OUGD601 - Dissertation - Module Evaluation

Overall this module has been a success from start to finish from my perspective from beginning to the end. The module has taught me very crucial traits and skills that I will take on further in to my graphic design career. It has been a very crucial learning process for me, firstly due to the fact that as a designer my literary and critical analysis traits are lacking in some proffesionalism and clarity and so it has helped me to further develop me overall skills within these areas. This has been further developed within my researching skills. Previously my researching skills have been undermining my theoretical writing due to the fact that in the past I haven't been as proficient at researching and so this has massively effected my writing skills as a designer. The final of my personals skills that it has furthered is my skills in time keeping and planning. Overall during past written investigation my time keeping skills have held me back in the way that the inability to keep to a schedule has found me behind and trying to catch up at every instance. Due to this for this investigation I added massive emphasis my project management skills in order to ensure that it is completed to the best of my ability and the need to catch up hasn't held me back.

The first aspect of the exploration that have advanced me as a designer is the written element of the module. Through the systematic analysis of different design aesthetics found within the world of fashion editorial I have developed a new skills for the identification of design aesthetic evident within graphic design but not only this, I have also furthered my ability to reason the extent to which these aesthetics are intentional implemented to aid contextual backing. The synthesis between the written and physical components of the investigation has enabled me to further advance my ability to fully investigate a research question from initial ideas to completion of writing and to how this research and investigation of literary sources can manifest themselves within the practical elements of a research question.

OUG601 - Dissertation & Practical - Synthesis

Synthesis­

Before looking at the synthesis between the written and practical elements of my context of practice three investigation there must firstly be a look back at the initial research question the whole essay revolved around to identify exactly what was intended through the exploration­­­. The research question and complete purpose of the exploration was to examine and determine how aesthetic decision can be implemented through the design process of fashion magazines to create theoretical and contextual links between content and delivery. The exploration then includes a further investigation centred on how the implementation of these design aesthetic can be directly relatable to the overall perception of the fashion industry and its ideologies.

Within the written exploration it was identified that the giant glossy periodicals such as vogue implement design aesthetics to help convey the overall content of the magazine and their own brand ideology. This is done by creative typographic and illustrative treatments of which aid the viewer in the understanding of the content of the articles. The exploration then went on to concur that while said magazines do use these aesthetics to represent content and brand ideology actually these representation that are constructed throughout the magazines are not only unrepresentative of the contemporary woman but actually perpetuate harmful misconceptions of the feminine identity and create gender differences that go on to manifest in social inequalities. The exploration finalized by also examining a number of alternative contemporary fashion and lifestyle magazines of which rather than continuing to perpetuate harmful stereotypes instead actually have an ideology of which is directly contrasting to the normality’s built by the fashion industry. Rather than using design aesthetics to represent the constructed normality’s of femininity instead through the implantation of simple design aesthetics they counteract this by conveying the importance of the women features in the articles and their achievements. With all aesthetics only aiding the conveying of solely their important content and not heir brand ideology.

These written findings materialize and synthesize within the practical elements of my context of practice module by means od implementing the exact same aesthetics that were identified within the written exploration but instead implementing them within my own practical magazine project. The magazine features a half and half style structure in which the implementation of both of these aesthetics is evident In order to evidence the fact that not only have I understood the means in which aesthetics are used within fashion magazines learnt through the written investigation but also shows that I have the ability to accurately implement and represent these aesthetics myself though my practical project.

OUGD601 - Practical - Production

Format & Audience

The audience of the magazine is quite large, due to the nature of the intention of it to be appropriate and attractive to anyone who reads fashion magazines and isnt happy with the media perception related to the fashion giants.

This means that due to the large audience, the magazines must be as accessible as it possible can be in order to ensure that as many people could reas the magazine as possible, and therefore overall must be as cheap as it can be in production. The A5 paper size of the magazine aids this trait.

Stock Choices

The stock choice was a crucial aspect of the production decisions for the magazine. The decison was made to use a 120gsm glossy paper stock The first of these was tha the glossy paper is most relevant to existing magazines within the industry, which should attract the correct target audience. The decision of weight of the stock (120gsm) ensures the thinner stock allows the thichness and creep of the book to remain appropriate while binding. The thinner stock also allowed the price of production to stay down and therefore the retail price to stay down respectvely

Binding Method

For the binding method of the final prouct of the practical project for this context of practice three module the decision was made to implment a simple staple bound saddle stitch method.

This decision was made due to its time and cost effectiveness. These were btoh crucial issues as the perspective magazine if in the real world industry would have to be able to be produced as cheaply in possible in large quanties to ensure it could be sold at a cheaper price to attract perspectve audience.

OUGD601 - Practical - Visual Research

Visual 

Research

Due to the nature of the practical being centred around proving the conclusion of the essay, the ony real forms of visual reseach that are approprate for this brief is looking at the editorials that are the feature of the written dissertation in order to aid the replication of the implementation of aesthetics

VOUGE

When looking at the vogue editoials it is immidietly appharent that the use of aesthetic to represent content and brand ideology is very evident. The use of typographic trickery, feminine aesthetics and mysterious photography culminating in the overall femining ideal of womanhood they convey through the magazine, which during the dissertation was disproved to be unrepresentative of contemporary women.

Riposte/

The 

Gentlewoman

Instead magazines like Riposte and The Gentlewoman rid the magazines of these over-feminine cliche aesthetics in the place for much cleaner simplistic typographic treatments and layouts in order to not take any concentration away from the real feature of the magazine, the women the magazines revolve around and their lifetime achievements and goals. Much more sucessfully representing the contemorary woman.

OUGD601 - Dissertation - Progress Tutorial 4

OUGD601 - Dissertation - Progress Tutorial 3

OUGD601 - Dissertation - Progress Tutorial 2

OUGD601 - Dissertation - Progress Tutorial 1

OUGD601 - Dissertation - Content Analysis Methodology & Results

Although this section will also be used to comprise a chapter of the final written dissertation, it was also necessary to document the achieved of the content analysis here on the blog due to the fact that it is also acting as a major source of research that sections of my dissertation will be revolved around. Below is the evidence of the systematic analysis and procedural choices made during the content analysis for this exploration.

Primary Research – Content Analysis

Abstract

The soul objective of this primary research was to observe and determine, through analysis of purely the content, the aesthetics and design principles that are regularly found within a range/selection of editorial magazines by the fashion giant, VOGUE. The observation attempted to discover about the editorial by catagorising the aesthetics observed in to a range of different classifications. These classifications will give an insight in to what the designers intend to convey through the editorial itself.

Due to its long lasting history in the world of fashion, VOGUE over the years has adopted a very singular approach to the way the magazine itself should look and through this primary analysis the objective was to analyse how through the editorial, the aesthetics were implemented within the design process. Furthermore from these discoveries it then assesses what these aesthetics say about the magazine design and finally how the Form, Function & Audience of the magazine looked at through their Target Audience and Readers, affects the aesthetics discovered.

Due to the nature of the grandeur and heritage that is associated with the world of fashion, and respectively fashion editorial it has been a massively discussed topic in the world of theory and literature, all of these addressing different aspects of fashion such as Aesthetics, Heritage, Context and even as specialist as Culture, Socio-political and Economical concentrations. (For example, A Beard, 2012; R Lewis, 1997; J Entwistle, 2002; M Tiggemann, 2009; S Budgeon, 1995; J Shaw, 1995) all of which have a main concentration on the world of fashion editorials but differ on the means in which they address the focus of their respective topics. J Shaw (1995) assesses fashion not as a sole practice itself, but actually assesses the way in which fashion can play the part in a bigger picture of psychological effects on the human consciousness, more specifically within the world of body dissatisfaction. S Budgeon (1995) uses the topic of fashion as a medium in which she discusses how the world of fashion, through history had aided or deterred the advancements of feminism and liberation. Finally A Beard (2002) harnesses fashion as a means of documentation of history and heritage, related to a specific time/era. All of these examples show in very different means, the way that fashion and fashion editorial can be used as a medium to discuss a wider overarching topic. During the exploration within this essay, the discussion and analysis will centre on fashion editorial as a means of assessing socio-political and economical statutes within design.

This content analysis that formed the basis of the primary research will then be built upon within the exploration of VOUGE and furthermore fashion editorial as a whole. This analysis was formed around the basis of grounded theory as a method of research and analysis, as this was evidently the most reasoned and informed approach to assessing the components that constitute the overall aesthetics of VOGUE magazine. In his own words J. Smith refers to grounded theory as;

“Grounded theory is a comparative, iterative, and interactive method (of research) that provides a way to study empirical processes. It consists of flexible methodological strategies for building theories from indicative data.” (Jonathan A. Smith, 2015, p.54)

Although grounded theory usually refers to the conclusion of a range of data developed mainly for the purposes of psychological and sociological explorations, it is also applicable in this situation as it allows for a means of quantifying the data observed within the primary research of this exploration.

Methodology

Simply put in the words of the theorists that coined the term, grounded theory is “the discovery of theory from data systematically obtained from social research” (Glaser & Strauss 1967, p.2) referring to a method of data analysis they developed. For this method of analysis a sample range of content is examined, during this the author/examiner identifies and tally’s the occurrence of a number of different pre-determined properties whether it be theoretical in most cases of this analysis style, or aesthetic in the case of this exploration. These aesthetic aspects will then also conform in to a short list of pre-cogitated categories identified earlier in the analysis stage.

“The basic criterion governing the selection of comparison groups for discovering theory is their theoretical relevance for furthering the development of emerging categories. The re-searcher chooses any groups that will help generate, to the fullest extent, as many properties of the categories as possible.” (Barney G Glaser, 1967, p.49)_­

The aesthetic categories of Typography, Photography, Imagery/Iconography & Layout were pre-determined before going in to the analysis. These aesthetic ‘groups’ were outlined in order to help the discovery of the individual properties of the aesthetic trends the examination is aiming to discover. Each of the instances in which these occur is tallied and all instances formatted in to a table documenting each of the trends. The data of which is discovered through this content analysis will be used to form the basis of the detailed visual analysis later in this exploration.

Sample

To ensure the consistency throughout the primary research stage, for the purpose of the content analysis it was crucial that an appropriate sample range was analysed. Firstly to ensure that the sample range analysed is of acceptable size for the level of systematic analysis needed, but also to ensure that an appropriate range of material examined will provide enough stimulus to come to an informed conclusion. As the content of the analysis, VOGUE was pre-determined the decision came down to the length and chronology of the proposed sample. As the nature of the exploration requires the trending aesthetics to be observed over a specific time period it would only be appropriate to ensure that the sample was large enough in duration that it allowed for the identifying of certain criteria within the editorial. Due to the fact that VOUGE is a monthly periodical, releasing twelve issues per year it became quickly evident that a full year sample was the appropriate sample length to ensure that all relevant re-occurring aesthetic trends can be observed, ensuring the reliability of the analysis. The final decision was the chronology of the analysis sample. As the exploration centres around current aesthetic trends and their link to socio-political and economical factors of VOUGE readers it was apparent that to obtain valid analysis that the sample must be comprised of the twelve most recent editions from current date, December 2015 to November 2016.

Procedure

For the process from which the content analysis was generated the author examined each of the twelve consecutive editions of the periodical VOGUE. These examinations to determine the extent of which pre-determined aesthetic aspects, that conform in to major aesthetic categories occur throughout the editorial, these categories being Typography, Photography, Imagery/Iconography & Layout. By employing pre-determined aesthetic groups the author acting as the analyst examined every page of each of the editions of the magazine in order to identify each of the occurrences of the aesthetic trends under examination. Each of the occurrences of the trends recorded by means of a simple tally system. The original four aesthetic categories were used throughout the analysis as a means of generating a number of different properties of the categories as possible. These were evident throughout the analysis due to the repetitiveness of which they occur within the editorial. The tallied occurrences of the individual visual properties were all then formatted in to a table of results. These properties outlined during the investigations to be taken further in to the detailed analysis sections of this exploration.

Table of Categories/Criteria Identified

Bold Typography	Typography of which is heavy in weight.
Serif Typography	Typography that contains serifs in its anatomy.
Contrasting Typography	Large difference between the weights of two pieces of typography on a page.
Italicised typography	Typography that is normally slanted slightly to the right.
Justified Typography	Paragraphs of text of which are levelled of straight on both the left and right side.
Seasonal Colour	Colours within the design that link to the content of the article seasonally.
Contextual Colour	Colours within the design that link contextually to the content of the article
B&W Photography	Imagery that is mono-chromic in colour, only black and white.
Colour Photography	Imagery that is situated in full-saturated colour.
Drop Capital Letters	The inclusion of larger initial letters to begin articles for aesthetic effect.
Columnar Layout	Structured columnar layout for heavy text articles.
Classic Portraiture	Full frontal headshot photography.
On Location Photography	Photography shot at the location the article pertains to.
Catwalk Photography	Photography that contains image of catwalk/runway shows.
Nude Photography	Photography that contains human nudity.
International Culture	Examples of information within articles and design that centres international culture
Illustrations & Drawings­
Urban Aesthetics	Examples of aesthetics that contain contemporary, youthful urban pastiche.
Post-M­­odern Aesthetics	Examples of aesthetics that directly like with post-modernist theory.

Tally of Results & Occurrences

OUGD601 - Dissertation - Primary Research - Content Analysis

After discussing with Richard during the first of my individual progress tutorials about where primary research would be applied within my exploration the decision has been made to complete the primary analysis in the form of systematic content analysis.

Due to the fact that my dissertation chapter one pertains to the examination and identification of specific design aesthetics within the graphic design of fashion magazines, the primary research in the form of a content analysis would give me the opportunity to thoroughly and systematically identify the traits in these design aesthetics. The content analysis will materials in the form of an investigation in to how design is used within VOGUE magazine. It will include the meticulous analysis of a range of different VOGUE magazines to identify the extent to which aesthetic trends occur within them.

Below is an example of another content analysis provided to me by Richard, completed C. Eddie Palmer pertaining to Pornographic comics. This example will be very useful as the first point of research for this section as a content analysis is an elements of which I'm not very knowledgeable or proficient in and so this example will help to guide my content analysis correctly and will show me an example of how this should be completed.

After looking at multiple examples of pre-existing content analysis' the decision was made to follow a simple linear method of practice, based upon all examples that were evaluated. Due to the nature of content analysis as primary research there is an inherent order of practice and this is the order in which I will also follow.
The first stage of the primary research is to introduce the intention of the overall investigation the content analysis centres around, reasoning why the subject area was chosen and what I will take from the investigation through an Abstract section. This will outline the means in which the content analysis will be completed.
The next stage of the analysis is to outline a strict methodology that the analysis will adhere to. This will have the objective of identifying out outlining all reasoning for the content analysis by means of evaluation. This linear method will include sections in which the sample of media analysed will be reasoned, the procedure in which this sample will be analysed systematically and finally outline the categories of which will be looked for throughout the content analysis.
After this is completed the actual content analysis can then be completed thoroughly and systematically, identifying all evidence of design aesthetics within my chosen sample of VOGUE magazines. Finally the results of the content analysis will be identified and analysis to see the extend to which design aesthetics trends occur within the VOGUE magazines and all of the results of the information will be formatted in to a table of results of occurrences.