Final Concept

In the course of developing the site my final concept has changed.

Originally i wanted to focus on a lack of identity in general, but the more i started to explore it, i found that the lack of identity in a single person was more interesting.

ive moved the site to focus on a ‘lonely mind’, and the site is a journey into it. it reveals bland and stark images, or confused and flashing images. all pointing to a lonely and lacking identity for an individual.

ive used transition effects of an individuals eyes opening and closing to ‘move’ through the persons mind. as in if each image/page you see is another part of their mind.

 

transition testing

finished this a while ago but realised i never uploaded it.

its a transition between pages test. if you clicka number ( dentoting the page), it will play a transition before randomly moving to another page.

www.homewrecker.id.au/webart/transition_test.html

more inspiration

WIP

Realised i havent updated in a while so thought id throw up some images.

here are some photos of scribbling that i have done. unfortunately im not the best at convey my ideas on paper, and there are alot of mental links between what ive written, so forgive me if it doesnt make sense

Concept

I’ve narrowed down what I want to achieve with my site by incorporating a few key elements and concepts in relation to identity:

Abstract //

-       Mystery (Not being sure of someone’s identity)

-       ‘Lack of identity’ (finding you cant grasp the identity of someone/something)

-       Identity creation (a result of the first two points, often you imagine/conceive an identity of someone/something if it isn’t immediately present.)

Design //

-       Limited colour pallet to match lack of definition

-       Simple use of pictures and text

-       Non-linear navigation.

I have decided to focus on the emotions and thoughts that occur when someone/something thing/some place has no identity, or doubts their own. The age-old question of “who am I”, can often be presented in a way that is quite moving and both emotionally and intellectually powerful. I feel I want to present this lack of identity and almost horror and fear that can grip a person when they aren’t really sure who they are, what they are doing or where they are going.

This is a great quote I found from Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley. This powerful thought provoking line is the feel of the website that I want to achieve. A ‘deep’, ‘heavy minded’, approach to what I believe to be a horrible thing, a lack of identity.  I want to explore inserting quotes like these from famous literature and music lyrics that broach upon the idea of a lack of identity to help emphasis the point.

They will be presented with an organic website that hints and teases at the concept of identity and a lack of one through the use of image, text and video. As it will be an art website there will be no true presentation of information, it is more of an exploration by the user and they can take what they will from it. I feel that I want to really try and emphasis how a lack of identity can create a sense of unease, loneliness and fear.

The user should by exploring the site start to question their own identity. By being presented with such an abrupt portrayal of this lack of identity, the website should encourage them to really stop and think about who they are.

Sitemap Layout:

I want to create a non-linear site. Links will not be cleared defined buttons on the page but images or text that the user themselves will have to realise a link elsewhere. Also, each link will randomly go to another page, there will be no direct order for the site. This allows for each user experience to be personal. I feel that if I had roughly 20-30 pages, each with varying combinations of text and image, in different layout styles, there would be enough content to limit overlapping experiences. Here is a little mock up of how the site may be set-up:

Design

The design for the site will be very minimal in terms of content. Each page will only have one two images, some text, and possibly some animations. Audio will be a component, id like to find some ambient music/sounds to hover in the background. There will be a consistency in terms of stylistic qualities like colour and image content, but each page will be quite individual in the way it is set out.

Inspiration:

One of the sites I really liked was The Donnie Dark site, . The use of incoherent text, minimal use of image and chaotic layout that jumps at each page, as well as the music that draws your focus in was quite successful. I really like how you don’t really know what your doing, but you start to pick up little bits of information, and start questioning what they mean.

Another site I found quite successful was Mouchette. The chaos and powerful use of images and text is very successful in portraying its message. I did find the navigation a bit painful but the effect of not knowing where your going makes each page you visit stand out that little bit more.

Some More images to convey the type of style im going for:

Collaborative

Our in class work for today consisted of creating an image in relation to our final project. as im still in developing stages i just checked an image i found and text that popped into my head. Another class member then went and added a few elements to the design.

still dont know where im really going with this. but everything so far looks dark and depressing haha. i think im liking the idea of ‘creating’ an identiy through the site. As in, the site would be a vauge hint as to a character, with little bits of useless information that the user could construct themselves. this extends on what what i was thinking earlier about a lack of identity and the identity we can create for someone based on opinion, impressions and experiences. i think it would be interesting to see what each person creates once they have browsed through the site

Days with My Father – Site Critique

Days with my Father is an online journal of one man’s last moments with his father. Written by Phillip Toledano, it branches away from a typical blog/ online diary into almost a photographic art diary. Moving and touching, it’s an emotional outlet for a man trying to remember his father. In doing so we start to create our own understanding of both men, their relationship and their love for each other.

The most appealing part is the little stories that Phillip throws into his accompanying text to help further develop our understanding of his and his father’s life. As the journal progresses we begin to understand that Phillips father has no short term memory. The very first piece of text explains that when Phillips mother died, Phillips father, even through he attended the funeral, as soon as he arrived home had no understanding of where his wife was and when she would return. Phillips, struggling to go through explain that his mother had died to his father nearly every day resorted to explaining that she had to go to Paris and would be back soon. For the remainder of his life this is how Phillips father understood her not being there. There are a few little tid bits of stories like this within the text, but they are best to be experienced with the accompanying images for the full effect.

I believe that the site falls into art rather than design. In my opinion, design needs to fulfill a specific function and purpose; art can be more abstract in its expression and can exists just as an entity on its own, with or without a specific need fulfilled. Days with my father could be said to have a purpose of documenting Phillips moments with his Father, which it may have started out as, but by presenting it on the internet in the fashion that it is, it is to be viewed and experienced for the viewer’s pleasure, not to satisfy a specific function that must be achieved. The story unfolds like a series of paintings, each adding a little bit more and each being a piece of art unto them. The photography is very strong; each shot is beautiful and captivating. The accompanying text adds to each image, not so much as explaining it, but adding a second level of understanding.  In saying this, the design of the site however is thought out and planned to portray the information in a very appealing way. The consistent, minimal layout allows the images and text to have their full impact, yet not take away from the story telling nature of the journal.

It’s somewhat different to other web art examples that exist on the internet as it’s more of a journal than an abstract expression of an idea. By being presented in a narrative format the intent is clear and fulfilled smoothly. A lot of existing ‘art’ pieces on the internet are more about the user exploring and discovering in their own path through the website(see mouchette ), rather than what Days with my Father does and lays it out step by step with no user exploration. I find this part of the charm however; it gives it more of purpose and easier element to understand. We gain more insight into the characters and progressing of events through this narrative format.

In terms of reflecting into my own site I don’t think I will follow the path that Days with my Father has. Specifically the use of a storyboard narrative. I am more interested in creating an abstract exploration site, where the use can take what they want and discover for themselves. Days with my father is quite specific in what it presents, user impact is dependant on emotional understanding and attachment to the journals content itself, as opposed the experience of the actually using the site. My own piece will be more about the effect of moving the site has, letting the content be broad and far reaching enough that each viewer can take what they want from it, in their own understanding.

Lack of identity

ive been pondering some ideas in relation to identity. still not 100% sure what i really want to go for.

im really liking the idea of a ‘lack of identity’. for example not knowing someones identiy and as such you start creating your own idea and identity for them based on what you see hear think feel. exploring the use of shadows/ double meanings/ contrasting and juxtapostion would be a way to implement it.

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another idea i had was to explore loneliness, and how a persons perception and attitude is output into a socical envirnoment yet they see themselves as being alone. not sure if this is really an identity, or a stem of the lack of identiy because of being alone…. hmmm

Have some images.

Just trawling through the web and found some images relating to identity and design. Feel like sharing…

Very fun interactive Website

was just browsing about and feel like sharing this.

Bio bak