Critical

Reflection

Eleanor Maclure MA Graphic Design Unit 1.3: Research Methods 1

Research Methods 1
Critical
Reflection
Unit 1.1.1
My initial response to the brief set for Unit 1.1 Design Literacy
was somewhat indiscriminate. I used lines and folding as
a starting point to investigate the form of triangles and
while there was no particular reason for using this as a
way into the project it was indirectly influenced by Finding
Moonshine by Marcus du Sartoy and Why Beauty is Truth
by Ian Stewart, both books about symmetry and patterns
in shapes and mathematics. I also found The Geometry of
Design by Kimberly Elam and The ABC’s of Triangle, Square
Circle by Ellen Lupton and J Abbott Miller valuable.
Through this approach I found that folding was a useful
method for quickly generating a variety and number of
different types and sizes of triangle. This invariably involved
looking how other shapes such as squares and rectangles
can be folded and unfolded to create triangles. Alongside
this I attempted to systematically look at ways of dividing
ever more complex quadrilateral grids with lines to create
triangles, a similar principle to string patterns. However, the
number of possible combinations proved too great and
the process of generating them too complex, so this route
was abandoned at an early stage.
My tests with folding evolved into looking at origami and
the crease patterns generated by the models. In addition
to this and relating back to the research I had done on
geometry and mathematics I started making origami
polygons. I used this as a vehicle to investigate mass, void,
light and shadow by photographing them in black and
white.
Of the polygons I made, the shape that I found most
interesting was an ‘inverted octahedron’, because all
of the faces appear triangular regardless of the angle
it is viewed from. To exploit this attribute I photographed
the shape slowly rotating it 360 degrees. To extend and
develop my software skills I chose to use Flash, as this
was a programme that I have not used before, to create
a simple stop frame animation. I created a series of
animations based on the photographs, highlighting
and isolating the shapes in each frame in different ways.
This illustrated how the faces that made up the octagon
grew and shrank as the shape was rotated. I used this
process to investigate sequencing and looked at different
ways of indicating the position each shape appeared
in the animation with the use of colour. I developed this
Eleanor Maclure
1
process by dissecting the shapes in each frame into their
component triangles and looked at the way the size and
type of the triangle related to its position in the sequence.
While my work on the animations and sequences had
been deliberately systematic the initial recording of
the shape had not. Therefore the animation was not a
particularly suitable foundation for making a rigorous
comparison of triangle types. In light of this I decided to
return to the beginning and look at the other qualities
of form in a more systematic way. To do this I established
what the fundamental properties of a triangle were; a solid
shape, made up of 3 continuous straight lines, which meet
at 3 points, whose internal angles add up to 180 degrees.
Using mathematical transformations (rotate, reflect,
translate and scale) as a basis I looked at ways I could
transform a triangle without altering any of its fundamental
properties. I extended this idea to include points listed in
the brief such as line, tint and transparency. To conclude
my investigations into form I looked at ways I could destroy
the essential triangularity of a triangle.
While this approach to form produced some interesting
results, on reflection my investigations into form may have
benefitted from a more logical starting point. There are
some parts of my research that I would have liked to
pursued further, particularly looking at triangular grids and
patterns. However it was difficult to explore every single
area of investigation in great depth within the timescales
of the project. Nonetheless I feel I was able to look at
triangular grids from a different angle, later in the project,
through the development of my final outcome.
Unit 1.1.2
My initial research for Unit 1.1.2 was based on the visible
presence of triangles in everyday life, the most prevalent
example being hazard and road signs. Apart from being
an obvious example of triangles in the visual landscape
I felt that it was not an area of research that I wanted to
pursue. After my investigations into form I found it difficult to
identify meaningful areas of context to investigate further.
After further substantial investigation I identified three
themes relating to the meaning of triangles: meanings
related to the number 3, meanings related to the
geometry of triangles and meaning related to the form, for
example that it is pointed and directional.
Research Methods 1
One of the more significant discoveries arising from this
research related to triangular relationships between
people, places or concepts, some of which could be
summarised by lists of three or triads, for example birth, life
and death. This led me to briefly research geographical
triangles such as the Bermuda Triangle, the South East
Asian Golden Triangle (opium poppy growing) and the
Yorkshire Pink Triangle of forced rhubarb growing.
This in turn led me to recall a small village very close to
where I grew up in Yorkshire called Triangle. This was one
area I looked at as a possible outcome for unit 1.1.3. I
collected a lot of research about the history of the area
and looked for different aspects of the village I could
investigate. However, having visited the village and
documented it photographically I struggled to find value
or depth in creating an outcome based on this subject.
Alongside this concept I had been developing and
researching ideas about height, relief, terrain, peaks,
valleys and mountains which had come out of my
research into meanings based on triangles being pointed.
I also looked at mapping and this research included
looking at The Metropolitan World Atlas, Mapping by
Roger Fawcett Tang and William Owen and You Are Here
by Katherine Harmon.
My research also looked at the ways of representing
three dimensional terrain in two dimensions. This mainly
involved contours but also how this data was collected
through spot heights, trig points and triangulation. I also
discovered the process of creating Triangulated Irregular
Networks (TINs) which are based on a particular type
of triangulation and are used to describe shapes and
particularly terrain in 3D modelling.
At the time I had some awareness of the technique having
previously worked at an architect’s practice. However
a large part of my subsequent research was directed
towards learning how to create TINs. The process of
deciphering the many file types and acronyms associated
with the data needed to generate terrains based on
real places proved to be quite complex. It also involved
teaching myself some basic processes in Sketch Up Pro,
the 3D modelling program used to generate the terrain
and learning 3DEM, the software needed to convert
the data available on the internet into a format that was
Eleanor Maclure
compatible with Sketch Up. It took several attempts using
information from a number of different online databases
to find a source with data at a good enough level of detail
in a suitable file format to use.
Trials using data from the Rocky Mountains produced
some very interesting graphical patterns, all intricate
networks of triangles which were particularly interesting
when the models were viewed from above. I could export
these views as vector files and open them in Illustrator
which created great potential for using this process to
create an outcome for unit 1.1.3.
Initially because of my previous research into mountains
and mountain ranges I wanted to show the highest
mountains on each continent - known as the Big Seven
- as TINs and create a series of posters with the results.
However, after trials with Mount Everest and Mount
Aconcagua (South America) the results were less
interesting than hoped due to the scale and detail of the
available data.
In a quest to find content that would create a concept for
an outcome I returned to my research about the village
called Triangle. Having witnessed first hand how hilly that
area of the Pennines is I thought a TIN of the area could
produce an interesting result and would also create the
idea of a place called Triangle mapped using triangles.
Again, the data available was not of sufficient detail at the
scale required for a satisfactory result. Despite this setback I
pursued the idea of places called Triangle. While research
had shown only one place in the UK called Triangle a
search of Google Earth produces ten results for the USA.
Further searches of other English speaking countries such
as Australia and New Zealand revealed no results which
constituted populated places so I chose to concentrate
on looking at the results for the USA in further detail.
The digital terrain data available for the USA is the most
detailed in the world as the whole of the United States
Geological Survey has been made freely available online.
As a result I was easily able to access high quality data
and download quadrants for each of the places called
Triangle.
Research Methods 1 Eleanor Maclure

The TINs for each of the ten places proved to be visually
a, as there was a lot of variety between each area and
also variation within each map, despite the fact that some
areas were relatively flat.
After reviewing the results of the ten maps I made the
decision to take the three places which had produced the
most dynamic TINs to translate into a series of posters.
On reflection I feel that overall the outcome to the project
was successful as I was able to learn so much in the
process. While some aspects of my approach, research
and documentation have been more successful than
others, I feel I have learnt much that I can make use of for
future projects.

Unit 1.1.3

Early on in the development of the posters I took the

decision to screenprint them. This was partly so that I
could refresh and continue to improve my screenprinting
skills. I also wanted to introduce print effects to the final
outcome such as the use of metallic and fluorescent ink to
add to the dynamism of the TINs, which would have been
impossible using digital 4 colour process printing.

From the outset I was aware that this decision could create
problems due to the level of fine detail in the artwork.
However, I took account of this by allowing extra time for
printing so that any problems could be resolved while still
being able to meet the hand-in deadline for the unit.

While not all of the prints are executed perfectly I was

able to realise the outcome as intended and envisaged
while also having some opportunity to experiment with
the process. There were some problems with translating
the artwork to a positive for exposure, which was mainly
due to the size of the posters. Despite the difficulties, the
learning involved in the process was invaluable and being
able to print the posters myself was incredibly satisfying
in general, something which I would not have benefited
from had I taken the option to print the posters digitally. My
printing skills have also vastly improved as a result. Given
further time and access to the screenprinting facilities I
would have been interested in experimenting further with
other stocks and colours. Had there been scope to extend
the project further I would have developed the outcome
further by printing all ten maps at A1 and displaying them
as a series. The colour of each map would be used to
establish a link between the height above sea level of the
map and the brightness for the ink. So, the map with the
greatest elevation would be printed in the brightest colour.
For example the poster for Triangle, Owyhee, Idaho would
be printed in the brightest colour (e.g. fluorescent yellow)
as it has the highest area above sea level.