If design is functional is there an emotional connection with the viewer?
Talking to a colleague and experience costume maker of over 20 years, I found a sense of negativity towards digital images. On asking why this was, he replied the ‘artist had not sweated enough for the image’. This discussion has opened a range of questions which has enhanced my sense of curiosity. A costume design is a functional tool for a maker to realise the image and use it as a map to re-create the design. However, if the illustration is more suggestive and expressive can the maker ‘buy into’ the emotion the artist went through and understand the feeling that the designer is trying to convey. My colleague’s personal experience of computer rendered images was that they were unemotional and bland. He expressed dislike for the mechanisation of the computer image. If an artistic decision could be made at the touch of a button then is was not a creative decision but a technical application.
Is the computer artist an artist or a technical applicator? I beg to differ on this opinion as I have spent many an hour slaving over an illustration on the computer and not felt that I was only applying technical skills but an artistic application of techniques as any artist or designer would when applying watercolours, gouache or inks. However, is has made me further consider digital ‘art’ for the costume designer.
Firstly what is the role of a costume design, should a design be functional or artistic? or both? does an emotional connection with the illustration aid the costume interpreter? Does the computer image take away the flare and expression of hand rendered images? Does the age, experience and training of the audience (makers, directors and actors) determine there attitude.
What can the computer do that hand rendering can’t?? I need to investigate further.
21 October 2006
10 October 2006
Cross - Atlantic Communication
Cross - Atlantic Communication
Communicating via email is not only an essential part of modern business but sometime the more accepted means of communication. I am just as guilty as the next person for emailing across the office to a colleague only a few meters away. A job that in some cases can be quicker to do in person, and when you require an urgent response you can just call them or walk over to them can instant resolve. However when you’re waiting for a response from someone in another continent it can be a little more frustrating.
I recently got a contact from a colleague I share an office with, and yes he emailed me the information before we actually talked about it. The contact was with an opera school at the University of Kentucky USA, who may be looking for a costume designer from England to work on one of there shows. With the possibility of being able to establish a collaborative project I jumped at the chance to contact them. I did however suggest to my colleague that he emailed them first to introduce me. This email was sent three weeks ago and so far there has not been a reply. With further investigation we have discovered the contact has been out of the country and unable to get to a computer. He has now returned to a week of technical rehearsals and hasn’t had a minute to ‘check his email’s’. We’ve all been there. However this early experience of web communication starts me thinking of the advantages and disadvantage of communicating by email
Email is instant and can be written in the middle of the night. Additionally you don’t have to worry what time it is in the country you are writing to. This non visual communication allows you the opportunity to read over what it is you want to discuss. It allows you to change, correct and alter what you have written, something you are unable to do on the phone or in a face to face conversation. However it is not instant. Your timescale may be different to the person on receiving end of the email and unlike a colleague on the other side of your office you can’t just wonder over and get things sorted out. Additionally though you can review your email before sending it, words can often be misread or the expression behind them ignored. These early observations have brought me to consider the following points:
Successful email communication needs structure.
Both parties need to know and agree the ‘rules’ e.g timeframe, length and frequency. A director may want to email every 2 hours with further thoughts but this may be inappropriate and overwhelming for the designer.
A relationship needs to be established so the personality of the writer is understood (though this is not always possible, as personal issues like paranoia could make one read into an email something that is not there, especially with tight deadlines and little sleep)
Either one face to face meeting or a video conference may be a good way to establish a relationship.
A record of emails should be kept for later discussion or clarification if necessary
Communicating via email is not only an essential part of modern business but sometime the more accepted means of communication. I am just as guilty as the next person for emailing across the office to a colleague only a few meters away. A job that in some cases can be quicker to do in person, and when you require an urgent response you can just call them or walk over to them can instant resolve. However when you’re waiting for a response from someone in another continent it can be a little more frustrating.
I recently got a contact from a colleague I share an office with, and yes he emailed me the information before we actually talked about it. The contact was with an opera school at the University of Kentucky USA, who may be looking for a costume designer from England to work on one of there shows. With the possibility of being able to establish a collaborative project I jumped at the chance to contact them. I did however suggest to my colleague that he emailed them first to introduce me. This email was sent three weeks ago and so far there has not been a reply. With further investigation we have discovered the contact has been out of the country and unable to get to a computer. He has now returned to a week of technical rehearsals and hasn’t had a minute to ‘check his email’s’. We’ve all been there. However this early experience of web communication starts me thinking of the advantages and disadvantage of communicating by email
Email is instant and can be written in the middle of the night. Additionally you don’t have to worry what time it is in the country you are writing to. This non visual communication allows you the opportunity to read over what it is you want to discuss. It allows you to change, correct and alter what you have written, something you are unable to do on the phone or in a face to face conversation. However it is not instant. Your timescale may be different to the person on receiving end of the email and unlike a colleague on the other side of your office you can’t just wonder over and get things sorted out. Additionally though you can review your email before sending it, words can often be misread or the expression behind them ignored. These early observations have brought me to consider the following points:
Successful email communication needs structure.
Both parties need to know and agree the ‘rules’ e.g timeframe, length and frequency. A director may want to email every 2 hours with further thoughts but this may be inappropriate and overwhelming for the designer.
A relationship needs to be established so the personality of the writer is understood (though this is not always possible, as personal issues like paranoia could make one read into an email something that is not there, especially with tight deadlines and little sleep)
Either one face to face meeting or a video conference may be a good way to establish a relationship.
A record of emails should be kept for later discussion or clarification if necessary
