░░░░░░░ WEEK 12 ░░░░░░░
Pre-Open Studios
While setting up for Open Studios, Andreas had a conversation with me about my tendency to sound condescending when explaining my project. Although it wasn’t intentional, I reflected on how my tone might unintentionally come across that way. I realized that I might subconsciously forget that the person I’m talking to has no prior knowledge of my project and may not understand it right away. This realization shed light on some of the challenges I've been facing—how to convey the essence of my project without needing extensive explanations or expecting viewers to read too much.
This conversation with Andreas made me quite self-conscious about my communication style. Although my approach toward viewers has been more like 'if you understand it, great; if not, that's okay,' during Open Studios, I made a conscious effort to ensure everyone had an opportunity to grasp the project.
This attitude isn’t about selfishness; as Ryan aptly put it, it's akin to the challenge of getting people to care about global warming when they don't already. No matter how much you try, some individuals won’t be receptive to certain topics they don't care about or understand deeply.
I'm still striving to make my project accessible and understandable to viewers, but ultimately, it's up to them what they take away from it. Personally, if they don’t fully grasp it, I hope they can still appreciate the visual aspects I’ve crafted.
Ryan's Setup
Conversations w/ Students
I didn’t receive much feedback from students during Open Studios; most of them just appreciated the visual aesthetic of my work. I became curious about whether people truly understood my project, so when a friend from the first year visited with her peers, I asked them directly, "Do you understand my work?" Their responses confirmed my initial assumption: those who grasp it, do so naturally.
However, my curiosity shifted to whether those who initially didn’t understand it would eventually grasp its meaning. This aligns with my project's objective—to prompt reflection on algorithm curation dilemmas. An interaction with a visitor on the last day shed light on how my project is perceived. Have you ever been to a museum or an art show where you encounter a visually complex work, but the description is equally complex, leading you to give up halfway? I have, and I realized this might be happening with my presentation.
I realized I need to simplify my descriptions or the way I explain my work. I tend to delve into too many details, assuming the audience knows nothing about algorithms. This approach might be hindering the perception of my project. An alternative I considered was leaving more room for interpretation, allowing for easier understanding among viewers with limited knowledge of algorithms.
On a side note, throughout my project, I've found myself repeatedly considering human psychology and behavior, which has significantly influenced my design process. Interestingly, these considerations and decisions often arise serendipitously rather than being planned consciously. I'm still exploring how these factors prompt me to consider them, as they seem to emerge naturally in my workflow rather than being explicitly planned.
Open Studios Crowd
Conversations w/ Design Agencies
During the second day of Open Studios, I noticed two individuals who kept coming and going from my station, giving me the impression that they were specifically looking for me. When they began to explore my work area, it became clear that they were more interested in learning about me personally rather than my project. Their questions felt like I was on a first date: asking about my profession, hobbies, sources of inspiration, and opinions on various topics. It gradually evolved into an informal interview, catching me off guard when they unexpectedly asked for designers whose work resembled mine. Fortunately, I managed to mention a few names that impressed them which then prompted them to introduce that they were from Dragon Rouge.
Gokce, the Creative Director, provided the validation my work had been seeking for over a year. It's incredibly gratifying to have someone turn what felt like a delusion into a tangible reality. Prior to this, my perception of how people viewed my work was based solely on assumptions stemming from my personal experiences. Reflecting back, I remember not being able to fully appreciate computational and generative works until I gained a deeper understanding of the medium. It was then that I could genuinely appreciate and critically evaluate works in this domain.
This realization also brought to light the importance of striking a balance in communicating with different audiences. While I designed my project with audiences like Gokce in mind—those who can truly appreciate it—I failed to recognize earlier that this group is quite niche. If given the choice between designing for a broad audience and a specific group, I would opt for the latter. Personally, I believe that catering to this niche group would contribute significantly to my growth as a designer and my ideal social identity.
The folks from Dragon Rouge were refreshingly candid with me. They mentioned that my project isn’t typically what a design agency would gravitate towards. However, they did take an interest in my personal portfolio site, which led to them sharing a namecard with me. Before parting ways, they advised me to streamline my project description. They felt there was an abundance of unnecessary information, reinforcing my resolve to simplify it and ensure it aligns with my viewers' comprehension levels regarding the project's topic.
Personal Work
Dragon Rouge's style of Work
Conversations w/ Design Studios
During the first hour of Open Studios, a senior designer from Farm Studio approached me, leading to an informal interview-like conversation. Instead of delving into my work, we discussed my plans post-graduation, focusing on my internship experience and future career aspirations.
I've meticulously mapped out my 10-year plan. Initially, I aim to gain experience in a design studio environment, honing skills in pitching, presenting, and negotiating, and understanding Singapore's design industry dynamics. This phase, estimated at 2-4 years, sets the groundwork for transitioning into a design agency for stability and financial comfort. Beyond that, I intend to navigate based on personal preferences and comfort.
The conversation shifted to project preferences. I expressed a penchant for arts and creative projects, citing my internship's involvement in exhibitions and art shows. This led to a discussion about the balance between passion projects and financially viable ones. While my preferred projects may not always be the most lucrative, I noted that they often receive government grants and funding, balancing out in the long run.
Towards the end, I received an interview invitation from Farm Studio. Despite the opportunity, I lean towards smaller team environments for now, preferring collaborative settings over competing for projects internally at this stage of my career.
On the last day of Open Studios, Yasser gave me an opportunity to present my work to Studio TMRRW. With some prior knowledge of their focus on motion design, I anticipated their interest in my project. When they asked about the tools I used, the conversation naturally turned to TouchDesigner and a comparison with Processing, a software I'm less familiar with.
Through this discussion, I realized how comfortable I am with TouchDesigner and how valuable it is to me. I believe TouchDesigner is ideal for designers transitioning to computational design due to its intuitive interface. Even without coding experience, designers can navigate TouchDesigner's tools effectively, unlike traditional programming software.
Despite their interest, Studio TMRRW raised concerns about integrating TouchDesigner into projects. They highlighted the industry trend towards streamlined workflows and collaboration-friendly software, an area where TouchDesigner doesn't excel. While it's powerful for individual creativity, its complexities can pose challenges in collaborative design settings.
The kind of projects I would love to work on
Reflections
On the final day of Open Studios, we had a class where everyone presented their work, showcasing significant progress since the first semester. Ly's project particularly impressed me with its approach to a complex topic, delivering highly effective outcomes. Similarly, Siyoun's work, while simple, was incredibly effective, making me question if I had been overthinking my own project.
Andreas provided feedback to everyone, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that others understand the thought and considerations behind our work. This resonated with me, considering the extensive thinking and contextualization I undertook to make sense of my complex topic. It's a process I'm gradually refining.
Reflecting on Open Studios, I realized I missed an opportunity by not printing questions for people to answer on post-its. The feedback I received was positive, but lacked depth. Nevertheless, the overall reception of my project was positive, with many expressing appreciation for it. I also received several book recommendations, though I now believe the focus should shift more towards presentation than research… But it reassured me that the project topic I chose is relevant today.
In general, Open Studios provided invaluable feedback and insights into how my work was perceived. After a week of reflection, I feel it's time to shift focus back to completing the remaining tasks at hand.
Ly's Work & Setup