Visual conventions, visual rhetoric or anything of the like has been the buzz around studio for the past few weeks. What are they? Where are they found? How do we as designers contribute to, create or disrupt them? Next we did experiments in "hybridization" attempting to infuse new visual conventions into the old. Attempting to lead our communities down a path. For the project we were to...
1. Identify : existing visual conventions of the community you have selected to study in seminar.
2. Design : An Initiation to ________ , introducing new visual conventions that might logically follow, or interrupt, if such is the more compelling strategy. Any media, any point of delivery.
...and we were off.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
My community of intrigue for this entire semester has been Weardrobe.com, a social platform for personal fashion. It is a fashion-focused community for discovering different ways to wear clothing. Weardrobers are all about imagination and creativity over consumption. After much consideration my initiation for the community is into ACTIVISM. And here is my proposal...
Weardrobe community members are invited to participate in a contest rooted in activism. The "Think, Say, Do" campaign encourages members to think creatively about how to incorporate the campaign's branding via tools/stencils into their wardrobe and fashion statements. I developed a branding for the campaign that utilizes the rich "mixing up" visual strategy that Weardrobe embraces. Their fashion ensembles include a mix of high and low fashion as well as their own DIYed pieces. These branding visual elements I came up with were translate into tools for creation (a.k.a. stencils) that I created using black card stock and the handy laser cutter. Here is how it is explained in the packet the Weardrobe participant receives...
Think / Say / Do: The Compliment Campaign.
Sponsored by American Apparel.
Think:
Utilizing the provided stencils and fabric paint get creative and "style up" an existing fashion piece in your wardrobe. Next, submit a photo of you wearing your creation to the Think/Say/Do Weardrobe Competition online. Most importantly, check out the charities listed and select one to represent.
Say:
Compliments equal Cash. Get online and compliment/comment on other participants creations if you dig 'em. Let your friends know to compliment your creation.
Do:
Compliments will be tallied up and American Apparel with donate $1 for each compliment received by the contest winner to their chosen charity.
