'100...'-Research Proposal

Photography Workshop

We were given a photography induction, looking at how to use a camera and also how to light objects. We took our objects from colour theory sessions and used the studio lighting to change the effects of the photographs, we used coloured gels to change the colour and lighting of the objects. When using the coloured gels I took what we had learnt in colour theory and considered how colours work together. I will chose 10 of these images for the photography workshop brief.

What if...Self Evaluation

For our ‘What If’ brief our group indentified the problem of how to make graffiti more socially acceptable in Leeds, we noticed that there is a lot of bad graffiti around Leeds but there is also lots of really good graffiti that never gets seen, we wanted to get this work in the public eye and get people to appreciate the good work that is out there. We went out and documented the graffiti around Leeds so we could evidence our problem and support our reasons for addressing this problem. Here are some of the examples of good and bad graffiti we found in Leeds-

Bad Graffiti

Good Graffiti

For our research for this brief our primary research was gathered through our going out and taking photos of the graffiti around Leeds, we also did surveys asking people around Leeds about their views and opinions on graffiti. However all this research was qualitative and we didn’t have any primary quantitative research, to rectify this we went out and did more surveys and from these surveys we got a set of statistics.\

For our secondary research we look on a lot of websites and forums to find peoples opinions on graffiti and online articles to see what issues and ideas have been raised about graffiti in the past. We also found statistics, which was secondary quantitative research about graffiti all over the world.

I think primary quantitative research is the hardest type of research to collect, it was the only type of research that none of us had originally gathered, we did rectify this problem but next time it is something I will think about from the start when gathering my research.

Over the last two weeks five things I have learnt about design process are:

1.Collecting research before starting the practical part of a brief is vital, it helps produce a more informed and structured outcome.

2.When collecting research think what is relevant to the brief and make sure that I have a variety of research from different sources.

3.I learnt how to work well and effectively in a group and divide the workload equally so we achieve the best collective outcome possible.

4.How to work effectively by myself to produce work that will benefit the whole group and will fit with the work others are producing.

5.

Five things I would do differently next time:

1.

What if...Final Boards

These were our final three boards to use as part of our presentation showing our problem, evidence and our final outcome.

What if...Posters and Flyers

We kept our poster very simple because we wanted to put them up next to graffiti and to have a contrast between the vibrant colours of the graffiti and our poster. We put our posters up in some of the areas of Leeds where we found the graffiti in the hope graffiti artists would see it and visit our website.

 Front

Back

As well as posters we also made flyers that could be handed out of left around Leeds for people to pick up, there are images from the online gallery on the back of the flyers.

What if...Website

We set up a website which acts as an online gallery, showcasing the good graffiti that is around leeds,

 

The website tells you about the project we have set up and gives details about how people can contact us and submit their own work, the website then links onto a blog which is the online gallery,

The images on the blog are separated into the locations they are in, when you click on the image it links you to google maps so you can go and and see the graffiti yourself, turning Leeds into a gallery. The blog also allows people to submit their own and work and leave comments on work that is already up.

We also set up a twitter feed which is linked to our blog so every time a new post is published it automatically comes up on a twitter feed which allows people to be constantly updated on our activity.

What if...Logo Designs

We wanted to create an online gallery where people could view the graffiti around Leeds, we decided to call our website 'Leeds Graffiti', here are the designs for the logo which we will use on the website and promotional material.

What if...Statistics

Stats for people over 30

Do you think graffiti is a problem in Leeds?

Yes- 43%

No- 57%

Do you notice much graffiti when outside generally?

Yes- 29%

No-71%

Do you like any aspects of graffiti?

Yes-57%

No-43%

Would you class graffiti as an art form?

Yes-86%

No-14%

Would you like to see more good local graffiti art?

Yes-57%

No-43%

Do you think an interactive website showcasing good graffiti only will help people appreciate it?

Yes-71%

No-29%

Under 30s

Do you think graffiti is a problem in Leeds?

Yes- 20%

No- 80%

Do you notice much graffiti when outside generally?

Yes- 60%

No-40%

Do you like any aspects of graffiti?

Yes-80%

No-20%

Would you class graffiti as an art form?

Yes-90%

No-10%

Would you like to see more good local graffiti art?

Yes-90%

No-10%

Do you think an interactive website showcasing good graffiti only will help people appreciate it?

Yes-90%

No-10%

What if...Organising Research

In our groups we were asked to sort of research for our projects into the four different types of research, primary, secondary, quantative and qualatative.

 

After doing this we realised we had no primary quantitive research, to resolve this we decided to go out with surveys to get some statistics related to peoples views on graffiti.

What If...Crit Feedback

This is the feedback and ideas we got from out crit on friday....

- set up an online gallery
-blog
-posters with link to website
-people can send in work
-link work to google maps so they can go see it in the real world
-audince?-how to get people to view graffiti differently
-how get it out into the public-shopping bags/stamps etc..

What if...Group Presentation Boards

For our crit on Friday we had to produce 3 presentation boards as a group, one had to show the problem we are tackling, one had to show evidence of this problem and the other had to show what we intend to do.

Be there or be square

What If...Surveys

We wanted to get an idea of peoples opinions of graffiti, graffiti in Leeds and just graffiti in general, we set up a survey and asked a number of people to give us their views and opinions. I think this helped us work out what we could do to in response to this brief that people would react well to, and what people thought would be a productive solution.
Here are the responses we got-

Survey- How to make graffiti socially acceptable in Leeds?

Becky, 19, Female

1.What is your opinion on graffiti?

I like good graffiti but the bad graffiti just makes the town look shitty.

2.Have you seen a lot of graffiti in Leeds?

I haven’t really noticed it.

3.Do you think graffiti is a problem in Leeds?

Nope.

4.What do you associate with graffiti?

Youth and bored kids.

5.How do you think we can make graffiti more positive?

More legal walls so people can express themselves.

6.Do you think it would be good if there were more legal graffiti walls in Leeds?

Yes.

 -

Eddie, 19, Male

1.What is your opinion on graffiti?

When it’s done good it should stay. If it’s a nice design but if it’s a tag then that’s when it becomes vandalism and should be removed because it’s not aesthetically please.

2.Have you seen a lot of graffiti in Leeds?

A handful.

3.Do you think graffiti is a problem in Leeds?

In some areas.

4.What do you associate with graffiti?

Urban art.

5.How do you think we can make graffiti more positive?

Hiring professional graffiti artists to do some nice art, graffiti in places where the council has allowed it.

6.Do you think it would be good if there were more legal graffiti walls in Leeds?

Yes, but not too many, just in certain areas because it could have a negative impact on the way the city is seen.

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Gemma, 19, Female

1.What is your opinion on graffiti?

If you class it as art it’s very different. I think it’s dangerous, for example when you see graffiti above motorway bridges etc.

2.Have you seen a lot of graffiti in Leeds?

Quite a lot on trains as I was coming in to Leeds.

3.Do you think graffiti is a problem in Leeds?

I see the difference between graffiti for artistic purposes so no. But general writing on silly places is unacceptable.

4.What do you associate with graffiti?

Artists, punks.

5.How do you think we can make graffiti more positive?

Arresting people by making the laws tighter.

6.Do you think it would be good if there were more legal graffiti walls in Leeds?

Yes.

 -

Helen, 20, Female

1.What is your opinion on graffiti?

Average, some can be good and artistic but some can be horrible and scruffy.

2.Have you seen a lot of graffiti in Leeds?

A fair bit.

3.Do you think graffiti is a problem in Leeds?

Depends if it looks good or if its just tagging and random images with no interesting statement.

4.What do you associate with graffiti?

Groups of youths, people who don’t have much else to do and are bored.

5.How do you think we can make graffiti more positive?

Be more artistic and less scruffy.

6.Do you think it would be good if there were more legal graffiti walls in Leeds?

Maybe and then the more artistic and better ones would be allowed to stay. Make a competitions’ or something to encourage graffiti artists to produce more interesting imagery.

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Sam, 19, Male

1.What is your opinion on graffiti?

It’s alright, not really got much of an opinion on it.

2.Have you seen a lot of graffiti in Leeds?

A bit, not as much as back home though.

3.Do you think graffiti is a problem in Leeds?

There are a lot of problems in this world; graffiti is not that high on the list.

4.What do you associate with graffiti?

The rougher parts.

5.How do you think we can make graffiti more positive?

I think it is quite positive.

6.Do you think it would be good if there were more legal graffiti walls in Leeds?

No, then it would make graffiti not graffiti. I would just become another genre and move into art/fine art.

-

Edward, 19, Male

1.What is your opinion on graffiti?

Fucking awesome, only way I can express myself.

2.Have you seen a lot of graffiti in Leeds?

Not enough, and what there is here isn’t the best I’ve seen around, not like Bristol.

3.Do you think graffiti is a problem in Leeds?

Why would it be a problem. There is not enough support for people who are making art for the public for free.

4.What do you associate with graffiti?

Artists, socialising, urban culture, expression of all ages.

5.How do you think we can make graffiti more positive?

Get more people involved. Get free walls to paint on.

6.Do you think it would be good if there were more legal graffiti walls in Leeds?

Yes, like my house!

-

Rosie, 20, Female

1.What is your opinion on graffiti?

Disgusting, disrespectful.

2.Have you seen a lot of graffiti in Leeds?

Yes, too much. Especially in the council estates.

3.Do you think graffiti is a problem in Leeds?

Major problem, find it offensive and intimidating.

4.What do you associate with graffiti?

Young children, hoodies. Makes me feel unsafe.

5.How do you think we can make graffiti more positive?

How can we make vandalism positive? Vandalism is unacceptable.

6.Do you think it would be good if there were more legal graffiti walls in Leeds?

No, just more places for them to vandalise. Provoking them to graffiti more. They’ll learn to find vandalism acceptable.

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Charlie, 18, Male

1.What is your opinion on graffiti?

It can either be vandalism or it can be positive and used effectively.

2.Have you seen a lot of graffiti in Leeds?

No, I don’t walk around the rough areas in Leeds.

3.Do you think graffiti is a problem in Leeds?

Not for me. Maybe a problem for the rougher areas. It doesn’t give Leeds the positive look it has.

4.What do you associate with graffiti?

Banksy, chavs, my friend who’s an artist, he does sick shit.

5.How do you think we can make graffiti more positive?

By looking at Banksy where he uses political statements and interesting visuals to get good reactions from people. Good way for youths to express themselves.

6.Do you think it would be good if there were more legal graffiti walls in Leeds?

Depends where. Somewhere where graffiti has become vandalism so it can be turned into art.

-

Max, 19, Male

1.What is your opinion on graffiti?

Its good but its bad that the council have to organise it to be cleaned.

2.Have you seen a lot of graffiti in Leeds?

Not much in the city centre but in the outside and under bridges etc.

3.Do you think graffiti is a problem in Leeds?

Not a problem for me but for the elder generation or maybe if they are not ‘down with the kids.’

4.What do you associate with graffiti?

Art, walls, 14-22 year olds.

5.How do you think we can make graffiti more positive?

It’s quite positive. Or making graffiti advertisements, Hire graffiti artists to produce useful art etc.

6.Do you think it would be good if there were more legal graffiti walls in Leeds?

Yes why not.

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Freddy, 19, male

1.What is your opinion on graffiti?

Sick, banging mate, banter.

2.Have you seen a lot of graffiti in Leeds?

Loads, when we’re chilling.

3.Do you think graffiti is a problem in Leeds?

No, I think it’s sweet mush.

4.What do you associate with graffiti?

Me, reflects my personality. Probably the same with all/most graffiti artists.

5.How do you think we can make graffiti more positive?

Get more people to do it.

6.Do you think it would be good if there were more legal graffiti walls in Leeds?

Yes, would be a well good idea.

-

Dan, 21, Male

1.What is your opinion on graffiti?

I like some graffiti, but not around the high street.

2.Have you seen a lot of graffiti in Leeds?

Yes I see it everywhere.

3.Do you think graffiti is a problem in Leeds?

No, a lot of it is actually really good quality.

4.What do you associate with graffiti?

Gangs, groups of youths who are bored. Also people who do it for art.

5.How do you think we can make graffiti more positive?

Get a big legal wall in Hyde Park and exhibit really good graphing from the community.

6.Do you think it would be good if there were more legal graffiti walls in Leeds?

Yes.

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Michael, 19, Male

1.What is your opinion on graffiti?

Liberating, peaceful, calming, you have to do it to understand.

2.Have you seen a lot of graffiti in Leeds?

Yeah I’ve seen a fair bit, tagging is everywhere really; people don’t always see it because there’s so much of it. Places that it is often seen are on train lines, under bridges and behind buildings.

3.Do you think graffiti is a problem in Leeds?

It’s a problem if you see it as one.

4.What do you associate with graffiti?

Potentially anyone.

5.How do you think we can make graffiti more positive?

I don’t think that is possible.

6.Do you think it would be good if there were more legal graffiti walls in Leeds?

Yeah but it kind of defeats the object of it, no one wants to restrict themselves to a shitty wall hidden away from the public.

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Emily, 19, Female

1.What is your opinion on graffiti?

Legal walls are alright but on private property its wrong and in most cases its just messy.

2.Have you seen a lot of graffiti in Leeds?

No not really.

3.Do you think graffiti is a problem in Leeds?

No I don’t think it’s a problem, as I haven’t noticed it much.

4.What do you associate with graffiti?

Pushing towards lower class, but Banksy contradicts this.

5.How do you think we can make graffiti more positive?

More legal walls, replace some of the shit graffiti with good graffiti.

6.Do you think it would be good if there were more legal graffiti walls in Leeds?

Yes.

What If...Graffiti

We went out to take photos of the graffiti around Leeds as part of the evidence part of our research, we found examples of bad and good graffiti so we could show the type of graffiti that sends out a negative message and then also show the type of graffiti that shows skill and might make people change their mind about graffiti.

Here are some of the examples of bad graffiti we found-

And here is some examples of the good graffiti we found-