Modernisation Of Graphic Design: The Possibilities And Challenges Of Digitalisation

As inventions go, the contrivance of design as a dynamic, fluid, operational vehicle of human technology has always been subject to arguments and debates. The digitalisation of graphic design is a comparatively new field of research, a progressive process that evolves with technological developments. Undoubtedly, the evolution of design practices has transformed the entire design process in ways not deemed possible in the past. The advantages of digitalisation are particularly tangible in the range of possibilities generated by computer-based design tools. The main argument for the increase in “design capital” has been the accessibility of modern art tools to both design practitioners and the wider society, through mass digital culture absorption and the emerging technologies of production and reproduction. In presenting the fundamentals of digitalisation in design practices, this paper retraces the key cornerstones in the evolution of graphic design as an aesthetic medium from the 19th- to 21st-century, while pointing out the expanding, reflexive relationships between design and our environment. The researcher’s aim is to connect the socio-historical developmental frames of social progress and the practical uses of digitalisation in art and design today. The innovations in computer-mediated design work today grew from experimental platforms in the 20th-century, inasmuch as technological diffusion in the 21st-century Information Age derived from the widespread global embrace of the World Wide Web, multimedia and graphical computing systems. As a result of this development of the technological ‘canvas’, the production of design, aesthetic and cultural objects has shifted from the traditional artist-craftsman-specialist paradigm to reflect a more encompassing, diverse scope of ideas fostered by the exposure to different facets of creative capital and inspirations

Typography Design’s New Trajectory Towards Visual Literacy for Digital Mediums

Typographic elements have a huge impact on how designed mediums affect visual literacy. This paper reviews the principles, perspectives and approaches in the production and function of typographic design visual media (print and digital), with the aim to understand the relationship between typographic design on digital mediums, with the aim of examining its influence on people’s ability to communicate ideas, meaning and messages effectively, while reflecting on its commercial implications for brands and marketers. Research via survey and a focus group implied there is a positive association between literacy and the application of graphic design and typography on digital communication mediums. Findings revealed that type design complements textual word elements to enhance cognition and understanding of messages. The integration of visual and texts facilitates reading, and for digital mediums, both legible layout and engaging typefaces are equally crucial. Graphic typeface for digital media, from smartphones to e-texts for learning, should apply visual hierarchy arrangement to achieve these objectives. Findings show typographic design is an essential aspect of social communication today, and digital designers play a fundamental role to enable audiences to improve their economic and social participation and gain its full advantages

Visual Communication and Design’s Role Drives Branding Innovation and Social Responsibility

In this paper, the aim of research is to analyse the theoretical principles of traditional and newer forms of branding design, and to review the visual communicator’s roles as constructed through traditional, social and postmodernist perspectives. Where designers traditionally direct their course in the branding process to solving clients’ problems through the production of symbolic icons and images, this study will place their responsibility towards understanding society’s attitudinal and behavioural change at the forefront. This paper uses case study and qualitative inquiry methods to challenge the design fraternity to see beyond the bread-and-butter work behind conceptual design development, and to find a stronger relational understanding between their life experiences, changing consumer perceptions of the world, and businesses’ ultimate goals of profit. Research shows that as the dynamics of ethical business and social purpose continue to affect the production and consumption of goods, the visual communicator’s role is to both define and empower cultural consumption as the core brand purpose of today’s organisations - five decades since Ken Garland’s manifesto; “First Things First” was proclaimed. Lastly, it shall be argued for every designer to evaluate their social responsibility in the branding execution of marketed consumer brands beyond symbolic meaning construction. Keywords: design; postmodern branding; social innovation; social purpose

Conceptual Gaps in the Issues to Resolve Visual Complexities: A Contextual Evaluation of the Inspirations and Motivations in Enhancing Perceptions and Practices of Creative Thinking

This study addresses issues related to conceptual development of visual literacy skills, through a critical examination and evaluation of the role of effective visual design and its ideation through art and design practices.   Research into the role of creative thinking as an emerging professional field of practice seeks to explore the depth of market dependence on the experiences, knowledge contribution and skills of designers for socio-economic advancement and cultural enrichment.   In the broader cultural transformation marked by technological progress and a developing global marketplace, creative thinking and visual literacy are much sought after resources, be it on its own merit, as well as through collaborative ventures which incorporate insights from behavioural and marketing psychology, technology and media.   As a form of cultural capital, artistic and creative resources help us understand the interrelationships between cognitive and emotional dimensions, how these factors help shape the totality of our cultural environment, innovate designers’ working practices, and engage groups in society.   The objective of study is premised on understanding how visual and new media literacies develop in tangent with the complexities and challenges of answering and edifying human needs, requiring comprehension, evaluation and interpretation of information.   This research study examines visual literacy’s effects on learning processes from acquiring facts, opening discussions, shaping reactions, creating ideas, reforming communities and enhancing social engagement.   Qualitative interviews with practitioners establish attitudinal perceptions that the development of visual competencies must take into account socio-cultural contexts, inspirations and motivations critical to facilitate engagement in creative and market-driven environments.   Findings provide pragmatic insights on how to cultivate and support improvements in ethical design practices, and in concluding, suggestions are offered for designer practitioners to discuss ways to critically use, evaluate and produce professional visual work throughout their careers. Keywords: aesthetics, creative thinking, design, socio-cultural, visual literac

A PILOT STUDY ON COMPARSION OF KINEMATICS CHANGE OF LOWER EXTREMITY WITH DIFFERENET TENNIS SHOES DURING LANDING

A study reported that the rate of getting ankle injury was 4.3 times higher among the basketball players who worn shoes with air cells in the heel than those worn shoes without air cells (McKay et aI., 2001). It was hypothesized that the higher rate of ankle injury was due to the air cells located in the heel decreased the rearfoot stability. In tennis, air cells technology also have been applied on tennis shoe construction. However, the kinematics change of the foot has not been reviewed on the tennis shoes with air cells in the heel. The purpose of this paper was to compare the kinematics change of the foot, especially the inversion of the foot, with different tennis shoes during the landing of the lateral jump movement

Potential roles of abundant extracellular chaperones in the control of amyloid formation and toxicity

The in vivo formation of fibrillar proteinaceous deposits called amyloid is associated with more than 40 serious human diseases, collectively referred to as protein deposition diseases. In many cases the amyloid deposits are extracellular and are found associated with newly identified abundant extracellular chaperones (ECs). Evidence is presented suggesting an important regulatory role for ECs in amyloid formation and disposal in the body. A model is presented which proposes that, under normal conditions, ECs stabilize extracellular misfolded proteins by binding to them, and then guide them to specific cell receptors for uptake and subsequent degradation. Thus ECs and their receptors may be critical parts of a quality control system to protect the body against dangerously hydrophobic proteins/peptides. However, it also appears possible that in the presence of a high molar excess of misfolded protein, such as might occur during disease, the limited amounts of ECs available may actually exacebate pathology. Further advances in understanding of the mechanisms that control extracellular protein folding are likely to identify new strategies for effective disease therapies

DIFFERENCES IN PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS IN SPRINT HURDLES BETWEEN HURDLERS AND DECATHLETES IN ASIAN GAMES 2006

Hurdling technique may not be the main factor to explain the differences in race performance between world-class hurdlers (Brüggemann et al. 1999). However, it is likely that technical factors play a more important role in hurdling performance in less skilled athletes. Therefore, we examined the differences in hurdling performance between the specialized (hurdlers, HRDS) and non-specialized (decathletes, DECS) athletes

Considering Hybridisation of Form and Function in Overarching Movement and Designed Objects

In this paper, a critical examination of architectural and design over the last century was conducted in the aim of recognising the dichotomies of modernist and postmodernist design approaches, and in understanding their intrinsic differences, to find the characteristics of form and functions which may produce ideal outcomes in the development of contemporary architectural and lifestyle goods. A review of literature traces the debate of "˜form vs. function' that views craftsmanship and production technology differently. A critical inquiry is launched to understand the social and historical significance that have influenced the growth of aesthetic ideologies in post-war Europe. With reference to the classical rationalistic assumptions of architect Louis Sullivan and historian Joseph Rykwert, this research attempts to analyse the impact of "˜form vs. function' through a series of case studies presenting the ideals of modern aesthetic appeals. To prove the endurance of both ideologies, examples of architectural approaches and machine-wrought home furnishing were studied. The endurance and legitimacy of modernism was demonstrated, from the principle that "form follows function" where architectural style is concerned, but that has "swallowed function" in the context of mass produced goods for lifestyle use. This evidence led to a discussion of the possibility of hybrid of form, function and cultural sensibilities. In the conclusion, an argument is framed for contemporary design to be shaped on a larger organic vision, in order to develop more fluid aesthetics for today's cultural spaces and objects. Although modernism and postmodernism approach craftsmanship and production differently, this paper argues for a hybridisation of the twin pillars of form (ornamentation) and function (utility or usefulness) as the ideal outcome of contemporary architecture and design practice; that neither technological rationalism, spatial dynamics, historical significance nor social function should predominate in legitimising today's cultural forms, but that all play complementary roles

Perceptions of blended learning among 3D animation lecturers at a higher education institution and its influence on the teaching and learning process

This paper presents a critical qualitative review and analysis of blended learning (BL) in the creative design education environment from the perspective of animation lecturers through examining their observations, shared experience, technology adoption, and perceptions of BL benefits. The aim of study is to understand how design lecturers adopt their teaching strategy to a blended learning environment, and how their challenges could influence the direction of current pedagogical research in the use of BL to teach design courses. Using interpretative analysis of narrative themes, the paper charts the blended teaching experiences of five 3D animation educators at a Malaysian higher education institution (HEI) through qualitative, interpretive analysis. Findings reveal that among the three factors of technology concerns, personal conviction and disruptions, the greatest challenge to perceptions towards BL environment is clarity of management goals, as well as factors like social communication and technical support to ensure educators can cope successfully in adopting digital learning management platforms such as LMS. Significantly, findings pinpoint the challenge of cohesive management policies and directives to address design academics’ lack of training and experience in adopting blended learning and designing meaningful teacher-learner interactions. In conclusion, recommendations are provided on how to improve design education blended learning pedagogical models, through emphasising the role of social communication, and to ensure clarity of management directives by redefining the potential of utilising blended learning for robust outcomes in design education

Norms from the Georgia Centenarian Study: Measures of verbal abstract reasoning, fluency, memory, and motor function

We previously presented normative data from a relatively large, population-based sample (n = 244) of centenarians and a reference group of octogenarians (n = 80) for several brief, global neurocognitive tasks adapted for use for older adults with physical and sensory limitations (Miller et al., 2010 Miller, L. S., Mitchell, M. B., Woodard, J. L., Davey, A., Martin, P., Poon, L. W., … Siegler, I. C. (2010). Cognitive performance in centenarians and the oldest old: Norms from the Georgia Centenarian Study. Neuropsychological, Development, and Cognition. Section B: Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, 17, 575–590. doi: 10.1080/13825585.2010.481355[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®], [Google Scholar], Neuropsychological, Development, and Cognition. Section B: Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, 17, 575). Here, we present additional normative data on several domain-specific tasks from these samples from Phase III of the Georgia Centenarian Study, including measures of verbal abstract reasoning, fluency, memory, and motor function. Expected age differences were demonstrated across all cognitive measures, and, consistent with our previous findings, centenarians showed a stronger association between age and performance. Normative tables are presented unweighted as well as population-weighted, and stratified by age and education level. These findings offer a unique contribution to the literature on cognitive aging, as normative performance in this age group is understudied and largely unavailable to clinicians and researchers