Opinions wanted.Whats the purpose of your medium?

[Leeds07]

I am a student currently in my third year studying textile design at Leeds University. Presently I am in the middle of my dissertation which is based on the use of media within design and particularly commercial illustration. I am very interested in the use of media as means of communicating a message.

Marshall McLuhan's theory, '’the medium is the message,’ refers to the use of media as a pro-active agent to make change. Within your own work would you say that you actively employ the use of different media, to convey a particular message and as this ‘make happen agent’?

Any responses to this above question would really help me understand how individuals working within art and design are utilising media today.


Many Thanks

[aesir]

(*aesir begins writing a paper for his good friend Leeds cause he waited till the last minute before he started and now needs someone to do it for him on the interwebs. Luckily Leeds is a well known important figure in the community boasting multiple posts far past what many unregistered users have ever had.)

[That fat kid]

Assuming I'm not doing your homework for you, and if I am, I regret this, I work with figures in oil paint, which is traditionally an accepted surrogate for flesh because of how long it's been in use representing people in portraits as well as how the properties of the paint can create luminous depth to imitate flesh, not to mention the metaphor of a window into another reality through representation. Thus, the paint is a transparent medium for my message within my work.

I'm under the impression that most forms of illustration involving painting, either digital or traditional, build on this metaphor of a window into a another reality to tell a story. The paint draws on Art History through the centuries of painting, as all art before the camera was invented was illustration, to stand as a mode of representation. Besides, all these theories are pretty modern and apply schools of thought to things that don't necessarily need it, especially when written by authors who never made anything with their hands in their life. And when words like "Agency" get thrown around you know someone's trying to pull the wool over somebody's eyes.

Then there's those sculpture majors making stuff out of play-doh and cardboard and stuffed animals, telling me that they picked all their materials to build a narrative. It just always seems a bit overblown and half baked, especially when theory and thought take the place of craftsmanship, concept, and presentation.

By the way, why do you ask? Because if this is for homework, that's quite lame. I happen to enjoy this train of thought, and wouldn't mind an actual discussion for once.

[kev ferrara]

Realists believe "Life is the Message"... and Marshall McLuhan is full of shit! :)

[Seedling]

Within your own work would you say that you actively employ the use of different media, to convey a particular message and as this ‘make happen agent’?

No. I select my medium based on these practicalities: do I enjoy the process of working with this medium? Do I like the final product? Is this the most effective medium for the task at hand?

[Stoat]

Does it smell? Do dustbunnies and cat hairs stick in it before it dries? Is it expensive? Will it sell? Does it give me headaches?

Deep thinker, me.

[archipelago]

digital media > *



not rly, but its pretty fucking awesome

[s.ketch]

No. I select my medium based on these practicalities: do I enjoy the process of working with this medium? Do I like the final product? Is this the most effective medium for the task at hand?

thats pretty much it. I suppose certain mediums tend to lend themselves to particular moods or purposes but it all comes down to what you're comfortable working with and what you're using the medium for.