Objects Are Cool But Adobe Illustrator Is Not

 Working with material objects is so interesting. I find myself looking at small little details and markings that show these typefaces have been used and worked with countless times. There are little marks on each character that I can only compare to marginalia in books. They are signs that each character has been used and has an intimate history. I've learned about typefaces and the different forms they take. It's so interesting to look at what historically has been done to make typefaces in comparison to what is currently done to create typefaces. I've learned so much about the broader history of American Material Culture as well. It's absolutely fascinating to look at how this singular category of functional artifacts plays into the much broader field of American Material Culture.

As I am working through my project, I find myself struggling to learn the intricacies of Adobe Illustrator. I am very familiar with Photoshop and other pixel-based software, but for some reason, I cannot seem to get the grasp of vector based software. I need to develop a working proficiency in Illustrator so I am able to create digital versions of the fonts I will be recreating. I have plans to watch an extensive amount of tutorial videos through Adobe themselves and content creators on YouTube. I think also, something that I need to continue developing my understanding of, is how recreations of objects affect the issue of authenticity. Does authenticity matter when the reproduction is able to be used in the same manner as the original? Does there need to be a communication between the historical interpreter using the recreated characters and the audience that lets the visitors know that documents are being printed with modern typefaces? 

What I want from my topic

 For my topic, I still have a bit of focusing I need to do, but I have a relative idea about what I want from the project. For starters, I want to learn more about why more projects like this aren't done. I remember reading about projects where there are access points to collections in the museum, but they usually follow the same format of displaying stuff on a wall. I understand it is an extensive project to photograph and create labels for all these items, but why not just reduce the scope of the project. I would also like to know more about how patrons interact with individual pieces in a museum exhibit. Since the deliverable for my project will be more or less disconnected from the pieces around it, how will consumers interact with it?

As far as things I am learning I think it mainly stems from learning how children learn through playing. Different types of play help them to learn different things better. Including something enjoyable while learning makes the process far less jarring for little kids who have done nothing but play since they were born. It has also taught me that different age groups engage with different types of playing. Younger kids enjoy playing while learning, as long as the learning is done with simple concepts like colors and shapes. Older children (8-12) prefer to be challenged with puzzles which is teaching pattern prediction. Many card games and video games use this type of puzzle throughout games. They start with the most simple puzzle and slowly build on the solution from that puzzle to create the new puzzles. 

Post 4

 Hello everyone,

   Recently, I met up with my secondary advisor to discuss my topic. She told me something that I didn’t know about one of the museums. She mentions that the Met in New York City did have something related to ASL back in the 1970s. This information surprised me because ADA was created 20 years later, that seems like the Met was ahead of its time. Also, during my research, I found out that some museums in Europe are providing accessibility. Also, I was able to find out the majority deaf community approximate is 600,000. Only 0.22% of the population is considered deaf. 

There are a few things I need to research to gain more information to support my thesis. I have to create a survey to show the majority of preferences needs. It will be impossible to survey every deaf people all over the USA. I will focus on the NTID community because of the diversity, and they all are not from New York. This survey will benefit my thesis paper due to Also, research more about the history of deaf visitors. I need to add more depth about the ADA to explain certain points for the museum to follow. 

What I am Learning and Where I Would Like to Go

     As I have delved deeper into the multiple topics that will come together to create my final thesis proposal of how street art and museums interact, I have learned many of the intricacies of KAWS' early career, and his work with famous fashion brands. Beginning as Brian Donnelly, the artist eventually adopted KAWS as his artistic moniker based on the aesthetic value of the letters when painted together. Through the application of this tag throughout New Jersey and New York City, Brian Donnelly began to fully embody the persona of his artistic alter ego. Continuing with the beginning of his career, one of my favorite facts that I have learned so far is that a classmate at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, gifted Brian Donnelly with a key to open the menagerie of advertisement cases spread throughout the city. If this gift had never been given, KAWS may have not been able to access the advertisements he is best known for, as a means of initiating "forceful collaborations." Another interesting fact to note is the idea that Brian Donnelly did not intend for his career to be considered anti-establishment or rebellious, he simply wanted to use his abilities to alter and enhance advertisements that he considered to be fresh canvases. Through understanding KAWS' beginnings and views, it will enable me to write a more well-rounded paper, and view his career in a manner more closely aligned with his intentions.

    While I have completed a large amount of research on the beginning of KAWS' career, there is still much to be learned about him, as his influence has infiltrated international markets, and spawned many professional collaborations. Additionally, I will need to research the impacts of a large social media following, and how this vast group of supporters may affect, or be affected, by the ever-evolving art market. Through understanding how these various factors interact, I will be be better prepared to assess KAWS' relationship with museums- and the traditional values they imply. More specifically, I hope to examine the various celebrities who function as "influencers" for the work of KAWS, and also, how a large fanbase may influence the choices of museums as they seek to turn a profit and increase annual visitors. This following, and their impact on museums, will be further expanded upon as my research into KAWS' relationship with Japanese markets and the inclusion of statues and miniatures has altered the trajectory of his original street art path. While there may appear to be many disparate pieces presented, when combined, these elements will tell the story of KAWS' career, and how his influence has permeated even the most formal of institutions.

What I am learning and still need to learn.

 So far in my research I have learned that there are many different ways to bring out collections from storage but they are expensive and not always an option for smaller institutions. These large institutions are able to buy whole new buildings to display artifacts and hire individuals to help them with plans and building. While small institutions with small budgets do not have this option at all. They cannot just go out and buy a new space for their collections. I have found however there are ways for these small institutions to do things similar to what a large institution can do just a different way and on their own. Doing their own photography and creating an online presence are all ways that they can do these things on their own. 

I still need to find sources relating to my institution’s size. There is so much information out there about what large institutions can and are doing but not as much for the small ones. I think that as I go along with my institution they can provide insight and also point me in the right direction to sources that I may not be able to find otherwise.