Blog 108: Point of View

You might wanna read about my pointless lectures before you look at this one, but it's not essential. But if you want the full story check out this post first:

http://pasqualerants.blogspot.com/2011/03/blog-101-why-oh-why.html

Or look for post 101.

ANYWAY. We had an assignment, which was ridiculous, and stupid, pointless and mundane and completely impossible. We had to define "point", "line", "plane", "structure" and "form" (in the artistic sense of those words). Our definitions had to be original, so we couldn't use the dictionary (which, despite the impossibility to define those words, does a pretty good job that can't really be done better...) What annoys me about this is that everyone knows what these are, but like colours, you can't really explain it. If someone said "describe the colour green" you'd find yourself probably punching that person in the mouth. Moreover, if someone came up to you and genuinely didn't know what a line or point was, they'd probably get several skin breaking kicks to the shin, and deservedly. But we had to do basically that for this assignment.

I'd already got credit for making the popping noise that donkey makes in Shrek 2 to define the sound that a point would make if it was a sound, so I should really have been let off having to define it on paper too. But as if defining it with words weren't enough, we had to illustrate these 5 things (objects? concepts? what even are they?) too.

Now, obviously we can't just draw a line or a point (although that is a good way to see what they are) so this bit wound me up. How am I supposed to do such obvious things in original ways?

I got so wound up that I did an e-mail to the module leader:

"Hello,

I'm writing primarily to enquire about the Design Theory 2 (DESN2640) assignment we have been given, as I have spent the past few hours attempting to do it and it has only resulted in me feeling stressed. I am unsure as to what the idea of the assignment is. I was wondering if you could give me some indication of what the assignment is intended to achieve so that I can try and focus my project towards that goal. At the moment I am struggling for ideas to define "point" in any other way than how the dictionary does it, which of course is unoriginal and so wouldn't be allowed. I find that "point" and "line" are concepts so basic that I cannot begin to think of how to describe them, much like how I wouldn't be able to describe the colour red to someone if they asked. I hope you don't find this email rude and I certainly don't wish to come across as such, I am writing purely to ask where you intend us to go with these assignments as I am struggling to focus and specify what I am writing.

Thankyou in advance

Michael Pasquale"

And this was toned down. My original draft was way more sarcastic and grumpy, but unfortunately I didn't save that one.

The reply was this:

"Michael,
I suggest also that you read the given assignment again (with care). Your focus should be on producing original illustrations and definitions for inclusion in a text bvook for visual artists and designers. My advice is to try to produce the visuals first. You may well find that the words then follow the images rather than vice versa.
Originality is required, but a survey using google (for example) and whatever relevant text books you can access, may stimulate this originality. Hope this is helpful.
Regards,

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange"

So basically, read the brief, which OBVIOUSLY I had done, several times, and the brief literally says what he says: "Your focus should be on producing original illustrations and definitions for inclusion in a text bvook for visual artists and designers". I was hoping for some indication as to why this activity would be any use to me now, or ever. Because it really won't be.

I should point out, that when he says they're meant to be for "inclusion in a text book", he's literally been asked to make some definitions for a textbook, and he can't be bothered, so he's asked the whole module to do it and he's choosing the best to be used in the textbook. So this is the actual reason why this is happening, and the reason why I wanted to repeatedly smash my face into my computer keyboard until the blood jammed up the letters and I couldn't type anymore.

Goodness, where did all that anger come from?

Anyways, we got set another stupid task and upon handing in the second task we received the results from the above one back, and I did well. Which annoyed me. Because my intention for my illustrations was to take the mick and try to point out what a truly stupid and ridiculous task this is, but instead it was misread as "an attempt to breathe originality into the assignment."

Anyway, I thought I'd post my definitions on tumblr so that you can all have a gander at how well I did despite wanting to just trash my room. Hopefully they'll get chosen for the book as well, because then people using the book might find the original drawings on here and realise it's all a massive massive farce.

You can find the definitions here at this link:

http://mike-is-a-hero.tumblr.com/post/4362183266/some-ridiculous-definitions-which-we-had-to-do-for

Enjoy!!!