DCX101 Design Context Assignment 2

{`Subject Code and Title DCX101: Design Context 
Assessment 2                   Design Project  
Individual/Group 	       Individual 
Laureate International Universities
`}

Learning Outcomes

a) Have applied software skills learnt in this subject to develop and complete assessments.

c) Have demonstrated sufficient knowledge of major milestones in history of design to have designed an artefact informed by history – have nominated and translated a key learning into own context.

Context:

This assessment task is designed to extend further the student’s ability to translate research material into key learning applicable to their context. Achieved through an exploration of the self within a constructed environment utilising several signifiers (symbols and or objects) to represent a particular period.

Drawing on the concept of a tableau vivant (French for living picture), a style of artistic presentation whereby a costumed actor (or actors) poses in a theatrically lit scene, you are required to create a photographic tableau. However, please note you are not obliged to create a full costume to do this. For inspiration, view the work of Cindy Sherman’s conceptual portraits.

The idea of a photographic tableau began in the 1970s and 1980s with Jean-Francois

Chevrier penning an essay titled ‘The Adventures of the Picture Form in the History of Photography’ in 1989. The photographic tableau has a foundation in pictorialist photography (see Alfred Stieglitz) where photographers attempted to imitate painting.

However, as photography embraces spontaneity and encourages the capture of chance events, the photographic tableau combines this with more formal compositional aspects.

Chevrier (1989) noted that an essential characteristic of contemporary photographic scenes is to distance the viewer from the object. The viewer of the image is invited to stand back and observe the picture in its entirety to take it all in. Keep this in mind when creating your own.

Instructions:

In this assessment task, you will visually depict an historical period and place yourself or part of yourself within a constructed background using at least three appropriate signifiers (symbols / designed objects) of that era. The final image will be accompanied by a 750 word written reflection outlining your design thinking in an appropriate academic context.

Remember to keep developing your design thinking skills by using drawing as a way of thinking (story boarding). This is an important element of planning your photographic tableau, as it will help you to brainstorm and visually record your ideas.

Create drawings to do with composition, lighting, clothing, background/location, the historical signifiers you will use, as well as any other details that will need to be considered.

The key to any successful final product will be in the planning to ensure your design ideas are well considered and relevant, as well as issues to do with the execution of your photograph and how to address issues if they arise.

Please plan well so you don’t leave everything to the last minute.

Photographic Tableau

Building on the research material you have explored in the subject to date, you are asked to generate a design response influenced by a particular historical period. Your photographic tableau should include you or part of yourself within the composition, and you may add others if you wish.

Additionally, you should include an appropriate location or backdrop and three signifiers typical of the historical period you are representing. Please note that you are not required to create a full costume to complete this task, you may wish to express your historical period through small details such as an item of clothing or an accessory, a pose (profile, full figure, etc.), the background. You may also wish to create a still life table-scape, in which you would place relevant objects (for instance food and cutlery), but you would still need to ensure there is a human element by inserting yourself somehow. Think about how best to define your historical era and showcase the particular signifiers you have chosen.

Note: Do not replicate an existing image (painting etc.). Instead, you are encouraged to create your composition, which, if you choose can be a digital composition (created in Photoshop, Illustrator etc.) based on the research you have completed and your understanding of the relevant era.

Written reflection

Your final submission will also include a written reflection that orders your design thinking into an appropriate academic rationale. Written reflection to be 750 words and will include:

• An introductory paragraph that outlines your design project including the historical period you have chosen, the signifiers you selected (at least three) and the location you used, as well as any other content your reflection will cover.
• An explanation of your project work – how did you progress from your initial idea through construction to final outcome. What issues arose and how did you address them? You may support your discussion with evidence of your design process here (photos, scans, sketches, story boards, etc.).
• Discuss how your design project outcome is related to ideas, theories, and design work. You will also discuss in greater detail the signifiers you selected and the location you used within your images – what is their significance?

How do they connect with the historical period you are representing?

What meanings do they convey? Do they have any connection to present culture?

• A concluding paragraph in which you draw your discussion to a close by summarising the previous content and making a concise statement.
• Include an APA reference list for all documents you cited within your essay (see the APA guide for more details). You should reference material from at least three books and two journal articles. Note: this reference list is not to be included in your 750 word count.

Your written report should use appropriate academic language and adhere to the referencing conventions of the design discipline (see APA Guide). You may draw on the material you gathered for Assessment 1 in your discussion. However, do not to copy and paste it directly (this is a form of plagiarism). Instead, use this material to inform your thinking rather than directly insert it into your rationale.

Learning Rubrics