Micro Music Genre: Idea development, Scratch Cards

In order to further develop my initial ideas I've explore the concept of creating a scratch cards based on popular football chants. Due to the 20 teams within the Premier League it was difficult to decide how to proceed with this concept as each team has specific chants and I also had multiple ideas of how to present the chants in scratch card from. Initially I had the idea to create a make your own chant scratch card based on songs often used within chants however it was difficult to decided which team to create these for. This lead to the development of focusing on Liverpool FC as they instigated the use of chants within fan culture, potentially creating a pair of scratch cards for the Merseyside Derby as this is one of the most intense rivalries within the Premier League. Consequently in order to create visuals I looked at fan memorabilia taking imagery and motifs from team crests and pin badges (see figure 1-4). During this experimentation I felt the small details found within the badges and crest particularly interesting as they reference the team without being overly obvious which works well as the audience, existing fans will be familiar with the smaller details (see figure 3). This lead to the use of these motifs to represent the sections where fans will scratch to reveal the hidden message/word. Upon reflection of the initial designs in which the motifs would be removed to reveal words (see figure 4-7) I felt this was a very basic representation of a scratch card and failed to represent the rivalry between Liverpool FC and Everton FC. In relation to the motifs chosen for Everton FC it was difficult to choose which to go for as there are multiple small motifs compared to Liverpool FC whose only real useable motif is the liverbird, therefor I plan to gain feedback to identify which are most successful (see figures 4-10). In order to represent the rivalry between the two teams I've developed the cards to only feature the words missing from the song with the other spaces being filled with motifs of the opposing team (see figure 11). In relation to the typography for both teams, they have been taken from their branding. In relation to Everton the two common typefaces used Angie-Regular and Levenim MT (see figure 5) which creates an effective visual balance as they complement each other whilst effectively representing the teams branding/aesthetic, compared to the sole use of  Levenim MT which lacks character compared to the use of both typefaces. In relation to Liverpool Albertus Medium has solely been used as this is the most common typeface associated with the club as it features heavily within their branding and on their crest (see figure 7).

In addition another idea for the use of the scratch cards was to have chants hidden in the cards so fans would scratch away to reveal, sparking fans to join in and sing the chant during half-time (see figures 11-13). They could be positioned on each seat so all fans would scratch off at the same time, half-time sparking a back and forth of chants between the rival sides creating the opportunity for new chants to be created from those featured on the cards. However personally I feel the other experimentations aimed at matching the words are more successful as they speak to the audience more effectively and are more playful than those seen in figures 1-13.

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Micro Music Genre: Development, Pin Badges

In order to further my idea generation I've chosen three of the strongest concepts/ideas to develop in order to explore which would best represent the genre. Consequently this lead to the exploration of fan memorabilia, particularly pin badges (see figure 1), leading to the development of a pin badge to commemorate the origins of football chants. Liverpool FC are said to have brought football chants to England after stealing the idea from Brazil Fans during the 1962 World Cup, as the following season Liverpool fans created the 'clap - clap chant'. Due to the limited lyrics of this chant I focused on the hand movements of clapping, drawing different hand shapes in order to see which was most effective (see figure 2). Personally I felt the hands featured on the badge experiments (see figures 3-4) where the most successful as they communicate the motion of clapping with out the hands/fingers looking distorted which occurred in some of the earlier experiments (see figure 2). In order to create a pin badge that could be easily recognised as belonging to Liverpool FC I looked at older pin badges taking inspiration from their shape (see figure 1). The use of a experimenting with a circle (see figure 3) allowed the hands to be the main focus of the pin as well as being similar to more traditional badges that I researched, speaking to the tradition of football chants within fan culture. Furthermore I took inspiration from the Liverpool FC crest as this created a more obvious visual link to the club (see figures 4-5) creating a visual more closely associated with football. In regards to the typography used I initially used Levenim MT (see figure 3) a modern sans serif typeface similar to the those featured on the pin badges seen in figure 1, however I decided to experiment with the typeface traditionally used by Liverpool FC in a lot of its branding, Albertus Medium to see if this created a closer visual link to the club (see figure 5). Upon reflection of these designs I think aesthetically the strongest designs the use of Albertus Medium within the circle pin badge (see figure 3) and the use of Levenim MT in the crest pin badge (see figure 4) as the use of Albertus Medium within the crest experiments looks too heavy and bold whereas Levenium MT subtly complements the design allowing the hands to be the main focus. In relation to the circle experimentation I think this is strongest overall as the simplicity of the circle allows the hands to be the main focus whilst not being overpowered by the use of Albertus Medium for the text surrounding. In order to see how they would look as physical pin badges I've mocked the designs up too see how effective they would be (see figures 6-7). I plan to gain more feedback on these designs in order too see how they can be developed further.

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Micro Music Genre: Initial Ideas

• make your own chant:
• identify key aspects 
• give options 
• list components 
• challenge social issues within the chants 
• faces of fan chanting 
• faces on fans 
• scratch cards:
• make your own chant 
• common songs used 
• common topics of songs 
• suggested replacements 
• chant to commemorate some of the first black football players who received a lot of racists abuse via chants, repurpose chant to show appreciation for their contribution to the sport.
• match day bingo, stamp when crowd or person common phrases or a certain chant is sung 
• Pin badges to commemorate famous chants 
• Fan dictionary:
• based on quotes from commentators, fans, professionals 
• include terms such as foul, attacker, defender, offside 
• humours take on definitions, slang used by fans 
• Flags commemorating chants
• fan quotes 
• rival slurs  
• football grounds 
• chants 
• fan culture 

Luxury Coffee: Metal Processes

In order to determine what processes I have access to within uni I've spoken to one of the technicians to see what finishes and techniques I could use when producing the metal packaging. Consequently I discovered that you can emboss and cut into metal but unfortunately you can't print onto metal as we don't have the necessary facilities.

Embossing:
Metal embossing commonly uses a combination of heat and pressure on metal, depending on what type of embossing is required. Metal sheets are drawn through male and female roller dies creating a pattern/ design on the metal. The combination of heat and pressure 'irons' the design into the metal whilst raising the image higher than the sheet metal to achieve a smooth finish. Impressing refers to an image that's pressed into the sheet metal in comparison to an image that's raised out of the metal. In most pressure embossing machines the upper roll blocks are stationary and the bottom roll blocks are movable, the pressure with which the bottom roll is raised is referred to as the tonnage capacity.

Plasma Cutting:
Plasma cutting involves creating an electrical channel of superheated, electrically ionised plasma. This is done by a compressed gas which is blown through a nozzle at a high speed. Consequently an electrical arc is formed which ionises some of the gas creating an electrically conductive channel of plasma. As electricity from the cutter torch travels down this plasma it delivers sufficient heat to melt through the work piece. At the same time, much of the high velocity plasma and compressed gas blow the hot molten metal away.

Product Range Distribution: Research Pitch

Upon receiving feedback based on my presentation a few suggestions where made such as looking into:

• what makes something true and believable, is it physical?
• what is the aim, raise awareness of how passive we are 
• further research into hyper-reality, lots of people found this to be an interesting topic. 
• continue with visual experiments, try physical production 
• more refined focus, facts are no longer needed, why are we so passive 
• key to discover the truth... 

Luxury Coffee Branding: Initial Experiments

In order to further develop my initial ideas I've looked at the chemical components found within coffee and their molecular structure as the production of coffee, roasting and brewing process is very technical and specific which is something I plan to experiment with incorporating within the label.  However when researching the chemical compounds and molecules in coffee I found it difficult to clearly identify specific chemicals, leading to the use Chlorogenic acid a compound found in phenolic acids caffeic acid (see figures 1-2). In order to simplify the design I focused on one aspect of the molecular structure and repeated a small section in order to create a more abstract representation of the molecule (see figure 2). Once the pattern was created I felt it looked too scientific on its own leading to the incorporation of circles used colours inspired by the change in colour of the coffee bean through production (see figure 3). However upon reflection I felt these experiments where too busy and would distract from the information within the label. Consequently I decided to incorporate colour into the lines themselves whilst incorporating the original label design from previous experiments (see figure 4). However this looked too busy and overwhelmed, leading to blocking out the pattern around the text, however this looked disjointed. Consequently leading to the incorporation of the name of the brand and origin of the coffee within the pattern to make a potential logo (see figure 5) . Upon reflection of these experiments I feel they are too scientific and don't reflect a luxury coffee brand as well as other experiments using contour lines. 

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Luxury Coffee Brand: Initial Ideas

Upon reflection of my initial designs I've looked into existing coffee labels in order to identify the relevant information needed. This lead to alteration to my initial ideas as the resulting in more points being added to the elevation line in order for the information to fit within the label. Consequently leading to taller label being created which I think is more effective than the initial designs. Furthermore I've looked at the topography and contour lines of the Sierra Madre region of Guatemala. This lead to experimenting with different ways to incorporate contour lines within my designs (see figures 1). Initially I had planned to incorporate the contour line across the whole label however  it was difficult to balance the lines and text so that the information on the label could be read easily (see figure 2-3) and when the opacity is lowered enough for the text to be read the lines lack impact. In addition I experimented with editing the individual lines within the set based on elevation inspired by the colours used within a contour map, resulting in higher the elevation the thicker the line. However I was still unhappy with the placement of these experimentations (see figure 4). Consequently this lead to the use of the lines as a small logo featured at the top of the label (see figure 5) which many of my peers liked when gaining peer-to-peer feedback. However I personally felt the placement of the lines was a little awkward and needed further work.

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Due to my frustration with the use of the contour lines I decided to experiment with the use of colour within the label based on the change in colour of the coffee beans throughout there productions process (see figures 6-10). When experimenting with colour it was difficult to find the right colours that complemented the design without being too dark and overpowering the text (see figure -). The use of darker colour would allow the labels/packaging to stand out on the shelf more however the use of white for the text surrounded by the colour makes the information quite difficult to read. This lead to the use of more pastel colours (see figures 7-10), however it was difficult to find bright enough colours that didn't clash with the text. Upon reviewing the initial experimentations I feel figure 10 is the most successful as the use of a rectangular block of colour highlights the text allowing a more minimal aesthetic to be created as inspired by packing by companies such T2 and Whittards. 

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 After reviewing my initial experimented I decided to revisit the use of contour lines within the packaging, however I decided to go back to the map and draw more of the lines (see figure 11). This gave me more options when looking at the patterns within the lines themselves. Consequently leading to the idea to zoom into different sections of the drawn lines to create new patterns (see figure 12). After looking at the different patterns created I decided to combine the lines and the most successful colour experimentations to see if they would complement each other (see figure 13). Personally I feel these designs are the most successful out of those shown previously, however I feel they could be further developed with the experimentation of different processes such as engraving and embossing into both paper and metal.

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Product Range Distribution: Initial design experiments

In order to start repsonding to my research and initial ideas I've experimented with a few of my favourite ideas by quickly visualising them in order to gauge what outcomes could be developed.

Invitation to fake news awards: (figure 1)

One of my very initial ideas was to create a official invitation for Trumps fake news awards, treating the results as an actual physical event in order to highlight the ridiculous nature of the awards which branded many reputable journalists and media networks as reporters of fake news. If this idea was to be further develop the presidential seal could be stamped or foiled onto the invitation to create a more official aesthetic. Furthermore an envelop with a wax seal could also be developed to further create importance to the fictions artefact. However upon reflection I feel this outcome has a very limited concept and fails to reflect the concept of fake news and post truth politics from what I've learnt throughout my research. This idea fit within my initial understanding of fake news which was largely centred around Trump, however since researching further into the topic the connection to Trump has become less relevant. 

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Trusted figures presenting false statements: (figure 2)

Another idea I've experimented with is based on the question I've asked myself constantly throughout my research, what makes fake news believable and what makes post-truth politics so successful. The answer to both of these being that they appeal to peoples emotions and pre-conceptions about certain topics meaning that when an article is presented that fits within these parameters we are less likely to fact check as they aline with what we already believe.  Therefore I've experimented with take false statements and treating them as though they belong to trusted and well-loved icons to see if they appear more believable, which they don't. Furthermore this creation of an oxymoron highlights the fictions nature of the statements highlighting the ridiculous notion that someone could believe in the statement. 

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Redacted Document/ Can't Handle the Truth: (figure 3-5)

Another idea was to present fake news as redacted 'documents' based on the idea that the public can't handle the truth as they choose to believe what fits inline with their personal beliefs. However when developing this idea I discovered the top 10 stories (based on engagement) on the Guardians website, with the top story being 12 camels disqualified from Saudi beauty contest in 'Botox' row. This was particularly interesting to me as it demonstrates how outlandish headlines gain more engagement online, in a similar way to how post-truth politics appeals to people emotions gets more attention online. Furthermore fake news tends to gain more engagement online than real content. In order to test this idea visually I took the camel story and covered certain details in the style of a redacted document, leaving the odd and amusing aspects of the story visible. The use of the statement 'you can't handle the truth' adds context to the focus on post-truth politics as more and more people are treating facts as opinions choosing what they believe. The use of the camel story highlights the how ridiculous it is to pick and choose facts so we don't have to change are minds, whereas if we listened to the truth we would probably be alright in the same way you would be fine if you read the article about camel botox. Personally I think the concept behind this experiment is interesting however the visuals are not very strong, as its quite difficult to understand the concept based on one poster. Furthermore the harsh black blocks against the red typography create a clash making it slightly difficult to read. This lead to the use of blue to block out the information as it allowed the text to read moe easily, however this looks less official taking context away from the concept. The use of a light grey allows the experimentation to look more official whilst the text is easily visible, however I feel the format of a poster or series of posters lacks impact. If this idea was to be developed it could be presented in the form of a publication or file resembling government files/documents more accuratly. 

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Product Range Distribution: Hyper Reality

In Post-Truth: the New War on Truth and How to Fight Back, Matthew D'Ancona discuses the concept of hyper-reality relating to Trumps statement that he watched thousands and thousands of people cheer as the World Trade Centre came down. 'Baudrillard and his peers could not have conjured up a better example of 'hyper-reality' – the mode of discourse in which the gap between the real and the imaginary disappears. Trump had confected a hyper-reality recollection, and would not retract his claim simple because pedants could find no evidence to support it' (D'Ancona, 2017).

Hyper-Reality:
In semiotics and postmodernism, hyperreality is an inability to distinguish reality from a simulation of reality, especially in technologically advanced postmodern society. Hyper-reality is seen as a condition where what is real and what is fiction are blended together so there is no clear distinction between the two. There are two main supporting concepts to hyperrealism, simulation and the simulacrum.

Simulation:
Characterised as the blending of reality and representation, where there is no clear indication of where reality stops and representation begins. Baudrillard suggests that simulation no longer takes place in the physical world but takes place in space not categorised by physical limits such as within ourselves and technological simulation etc.

Simulacrum:
Copies depicting events/things that had no original to begin with or that no longer have an original. Baudrillard argues that a simulacrum isn't a copy of the real but becomes the truth in its own right therefor becoming the hyperreal.

Examples of Hyper-Reality:
Disneyland:
Referred to by Baudrillard as an example of hyperreality due to the settings such as Main Street and life sized houses which have been created to look realistic, taking visitors imaginations to a fantastic past. Therefor the false reality creates an illusion making it more desirable for people to buy this reality. The system works to enable visitors to feel that the technology and atmosphere created can give us more reality than nature can, as supported by the use of fake animals such as alligators and hippopotamuses. This fake nature satisfies our imagination and daydream fantasies in real life therefore making them seem more admirable and attractive. The idea that nothing in this world is real as nothing is original but there are endless copies of reality mean that both the imagined and the real are equally hyperreal.

The concept of hyper–reality is interesting in relation to the world of fake news and post-truth politics as we are creating a hyper-real world based on the news we choose to believe which has no origin. Therefor creating a world that no longer represents reality as what is factual and what we believe is true start to blur together as more and more people are treating facts as opinions.  Furthermore the concept that facts are becoming less relevant within politics as politicians appeal to your emotions rather than telling you the facts is another example of hyperrealism as it becomes harder to distinguish what is true and what is fake making it harder to distinguish between the two.

Product Range Distribution: Initial Ideas

Upon researching fake news I've developed some initial ideas:

• page not found 
• newspaper cartoons 
• tweets blocked out just featuring fake news, 
• redacted article/poster/document  
• full of the 329 false statements trump has given 
• article trumps deemed fake news:
• global warming etc.
• “One of the greatest of all terms I’ve come up with is ‘fake,’ ” Trump 
• fakes associated with trump:
• fake tan 
• fake news 
• news as fake as trumps tan 
• global warming 
• draw on experience of fake news
•  highlight how easy it is to believe fake news
• steps to beat fake new
• invitation for fake news awards
• government seal 
• official 
• information fake, fake place?
• highlight trumps 'fake news'
• real stories with Trumps response 
• highlight issue of free press 
• impact fake news has 
• how easy it is to believe 
• impact on politics 
• used events the government has lied about as focus for series of objects, publications etc.
• use trusted faces, national treasures to show facts or fake facts as they are more trusted than politicians 
• Neurological processes of facts and how we interpret information, hardwired to no change are minds 
• you can't handle the truth 
• alternative facts 
• algorithm, break code to find the truth? reveals headline or statement 
• news paper featuring online stories, repurposing to see if people find them believable in print 
• Hyper Reality 

Product Range Distribution: What is Post Truth? by Mathew D'Ancona

To gain a greater understanding of fake news and post truth politics I've read Post Truth: the new war on truth and how to fight back by Matthew D'Ancona. Throughout this book D'Ancona discusses multiple topic within post truth politics such as why fake news is so prevalent to why we believe it so easily. Interestingly D'Ancona discusses how post truth has been able to spread through its appeal to emotion 'post-truth feeds upon alienation, dislocation and stultified silence'. He also discusses ways to counter fake news by stating its not as simple as telling people fake news exists 'it is not enough to issue a press release, appear on a news channel or tweet a correction. The means of correction have to match the prevailing culture. A viral podcast, a demonstration or an online petition may do more to banish falsehood than a straightforward assertion of fact'. This is interesting as it showcases the prevalence of post -truth as its not a simple as stating the facts in order to get people to believed your facts you need to phrase them in a way that speaks to their emotions as more and more people are choosing the facts they want to believe.

Interesting points throughout the book:

• 75% of americans believe fake news headlines 
• in relation to the presidential election, 56% of Clinton supports believed headlines whereas 87% of Trump supporters believed headlines
• 69% of Donald Trumps public statements have been found to be false
• Support for global warming fell from 71% - 57% between 2008-2010 as people after 'Climategate', the disclosure of thousands of emails and files, after reporters used select phrases to imply an academic cover-up surrounding climate change
• Obama birth certificate:
• 45% of american citizens had concerns about Obamas birthplace
• Once his full birth certificate was released this figure fell to 33% however then rose again to 41% in 2012.

Product Range Distribution: Don’t call it post-truth. There’s a simpler word: lies (Guardian article)

Throughout this article the implication of post-truth politics is discussed. It discusses how facts are no longer set in stone, as in relation to politics people pick and choose which facts to believe like they are a matter of opinion. This approach threatens society as a whole as more and more people are adopting the approach that they can pick and choose which fit in within their own beliefs. Patrick Moynihan used to say: “You’re entitled to your own opinion, but you’re not entitled to your own facts', however this attitude is becoming more and more outdated due to the adoption of 'alternative facts'. Furthermore this approach also suggests that the truth doesn't matter as you can just pick and choose what you believe, which also impacts the ability to have an honest conversation about certain topics as there are less and less facts to base an argument on as people are ready to dismiss facts that don't fit within their argument as false. This poses the question, are facts now obsolete in politics? This is an interesting topic as people only pick and choose facts within politics as no-one disputes a doctor if they tell you you've got a tumour or a car mechanic if they say your breaks are broken. Furthermore people are happy to trust experts opinion in other areas however within politics they are dismissed as part of an elite trying to sway the public.  

Product Range Distribution: Migrant Journal

Migrant Journal is a publication that explore the circulation of people, goods, information around the world and the impact they have on space. Migration has a huge impact on the population however many people have become complacent, therefor Migrant Journal asks artists, journalists, academics, designers, architects, activists, philosophers and citizens to rethink our approach to migration and explore the space it creates. Furthermore the intersting aspect to this publication is that it's very well designed which many people wouldn't expected from a publication based on such a political issue. Therefore this design conscious approach makes the issue available to everyone as the publication is more inviting as people are curious about the contents when they see the cover/aesthetic of the publication as it looks more like a design publication than a migration report. This approach shows that design can make an impact on political and social issues as more people are likely to read and engage with Migrant Journal than a normal article or report on migration due to the design of the publication. Furthermore the involvement of different artists, designs, journalist etc. allows for a new approach to each volume creating a unique aspect to each issue almost making the covers collectable as each one is different from the next. Furthermore the collaborative aspect to the journal allows for new and interesting issues and information to be discussed as their are more new ideas involved due to the interchanging disciplines and people involved. Personally I think the most successful aspect of the Migrant Journal is the ability to take a serious and sometimes 'boring' topic and create an intriguing and appeal format for it to be shown through.