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Sunday, September 19, 2010

Assignment 2 : Creative Multimedia

Posted by Fadhli Amri b Halim

Keyword : Creative Multimedia

Topic : Creative Multimedia is the Heart of Design

1st task : ESSAY

Creative Multimedia is the heart of the design. This title somehow will make the readers especially one who does not have any basic knowledge about multimedia feel bewildered and even mystified in understanding what the topic is all about. Plenty of questions may be arisen from this title. What is creative? What is multimedia? What is creative multimedia? What is design? I will give thorough explanations for all these questions in order to enhance your understanding and to avoid confusion.


The first question that needs to be asked is, what is design? There is no generally-accepted definition of “design” exists, and the term has different connotations in different fields however, a design informally refers to a plan for the construction of an object as in architectural blueprints, circuit diagrams and sewing patterns. Carnegie Mellon University School of Design Professor Dick Buchanan has once stated that:

"Design is the human power to conceive, plan, and realize products that serve human beings in the accomplishment of any individual or collective purpose."

Besides that, another definition of design aired by designer Richard Seymour during the Design Council's Design in Business Week 2002 is 'making things better for people' which emphasizes design activity that focuses first and foremost on human behaviour and quality of life, not factors like distributor preferences. I am agree with Seymour’s statement of design which is quite true in certain circumstances because all in all, design is actually created for the betterment of human beings. It is ‘making things better for people’ however; design itself does not contribute to make things better for people as it also depends on its features. Design is everywhere. That is why sometimes searching for a definition may not help grasping what it is. It is what drew you to the last piece of ornament you bought and it is what made online shopping possible. It has made a trip to Kuala Lumpur easier by using KL Monorel and it has turned Jimmy Choo's name into what he is now- a well known shoe designer. It all happens because of design.

What comes to mind when you think of creativity? Obviously some of the characteristics of creative person are person who is optimistic, imaginative, inventive, adventurous, taking risks and perseverance. Do you think about originality and the value of what people produce? Perhaps you think you can only be creative if you are artistic. According to Franken (1994), creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others. Creativity and design works simultaneously. In order to have an exceptional design, one needs to have a high level of creativity. It cannot be separated with each other or else the result will be dull and tedious. In addition, creativity can be simply defined as the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality. Creativity involves two processes: thinking, then producing. Meanwhile, innovation is the production or implementation of an idea. If you have ideas, but do not act on them, you are imaginative but not creative.

Another question to ask is “what is multimedia?” Multimedia is simply multiple forms of media which are integrated together. Media can be text, graphics, still images, audio, animation, video, data, and so on. A very simple example of multimedia can be seen in a presentation using Microsoft Power Point by a student. In the presentation, the students presented his or her content with text and a related video to improve the listeners’ understanding of the topic presented. The combination of text and video in the presentation is an example of multimedia.

The term ‘creative’ and ‘multimedia’ are usually compounded together which creates a new word- creative multimedia. With the convergence of electronics, computing, and telecommunications, the demand in creative multimedia is escalating rapidly. Simply put, creative multimedia is forms of media which are interpreted and integrated creatively. Forms of media like animation, video and even pictures need to be injected with creativity to make things lively and vivacious. In this case, brilliant and extraordinary ideas are important to make those things come alive. Multimedia has become a huge force in American culture, industry and education. Practically any type of information that is received can be categorized as multimedia, from television, to magazines, to web pages, to movies. Multimedia is a tremendous force in both informing the public and entertaining us.

Back to the title of this essay which is ‘creative multimedia is the heart of the design’; it is absolutely true to its meaning. Creative multimedia and design solely depend with each other. They need each other in order to stay put in the market. Advertising is perhaps one of the biggest industries that use multimedia to send their message to the receiver. Radio or television is the medium of advertising which is a great way to promote an item and can significantly make the item is received by the masses with greater results. A plain, dull poster design will not be able to attract lots of audience therefore, the need of creative design is vital in delivering multimedia message with the goal of attracting numerous attention. Even a simple poster needs creativity to deliver the message for example using colourful, vibrant pictures and font so that the reader will be easily attracted to the advertisement.

Another example of creative multimedia can be seen in animation. Animation is a visual technique that provides the illusion of motion by displaying a collection of images in rapid sequence. It is mostly associated with the work of film makers. Illustrators create action from a series of images and we have the illusion of something that comes alive. Again even in animation, design and creativity play an important role to create a fine masterpiece. Whether it is a computer animation or a traditional animation; or whether it is a 2D animation or 3D animation; those are all important markers in establishing an animation. Examples of excellent animation are The Lion King, Cinderella, Ice Age, Kungfu Panda, Despicable Me, Shrek, Finding Nemo, and countless other animation which are all depend on design. Thus, creative multimedia is the heart of the design.

So my final conclusion is, creative multimedia is the heart of design. Without the design, creative multimedia would be nothing special so it is important for creative multimedia to focus on its design.


2nd Task : Mind maps

(What is creative multimedia?)


(Creative Multimedia is a Heart of Design )

3rd Task : Sketches















( The sketch of the 1st idea by combining the word 'fly' 'whistle' and 'beak' from the random word bird )



(the development of the sketch after consultation )


Task 4 : FINAL PRODUCT; POSTER


(The final product )


-END- :)

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Every Metaphor and Simile has an Analogy Inside

This video is quite related with the lesson that I have learnt in class which is metaphor, analogy and simile. Hope it will help those who is still grasping in the dark.


Juxtaposition: Analogy, Metaphor & Similes

In this lesson we learn about analogy, metaphor and similes. Here I will define the three terms for a better understandings.

Analogy

Analogy is to use something familiar to explain a complex matter. It is a mixed between metaphor and similes. Analogy is 'reasoning or explaining from parallel cases'. Put another way, an analogy is a comparison between two different things in order to highlight some point of similarity.

Examples of analogy:
  1. Glove is to hand as paint is to wall
  2. Citizens are to president as solar system is to galaxy
  3. Horses are to past societies as computers are to future societies
Metaphor

A figure of speech that implies comparison between two different things that actually share something in common. Using one thing to describe another thing

Metaphors are comparisons that show how two things that are not alike in most ways are similar in one important way. Metaphors are a way to describe something. Authors use them to make their writing more interesting or entertaining.

Unlike similes that use the words “as” or “like” to make a comparison, metaphors state that something is something else.

One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol: “Hollywood has always been an irresistible, prefabricated metaphor for the crass, the materialistic, the shallow, and the craven” (Neal Gabler)

Examples of metaphor:

  1. A lifetime is a day, death is sleep; a lifetime is a year, death is winter
  2. Life is a struggle, dying is losing a contest against an adversary
  3. Life is a precious possession, death is a loss
  4. Time is a thief


Simile

A figure of speech in which two fundamentally unlike things are explicitly compared.
Simile is when you compare two nouns (persons, places or things) that are unlike, using the term 'as' or 'like'.

Examples of simile:

  1. As flat as a pancake
  2. Like a volcano
  3. As light as a feather
  4. The water is like the sun
  5. The rain falls like the sun,rising upon the mountains

"The water is like the sun."

"The water is like the sun" is an example of simile because water and the sun have little in common, and yet they're being compared to one another. The "is" is also part of what makes this stanza an example of simile.

"The rain falls like the sun,
rising upon the mountains."

Here is another example, comparing falling rain to the rising of the sun. Good similes compare two very different nouns.

SENSES

Sadness is as happy as laughter.
You might cry because it hurts.
You might laugh because it hurts.
But I know one thing,
laughter is laughter and sadness
is sadness.
T
hey can show the
same things like
hurting and gladness.


WSM ImageIt's been a hard day's night,
and I've been working like a dog
WSM Image
The Beatles

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Chili and love

In the next lesson, we were asked to relate pictures into words. It can be an essay or even a poem about the pictures that were chosen. So, in the class I were asked to write about chili and love.


My essay on chili and love
I love eating chili but I cant keep going on with my life with just eating chili but I can put chili in every food I eat. Food without chili will fill me up but I can't help noticing there is something missing. That is how I feel about love. I can live without love but without it I am an empty hollow. It is exactly like eating food without chili. The need of love is like the need of chili.....

.
But if you eat chili you can get hot!!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Brainstorming Me




Usually mind mapping starts in the centre but I did not start the central idea in the middle of the paper. I tried to do the mind map using Tony Buzan's software of mind mapping and it helps me a lot. It is such a helpful software which help us to do a neat mind map and it is easier to read and understand the content. Before this I used the conventional method of mind mapping which is hand writing but when there is too much to write, everything was jumbled up and I could not even read what I have written. Besides, even an A4 size paper could not occupy the content of the mind map and the handwritings become worsen. I would like to encourage everyone to use Tony Buzan's software as it is effective and hassle free!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Mind mapping technique (logical mind map)

Brainstorming by iStock

This week we learn about how to mind mapping in a systematic way. Mind map is a graphical way to represent ideas and concepts. It is a visual thinking tool that helps structuring information, helping you to better analyze, comprehend, synthesize, recall and generate new ideas. Brainstorming is usually related to the process of mind mapping. According to Alex Faickney Osborn, brainstorming is a process for developing creative solutions to problems. Brainstorming works by focusing on a problem, and then deliberately coming up with as many solutions as possible and by pushing the ideas as far as possible. One of the reasons it is so effective is that the brainstormers not only come up with new ideas in a session, but also spark off from associations with other people's ideas by developing and refining them. Just as in every great idea, its power lies in its simplicity.

There are four basic rules in brainstorming (Osborn, 1963) intended to reduce social inhibitions among team members, stimulate idea generation, and increase overall creativity:

  • No criticism: Criticism of ideas are withheld during the brainstorming session as the purpose is on generating varied and unusual ideals and extending or adding to these ideas. Criticism is reserved for the evaluation stage of the the process. This allows the members to feel comfortable with the idea of generating unusual ideas.
  • Welcome unusual ideas: Unusual ideas are welcomed as it is normally easier to "tame down" than to "tame up" as new ways of thinking and looking at the world may provide better solutions.
  • Quantity Wanted: The greater the number of ideas generated, the greater the chance of producing a radical and effective solution.
  • Combine and improve ideas: Not only are a variety of ideals wanted, but also ways to combine ideas in order to make them better.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Coldplay - The Scientist

This is a very rare way of telling a story and this video really fascinated me. At first I did not understand why he is walking backwards all the time but when I watched the whole video till the end now I have grasped the idea that he is actually telling a story. This is a very creative way of telling a story and not by using a typical approach. However, there is a very slight mistake in the video that disappointed me a little bit otherwise everything is great. Whatever it is the idea is the main focus in everything we do.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Creativity and Novelty | Invention and Innovation

"One of the buzzwords you hear a lot in the business world these days, is “Innovation”. Yes, it’s a genuinely worthy thing to aspire to. Genuine innovation creates lots of genuine value, every young intern knows this. Which is why people like to throw it around like confetti. It’s one of those words that sound good in meetings, regardless of how serious one is about ACTUALLY innovating ANYTHING."

“Innovative” is an “external” word. It can be measured. It generally talks about things that have been tested properly and found to have worked in the real world."

“Creative”, however, is more of an “internal” word. It’s subjective, it’s murkier. It’s far harder to measure, it’s far harder to define. It’s an inward journey, not outward. Which is why a lot of people in business try to keep the word out of their official lexicon, preferring instead more neutral, more externally-focused language like “Value”, “Excellence”, “Quality” and yes, “Innovation”.

- Hugh MacLeod-

Creativity, novelty, invention and innovation.

These are the topic in lesson 2. Well, when I came across this in the class first word that caught my attention is 'invention'. Well, simply because it is easier to understand compared to others but actually the word itself portrays the relationship between creativity and invention. In my opinion the greatest inventor of all time is John Boyd Dunlop (1840-1921). He is the recognized inventor of the first practical pneumatic or inflatable tyre. Why do I choose him? Because I wish I would think about that earlier than he was. Actually, in any vehicle components tyres are vital parts however certain people do not appreciate the importance of tyres. Well, enough about invention before I start babbling about tyres. Let's move on to the definition of those four terms so that we may understand the topic in further details. In this case I would love to use
Theodore Levitt’s classic definition of creativity and innovation.


[Theodore Levitt’s classic definition of creativity and innovation]
Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.

Creativity = Ideas
but
Innovation = Ideas + Action

The ideas are often judged more by their novelty than by their potential usefulness, either to consumers or to the company.

Creativity = Novelty
but
Innovation = Novelty + Value

It’s hard to argue with the logic. No reasonable person would claim ideas are more valuable than action – but then creative people are notoriously unreasonable.

Or are they?

Summary

Creativity is marked by the ability or power to create, to bring into existence, to invest with a new form, to produce through imaginative skill, to make or bring into existence something new.


Creativity is like a cat chasing its tail.


In the act of creating or in solving problems in creative ways we often go round and round in endless circles wanting to pounce on an idea. Sometimes the answer or solution is right before our eyes but we can't see it. In order to find the solution, find the missing piece, solve the problem, we need to just look at something familiar in a new and different way.


Novelty is considered as an essential factor of being creative. It is the quality of offering a new and unusual experience through conception. It is also related with originality which is the quality of being new and original (not derived from something else).


Invention is
"the discovery or creation of a new material (either a new manufactured product or a new composition or matter), a new process, a new use for an existing material, or any improvements of any of these."
Inventions are easy to define but can be difficult to recognize.
So when is something an invention? Obviously it must be new, but if I throw paint at the wall , then I’ve created something new while not something inventive. It must be new in the sense that it has novelty and utility. Unlike creativity, inventiveness seems to require the creation of a tool of some sort that others can use. Invention can somehow be disassociated from creativity in the sense that one can slog one’s way to an invention (or utility creation) without the flash of inspiration and imagination that is associated with creativity.


Innovation
however, requires the contexts of both the past and the future. Innovation must be creative (the past, see above), but must also cause a change in the creations of others (the future).
If the invention improves some product, process or service for the public, then that invention transforms into an innovation.
Innovation thus demands a social context of some sort that creativity does not.




Sunday, June 27, 2010

Be Creative - Moral Stories

Beautiful message to encourage people to think creatively...Let's start from today...

What is creativity?


CREATIVITY IS INFINITY

According to E.Franken (1988) creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others.
Three reasons why people are motivated to be creative:
  1. need for novel, varied, and complex stimulation
  2. need to communicate ideas and values
  3. need to solve problem
Meanwhile, Naiman (2010) stated about her own opinion of creativity in her website entitled 'Creativity at Work: Articles & Tips'. She stated that creativity involves two processes: thinking, then producing. Innovation is the production or implementation of an idea. If you have ideas, but don't act on them, you are imaginative but not creative.
If I stated out everything that I've got from the Net I think this page will never end. There's too much opinions about creativity as everyone has their own perceptions on that subject. For me, creativity is a very broad subject. Sometimes, creativity is a state of mind. Or simply put - a mood. It simply means that creativity can be related to mood swing. Anyone can be creative, feel creative and do something creative. Every so often mood is related to creativity. some people normally produce something something creative when they are in such a good mood however I have a very weird habit...I usually get creative ideas whenever I feel sleepy...which is kind of weird, right? When I think about it over and over I really have no idea how does that happen..hahaha

So, back to our topic. Well, the universal truth is anyone can be creative: designers, managers, cooks, developers, you name it. Even a blogger is far more creative than others....so start signing up as a blogger to be creative!haha..just kidding...If it is that easy, every single person in the world is creative without any sweat...As Aristotle once quoted, 'the secret of success is to know something nobody else knows' which surely means that creativity is one of the key to success. All in all, creativity is infinity. There's no right and wrong, no black and white in being creative...

"Creativity is the process of bringing something new into being...creativity requires passion and commitment. Out of the creative act is born symbols and myths. It brings to our awareness what was previously hidden and points to new life. The experience is one of heightened consciousness-ecstasy."
- Rollo May, The Courage to Create
Below is some of creative inventions that i would like to share....

I know it looks gross but this is totally creative and one of a kind!!


This is not just an ordinary motorbike.. This bike works like a car that protect the rider from sunlight and rain. So, no more wet clothes and blurry image during heavy rain! This is such a genius idea that benefits everyone.


Can you imagine having a portable toolbox that fits your palm? Well, Swiss Army Knife can do that. Nowadays, we want everything in all in one. therefore creativity is vital in order to create something that can serve many functions.


Hugging your love one while sleeping is no more a dream! Japanese people are well known for their creative inventions. And this one is way sooo creative.


A chainsaw powered motorcycle is such an incredible idea! I don't know how this people can gain this crazy idea...


At first glance, this apple looks real but when I look at it carefully it is a memo pad! An apple shaped memo pad! Girls with fall in love with this cute stuff. Even though it is just a simple thing yet still it needs a creative thinking to invent something like that.