Design Rhetoric

Throughout unit 1 i explored optical illusions through projection. I found out that an image can change its meaning and transmit different emotions if projected in different surfaces. A plethora of different emotions emerged, when i projected a series of images on different surfaces. This intrigued me into exploring projection more and see if this transition of meaning can be achieved with words or sentences that have their own specific or given meaning. I want to investigate the transmission and transition of meaning through projection. Words have specific definitions, with projection the word might change its meaning depending  on the projection surface. The specific meaning of a word can change, maximized or minimized even show irony or humor if projected on different surfaces. I want to find out if three dimensional environment can change the meaning of a projected word. Examples of three diminutional typography using unconventional materials to form words or text inspired me to  explore the maximum possibilities of projection as a medium. The ability of projection to absorb the projected surface characteristics is the starting point of my exploration.

Digital ads

I’ve noticed that the digitalization of print has moved to advertising as well. We now see a lot more digital framed ads in the tube stations. What is impressing is that these ads, even thought use screens do not produce the same visual experience as the television ads. The visual experience provided by these digital framed ads is impressive and revolutionary. More text, interaction with images, moving images etc forms a new viewing experience. In my opinion digital ads capture more attention that the regular printed ones and provide the viewer with more information than the printed ads. Environmentally wise this new advertising medium is almost harmless to the environment and in a world filled with advertising maybe this is a green solution instead of the continuous production of posters and billboards that harm our environment.

 

Digital books & magazines

I strongly believe that the main reason this digitalization of books, magazines and newspapers is happening so fast and effective is because of the green factor.  The environmental problems we face are existent and principal. This problem is so gigantic that will need the support of each and every one of us.

 

This problem will continue to grow if we don’t do something about it. The digitalization of book, magazine or newspaper is a major development that corporations do in order to help in this environmental crisis. Our generation grew up with books and computers. Physical books and magazines have definitely a different sentiment than the digital ones, in order to help the environment I believe that in the end we will have to embrace their new form.

 

The amount of waste newspapers and magazines is enormous. Daily, weekly and monthly variations of newspapers and magazines don’t help with the environmental issue but making it grow instead. On digital books and magazines you can delete them when you read them or update them with their new version, a harmless action in contrast with printed newspapers and magazines.

 

I find my self really fascinated of how fast this digitalization happens. Even free papers adopt this digital format and even advertise it on their printed form.

Aristos Christodoulou

Metro paper app advertisement

 

digital books/ physical books

The transitions from print to screen recently become more visible. The fact that Amazon’s Kindle books outsold real books on Christmas 2009, forms an idea of how screen based is our everyday life and how the future is going to be.

Apple’s iPad formed a new market, the most prestigious publications designed an iPad version of their newspapers and magazines. This new digital experience contains moving images videos songs and basically an interaction that can’t be achieved with printed form. Apple has sold 450,000 iPads so far, 350,000 of which were sold on launch day (there’s a minor discrepancy here as Apple had previously announced  it sold 300,00 on launch day) 600,000 iBooks have been downloaded so far, 250,000 of which were downloaded on day one. Those numbers present the acceptance of the new digital era. iPad adds environs our tube and buss stations all over the UK, with local newspapers and publications creating their own app and advertise it.

Maybe reading a physical book is just a habit that we could easily get over with…

Aristos Christodoulou

Photo of ipad ads on the tube.

is google making us stupid?

“Never a communication system played so many roles in our lives or exerted such broad influence over our thoughts as the internet does today” (Nicholas Carr, 2008)

I agree with the author that Internet makes our life easier and faster. Tons of information are one click away from us. By a single google search you can find locations, maps, videos, reviews books etc. Something that would  be time consuming to do in other mediums.

Internet is a source of information available for us anytime, anywhere. It became a part of our everyday life so fast that it changed the way we think and read.

Are we browsing instead of reading?

 

Aristos Christodoulou