Reflection of Semester One Assignments
I found the assignments from this semester quite beneficial in aiding my essay writing. The thorough research we were asked to carry out proved effective in widening my thinking, and improving my brainstorming skills. As each assignment became more and more difficult, I found I began really pushing myself to succeed, and this in turn, forced me to produce work to the best of my ability. At the beginning it was hard for me to see the relevance of the assignments to Jewellery and Metalwork Design, but a phrase from our first lecture that stuck in my mind, "How can we design for a world that we know nothing about", helped me to see that the work was worthwhile. I think the most beneficial and enjoyable exercise was the Brainstorming exercise in assignment 3. I liked working in a group, as I got a chance to work with different people, and also because it was really interesting discovering the way other people think. This process helped me a great deal in assignment 4, which I felt I stressed about much less than I normally would have due to good preparation.
Saturday 5 December 2009
Assignment 4 - Part three
1500 word comparison of Faber Birren's texts "Color Psychology and Color Therapy: A Factual Study of the Influence of Color on Human Life" and "Color and Human Response."
“Though medical science may eschew the idea of color therapy for any direct biological action upon the human body, it does admit actions and influences in the realm of the psychic.” (Faber Birren, “Color Psychology and Color Therapy”, Pg 137.) For a greater understanding of the effects of colour on human emotional and psychological responses, I studied two of the well known Faber Birren - colour researcher's texts entitled “Color Psychology and Color Therapy: A Factual Study of the Influence of Color on Human Life” written in 1950 and Birren's “Color and Human Response” written in 1978. Birren devoted his life to colour, writing more than 20 books in his time on the subject. He explored the effects different colours have on human emotions, and even believed that certain colours could be used therapeutically on the mentally troubled. Several experiments involving colour therapy with diagrams are described at the beginning of “Color Psychology and Color Therapy”, including The Oxyhemograph: “This unusual device, attatched to the patient's ear, will react to the colour of human blood and provide a quick record of oxygen content.” (Courtesy, Dr. Roy D. McClure, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit.) More interesting are his studies of mentally troubled patients. He states that manic patients prefer red, while hysterical patients are drawn towards green, “perhaps as an escape”. He found that Schizophrenics are sensitive to yellow and that the colour associated with paranoia is brown. (Courtesy, Hans Huber, Publishers, Berne, Switzerland, Dr. Lipot, Experimentelle Triebdiagnostik.) Sections which were of particular interest to me included Emotional Reactions, Neurotics and Psychotics, and the Biological Responses and it is these three which I have chosen to explore in more depth. I will look at how effectively Birren argues the effects of colour on these aspects of human life, and will also explore the different case studies Faber Birren describes to support his theories. Because there are twenty years between the two texts, I will also explore if his idologies and theories have expanded and matured.
Birren follows the work of physician Felix Deutsch in both texts. Birren writes, “His findings throw important light not only on medical practice with references to colour but on the whole psychology of colour.” (Pg 46, “Color and Human Response”). In the opening paragraphs of the Emotional Reactions section of Color Psychology and Color Therapy, Birren begins by explaining a fairly simple theory, which has been highly generalised. He states that people preferring warm colours “warm colour dominant subjects”, are more in touch with their social environment. They are more likely to be characterized by warm feelings, and in the “subject-object relationship, the emphasis is on the object.” (Pg 138). He then argues that people preferring cold colours, such as blue and green, calling these people “cold colour dominant subjects”, find it difficult to adapt to new environments and situations, and are “inwardly integrated.” He states that cold colour dominant subjects are less able to express themselves compared with warm colour dominants. Emotionally the cold colour dominant subject is rather reserved and in the “subject-object relationship, the emphasis is on the subject.” (Pg 138).
He follows this on with Deutsch's work, in the Neurotics and Psychotics section, and also the same examples are given in “Color and Human Response”. Deutsch points out, for example, that when treating pulmonary diseases like tuberculosis, light therapy has a real beneficial biological effect. The patient experiences, “sensations and psychic excitations, which, through the vegetatite, stimulate circulation, etc., and through these manifestations the physical influence of light upon the disease process is in turn enhanced.”(Pg. 152). Birren gives this same example in the “Color and Human Response” text, but with twenty more years experience and research, has developed his own theory to go along with Deutsch's. In “Color Psychology and Color Therapy”, he then goes on to describe how Deutsch found that colour influences a change in blood pressure, but that “it takes place in an indirect way”. He says how Deutsch, with the use of colour, has “treated patients whose conditions were of nervous origin or who had disturbances of the heart”(Pg. 153). He proved that if someone is exposed to warm colours, they actually become warmer, as they increase blood pressure, and in turn heat up the body. The same can be said in reverse for cool colours, as they decrease blood pressure, lowering the rate of the heart and causing a cooling feeling. Furthermore, in “Color and Human Response”, he expands on this idea by exploring which colours have beneficial therapeutic effects. To better understand this section of the book, we must refer to Birren's opening statement of the section on Emotional Response in “Color and Human Response”. Birren takes into account that “the studies presented and the results described are frankly subject to question and can be disrupted.” (Pg 43). By this he realises that although a fact is a fact, it may differ from person to person, making these “facts” subjective. He states that “the word “fact” is forever a troublesome one in relation to anything emotional.” If we understand this, then we can better understand the research he explores, and remember that it is not true to everyone. Deutsch discribes how “warm colours may calm one person and excite another. Cool colours may likewise be stimulating to one person and passive to another. Irradiation with red or green light may produce an elevation of blood pressure, or the opposite may occur.” (Pg 47). From this we must recognise the difficulty Birren is faced with to conclude the alternative effects each colour has on different situations.
To conclude his studies of the importance of colour when handling neurotic (ie (from the Greek νεύρωσις) refers to a class of functional mental disorder involving distress but not delusions or hallucinations) and psychotic (ie A serious mental disorder in which the mind does not function normally and the ability to deal with reality is impaired or lost.) illnesses, Deutsch summarizes in four points as follows in Birren's “Color Psychology and Color Therapy”;
1. Through feelings and emotions, colour can bring about a “reflex action upon the vascular system”. (Pg 156)
2. The effect achieved isn't the same for any two people or any hues. As previously stated, a warm colour such as red or orange, may calm one person yet excite the next, just as a cool colour like blue or green can stimulate some, and be passive to others.
3.Exposure to red or green light may highten blood pressure and cause a quickening of pulse rate. However the opposite may occur for people with a different psychic make-up.
4.“An organic, non-optical color sense has not been proved so far.” However, the response that follows exposure to color may have an organic effect.
Birren's research into the effects of colours on mental disorders and those suffering from neurotic and psychotic disorders was the most interesting part to me. He explores the experiments carried out by scientists and doctors with colour to “afford relief and to effect cures”. (Pg 158). One that he describes was exerted by a doctor known as Ponza in 1875, where he decorated several rooms with coloured glass windows, coloured furnishings and coloured walls, using mostly red and blue. After studying a man stricken with taciturn delirium in the red room, he became noticably happy and cheerful. The same was done to a man who previously refused food, and he was found to ask for breakfast the next morning. As for blue, “A violent case who had to be kept in a strait jacket was shut in the room with the blue window, and less than an hour afterwards he had become calmer.” (Pg 159). Birren states that modern (which was more than 50 years earlier than present) medicine no longer uses coloured rooms for their patients, as new drugs are more effective. He goes on to list the effect of different colours on these patients, before pointing out that the experiments were not entirely reliable as there is an“exclusion of daylight and a lack of proper attention to a colour scheme or colour effect that is “artistic” as well as “scientific”.
In conclusion, although both texts were fascinating, it was hard to compile a comparison of the two as they both shared mostly the same content. However the different case studies were interesting and well supported. His idiologies didn't vary greatly between the two texts, however in my opinion this further strengthened his arguments.Birren refered to many different sources, ranging from physicians to scientists and doctors, providing a wide variety of important insights. The more useful text was Birren's “Color Psychology and Color Therapy: A Factual Study of the Influence of Color on Human Life” in that the content of the case studies, I felt, was more detailed and easier to understand. I found the subject was absorbing, and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the different effects colours have on neurological and mental disorders, as the complexity of them is something I have always been interested in.
Bibliography
“Though medical science may eschew the idea of color therapy for any direct biological action upon the human body, it does admit actions and influences in the realm of the psychic.” (Faber Birren, “Color Psychology and Color Therapy”, Pg 137.) For a greater understanding of the effects of colour on human emotional and psychological responses, I studied two of the well known Faber Birren - colour researcher's texts entitled “Color Psychology and Color Therapy: A Factual Study of the Influence of Color on Human Life” written in 1950 and Birren's “Color and Human Response” written in 1978. Birren devoted his life to colour, writing more than 20 books in his time on the subject. He explored the effects different colours have on human emotions, and even believed that certain colours could be used therapeutically on the mentally troubled. Several experiments involving colour therapy with diagrams are described at the beginning of “Color Psychology and Color Therapy”, including The Oxyhemograph: “This unusual device, attatched to the patient's ear, will react to the colour of human blood and provide a quick record of oxygen content.” (Courtesy, Dr. Roy D. McClure, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit.) More interesting are his studies of mentally troubled patients. He states that manic patients prefer red, while hysterical patients are drawn towards green, “perhaps as an escape”. He found that Schizophrenics are sensitive to yellow and that the colour associated with paranoia is brown. (Courtesy, Hans Huber, Publishers, Berne, Switzerland, Dr. Lipot, Experimentelle Triebdiagnostik.) Sections which were of particular interest to me included Emotional Reactions, Neurotics and Psychotics, and the Biological Responses and it is these three which I have chosen to explore in more depth. I will look at how effectively Birren argues the effects of colour on these aspects of human life, and will also explore the different case studies Faber Birren describes to support his theories. Because there are twenty years between the two texts, I will also explore if his idologies and theories have expanded and matured.
Birren follows the work of physician Felix Deutsch in both texts. Birren writes, “His findings throw important light not only on medical practice with references to colour but on the whole psychology of colour.” (Pg 46, “Color and Human Response”). In the opening paragraphs of the Emotional Reactions section of Color Psychology and Color Therapy, Birren begins by explaining a fairly simple theory, which has been highly generalised. He states that people preferring warm colours “warm colour dominant subjects”, are more in touch with their social environment. They are more likely to be characterized by warm feelings, and in the “subject-object relationship, the emphasis is on the object.” (Pg 138). He then argues that people preferring cold colours, such as blue and green, calling these people “cold colour dominant subjects”, find it difficult to adapt to new environments and situations, and are “inwardly integrated.” He states that cold colour dominant subjects are less able to express themselves compared with warm colour dominants. Emotionally the cold colour dominant subject is rather reserved and in the “subject-object relationship, the emphasis is on the subject.” (Pg 138).
He follows this on with Deutsch's work, in the Neurotics and Psychotics section, and also the same examples are given in “Color and Human Response”. Deutsch points out, for example, that when treating pulmonary diseases like tuberculosis, light therapy has a real beneficial biological effect. The patient experiences, “sensations and psychic excitations, which, through the vegetatite, stimulate circulation, etc., and through these manifestations the physical influence of light upon the disease process is in turn enhanced.”(Pg. 152). Birren gives this same example in the “Color and Human Response” text, but with twenty more years experience and research, has developed his own theory to go along with Deutsch's. In “Color Psychology and Color Therapy”, he then goes on to describe how Deutsch found that colour influences a change in blood pressure, but that “it takes place in an indirect way”. He says how Deutsch, with the use of colour, has “treated patients whose conditions were of nervous origin or who had disturbances of the heart”(Pg. 153). He proved that if someone is exposed to warm colours, they actually become warmer, as they increase blood pressure, and in turn heat up the body. The same can be said in reverse for cool colours, as they decrease blood pressure, lowering the rate of the heart and causing a cooling feeling. Furthermore, in “Color and Human Response”, he expands on this idea by exploring which colours have beneficial therapeutic effects. To better understand this section of the book, we must refer to Birren's opening statement of the section on Emotional Response in “Color and Human Response”. Birren takes into account that “the studies presented and the results described are frankly subject to question and can be disrupted.” (Pg 43). By this he realises that although a fact is a fact, it may differ from person to person, making these “facts” subjective. He states that “the word “fact” is forever a troublesome one in relation to anything emotional.” If we understand this, then we can better understand the research he explores, and remember that it is not true to everyone. Deutsch discribes how “warm colours may calm one person and excite another. Cool colours may likewise be stimulating to one person and passive to another. Irradiation with red or green light may produce an elevation of blood pressure, or the opposite may occur.” (Pg 47). From this we must recognise the difficulty Birren is faced with to conclude the alternative effects each colour has on different situations.
To conclude his studies of the importance of colour when handling neurotic (ie (from the Greek νεύρωσις) refers to a class of functional mental disorder involving distress but not delusions or hallucinations) and psychotic (ie A serious mental disorder in which the mind does not function normally and the ability to deal with reality is impaired or lost.) illnesses, Deutsch summarizes in four points as follows in Birren's “Color Psychology and Color Therapy”;
1. Through feelings and emotions, colour can bring about a “reflex action upon the vascular system”. (Pg 156)
2. The effect achieved isn't the same for any two people or any hues. As previously stated, a warm colour such as red or orange, may calm one person yet excite the next, just as a cool colour like blue or green can stimulate some, and be passive to others.
3.Exposure to red or green light may highten blood pressure and cause a quickening of pulse rate. However the opposite may occur for people with a different psychic make-up.
4.“An organic, non-optical color sense has not been proved so far.” However, the response that follows exposure to color may have an organic effect.
Birren's research into the effects of colours on mental disorders and those suffering from neurotic and psychotic disorders was the most interesting part to me. He explores the experiments carried out by scientists and doctors with colour to “afford relief and to effect cures”. (Pg 158). One that he describes was exerted by a doctor known as Ponza in 1875, where he decorated several rooms with coloured glass windows, coloured furnishings and coloured walls, using mostly red and blue. After studying a man stricken with taciturn delirium in the red room, he became noticably happy and cheerful. The same was done to a man who previously refused food, and he was found to ask for breakfast the next morning. As for blue, “A violent case who had to be kept in a strait jacket was shut in the room with the blue window, and less than an hour afterwards he had become calmer.” (Pg 159). Birren states that modern (which was more than 50 years earlier than present) medicine no longer uses coloured rooms for their patients, as new drugs are more effective. He goes on to list the effect of different colours on these patients, before pointing out that the experiments were not entirely reliable as there is an“exclusion of daylight and a lack of proper attention to a colour scheme or colour effect that is “artistic” as well as “scientific”.
In conclusion, although both texts were fascinating, it was hard to compile a comparison of the two as they both shared mostly the same content. However the different case studies were interesting and well supported. His idiologies didn't vary greatly between the two texts, however in my opinion this further strengthened his arguments.Birren refered to many different sources, ranging from physicians to scientists and doctors, providing a wide variety of important insights. The more useful text was Birren's “Color Psychology and Color Therapy: A Factual Study of the Influence of Color on Human Life” in that the content of the case studies, I felt, was more detailed and easier to understand. I found the subject was absorbing, and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the different effects colours have on neurological and mental disorders, as the complexity of them is something I have always been interested in.
Bibliography
Birren, F. (1978) Color & Human Response: Aspects of Light and Color Bearing on the Reactions of Living Things and the Welfare of Human Beings. Wiley.
Birren, F. (1950) Color Psychology and Color Therapy: a factual study of the influence of color on Human life. Kessinger Publishing Co.
http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/abstract/102/427/319
www.iesna.org/PDF/100Papers/018.pdf
Assignment 4 - Part two
500 Words on Faber Birren's "Color and Human Response".
Another text of Faber Birren's that I choose to research is his “Color and Human Response”. In this book he explores the biological, visual, emotional, aesthetic, and psychic responses to colour, supporting them with historical references and scientific research. For this text, I will look into the emotional responses and the biological response.
Birren takes into account that “the studies presented and the results described are frankly subject to question and can be disrupted.” (Pg 43). By this he realises that although a fact is a fact, it may differ from person to person, making these “facts” subjective. He states that “the word “fact” is forever a troublesome one in relation to anything emotional.” If we understand this, then we can better understand the research he explores, and remember that it is not true to everyone.
As in “Color Psychology and Color Therapy: A Factual Study of the Influence of Color on Human Life”, Birren again follows the research of the physician Felix Deutsch. “His findings throw important light not only on medical practice with references to colour but on the whole psychology of colour.” (Pg 46). Birren looks at Deutsch's research into a number of cases and the results following exposure to coloured interiors. He studied and measured patients blood pressure and concluded that “colour brings about a reflex action upon the vascular system, if only through feelings and emotions... The emotional excitements which are recognized through changes in blood pressure, pulse-frequency and rhythm, are brought forth through association.” The exposure to red and other warm colours has been proven to increase blood pressure, respiration and pulse and attention is directed outwards towards the environment, whereas Birren states that green and blue tend to have more of a relaxing effect on people, physically and mentally. When exposed to green and blue, people are more able to concentrate and are less distracted by the environment surrounding them.
This text focuses more on the uses of colour in medicine and understanding that each persons reaction to a colour is different. In “Color Psychology and Color Therapy” he is more interested in theories and the effects of colour on the mentally troubled.
Another text of Faber Birren's that I choose to research is his “Color and Human Response”. In this book he explores the biological, visual, emotional, aesthetic, and psychic responses to colour, supporting them with historical references and scientific research. For this text, I will look into the emotional responses and the biological response.
Birren takes into account that “the studies presented and the results described are frankly subject to question and can be disrupted.” (Pg 43). By this he realises that although a fact is a fact, it may differ from person to person, making these “facts” subjective. He states that “the word “fact” is forever a troublesome one in relation to anything emotional.” If we understand this, then we can better understand the research he explores, and remember that it is not true to everyone.
As in “Color Psychology and Color Therapy: A Factual Study of the Influence of Color on Human Life”, Birren again follows the research of the physician Felix Deutsch. “His findings throw important light not only on medical practice with references to colour but on the whole psychology of colour.” (Pg 46). Birren looks at Deutsch's research into a number of cases and the results following exposure to coloured interiors. He studied and measured patients blood pressure and concluded that “colour brings about a reflex action upon the vascular system, if only through feelings and emotions... The emotional excitements which are recognized through changes in blood pressure, pulse-frequency and rhythm, are brought forth through association.” The exposure to red and other warm colours has been proven to increase blood pressure, respiration and pulse and attention is directed outwards towards the environment, whereas Birren states that green and blue tend to have more of a relaxing effect on people, physically and mentally. When exposed to green and blue, people are more able to concentrate and are less distracted by the environment surrounding them.
This text focuses more on the uses of colour in medicine and understanding that each persons reaction to a colour is different. In “Color Psychology and Color Therapy” he is more interested in theories and the effects of colour on the mentally troubled.
Assignment 4 - Part one
500 Words on Faber Birren's "Color Psychology and Color Therapy: A Factual Study of the Influence of Color on Human Life".
Faber Birren's text “Colour Psychology and Colour Therapy: a factual study of the influence of colour on Human Life” written in 1979 explores the historical, biological, visual and psychological influences of colour on humans. Birren devoted his life to colour, writing more than 20 books in his time on the subject. He explored the effects different colours have on human emotions, and even believed that certain colours could be used therapeutically on the mentally troubled. In this book, Birren explores a number of interesting points, key points including the effects of colour on the metabolism, the symbolic importance of colour and the therapeutic values of precious stones. Birren also looks at a number of experiments to back up his theories; he looks at the effects of colour on the growth of rats, the application of colour and light on mental patients, and the effects of colours on hormones.
Divided into four sections, the historical, biological, visual and psychological aspects, I plan to look into the psychological aspects of color on humans in more detail, along with his case studies to back them up. The psychological section of the book is divided into 5 smaller chapters, Emotional Reactions, Neurotics and Psychotics, Associations and Analogies, The Anatomy of Beauty and This Illusory World. This text was very useful in that Birren regularly uses case studies to support his thoughts.
He often talks about the studies of scientists such as Kurt Goldstein, a recognized authority on psycho neurology, and the physician Felix Deutsch. The opening of the section begins with a simple theory about colour. People can be placed into two groups, those who appreciate the warm end of the spectrum, (red-yellow) and those more sensitive to the cold end, (blue-green)..Birren states that people preferring warm colours “warm colour dominant subjects”, they are more in touch with their social environment. They are more likely to be characterized by warm feelings, and in the “subject-object relationship, the emphasis is on the object.” (Pg 138). He then argues that people preferring cold colours, such as blue and green, calling these people “cold colour dominant subjects”, find it difficult to adapt to new environments and situations, and are “inwardly integrated.” He states that cold colour dominant subjects are less able to express themselves compared with warm colour dominants. Emotionally the cold colour dominant subject is rather reserved and in the “subject-object relationship, the emphasis is on the subject.” (Pg 38). He then goes on to explore the effects of colours on people in more detail. He explores how different colours effect emotions, colour associations and how colour effects the human senses.
Referring to Goldstein's research, he found that red light can cause people to believe objects are heavier, whereas under green light objects will appear lighter. This theory has been adapted to professions, for example, weight lifting rooms will be painted a green colour to cause the weight lifter to believe he can lift more. However, it is the Neurological and Psychological chapter of the Psychological aspects that I am most interested in and will explore more deeply in my essay.
Faber Birren's text “Colour Psychology and Colour Therapy: a factual study of the influence of colour on Human Life” written in 1979 explores the historical, biological, visual and psychological influences of colour on humans. Birren devoted his life to colour, writing more than 20 books in his time on the subject. He explored the effects different colours have on human emotions, and even believed that certain colours could be used therapeutically on the mentally troubled. In this book, Birren explores a number of interesting points, key points including the effects of colour on the metabolism, the symbolic importance of colour and the therapeutic values of precious stones. Birren also looks at a number of experiments to back up his theories; he looks at the effects of colour on the growth of rats, the application of colour and light on mental patients, and the effects of colours on hormones.
Divided into four sections, the historical, biological, visual and psychological aspects, I plan to look into the psychological aspects of color on humans in more detail, along with his case studies to back them up. The psychological section of the book is divided into 5 smaller chapters, Emotional Reactions, Neurotics and Psychotics, Associations and Analogies, The Anatomy of Beauty and This Illusory World. This text was very useful in that Birren regularly uses case studies to support his thoughts.
He often talks about the studies of scientists such as Kurt Goldstein, a recognized authority on psycho neurology, and the physician Felix Deutsch. The opening of the section begins with a simple theory about colour. People can be placed into two groups, those who appreciate the warm end of the spectrum, (red-yellow) and those more sensitive to the cold end, (blue-green)..Birren states that people preferring warm colours “warm colour dominant subjects”, they are more in touch with their social environment. They are more likely to be characterized by warm feelings, and in the “subject-object relationship, the emphasis is on the object.” (Pg 138). He then argues that people preferring cold colours, such as blue and green, calling these people “cold colour dominant subjects”, find it difficult to adapt to new environments and situations, and are “inwardly integrated.” He states that cold colour dominant subjects are less able to express themselves compared with warm colour dominants. Emotionally the cold colour dominant subject is rather reserved and in the “subject-object relationship, the emphasis is on the subject.” (Pg 38). He then goes on to explore the effects of colours on people in more detail. He explores how different colours effect emotions, colour associations and how colour effects the human senses.
Referring to Goldstein's research, he found that red light can cause people to believe objects are heavier, whereas under green light objects will appear lighter. This theory has been adapted to professions, for example, weight lifting rooms will be painted a green colour to cause the weight lifter to believe he can lift more. However, it is the Neurological and Psychological chapter of the Psychological aspects that I am most interested in and will explore more deeply in my essay.
Sunday 15 November 2009
Line Project
Our second project in Jewellery Design was to produce a neckpiece of brooch, inspired by the techniques of one jeweller and the philosophies and style of one artist, using wire to construct. For my jeweller I chose Hanna Hedman as I love her oversized range of neckwear and its resemblance to seaweed and organic objects.
I'd studied Egon Schiele in 6th year at high school and revisited him as my inspirational artist because his use of line and the way he elongates his subjects is really interesting.
I also really like his stylised technique of drawing hands and fingers. After watching Life a few weeks ago, I love you David Attenborough!, I chose Seahorses and Sea Dragons to base my piece on, and really wanted to produce a large necklace. After lots of sketches of adorable pigmy seahorses and leafy seadragons I began making a small necklace for my sister. It developed from a small article I'd read on these sea creatures, and a phrase that kept coming back to me was "wheeling around in unison", referring to their "pre-dawn dance", during courtship. I kept picturing the little seahorses spinning round in a circle, on a wheel, and this led to several sketches of seahorse carousels!
I played around with making wire hangers that I could attatch the mini seahorses I'd cut out of copper, and different lengths of chain. I hadn't appreciated how time consuming chain making is, but at the same time it's kind of relaxing... Stupid me decided on a long, thin chain, resulting in hours and hours and hooooouuuuurs of cutting small jump rings, attatching them, soldering them and repeating... Looking at my macete now, I realise that I'd rather have the seahorses elongated, and more stylised like Egon Schiele. This isn't my final idea, but it's a good way to practice techniques without the samples going to waste in my sketchbook. Once this one is completed, I plan to silver plate it and give it to my sister for Christmas.... nothing like saving the pennies.
For my final neckpiece however, I hope to use this idea to hang down the back of the wearer, and make a large round tube like structure for the front, hopefully using knitted wire, but I'm still not sure how to do it... I'm glad that at the end of the project, I will (hopefully) have produced a smaller necklace to wear as an everyday accessory, and to also have a larger structural piece that could be worn on special occasions, or for fashion events.
Wednesday 11 November 2009
Assignment 3 Part 2 - Bibliography (updated)
Birren, F. (1984) Color & Human Response: Aspects of Light and Color Bearing on the Reactions of Living Things and the Welfare of Human Beings. Wiley.
“There are in his body the veins called Hita, which are as small as a hair divided a thousandfold, full of white, blue, yellow, green and red.” This is another text from Birren, and looks at colour from a more religious point of view. Although not all that helpful towards my research, learning about the ancient Greeks was integuing. He also firmly believed in the therapeutic effects of bright colors on the mentally troubled. I ended up researching Faber Birren's life, as I found his fascination with colour.... kind of fascinating!
Birren, F. (1979) Color Psychology and Color Therapy: a factual study of the influence of color on Human life. Kessinger Publishing Co.
This text was more appropriate for my topic. Birren looked at the historical, biological and psychological aspects of the influence of colour on humans. Faber Birren was an American writer and industrial colour consultant from the early 1900s, and wrote around 25 texts on colour in his lifetime. Particular points of interests were the symbolic importance of colour, the section on Charles Darwin, the psychological effects of colour and how the metabolism is affected by colour and light. “We know that the color of the skin is regarded by the men of all races as a highly important element in their beauty.” Charles Darwin.
Mack, G (2001) Colours. Birkhäuser Basel.
As I tried to broaden my research, I discovered this book by Gerhard Mack exploring colour design within a “broad horizon of technologically advanced architecture and documents its applications according to different aesthetic approaches. The range of works examined extends from facades to interiors and furniture, and on to the whole spectrum of product design”. It was definitely beneficial in that it was the most obviously relevant to design compared to my other chosen texts. The text looked more at the commercial side of colour psychology.
Nicola Morgan (2003) Mondays are Red. Delacorte Books for Young Readers.
This assignment made me remember a book I'd read a few years ago, Mondays are Red. It is a novel about a young boy who awakens from a meningitis-induced coma to find he has contracted an illness called synesthesia in which ones senses blur into one another. I looked into synesthesia a little more after re-reading this book, and discovered that there have been over 60 reported kinds of synesthesia but only a fraction of these have been scientifically researched. Other relevant texts to this one include "The man who tasted shapes" and "Wednesday is Indigo Blue".
Steatfeild, D. (2007) Brainwash – The Secret History of Mind Control. Hodder Paperback.
I found this book to be very interesting, it was thoroughly researched and explored the methods al qaeda used to recruit young men into being suicide bombers using brainwashing methods and drug influence. Steatfeild's novel also looked at the old interrogation techniques used in war situations. It was useful to see the negative outcomes and dangers of mind manipulation, however, it wasn't really relevant to my topic.
“There are in his body the veins called Hita, which are as small as a hair divided a thousandfold, full of white, blue, yellow, green and red.” This is another text from Birren, and looks at colour from a more religious point of view. Although not all that helpful towards my research, learning about the ancient Greeks was integuing. He also firmly believed in the therapeutic effects of bright colors on the mentally troubled. I ended up researching Faber Birren's life, as I found his fascination with colour.... kind of fascinating!
Birren, F. (1979) Color Psychology and Color Therapy: a factual study of the influence of color on Human life. Kessinger Publishing Co.
This text was more appropriate for my topic. Birren looked at the historical, biological and psychological aspects of the influence of colour on humans. Faber Birren was an American writer and industrial colour consultant from the early 1900s, and wrote around 25 texts on colour in his lifetime. Particular points of interests were the symbolic importance of colour, the section on Charles Darwin, the psychological effects of colour and how the metabolism is affected by colour and light. “We know that the color of the skin is regarded by the men of all races as a highly important element in their beauty.” Charles Darwin.
Mack, G (2001) Colours. Birkhäuser Basel.
As I tried to broaden my research, I discovered this book by Gerhard Mack exploring colour design within a “broad horizon of technologically advanced architecture and documents its applications according to different aesthetic approaches. The range of works examined extends from facades to interiors and furniture, and on to the whole spectrum of product design”. It was definitely beneficial in that it was the most obviously relevant to design compared to my other chosen texts. The text looked more at the commercial side of colour psychology.
Nicola Morgan (2003) Mondays are Red. Delacorte Books for Young Readers.
This assignment made me remember a book I'd read a few years ago, Mondays are Red. It is a novel about a young boy who awakens from a meningitis-induced coma to find he has contracted an illness called synesthesia in which ones senses blur into one another. I looked into synesthesia a little more after re-reading this book, and discovered that there have been over 60 reported kinds of synesthesia but only a fraction of these have been scientifically researched. Other relevant texts to this one include "The man who tasted shapes" and "Wednesday is Indigo Blue".
Steatfeild, D. (2007) Brainwash – The Secret History of Mind Control. Hodder Paperback.
I found this book to be very interesting, it was thoroughly researched and explored the methods al qaeda used to recruit young men into being suicide bombers using brainwashing methods and drug influence. Steatfeild's novel also looked at the old interrogation techniques used in war situations. It was useful to see the negative outcomes and dangers of mind manipulation, however, it wasn't really relevant to my topic.
Wednesday 28 October 2009
Brainstorming Exercise
For our second assignment we were asked to brainstorm following our previous assignment to explore one of our ideas more deeply. We gathered our seminar group together to decide on a topic that we could work on, and agreed that TV Education would be our chosen subject. I had been working on the idea of crime, so changing was a little tricky at first.
We met for a discussion in the studio and littered the walls with post-its to show our thoughts. The spontaneity of the exercise was good fun!
I hadn't taken part in a brainstorming exercise for such a lengthy period of time and in such depth but it proved very effective in expanding our thoughts on TV Education. Throwing all and any ideas we had onto our post-it wall was so much easier with everyone's input.
After our discussions, I decided to look closer at the effects of children's TV shows on personal development. I wanted to find out to what extent TV warps children's views on reality, and explore the idea of true image. From my own experience, I can remember watching programs like The animals of Farthing wood (hehe) and at the age of 7 or 8 decided I wanted to be a horse when I grew up. Surely by 8 I should have known that I would probably find it pretty tricky to grow up into a big strong Clydesdale...
I was also obsessed with the little plastic animals you used to get from the Early Learning Centre, and probably held onto them until an age that wasn't too healthy. Had I been brainwashed by TV and Merchandise? Hopefully, otherwise I was a really weird kid.
Anyway, I started thinking about how programs like Malcolm Gladwell's examples of "Sesame Street" and "Blues Clues" and the shows I used to watch, had the ability to "brainwash" children, and whether or not this could be useful. My research stemmed from The Tipping Point, but I quickly moved away from the book to explore different ideas.
As my A2 poster developed, I went from exploring the effect of children's TV shows on their personal growth, to the psychology and effects of colours on peoples emotions, to the idea of beneficial brainwashing.
I found the different effects of colours on human emotions really interesting and I'm keen to look into the experiments behind the results a little closer. Looking back at the assignment, I wish I'd spent more time exploring the idea of beneficial brainwashing, but I can always come back to it at a later date. I started off with a simple spider diagram and then moved on to block descriptions and different definitions in different categories.
Saturday 24 October 2009
Black and White
After the discussion we had in the lecture on friday about being so politically correct that we are frightened to mention the colour of someones skin, I reflected on it for some time. In my hometown, the majority of people living there are white, but a large proportion of them are a little ignorant. Passing someone in the street, it wouldn't be uncommon to hear someone say something that shocks the average person. They are either racist or just oblivious to the fact that the derogitory names that they use for asians or black people are extremely offensive and I hope it's the latter. It was refreshing for me to move away from such a small rural area to Dundee and finally experience what it is like to live in a multicultural city.
In Friday's lecture we had to choose a person, emotion and object and I picked "homeless man" "sad" and "television". Jonathon gave an example of an elderly man, crying and television, so it was quite similar. I thought, in an obvious way, that the homeless man would be sad that he didnt have a telly, but when I started to look at the situation in more depth I began thinking about consumerism and how obsessed the west is with material possessions. Why did I picture a white man in rags on a busy city street, peering into an electrical shop window? Why didn't I picture a man whose house had been destroyed by a tsunami on the news? Why did I automatically imagine him being white?
In Friday's lecture we had to choose a person, emotion and object and I picked "homeless man" "sad" and "television". Jonathon gave an example of an elderly man, crying and television, so it was quite similar. I thought, in an obvious way, that the homeless man would be sad that he didnt have a telly, but when I started to look at the situation in more depth I began thinking about consumerism and how obsessed the west is with material possessions. Why did I picture a white man in rags on a busy city street, peering into an electrical shop window? Why didn't I picture a man whose house had been destroyed by a tsunami on the news? Why did I automatically imagine him being white?
Tuesday 6 October 2009
Assignments
Assignment 1.A.
This was the first time I'd used Mind Mapping in years, we'd used spider diagrams and brainstorming in High School for most essays but this felt more useful. After 1.A. the other two were easier to complete, and I found myself going over the allocated time for each because I had so much to say and couldn't fit it all in! I tried to complete the mind maps after one reading of the book and it was impossible. After my second reading I felt for the first two mind maps I didn't have to look through the book to find most of my examples.
The case of Kitty Genovese was particularly interesting to me, I found the idea that "responsibility for acting is difused" when something bad happens with a larger number of witnesses. It was a disturbing reality of the ways of urban life in larger cities.
Assignment 1.C.
http://riverdaughter.wordpress.com/2009/08/02/a-fascinating-intersection-of-true-crime-psychology-and-media-misinformation/
Thursday 1 October 2009
Inspiration through influence
A family member of my friend has developed a real talent for photography, I'd regularly been checking up on his website to see what new pictures he'd uploaded, and recently his work has begun getting even better. He posts a new picture everyday with a quirky, well thought-out title. http://www.headphoneland.com/ I hope his work inspires you, whether it is great or small.
Water on the Moon?
Read an interesting article about the discovery of water on the moon, after watching the One Show last night... Personally I feel it's a little daunting, we've only just discovered H2O on the moon, but what else are we yet to find? A design for a permanent home on the moon makes my mind boggle, travelling to America seems like worlds away! http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090923-moon-water-discovery.html
The lunar rocks recovered when Apollo astronauts travelled to the moon 40 years ago were assumed contaminated when water was detected... Had we realised this was true earlier, where would we be by now?
The lunar rocks recovered when Apollo astronauts travelled to the moon 40 years ago were assumed contaminated when water was detected... Had we realised this was true earlier, where would we be by now?
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