TRY to make a good REFERENCE

As a design students, whenever I start to do a project or assignment, I will do a lot of research. On last Thursday 25 April, there was a lecturer came in our class and taught us about APA reference. Before that class, I had learn it when I was studying in psychology. However, I didn't use it when I was in foundation. After the lecturer had told us about the APA reference, our design process's lecturer, Ms Vin She asked us to do some research about our project and make a reference on blog.

First, I went to library and did some research. The materials that I had used were books, magazines, and newspapers. I took photos when I saw something that related to assignment. If I thought the pictures or words could inspire me, I would also take photo for it as my research.

Books

1.

(Xu, 2009)

This is an artwork form a book which is called, "Visual Engine". This book is about 18 top designers. The editor collect theirs artworks and put into this book.

The name of this artwork is "Hi Rise Hell". As you can see, there is a building in the illustration, and there are eleven floors there. Each floor has one to three person in it, each of them need to face different situations. All situations in the building are bad. More higher floor you go, the situation will be more badly.

However, the story in this artwork is not the point that inspire me. When I look at this illustration, the structure of this building is the first thing that attract my attention. For example, how the artist uses the structure to show different stories in a building. The project of design process class is doing a map. What will happen if I draw a map in a "building"?

Each floor shows different places that I suggest, and you can follow the number of the floor to start you journey. That's what I think when I see this artwork/illustration. Maybe it's too simple if I just draw my map just like the structure in this illustration, but this is what it inspires me. It makes me have a new idea to create a different style of map. I will not just copy the structure of this illustration, but I will explore my idea from what idea I have now.

2.

(Sharp,2018)

This is another illustration form a book which is called, "Creative Review". There are many nice illustration in this book, but there are just two of them are suitable to be a part of my research. So this is the first illustration/artwork that I would like to share this time.

This is an illustration that showed contrast of two girls. Both of them are in different places facing with different weather. The girl who is drawn at left hand side looks happy and it is sunny there; the girl who is drawn at right hand side looks sad and it is raining there. For the left hand side, the artist uses bright colours, like orange to show the feeling happiness and sunshine ; for the right hand side, the artist uses some dark colours, like dark blue to show the feeling of sadness and tired. But the artist connect two spaces with the girls' clothes. As you can see, the artist use the orange to be the background colour of the happy girl and he/she also uses the same colour for the sadness girl's clothes.

The idea that I get form this artwork/illustration is I can draw two different spaces in a same illustration. This can help me to show the contrast of the places as well. Even there are not two different places, I can draw the past and present for the place, right? I think it will be interesting if I draw the contrast of the place.

For example, I went to LINC last week. After my friends told me, I knew that before the building had build, the place was a forest. What if I draw the past and present of the building?

Yah, that's what this illustration inspires me. I may try it in my sketchbook.

3.

(Sharp, 2018)

This is the second illustration that I see in "Creative Review". A quite simple map for Pari, but there are some words on the map. Just like the map that we can see everywhere. So what attract my attention from this illustration?

I think was the style of the illustration. From what I have seen in my daily life, most of the maps we can get are colourful and full of words. However, this map has only yellow, black, white and blue colour. It looks simple but clean. For me, I think a map which full of colour will let me feel confuse. Sometimes, a drawing with too many colours or words are not that good.

Therefore, if I would like to create a map as simple as this illustration, I think I will not use too many colours for it. Black and white are enough for me to draw the places where I suggest, and I can just highlight some of them. Highlight is a good way make the people/audience to focus on what you would like to tell. For example, the words on this illustration. The artists highlights them, and the first thing that I will see are the words.

I still remember what my lecturer taught me, you can use different colour to show the interesting story when you are sketching. Same concept, for a map, I may use different colour to highlight the place I prefer.

4.

(Gatacre, 2014)

This is a sketching that I take from a book which is called, " Urban Sketching: The Complete Guide to Techniques". In fact, this book is about urban sketching, and let us learn sketching by using the methods that have mention in it. It's a useful book for me, I have borrow it form the library after I read it. I found that there are many skills/ techniques I can learn from this book.

For this sketching, it is about the author ask us to draw at anywhere. When you find something can sketch, you can just sketch it down. And the author tell us to bring a sketchbook when you can start drawing in everywhere. As you can see, the artist draw on a paper which is full of words. However, what you will see at the first sight is the drawing but not the words.

Doing research may need to sketch sometimes, sketching can help me to explore my ideas. When I go to a restaurant when I am doing my research, maybe I can use a piece of tissue to sketch down what I see. And let it become a part of my map. OR I can use different texture of paper different size of paper to create my map.

After I see this illustration, I think I can just collect the map, or paper when I am doing my research. Sketching on it, and let them become a part of my map, or even a part of my research. Using a blank paper to draw is a usual thing that we will do in class, but I would like to draw on different paper now!

Newspaper

5.

(Chew, 2019)

This is an article that I take form a Chinese newspaper. This article is about a pasar(traditional supermarket) at Kajang, beside Jalan Changkat. This pasar will be demolished very soon. There are many memories for the people who live in Kajang. Most of them used to be there when they are young. Some of them are still selling foods there.

Why do I choose this article as my research material? This is because I think most of us are focusing on the model building instead of going somewhere can show the traditional culture of our country. For example, pasar pagi and pasar malam. Pasar pagi is the traditional market which just available in the morning; pasar malam is the traditional market which just available at night. Different from the modern supermarket we see at shopping, these kind of markets are placed along the road or street.

The culture of a country is a very interesting part for a tourist when they would like to travel in that country. For Malaysia, there are many places can show our culture. Like Taiwan, there is also tourist center which is called, "台北夜市, TaiBeiYeShi", and there are many delicious food there.

Instead of showing the culture of our country, I can also find out the story behind the place that I would like to draw in my map. Like this article, the author has find out the story behind the market. How do the people feel when they know the market is gonna demolished very soon.

Website

6.

(Teja, 2019)

This is an article I found on internet. It is about KL Forest Eco Park. Eco Park is the place I plan to visit in these coming weeks. Therefore, I have done some researches for the place. This article has written about the ways of going there, and the things that interesting there.

Before going to somewhere, I usually will do some research on internet at home. Therefore, I can know more information about the place that I would like to go. Not only that, after doing research, I can easily find the place during my journey.

Reading the articles online, it is more easy and convenient for me when there is no book or magazine around me. After reading the articles online, I can also know the others' experiences after they have gone through the trip there.

So this is one of the online article that I have read before I go to Eco park.

7.

(Rain, 2018)

This is another article I found on internet. There are 37 places where the author suggested the tourists to visit. One of the place that she has mentioned in this article is Eco Park. She has also list out some information about Eco Park.

By reading this article, I have more choices to where I should for doing my project these coming weeks. Instead of going Eco Park, I would also like to go KL Bird Park and Butterfly Park. As I know, there is a bus which can reach KL Bird Park and Butterfly Park in KL. And both of them are quite near. I can walk around there in order to do my research between these two parks.

From what I read in this article, there are many places are interesting. However, I prefer to go somewhere that can let me get closer to nature. Doing research can let me get more information about our country, and I can know more different places. Maybe there are many places can let me get closer with nature, but I haven't find it out yet. So doing research about where can I go for my project is really important.

8.

(Sekhar & Sbapathy, 2019)

This is an article I found on a website which is called, "Option". In this article, the authors are going to share about the place, LINC.

I had gone to there last week with my classmates. We went to do some sketches and took photos. There were many beautiful artworks. It was places at Kuala Lumpur, and we went there by car.

For this article, the authors have shown us where should we visit when we go to LINC. I had visited The Owl and the colourful doves. Both of them are very nice. I had taken many photo there. However, I didn't having my lunch there, so I didn't know the restaurant that the authors is good or not.

Why do I include this article as a part of my research is because, I think I should do some resect after I went there. I can know more information and the story about the places. This is not the only article I found on internet. There are few articles related to LINC I found on internet, but I don't show all of them in this blog.

Online Newspaper

9.

(Lee, 2019)

This is an article I take from an online newspaper which is about our Malaysia's food. From what the authors has mentioned in this article, we can know that the food in our country are delicious. Many tourist come to our country will tried our traditional food, and their review are good, especially Nyonya food. Not only that, hawker/street food is also mentioned in this article. There are many type of food in our country. Maybe I can go to these restaurants to try them.

Everyone need to eat in every day. So what inspire me from this article is, maybe I can include one to two restaurants in my map. Then, my audiences can just follow my map after they visit the places I suggested. By doing a map which have good places to visit and good restaurant to enjoy their food, I think my map will more comprehensive. (But I am not sure if I will include it, it's just a ideas when I do research)

Traditional food is a good idea to let me explore my ideas when I am doing my map as well. Because many restaurant in Malaysia have good services and their food are delicious. Sometimes, the price of these restaurants are not too expensive. Even for students, they are affordable for it.

Video

10.

I found this video on Youtube, it is about Eco Park. This Youtuber does a vlog there. If you have no any plan to visit there, then this will be a good video for you. It is not a long video, so you need not waste too much time to watch it.

It is a good resource for me to learn about the techniques of recording and editing video. How he changes the scenes look nice and smooth. For design process subject, we have do create video at the end as well. Therefore, I can use some techniques of changing scenes in this video as well.

You can just click play and watch the video now!

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Reference list:

Chew, Y. X. (2019, April 29). Kajang Pasar: The memories of old Kajang residents. Sin New Daily, p. 16.

Lee, S. (2019, April 27). Has Malaysia been successful in promoting our food oversea? The Star. Retrieved from https://www.star2.com/travel/2019/04/27/a-gastronomical-journey/

Rain, L. (2018). Top 37 Places to Visit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Retrieved from https://wanderwisdom.com/travel-destinations/Visit-Kuala-Lumpur

Sekhar, L & Sabapathy, S. (2019). Top things to do at the art-centric The Linc KL mall. Retrieved from http://www.optionstheedge.com/topic/culture/top-things-do-art-centric-linc-kl-mall

*Sharp, L. (2019). Creative Review.

Shuib,S. (2017, November 25). Canopy Walk at KL Forest Eco Park | WHAT TO DO IN KUALA LUMPUR. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64kFfOMytyM

Teja. (2019). KL Forest Eco Park: The Surprisingly Real Rainforest. Retrieved from https://www.tejaonthehorizon.com/walkthrough/kl-forest-eco-park-bukit-nanas/

Xu, G. (2009). Visual Engine: The selected works of 18 top designers. Singapore: Page One Publishing Pte Ltd.