[Event Idea Generation]

When I first got the project brief, I was excited to think of the different events that I would like to do. So the following are some of the initial event ideas that I have thought of.

-Sleeping event

-Camouflage event

-Superstition event

-Fortune Telling event

-Turn back time event

-Tears collection event

-OCD event

-Face your fear event

Initially, I have explored more on the first two events which are the sleeping and camouflage one. However, Prof Lisa suggested that superstition seems like a much more interesting idea as the sleeping event for people with sleeping disorder is quite expected. Hence, I further explored my ideas by choosing both the superstition and camouflage event to work on their potential.

[Research]

Before developing any sketches, I did some researched for both concepts.

Camouflage concept research

For camouflage, there are 4 basic types. Concealing coloration, disruptive coloration, disguise, mimicry.

1. Concealing coloration
   When an animal hides against a background of the same color. For example, animals such as polar bears and snowy owl in the Arctic have white furs that help them to blend with the snows backgrounds that surrounds them. 

   

2. Disruptive coloration
   When an animal has spots, stripes, or patterns to break up their outline so it doesn’t stick out against the background. Animals such as zebras, leopards, and tigers use this type of camouflage. 

   

3. Disguise
   When animals blend in with their surroundings by looking like another object. For example, insects such as Walkingstick, Katydid, Dead leaf butterfly and Flower Mantis looks like branches, leaves or flower is using it as a disguise to hide from predators. 

   .

4. Mimicry
   When animal or insects look like other dangerous, bad tasting or poisonous animals or insects. They pretend to be what they are not. Some snakes, butterflies, and moth use this type of camouflage. For example, such as Scarlet king snake, the Hawkmoth, and the Viceroy butterfly.

Superstition concept research

For superstition, there are so many of them all over different countries and religions. I have decided to do something that I felt more relatable to. Which is Singaporean Chinese superstition. There are so many types of superstitions within the Chinese superstition alone. So I decided to gather all of them and categorized them under 3 main categories; Luck superstitions, Spirit superstitions, and Inauspicious gift superstitions.

[Luck Superstitions]

-Number 8
Chinese believe that the number 8 is a lucky number because the pronunciation of the number ‘eight’ and the pronunciation of the word for ‘prosperity’ in Chinese is similar. Hence, the number 8 has much value in Chinese superstition.

-Number 4
In another popular Chinese superstition, the number 4 is considered as unlucky. Hence this number is preferably avoided for vehicles plate and houses unit numbers. It is so because the number 4 in Chinese has the pronunciation similar to the word ‘death’.

-Longevity noodles
A popular belief is that an uncut noodle in the soup will increase longevity. If the noodle is cut it will cut the longevity.

-Red
Red – A color representing happiness, beauty, vitality, good luck, success, and good fortune in Chinese culture.

-Black and White
Black and white (bad luck) – associated with death and mourning. In Chinese culture, we wear white during funerals.

[Spirits Superstitions]

-Nails cutting at night
The Chinese believe that clipping toe-nails or finger-nails at night would bring ghosts to that place.

–Knock on the door before you enter
When traveling, always knock on the door before entering. This alerts any spirits of your presence so they won’t be startled by your presence and it also encourages them to leave.

–Don’t sleep facing mirrors
Sleeping while facing a mirror is said to decrease your yang energy. Mirrors are not only full of yin energy but are also considered portals for ghosts all over the world. There is also a saying that mirrors might even be used to steal your soul. This is said to be especially dangerous when you’re tired and only half awake.

-Opening umbrellas is a no-no
Spirits are said to take shelter under umbrellas, so unless you want to bring an uninvited guest back, it is advisable not to open an umbrella in the house, or leave it open outside the house.

-Stick chopstick in rice
Do not stick your chopsticks into your rice straight down. It resembles the incense that family members burn to mourn a dead relative. It also resembles an offering which is placed on the altar at an ancestral shrine.

-Leave insects alone
If there are any creepy crawlies like moths, butterflies, grasshoppers that visit your house during the time of hungry ghost festival, it is best not to kill them. The Chinese believe that bugs are a manifestation of spirits or ancestors

[Inauspicious Gift Superstition]

• Shoe
  The older generation believes that giving shoes is akin sending the receiver away. This is because shoe (鞋 xie) in chinese sounds similar to evil (邪). Giving shoes as a gift is akin to giving the evil spirit to him/her, thus it is believed that the giver and receiver will lose in touch or break their relationship after some time. However, this is not applicable to giving shoes as a gift for your close family members. Also, it is believed that giving shoes among dating couples is a hint of telling him/her to “get lost”. Eventually, either you will initiate the breakup or your partner will run away from you. 
• Clock
  Giving a Chinese friend a clock as a present should be avoided because it sounds like “Song Zhong” in Chinese, which means a funeral ritual or a symbol of stealing time from the person and shortening their life. 
• Umbrella
  Giving a Chinese an umbrella means you want to end the relationship because umbrella (伞 san) sounds like separation (散) in Chinese, which means to separate. Hence, giving an umbrella as a gift should be avoided (except in the rain). 
• Pear
  The word pear (梨 Li) sound like leaving (离 Li) in Chinese, which has the same meaning as separation. Giving pears mean you guys could be separated in future. 
• Sharp objects
  Knife and Scissors are used for cutting. They symbolize breaking a relationship. Giving knives and scissors will cause the receiver to feel threatened too. 
• Handkerchief
  To give a handkerchief to someone (送巾, sòng jīn) sounds like 斷根 (duàngēn), a farewell greeting. This gift is especially inappropriate for a boyfriend or girlfriend — unless you want to break up. People generally give handkerchiefs at the end of a funeral and are a symbol of saying goodbye forever. Giving someone a gift like this insinuates you are saying goodbye forever, and severing all ties.
• Mirror
  Mirrors are a bad idea for gifts throughout much of Asia, as they are believed to attract malicious ghosts. On top of that, they are easily broken and breaking things is a bad omen in Chinese culture. 

  Sources

https://www.digmandarin.com/chinese-travel-superstitions.html
https://www.taiwanese-secrets.com/chinese-superstitions/
https://collectibles.knoji.com/15-top-chinese-superstitions/
https://cultureguru.my/en/2016/11/28/13-gifts-never-give-chinese-person/
https://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/things-not-give-chinese-new-year.htm
https://oakdome.com/k5/lesson-plans/powerpoint/animal-camouflage-pictures-and-information.php

Before starting on the project, I’m not sure where to start with or which topic to choose. So I just started off with researching on Varoom. The types of issue article and content Varoom is producing. Followed by researching on some editorial illustrator looking for inspiration on how they do editorial illustration by containing so many complex layers of meaning into one illustration.

About VAROOM

Varoom is a global leading illustration magazine that is established in 1973 to promote the illustration industry. It is an illustrated magazine that acts as a hub of discussion, providing insights and analysis for the illustration community on various topics. It publishes differently themed topic magazine issues and uses creative approaches of illustration to convey underlying messages. A place for the creative illustrators expresses and illustrate in the form of editorial practices.

VAROOM  content article research

1. ISSUES 25 – Empathy
   What do you find inspiring?
   I think it is very interesting how the magazine combines actual facts together with how designers different types of work or illustration are related to the theme itself. It also shows the take from a designer perspective, how illustrations and illustrator can show empathy as well. The cover page and works shown was also inspiring as it makes us questioned about the theme of empathy as it makes me look deeper into the meaning of any underlying messages.
   
   What type of information is in the magazine?
   It is about the different facts and information of empathy and how as designers and illustrator play a part in the role of portraying or connected with the issues of empathy.
   
   Who is the target audience?
   The target audience should be mainly people from the creative industries or people that wanted to know a little more about the theme of empathy. Such as people who are interested in empathy psychologically related issues.
2. ISSUE 24 – Obsession
   What do you find inspiring?
   I like how the magazine depicts different types of obsession that people can have and the different types of definitions towards it.

What type of information is in the magazine?
An issue about Obsessive practice, Obsessed with Neon, Obsessed with Ladybird, Artists who are Obsessed with One Thing or another. How an artist show obsession through the process of making art.

Who is the target audience?
Probably still people of the creative industries and people who are interested in the topic of obsession.

Research on editorial illustrator

1) Stephanie Hofmann

(Editorial Illustrations Works)

(Analysis)
What do you find inspiring?
I like how her work can be very easily understood even though there is a secondary layer of meaning to the illustration. It is not too difficult to understand nor too literal. I like how she composes her work. Her illustration sparks my interest to find out more about the text.

What medium do they use?
Digital illustration.

How do they creatively interpret the text for the article?
For the example of “letting out your inner rebel”, she illustrates a lady in grey opening up a door on her body and a girl wearing red runs out happily. I feel that it is very clever of her to use colors of grey and red and the analogy of the door really interpreted the text really well.

2) John W. Tomac

(Editorial Illustrations Works)

(Analysis)
What do you find inspiring?
I like how his works always have a sense of humor or mocking about the issue itself. Also, I like his minimalistic style.

What medium do they use?
Digital.

How do they creatively interpret the text for the article?
By using idioms or analogy to mock about certain issues.

3) Jori Bolton

(Editorial Illustrations Works)

(Analysis)
What do you find inspiring?
I like how his works use a different visual analogy that creatively illustrated the same meaning regarding the article. Despite some of the images are rendered in a simple flat manner, textures are added to enhance the feel of the entire illustration to make it look a little rougher instead of cold, flat and polished. The color palette used is also nicely curated such as using analogous or complementary colors that allow the piece to feel harmonious as a whole.

What medium do they use?
Digital.

How do they creatively interpret the text for the article?
By using a similar visual analogy to interpret about certain issues.

Theme research — Empathy

Chosen Theme: Empathy
I have chosen on the theme of empathy as I relate to it much better. I have always wanted to do something more meaningful and deep as compared to the first assignment that I did which purely just a portrait of me surrounded with things that I like. I am actually interested to explore in psychologically related issues, hence I have chosen empathy as my topic. Before starting to brainstorm on various ideas, I decided to search for the definition of empathy and also came up with my own definition. I have also done basic research on the traits of both empath, people that lack empathy and different types of existing empathy to help with my idea generation process.

Definition:
(Dictionary)
The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

(My interpretation)
1) To be able to immerse yourself in the other party’s situation
to understand, see and feel the other person’s perspective or feelings. Being able to process it and react accordingly with actions and words to make the other party feel better. So that he or she knows that they are not alone in the matter.

2) Being empathetic could be draining when we are too people orientated or being around people who lack empathy. 

Empath’s Traits

• highly sensitive
• absorbs other’s emotions
• easy targets for energy vampires
• a huge heart that overly gives
• can feel overwhelmed sometimes in intimate relationships

Narcissist’s Traits

• lack of empathy
• always seeking for attention and praise
• whatever that they want must be the best
• response to criticism with anger
• only think of themselves
• Fantasizing about their own intelligence, success, power, and appearance

3 Different Types Of Empathy:

• Emotional empathy (also known as affective empathy)
  is the ability to share the feelings of another person. Some have described it as “your pain in my heart.” This type of empathy helps you build emotional connections with others.
• Cognitive empathy
  is the ability to understand how a person feels and what they might be thinking. Cognitive empathy makes us better communicators because it helps us to relay information in a way that best reaches the other person.
• Compassionate empathy (also known as an empathic concern)
  goes beyond simply understanding others and sharing their feelings: it actually moves us to take action, to help however we can.

Ideal Target Audience & Persona

Age: 13 – 30 years old
Gender: female

Article Research

1) Standing in another person’s shoe

Empathy is about being able to understand the other party’s feelings thoughts and conditions by standing in the other person’s perspective in seeing things. Allowing one to be compassionate and understanding.

Article from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/empathy

2) Being empathetic can be draining

‘Empaths, or highly sensitive people, know all too well the struggle of trying to balance their emotions in a world full of conflicting and intense energy’

In this article, it mentioned how empath easily takes on energy and emotions from anybody they encounter and those feelings could actually be stuck with them for quite a while. Also, empath has a tendency to be so people focused that they tend to neglect their own emotional well being and personal needs. Which can be a negative issue in the sense of being very draining. Having such caring and a highly sensitive bunch is good however, it could be really difficult for an empath to truly balanced out themselves internally to feel not so imbalanced or drained.

Article from: https://www.powerofpositivity.com/dark-side-empathy-absorbing-emotions-can-drain/amp/

https://jessicadolce.com/the-dark-side-of-empathy-when-too-much-turns-into-none/

3) Narcissist drains empath

In this article, it mentions how opposite commonly tends to attract such as empath(people who are very caring and giving) attracts narcissist(people who only care about themselves). As a result, causing a toxic attraction that disastrous. The empath will be feeling that they are not giving enough and will keep continuing giving without limits since they are so people orientated. Whereas the narcissist will be enjoying the given love and care. An empath will always reflect upon themselves whereas narcissist will always love themselves so much that they think they are faultless and flawless and blame it on the others. This causes a toxic cycle leading to empath being extremely drained but forced to keep on going perhaps unknowingly.

Article from: https://www.businessinsider.com/why-empaths-and-narcissists-are-attracted-to-each-other-2018-1/

Bibliography