3- SURPRISE

Happiness is when an unexpected reply came from a design master I've just acquainted recently.

I totally did not expect a reply. The moment when I reached home and saw an envelope on my table, and eventually saw where the stamps were from. I was like omg-ing, in total shock, surprise, elation. Never have I ever been so happy to see an unexpected letter on my table. ;_;

My idol just sent me a letter.
In his designated envelope, letterhead and his own handwriting.
And his words about happiness.

This surprise just made my day and made me feel more encouraged about my project even though the reply was short.
I guess that's the beauty of surprises. Real surprises. You get this adrenaline rush and feel super happy. Especially if it's something you hoped but didn't think would ever happen, happened.

Thank you so much.

p.s I was so happy to the point I almost mistook my body wash foam as my shampoo.

2- arigatou gozaimasu

Somehow saying "arigatou gozaimasu" seems much more sincere than just the word "thank you", due to its its number of vowels and length of the word. I thought so when I walked out of Kinokuniya, after being served by a Japanese manager. I told this to a friend, and she said, maybe the English equivalent is "thank you very much". A short while later, she received a "thank you very much" from the takoyaki seller and felt it made her day. I guess a little more effort in service does make a difference in someone's day.

1- picking up my erhu

It's strange how I've been playing this instrument for almost 10 years now, and that I'm still in the orchestra more of to be with my friends, mingling with people, getting myself involved in doing design in the orchestra rather than playing the instrument itself to be honest. Though of course I still find joy in playing certain songs if we're lucky. But generally speaking, I've lost interest in erhu.

Today I picked up my erhu voluntarily to play a song that's been playing in my head and even tried writing the score while figuring out the notes. It only took a nice different piece of music to make me suddenly realise the beauty of the sound of my instrument that I've been neglecting for a long time. This is the first time in my years of playing that I'm this keen to play a song out. It makes me wonder why other songs I've come across didn't make me feel as strongly as this.


This is the song. It's a soundtrack from a Japanese period drama I've been watching. I thought it was beautiful.

To be able to find back a long lost interest again makes me happy.

Jiayou

It's been some time since the last crit. It was an emotional week then having to cope with FYP and this project. I recalled some of the comments made by the guest crit was that "jiayou is just jiayou, the meaning doesn't change." Am I just presenting data that is available out there, and that is common knowledge that anyone knows? I was even suggested to change my whole project altogether.

I do think it's a good question to ask myself if I were to start a new project. But having come this far, I disagree. Even though I would say doing a small online survey with 80 people doesn't really tell much but it is still something new to me, tabulating different pools of thoughts regarding how encouragement words can affect people, the situations in which it is used playing an impact. I know we all probably can figure this out but could this be a reminder on the value of support?

I felt something for this word especially that week. Maybe I tend to be an open book that my face shows what I'm feeling. People ask me if I'm okay. I was touched. (Ok getting a little emotional here, get back on the topic.)

Being the last major project that marks the end of my year 3 and before I start my FYP. I thought it is a nice subject to work on to determine and identify my source of motivation. Part of it I'm sure of now comes in the form of encouragement and support from people. Having said so much I hope I deliver this well and may this book be a reminder of my motivations when facing hard times.

Inspiration8

The Power of Words

This shows exactly how words can be impactful.

Now being a visual communicator, how can I make my visuals impactful too?

The Next Step

So what's the next step now, now that I think I have compiled enough information to form it into a small book. I've also explored a Japanese-English language to pose some questions online here: Motivation Research

What kind of book can I make with all these information, how should I translate all these information into something visual that serves its topic well? But what to draw when I don't exactly have a character. Hmm. But I think first of all, I need to plan my pages well before I begin anything.

One step further

I just created a short survey to investigate the questions I have towards this topic here.
Do help!

Click here to take survey

Thank You! :)

Inspiration7

Click here for more info!

This is one of the most interesting typography books I've ever come across. I first saw the real book in the hands of a friend who teaches art lessons in secondary schools and every page just screams HARDCORE TYPOPHILE! Check it out!

Inspiration6

Source here : Levels and Degrees of Light Book

This book reminds me of Len Lye's animations, most of his works involve using abstract shapes to sync with music. I thought the use of a book that explores vibrant forms of shapes to tell a story through jazz was interestingly experimental. Exploiting shape forms to tell something, I'm sure it's not as simple as it looks.

Mind Map

Even after narrowing down to 2 goals that I want to achieve, I still find the topic too broad and am a little lost, especially to find a concept that is able to wrap everything up. There's only 2 weeks left! D:

Maybe 2 goals is too much. But the reason why I have 2 goals is because I thought goal 1 is a little too shallow, I wanted something that holds a deeper meaning hence leading to why I want to find out what motivates people. Anyway a recap of my 2 goals:
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1. To investigate and understand how the encouragement of striving one’s best push or even dampen one’s capabilities to achieve.

2. Find out what motivates people.

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I plotted a mind map to see how these 2 objectives can link together. So what I concluded in the end was, one must have his own drive in order to perservere/motivate to achieve a goal such as work or studies which is also where words such as ganbatte/jiayou/do your best is most frequently used in.

But what about non-specific-goal oriented circumstances such as when a person is feeling down. These encouragement words don't sound as appropriate does it. That's when these specific words of encouragement turn out to have slight negative reactions.

I'm planning to do a survey to get more thoughts about this subject.

To come back to the project brief, with all these thoughts and information, what kind of book will it form up to be? Something infographic? Hmm but it doesn't seem to be wrapping enough. Let me attempt to write a concept statement.

Singapore being a multi racial country, a mix of languages is often used in the local scene. This project aims to investigate how the words of encouragement in striving one’s best, specifically in terms such as the Chinese’s “Jiayou 加油” and the japanese’s “Ganbatte がんばって” which both commonly translate as “doing one’s best” in English, push or even dampen one’s capabilities to achieve. In doing so, motivation to achieve in general mankind is examined and linked back to the subject of how these specific words from an external party play a part in motivation.

Okay, I hope this concept statement is nailed down and then I can start thinking what to do visually with this concept.

Inspiration5

Factors that keep us motivated for work: Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose.

Actually now I think most people are motivated by a purpose rather than autonomy or mastery. Autonomy can only work when the person has a want/desire/goal/purpose in mind to self-direct himself into achieving something because there's a tendency to slack off and be lost. As for mastery, though of course I agree, being a master of one craft is an attractive quality. But in terms of design, just that is not enough without any concept or purpose in the perfection of a picture say for example. So then it comes down to just purpose, a strong reason for doing something might just work to make you want to achieve something hence do your best in.

Looks like my topic is getting wider rather than narrowing it down...

Narrowing it down further2

After some talk with Jesvin and peers, there's a little drift in my objectives:

What are you going to do?

1. To investigate and understand how the encouragement of striving one’s best push or even dampen one’s capabilities to achieve.

2. Find out what motivates people.

After all these talk of how words of encouragement such as "jiayou" or "ganbatte" can maybe help in spurring a person to work harder or to do their best, most of the reactions I've got for this was no, it doesn't help much. Or it depends on who is the person saying these. Upon talking further, the question of "What motivates you then" came up. I think I may have just discovered my sole main purpose why I was curious about this topic.

In the meantime, the whole of last week I was reading articles, journals on why people do their best or what affects people to do their best. One of the articles that I came across was Kenneth Burke's "Definition of Man", here are some of the excerpts that I thought can relate to my topic:

“Man is ... rotten with perfection”

“Destiny Compulsion” - to bring out the thought that the sufferer unconsciously strives to form his destiny in accordance with this “striving for perfection” pattern.
the sufferer exerts almost superhuman efforts in the attempt to give his life a certain form.

What more illustrations could one want, of a drive to make one’s life perfect, despite the fact that such efforts at perfection might cause the unconscious striver great suffering?

From Kenneth Burke, “Definition of Man” in Language as Symbolic Action.

In the article it is said that it's is man's nature to strive for perfection and that perfection can mean in the simple sense of an author wanting to get his book published and so on. I thought it was interesting how it could apply to almost anything perhaps? As long as one has the drive and desire to achieve something be it from eating the most delicious ice-cream or have a happy marriage with 2 children or things like that. Each individual should have their own idea of "perfection" or rather the ideal life I believe.

But then again, perhaps having this thought of the ideal and working towards it can be two different things, depending how hard of a goal this ideal is. If it's just "I want to eat a banana", this thought can be easily fulfilled by going to the mart and buy one. But if it's something like "I want to be an astronaut", how much will one person go to achieve a "perfection" like that or forever just having it as a thought.

Hmm hope I'm on the right track.

Narrowing it down further

1. What are you going to do?

I am going to find out how far can one do his best, emotional impact on how this phrase of "do your best" plays a part in lightening spirits or dampening them and its effects on helping the person tide through the situation.

2. How are you going to do it?

Through research, posing questions to people. I guess eventually I want to understand how this word works in people and then the information gathered will be represented in the form of a book.

3. Why do you think it is interesting?

Because people often use "がんばって" or "加油" as encouragement during times of adversity. These Asian phrases of encouragement which can be translate to "put in more effort or do your best" is of different attitude in comparison to the western's "good luck". I thought it's interesting how these words of encouragement can affect a person's mood, feelings and does it really help to give you a push in these times of difficulty.

Turning Around

Ganbaru 頑張る

1: to persevere; to persist; to keep at it; to hang on; to hold out; to do one's best;
2: to insist that; to stick to (one's opinion);
3: to remain in a place; to stick to one's post; to refuse to budge

(Meaning from Jisho.org, an online Japanese dictionary)

It's Monday and I haven't found a focus I want to work on but I'm already facing some difficulties sorting out information. Firstly what do I want to find out from this theme of "to do one's best"?

Do I..? What do I want to know about ganbatte?

1. Want to know how it is being used in Japanese culture?

2. Want to explore how the word affects people?

3. What is ganbatte? How to ganbatte? Why ganbatte? When to ganbatte?
4. How is doing one's best applied in human spirit, when you say "do your best" and think that way, how far can you go?

5. Do I want to focus on Japan's use of this ganbatte spirit? Or am I more interested to find out how encouragement affects the human's ability to achieve.

6. Is ganbatte an invisible force that pushes human beings to achieve their maximum potential?

7. To keep be reminded to "do your best", does it help to boost your spirits and in return, raise your productivity?

Sadly I think I'm being tied down by language for this project if I were to focus on how this "ganbatte spirit" works in the Japanese people. Although what spurred me to choose this topic was due to "ganbatte" being used more recently to encourage the quake victims. But also I've always been interested in this use of "ganbatte" in songs, media, movies and dramas in Japan. Actually they're my source of encouragement or motivation whenever I feel down or stressed, I do feel spirited when I listen to these songs or reading stories of not giving up in times of difficulties and so on. Somehow not getting information from its origin source of use makes me doubt its accuracy at times.

So I guess I'll be turning my direction slightly towards the effects of perseverance and hanging on, what can come out of it? Or to put it in another way, how can encouragement help humans to achieve?

Ok great, at least I've narrowed down to something after typing all these.

Ganbarimasu!

Here's the outcome of what I proposed in my previous post and The Last Sunflower Project puts and end here. It was an interesting brief. I tried what I could with the feedbacks given during the presentation and transformed the thing into a book instead. It's not awesome but at least it looks better than what I had previously. がんばりました。ganbarimashita. (Tried my best)

Now for a new brief, project 3! To do a book based on any culture of your pick. I thought for a while and looked at the calendar, I have to make this within a month, sounds like a rather challenging task. But when I read about #quakebook, a book by writers, journalists, editors, citizens all around the world coming together through the internet for a cause - to help the Japan Quake victims, I was touched. Their aim was to finish the book in 1 week from the quake compiling thoughts and quake experience while the memories are still fresh and emotions still raw.

Back onto the topic, I thought for a while and there's always this "ganbatte" spirit of the Japanese people that never fails to inspire me. Not only apparent in Japanese music, movies, animes or stories, this "ganbatte" (do your best) phrase has also been used quite commonly among us students to encourage each other during crunch times. How this spirit can be portrayed in book making I'm still not sure, kedo ganbarimasu!(But I'll do my best)

Encouraging project isn't it? ;)

After the presentation

Previously what I've done for the final presentation last week were 5 folios containing my illustrated sunflowers and a small booklet of photos for a photographic record of the dying process day by day. Right now following up to what I had for feedback last week was that the files and the booklet too disconnected, that they don't look like they belong together, the folios may be a little unnecessarily big (A4) Other than that, the concept was good. So following up to that, the deadline for submission being pushed back to Wednesday, I'm trying to see what I can improve or revise on what I have done so far.

Right now I'm thinking of fusing everything into just one book, to make things easier to see but at the same time I'm hoping the form of the book is more than just a book. Wondering if it's too ambitious. Here's what I have in mind now:


I'm thinking of folding each divider page (before another section starts) to something like this, hoping it looks like an extended petal out of the book. Thus fulfilling the idea of the bright yellow petals branching out like the sunflower. Well of couse the photo right now shows a mock up of used papers.

Then the inside should show things roughly like this. I'm still not sure how I should fold them, which is the challenging part. Whether it'll work out I'm not sure too but nevertheless I think I'll give it a try. I'll have to think carefully how I organise the content inside due to these pages. Well I have 1 day left to work on it....

Inspiration4

東京の夜, Musey.
Album Cover by Koike Amigos 小池アミイゴ

Like how the night scene of Tokyo is illuminated by the those mark makings of yellow and white.

Inspiration3

A composition of typography and plants. The cycle of life drawn beautifully with charcoal.

Source: Everything Is A Cycle on the Behance Network

Inspiration2

Incredible control of pencil shades.

Source: Without me you can see the answer

Inspiration1

Some reference sources of flower paintings:

I thought the angles of the sunflower drawn were quite unique, usually they're drawn in a straight up front position but here, they're portrayed in different angles.

Source:
http://helenreads.blogspot.com/2009/09/blog-post.html

The Last Sunflower

Design Statement
In an attempt to preserve what the sunflower is well remembered for, this project aims to document the sunflower of its positive qualities and personality in standing contrast to its unfortunate predicament. The last sunflower on this Earth bears a responsibility to be captured in essence representing its species human kind has associated them as. Main qualities such as the sunflower's joy, warmth, loyalty, optimism and admiration will be represented in a series of day by day illustration to its eventual death. The illustrations will demonstrate a transformation from life to death yet encompassing the sunflower’s bold and bright spirit.

It will embrace death like a dignified sunflower.

1st painting

Tried my first painting of a sunflower in watercolour. I wanted to try using yellow on yellow hoping to achieve a cheerful look. Right now it looks a little plain with the overused yellow, wondering if I should try to do digital painting instead so I'd have better control of the colours. Or should I try another illustrative style to make the composition more interesting. I'm intending to do other angles to portray other qualities of the flower so watch out for this space!

Van Gogh's Sunflowers

Previously in my presentation I talked about doing a diary documenting the day to day deterioration of the flower, how I felt about the flower dying, experiences of the day spent with the dying flower. I figured it could get a little corny and lacking content unique to the sunflower if it comes too much of my own personal thoughts. Moreover, this is about the sunflower and not me and the sunflower. So this week, I'm intending to go more into what of the sunflower that I want the world to remember.

I think there's an interesting contrast between the "fact" that the sunflower is dying and the positive connotations of the sunflower. The sunflower is a cheerful flower, it grows towards the sun, it grows straight up, it symbolises admiration, devotion, and loyalty. So what of the contrast can I take to visualise this conflicting contrast?

A good researched example would be Van Gogh's series of sunflowers. Painted yellow on yellow, it is a painting that vibrantly expressed the life of the sunflowers. There are those of in bloom, and some withering all in this one vase. I thought it was interesting how the flowers look lively and realistic with different embodiments of life stages using just mainly yellow.

Choosing a flower

So I've decided on the flower brief, now the first problem I have is to find a flower I'd like to document.

Problem is I've not much experiences with flora as of date and I'd like to work on something I have some emotional attachment to. This being a rather sentimental project and I don't suppose I'd like something when I google "endangered flowers on Earth"?

A sunflower I tried growing

The first flower I've ever received in my life was a sunflower, given by my friends for their support in my performance in an orchestra concert. The first flower I ever tried to grow myself seriously was also a sunflower, the seedling given as a gift from a teacher. If there's any flower that I ought to feel something for, it would be the sunflower then. It's also my horoscope flower, being a leo. That's as much feelings I think I have for a flower for now.

What about other flowers I've come across, like roses? I like those too, because they have thorns, which sort of makes the flower seem more precious? It stands for romance and love too. Doesn't every girl like roses? I've also asked around people which are their favourite flowers and the most votes appear to go to tulips, for their simple and elegant look.

Hmm, think I'll stick with the sunflower.