User:Marlon/Graduate Research Seminar/thesis/draft

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Thesis template

This is a draft. Reading list here.

Name/title

Liberating the Physical Template of the New Human

Message from Archangel Michael

Channeled by Meredith Murphy

Telepathic Transmission - 1/2 May 2012

Key question

Some possibilities:

  • Are templates presets that generate not just similar design, but also similar content?
  • Do they liberate or limit their users?
  • Do these templates signify a graphic design crisis?

Introduction

Templates. Themes. Trends. Tropes.

65 High Quality Free Tumblr Themes

Tumblr as main example: uses templates, has repetitive (stencil) content, new visual language, community aspect.

Using Tumblr as an entry point or main example to draw out current situation/highlight interest in topic:

Popular micro-blogging service Tumblr, is quick and easy to use. Offers its users (free and pay-to-play) themes for the layout of their blogs. Its use is quite varied: from making friends and maintaining personal blogs and fansites to professional design portfolios. There is a lot of repetitive –symbolised by the never-ending scrolling layout– content, partly due to its 'reblogging' feature. Blogs are often dedicated to one topic, phenomena or filetype (see: "selfies at funerals"). Multiple blogs with the same purpose, name, style ("fuckyeah1990s", "fuckyeahdykes", "fuckyeahmiyazaki", etc).

Template

Templates and themes in a web environment: what are they, why do they exist, how do they work?

  • Customisable! Templates are restricting because they have to be. This is how they limit designers.
  • Content and form, the interplay, the boundaries.

Stencil

A template is easy to use, but its limitations guarantee a similarity in content. We enjoy this, because it requires us to think less.

  • Following (imitating) the norm. Repetition, memes, multiples.
  • Experience and lifestyle design: promoting yourself, designing your life, painting your existence more beautiful.
  • Advertisement and promotion, trends, aesthetics.

Graphic design

Not everyone is a (graphic) designer, but everyone can at least have the experience. Thanks to the templates, downloadable designs, mockups and apps, everyone can pretend to be one. Design performing."

Subtopics:

  • Downloadable and open design and its relation to free software.
  • User and producer future? Designing not the work, but the tools, the templates, "the user-friendly environment".
  • Mode of production, ownership.

Visual essay

Pics or it didn't happen.

Conclusion

Ambiguity, there are good and bad templates?

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