

Random Picture Association

We have another in class exercise.
It's about random picture association. It is said to be the hardest technique to learn and it seems like it.

So our exercise is to solve a problem by using a picture as an initial reference. Our problem is that we have to come up with a way on how to make people stop smoking. And we were given a picture of a traffic light.

We were told to do a mini mind map of the traffic light and then use the words that we came up with to find a solution for our problem.

This is the mind map of the traffic light that I made.



Using the word colour, the lecturer has given us the example. So we just have to come up with just the other three words. Metal, Dirty and Sign.

What we have to do is we have to create a solution using the word Metal, Dirty or Sign.
And I have come out with these design.

Word: Metal
Solution: Make it harder for people to smoke.
Ideas:

put a blocker in the cigarette bud to make it harder for smoker to inhale or make a holes so that what they inhale is more air than smoke

Word: Sign
Solution: Make a sign or picture so that when people sees it they will feel threaten or feel bad.
Ideas:

put a picture of a grave or "no smoking"sign

Word: Dirty
Solution: Make a "yucky effect" which means make it disgusting.
Ideas:

make the cigarette buds' texture kind of sticky or sandy so that it will annoy the smoker

Monday, March 29, 2010

juxtaposition



So we continued our studies on juxtaposition.
It's basically where you put two different things side by side and figuring out the connection between them. This could stimulate out brain to think more creatively.

We got our in class exercise which is we have to pick 3 numbers ranging from 00 to 99. But the thing is those numbers represent different words. So I picked number 03, 33 and 99.



So my random words that come out is "Fly & Wind", "Ice & Wind" and "Leave & Rain".
After getting our words, we have to construct a sentence from them.

I constructed these sentences out of the words given,
"That fly is blown by the wind"
"The ice is melted because of the hot wind"
"They insisted to leave even though the rain is heavy"

Then our task is to draw a picture of the sentences.
So this is the drawing that I came up with.



Then we have to put those words together to make a new words. In my case what I have is,
"Flywind","Icewind" and "Leaverain". After having our new words, we have to draw something that would make the viewers said the word just by looking at the drawing.

In this case I have come out with these sets of drawing.



After that we were given a set of pictures of animal. We were told to create an animal by combining 2 animal and our motive is to create something that is so wrong where people would say that it will not survive. Then we have to justify the drawing as to why the animal will not survive. So I come up with the idea to combine a bird and a fish. Here are the pictures of the drawing that I produced.



After producing the image, we were given a task to construct some sentences using a picture as references. So, we were given a picture of a chilly. Then we must incorporate the chilly with the word love. Then we get a picture of a mortar and pestle. We have to use the mortar and pestle to describe a man for a woman, or describe a man by girls. So I come up with these sentences by incorporating those words with the given picture.

My first sentences using the chilly was
"You are as hot as a chilly. Whenever I am near you I get sweaty" and my second sentence is
"Love is like a chilly. You taste it once and you want more. If you had more you will get sore"

Then my sentence using the mortar and pestle was,
"Women are like mortar and pestle, They will turn you into a new man.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Associated Mind Map


We learned about associated mind map. It is clearly an interesting thing in generating new ideas. The correct way to do an associated mind map is to write down the first word that came to our mind when we heard about the subject.

For example, if the subject is a car, the first word that comes to my mind is money. Then from money, the first word that occurred in my mind was work. This can continue for a whole lot of sub-division.

We also had our class exercise. We have to come up with a new idea on how to use mortar and pestle.


Image is taken from http://www.surlatable.com/gs/granite-mortar-pestle-mortar-pestles-cooks-tools-kitchen-bar-tools-11.shtml

The exercise was to use 3 words that came out in our mind and use it to create a new way of using the mortar and pestle. I have chosen the word medical, noise and also food.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Logical Mind Map

This week learned about mind map.

What is a mind map?
It is a tool or a method to brainstorm and generate ideas. This method was introduced by Tony Buzan. Mind mapping is also used in taking notes, researches or generating new ideas.

A good mind map is able to stimulate and grab the interest of the individuals and also other people who views it.


Example of a mind map taken from http://live-the-solution.com/mindmaps


The rules of mind map.
Creating a mind map is crucial in generating ideas. Therefor, it is important that we make it so that we can understand the mind map.

The first thing that we need to do is to put the subject at the center of the map. This will help us distinguish between the main subject and the other divisions.

Next we have to break down the main subject into sub-categories. And from the sub-categories, we break it down even further.

Next rule is that we must use images or drawings that is visually interesting for the viewers.

Then we should use different colours for different categories. This is important so that the viewers could distinguish the different between categories easily.

And we have our first assignment that is to create a logical mind map about our self. So here is my mind map about myself and the people around me.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Novelty, Creativity, Innovation and Invention

This week in lecture we learned about the topic above and the meanings of them.

The first thing we learned is the:

Ambiguity of creativity


Meaning of being a creative person is to be able to see the same thing as others but be able to think differently. Being a creative person, we also should be able to produce something new that which has value.

Innovation

If creativity is the ability of which someone able to think differently from others, innovation otherwise is the process of turning those ideas into something practical in reality. In other word, innovation is an act of introducing something new to the public that which has values.

Novelty

Novelty is said to be the quality of being something new. It exist as a perspective points of individuals. There are two kinds of novelty, Subjective Novelty and Objective Novelty. Subjective novelties is referred to as a findings or inventions that is considered new to a certain people or group. While Objective Novelty is a findings or invention that which is new to the humanity.