Week 9

Random Word Association

Random association is a creative method to prodece new ideas. A randomly chosen word which has no direct relation with the problem is use to brainstorm new idea to solve the problem. It helps to get rid of stereotype solution because we need to think using different route. Anyway, the random word shall not appear direct in the solution. The word is used only to evoke solution but not to be a solution.

The method is as follow:

After identify the problem, a word is selected randomly without any logic. Analyse this word, extract its characteristic, princilpes, or features, a mind map can be used to illustrate. Think of an association with one of the characteristic of the random word. Relate it to the practical aspect of how to solve the problem.

During this class, we are ask to practice this method.

Random association exercise:

Problem/situation:

To create "scary image or object" that will instill fear among people througout the ages.

Random word: Kitten

This is the Mind map that I prepared:



Association 1: Fur of kitten can cause allergic.

In practice: Feeling of sick of pain can cause fear, but an agent is needed (like fur).

Create the image of the place as full of flower/plant that once touch will cause stingy and itchy feeling.

Here is the related sketch:

Association 2: Kitten use its claws to catch prey; prey scared.

In practice: Claws can cause feeling of fear due to its sharpness and the sound made when claws scratch on flat surface makes people irritated.

Week 7

Juxtaposition - Anology

During juxtaposition, there is transference of meaning from something familiar to something less familiar.

Analogy is to use something we familiar to explain something that is rather complicated, or to make strange becomes familiar. Analogy appears in two forms, namely metaphor and similes. Metaphor is to link two things that seem different at first by some similarity using imaginative ways. Similes is to link two things using their likelihood.

There are two categories of analogy. Logical analogies use similarities in the design, structure or function to connect back to the subjects. Affective analogies are the emotional resemblance, the intrinsic value of the object are used as a comparision.

During this week class, some exercises were given:

We are asked to choose three numbers with two digits and write them on paper. The numbers that I choosen are 18, 57, 93.

Then, two lists of words were given as

By refering to the lists, we are asked to write the combination of words according to the number that we have choosen. The combination of words of mine are:

Flower-Wood

Fire-Tree

Leaf-Wind

For the first exercise, we are to write a sentence that links the two words (according to the original order). The sentences of mine are:

1. A purple flower grows on a white wood.

2. Fire located besides a tree.

3. A leaf flies when wind blows.

For second exercise, we have to sketch to illustrate the sentence.

For third exercise, we combined the two words to form a new word. Then, we sketched to illustrate the new words.

The result of all the exercises are shown in the following image.

Next, a passage is created by us to describe a word using each of the following images.

"Love"

"Love is like chili, it makes my tongue hot, makes my stomach cramps, makes my breath short, but it makes my heart flies."

"Men"

"Men think that they are predators. Underneath the fact is, they are preys!"

"Life"

"Life is, you want to escape out of the cage you are living, while those 'outside' the cage wants to rush into the cage you are living. Because everyone believe that, what other possess is better."

"Happiness"

"When you can wake up in the early of the morning and not feeling the time is chasing after you, you are encompassed by happiness."

"Pain"

"Pain makes your serenity and rational dripping away from your soul."

"Love"

"Love has no boundary, love has no discrimination, love has no reason. I love you because you are who you are."

Week 6

Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition means arranging two subjects, ideas, characters, phrases, or words side-by-side to create comparison, metaphor, suspense.

Juxtapostion is used widely in literature, film, photography, and arts to create contrast, opposing emotions, abstract concepts, or characters traits.

Random juxtapostion is a technique used to stimulate creativity when two random objects moving in parallel. A problem to be solved will be one object, and a randomly chosen object/concept will be the other object. A completely random stimulus is juxtaposed with the problem encountered. The resultant association between the two highlights the side track.

This is a example photo that show juxtaposition:

source of image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/37323292@N00/3560693968