INVESTIGATE! - MA Comms Design - Packaging Project.

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Update 2nd September 2017...

It has not been possible to continue with this project in it's current form, and as another 2 years have passed since my last update, it is clear that current commitments will not allow me to the the time, to continue the development I had hoped to work on for the CHCH NZ marketplace, which is a shame, as I had high hopes for this project, when I completed my MA back in October 2011. 6 years on there appears to be little or no interest for this type of project. Yet I see now out on Social Media discussions taking place, about the future of handwriting in schools both in the UK and here in NZ, I have even seen projects about the disappearance of the traditional postcards from our communications.

Project update 27th June 2015...

I thought it was the right time to revisit this project. I have not really had much time in the 2 years to continue with the development for this. However since moving into Education full time in this period, there are potential areas for discussion, where this may still get to see the light of day, all be it in a smaller delivery, but it would still be a start.

The original aim was to set up a Toolkit for Teachers to adapt and use for their own environments. I based my Template on the City of Manchester, but it was always the intention that these tools would be only the basis. So now I'm based in CHCH NZ, I'm looking at adapting this project for the local market and the local schools in particular.

Watch this space...

Project update 18th November 2013...

It is now 2 years since this project was delivered, as my Final Submission for the MA. In the time that has elapsed there has not been the opportunity to take this further, especially to have this Prototype produced in a Limited Edition with Educational backing. It has been a struggle to get interest for this, which is disappointing, and especially as in the early days there was a promise of some limited support, which I have to say never materialised despite being promised.

So this has sat on the shelf, but now in the last few weeks there could be the potential, to breath new life into this project and possibly have a revised prototype to get out there and test the waters?

In the coming months I will keep you posted of any potential developments...

THE BACKGROUND STORY

Handwriting and Hand-crafted Typography, do they still have a part to play in Modern Communications and Education? ‘Yes’, is the answer, they still have a part to play in communication in the 21st Century, despite the move to digital forms over the last 5 years in particular with the use of Mobile Phones, texting, and Computers where more and more designers rely heavily on software to generate ideas, and people are likely to e-mail than write, a former colleague admitted while online that he leaves typed up notes for his milkman or even sends an e-mail, as he does not feel confident writing them by hand. On the surface it appears handwriting has become something of a lost art, and through this report, this is explored, but in truth the whole dissertation could be written on just one aspect, for example ‘the way people who are left –handed’ how they write, their experiences and the fountain pens they choose?

A theory has been offered as to why so many adults under 25 and children have such ‘poor handwriting’. The hypothesis is that this in the main this could be down to the lack of support, children receive at home from their parents in their early years, with the practice of ‘cursive forms’ and the joining of characters together. Certainly practiced at school at one time, once the children leave the school, it is not being followed up as did the author’s Father in the late 60’s where handwriting practice was a regular occurrence. However in the conclusions towards the end of this report it is mentioned that there is a severe decline in how the skills of handwriting are being handled not just as the schools, but at the Educational Training level through Teacher training courses.

As with the Royal Exchange I have also consulted with The John Rylands Library again in Manchester for this project, and this has also now led to additional collaborative options in the last 6 months and looking ahead to 2012 and beyond.

This next section of my practice, centres on my work from the last 3 years as 'engineroomcreative' and which includes the work undertaken as part of my Masters in Communications at the University of Salford. I think that it needs to be made clear that all the work developed, was not to just satisfy an 'academic brief'. The clear aim was and still is to deliver a viable concept and final product or package which would be taken on an developed at the commercial level, this has in fact taken place.

During the last 12 months, I have been working closely with 2 clients, The Royal Exchange Theatre Company, and the John Rylands library here in Manchester, what started out as 'visual exploration' has in fact become commercial, with components, like the 'Resource Kit of Materials' called 'INVESTIGATE!' packaging project, being developed at this time Jan 2012 as a commercially backed enterprise. In addition the completed video short documentary reels, are now being developed to form part of the Rylands Summer programme events and there will be supporting print for this as well.

These are now firmly in the commercial domain, and very much for clients not just academics. The next two pages show how this Packaging project now forms the early part of my updated portfolio.

How to use the resource? The choice of environment is entirely down to the Tutor and how they want to deliver the initial guidance to their students, and this resource provides the basic templates to not only take on the test exercise contained within the kit of materials, but to also continue and develop their ‘own resource of materials’ for their own practice. The materials. The resource or kit of materials comprises of the following items:

1. Folder of A4 cards, included in this, Map of example area, and Instructions. 2. 3 Packs of ‘Mini Cards 70mm x 20mm each’ to undertake the initial exercise in Manchester City Centre the chosen route to start with. 2.1 Pack 1 - Colour Palette cards with palettes on the front, numbered from 1 - 20 on the back both in keeping with the map. 2.2 Pack 2 - Image cards with images of the example areas to be followed on the front, numbered 1 - 20 on the back both in keeping with the map. 2.3 Pack 3 - A group selection of 60 cards with random images of the City Centre of Manchester and a few of Salford Quays for comparison are for for inspiration only.