Intercultural Design - Cultural Sensitivity

5.3.2024 - 22.3.2024 (Week 1 - Week 7)
Vanessa Kei Kurniadi / 0360525
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Intercultural Design - Cultural Sensitivity

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Instructions

Project 1: Proposal (5/2/24 - 26/2/24)

To-do list:

• Form groups of a maximum of 6
• Members propose a few different ideas
• Do some general research on the topic of 'Cultural Sensitivity in Design' and find 3 topics to focus on
• Come up with a 200-word rationale for each topic

The first physical class held was on week 2 due to the CNY holidays. There, we were asked to form groups of six based on the requirements put forth by the lectures. My group consisted of:

• Cathy (Teh Ming En)
• Joanna (Tang Chin Ting)
• Joey Lok
• Siang Huey Yee
• Vanessa Kei (Me)
• Janice Marie

Pooling Ideas In

After we had decided on our group, we found an empty class and sat down to discuss what topic we wished to do. The topics were compiled based on our preliminary research. The topic was then compiled into a document for easy access and later shown to the lecture for feedback. 

fig 1.1 Screenshot of some ideas proposed (19/2/24)

Task Delegation

After getting some feedback from the lectures, we decided to choose the topic 'Dragon Symbolism in the East and the West' as our topic. From there, we split the research into sections and delegated the task. Janice helped with the research on Eastern Dragons. 

The information was compiled into a Google doc first for easy viewing. After all the information was compiled we opened our friend Canva and started making the slides. 

fig 1.2 Task delegation from WhatsApp (19/2/24)

fig 1.3 Completed proposal document (22/2/24)

Recorded Presentation

We were then required to record a presentation of our proposal, with a maximum time limit of 10 mins. Zoom was chosen as our platform for the presentation. Janice was chosen as the person to control the slides for the presentation.

After that, Janice edited and fixed any mistakes in Premier Pro, and we submitted the video and slides.

Slide and Presentation

fig 1.4 Presentation slides

fig 1.5 Presentation Video (25/2/24)

Project 2: Field Study (27/2/24 - 7/3/24)

To-do list:

Carry out research on dragons via observation study/interview/visual research

The first week of this project was used to do research on general information. During the second week of this assignment, we were informed about our chosen topic and carried out the research.

Task Delegation

After getting our assigned supervisor, Ms Anis, we finally properly split the tasks and assigned work.

fig 2.1 Task delegation for project 2 (3/3/24)

(My task was later changed into making some more shirt design sketches as application from the data collection)

Data Collection 

Our data collection methods consisted of 3 options

• Site visit: Visiting Chinese temples to observe the dragon decoration architecture 
• Online visual analysis: Visually analyze Western and Eastern artefacts that have dragon motifs
• Google online survey: Collecting the public opinion on dragon symbolism and what is the preferred dragon design.

Site Visit

Our group members visited temples in Selangor and Melaka. They discovered sesveral types of dragons in different parts of temple and captured images of them. We conducted this field study to observe the decorative dragon architecture of Eastern Dragon.

fig 2.2 Ideas for site visit (23/2/24)

fig 2.2 Site Visit on Eastern Dragon in Temples (4/3/24)

Online Visual Analysis

We also did visual analysis on both Western and Eastern dragons. Due to the fact we could not find any temples or sites with Western dragons to visit, we found artefacts of them online through Google Arts and Culture and museum archives. 

fig 2.3 Online visual analysis on dragons

Google Online Survey

Janice was tasked with coming up with the Research questions and objectives, Google survey and Eastern Dragon online visual analysis. The information was typed directly into the slides due to time constraints. After drafting and getting approval from everyone, the form was released to the public. 

While waiting for the response from Google Forms, Janice carried out some additional visual analysis on Eastern dragons after getting some feedback from the lecturer. Information for the visual analysis was obtained from Google Arts and Culture through their online museum exhibitions.

fig 2.4 Google From draft (6/3/24)

fig 2.5 Screenshot of Google form (7/3/24) 

Google form link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeP7r_KEMowqFDCs-H0SiFNCVRbKoLHF8FeugKldvEGSOUtQA/viewform?usp=sf_link

A total of 45 responses were collected from the Google forms. After obtaining the responses, Janice carried out the data interpretation. Additionally, a smaller key points table was added at the end of the slides, to sum up our findings. 

Final Data Collection

fig 2.6 Data collections slides (11/3/24)

Final Project (7/3/24 - 29/3/24)

To-do list:

• Come up with the shirt design
• Come up with the zine art direction and layout
• Take the photos for the shirt 
• Edit the designs onto the photos
• Finalize the zine
• Presentation

For the final product, we decided to follow Ms Anis' advice and do a fashion zine with dragon theme crop-tops designed by us.

Task Delegation

We decided to have each group member design a shirt first so we would have enough designs to put into the zine.

Following that, we split the task into 2 teams the magazine/zine design team and the photography/editing team. A short timeline was also set to ensure we could finish the project on time.

fig 3.1 Task delegation + timeline for final project (19/3/24)

Janice did a little editing practice for the shirt mockups

fig 3.2 little test run by Janice (19.3.24)

Photoshoot

It was decided that the photoshoot date would be on the 16th of March (Sat) as we wanted to complete the final product before the deadline. Below are the details of the photoshoot:

• Time: 8.30am
• Date: 16th March (Saturday)
• Location: Stairs next to the lake (the stairs near Typography class) 
• People: Joey(camera), Huey Yee(model/camera), Vanessa(model/camera), Janice(model/camera)

After the date was decided, I tried to look for a shirt that is the closest with my design. On the photoshoot day Janice was a bit late to the shoot as she overslept, so we went ahead and shot our parts before she arrived, so we managed to shoot all the shots needed for the project before lunchtime. 

Editing Photos

After the pictures were uploaded, Janice and I split the work and started editing. It took me a variety of 30 minutes to 2 hours of editing depending on how complicated the raw photo is, but eventually we managed to finished it and it came out very nice, especially considering none of us are photoshop expert.

fig 3.3 some of the editing process (18/3/24)

The picture below is my hardest editing because I had to change the short color from black to white. The process is much more complicated because my hair is in the way :')

I tried to use layer blending modes to try to merge a solid white color into the shirt, but none of them worked. So I eventually looked for a shirt texture from the internet and stick it into the shirt. I also had to hand drew some of the hair strands because the masking tool isn't working the way I wanted.

The whole process took approximately 2 hours of intense staring into my laptop screen. I had to modify a lot of shadings, making sure the overall look seem realistic.

fig 3.4 one of my edits that wasn't used in the end :') (19/3/24)

Here are the results of the editings:

fig 3.5 before and after editing photos. left: before; right: after (19/3/24)

Magazine

I was not in the zine-making team so I just stalked the Canva page a lot. I decided at the start to not interfere with the art direction of the team as I did not want to mess up their creative process. 

The magazine was then uploaded into a PDF to flipbook website and made into a flipbook. 

fig 3.6 Zine layout as of (20/3/24)

Presentation

We were to record a final presentation for our final output. We decided to film it on the 24th of March a Sunday. After finishing up the presentation slides, it was decided that everyone would present. We split up the presentation and assigned a time to each of the members. The recording was done through Zoom yet again. After that, Janice edited the video in Premier Pro. 

However, on Monday (25th March), after getting the update requirements for the slides from the lecturers, we found out that we were missing some content in the slide. We re-edited the slides and re-filmed the additional content. Janice then edited the additional content into the existing presentation. 

fig 3.7 Task delegation for presentation (22/3/24)

Final Output

Magazine flipbook: https://online.fliphtml5.com/ksrkn/srhj/

fig 3.9 Magazine PDF slides (24/3/24)

fig 3.10 Presentation slides (24/3/24)

fig 3.11 Presentation video (24/3/24)

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Feedback

Week 3

• 20/02/2024

Come up with 3 sketches for your project output. The 3 sketches combo can be for example: 1 rationale + 3 sketches or 3 rationale + 1 sketch each, and vice versa. The context must be based on the project brief and theme.

Week 4

• 28/02/2024

You can proceed with data collection for 3 topics first, then we will narrow it down for final output to just 1.

Week 5

• 04/03/2024

Good find. it would be great too if you can add depiction of dragons in other parts of eastern culture (you can extract this from online info such as https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/mythic-creatures/dragons/asian-dragons).

Based on your current compilation, it seems that you can sort of start thinking what are the design for the merchandise that you want to create. I suppose, you can based this on your target viewers as well, as younger people may have different expectation compared to older ones. Perhaps concentrate more on street wear that depict dragons and portray design sensitivity from that aspect? Casual wear, but still present the proud, powerful nature of dragons? 

• 08/03/2024

Since your group already decided to create shirt design with dragon motifs, you can now sketch out the look + motifs to go with the shirt as well. perhaps you can also target a specific fashion trend (i.e. crop top feels like 90s right? While the onesies feels more like the cutesy type) for the output. But I leave that to you to decide, as long you provide rationale for your decision. good job!

Week 6

• 13/03/24

You can take picture of yourself wearing a blank T-shirt and then photoshop the design on top of it. Give that one a try.

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Reflection

Experience

This project has been a wild ride for me. I am never a person who is much interested in cultural things let alone making a research and making a product out of it. I am very much grateful for the help and guidance of my teammates. They are full of ideas and always so kind to help out in case we need help with our tasks.

We had the most difficulties trying to find a good topic for our cultural sensitivity project. But after we got some options and feedbacks form our lecturers, even though we started out a bit confused it slowly but surely became quite a smooth ride. We were given task division according to what we are good at or if someone is able to help with that particular task. The group had a lot of discussions so even though there are so much things that made it hard for me to catch up with what's happening, I can still get the bigger picture from the discussion on the group chat, which is something I'm extremely grateful for.

Observation

I know Joey as quite the ambitious person. But in group projects that is balanced with her guiding her team members on what we could do. She doesn't want us to do the bare minimum, so she always share great ideas that she had, and even helped out in a lot of things. Even though Janice is the leader, I could say Joey feels like the co-leader in that group. Her direction has helped us a long way for this project.

Janice is an easy-going and chill leader. Our group discussion is full of jokes and memes, which helped to enlighten the mood and raised the motivation of everyone. She came out as chill and lenient, but her character combined with Joey's great direction and task delegation is a perfect match to bring out the best from everyone.

Huey Yee is a new face for me since she's not from my semester nor class. But she talked a lot during discussion and we joked around and even talked a lot during the photoshoot day. But the more I know her, I realized she's a very kind and helpful person. She's great both as a person and a teammate, which makes me enjoy talking with her. She helped out in a lot of things in our project and always volunteer to help with things she's capable of doing, which is amazing of her.

I didn't talk much with Cathy and Joanna, so I can't say much about them. But I know they both are kind people and they are about this project. They might not speak out much, but always gave out best results when needed. They mostly kept silence after the task delegation is given out, but when it comes to presenting, I know they have done some research in their parts and even gave more than decent content on the slides.

All of my teammates are amazing. I don't know what I did to deserve such a great team. Rather than thinking whether everyone's doing their job properly, I feel like they did more work than I do, since I'm mostly just in charge of the sketching (even though that isn't an easy task either). I'm sometimes worried if I did enough and did a good job for my part. But everyone is always so kind and appreciative of my work, which makes me feel touched every time.

Findings

From this project I have learned a lot about the eastern and western dragons, both in their similarities and differences. While also researching for my sketches and design I got to learn about clothing and props material (after all the hard work of looking for "fluffy or comfy props material" results lol). I also learned some more design knowledge from the work of my teammates, as well as learning about using the Canva itself, because I don't really use them aside from group projects. Overall, I can say I learned a lot of small and big things from this project, which I really enjoyed.