Evaluation

1.  What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?

During this module, I focused hugely on developing my skills in writing academically, and really felt like I was able to explore my subject in a professional and structured approach. I also developed knowledge of how to Harvard reference, which I feel will really aid my research process in future projects. I have also continued working on using the Cintiq, which I felt would be an appropriate tool for my visual diagram. After recent successes with this platform, I really wanted to capitalise on it and develop a greater skill set.

2. What approaches to/methods of research have you developed and how have they informed your practical outcomes?

More so than other modules, I have really submerged myself in my chosen subject, referencing relevant publications and other appropriate media platforms, for example YouTube videos and online blogs. I have made great use of Google Scholar, which has also really helped me in terms of broadening my knowledge. In terms of practical work, I used my sketchbook to create speculative drawings to make sense of my subject. Although I do not feel I totally exhausted this process, I created some interesting outcomes to use in my Pecha Kucha to help illustrate my opinions and views.

3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?

In the written element on the module, I felt that I was able to successfully structure my essay to convey a well-considered argument, something that I have struggled with in the past. Once again I felt that my visual diagram was a success in terms of visual quality, despite a slight lack of research.

4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future?

The main weakness of submission, I feel, is my blog. Due to the long-winded nature of this module, I found it quite difficult to maintain a consistent input to my COP blog and to stay invested in my chosen subject. Also because of my idea change part way through the module, I feel that my blog looks inconsistent and doesn’t reflect my true progress.

5. Identify five things that you feel will benefit you during next years Context of Practice module?

-       The ability to Harvard Reference successfully. -       Develop skills using appropriate academic sources for research. -       Using sources other than just written publications to aid my essay. -  Understanding the process of the COP module as a whole. - How to use drawing as a speculative tool. -

Visual Diagram - Final Diagram

This is my final diagram based on persuasion. I wanted to keep it quite minimalist, in terms of using language etc, because I feel like the message is quite clear. I really enjoyed creating this, and because of my recent success with the cintiq, I thought I'd attempt to capitalize on it and use it again. I really felt like I have captured an essence of mystery and created quite a thought provoking image. One critique I would give myself would be to include more visual clues about advertising and consumerism, to convey more meaning of controlling advertising corporations. In terms of media I love the effect created by the slightly expressive strokes and textures. I think that the use of colour is really effective in creating an atmospheric image, which was one of my main goals. 

Visual Diagram - Ideas and Roughs

When creating roughs for my diagram, I faced a slight wall when sticking to my original satirical idea. I didn't feel like I had the intellectual potential to pull satire off, and create humor. I have tried to create humor in my past projects and found that I am not very comfortable with the delicate nature of it. 

To start roughing, like in my sketchbook, I started to create visual representations of persuasion, and came up with things like traps, puppets and ropes. One idea that really stuck with me was of the puppet master, and although it is quite cliche, I felt like it would represent persuasion very effectively visually. 

Chosen Idea

I think this idea is really effective in terms of conveying the mysterious sinister force that is persuasive techniques in advertising. I want to use a faceless figure to once again create this sinister effect, and the symbol of puppets to convey how we are being controlled against our own will.

Pecha Kucha + Feedback

Presentation Slides + Script

Hi and welcome to my presentation about Persuasion

For my original COP theme, I looked into the History of Tobacco Advertising and how attitudes towards smoking have changed in the last 100 years, exploring the techniques used in the advertisements. The adverts usually displayed an attractive slender figured woman, often a celebrity, demonstrating how sex appeal was, and still is used (more about that in a bit), which is a key persuasive technique, although it is seen as quite manipulative. 

Manipulation in advertising refers to the unethical use of misguided promises in order to get someone to buy a product. An “expert opinion”, for example an actor playing a doctor,  associating the product with a particular desired lifestyle, and attractiveness, for example placing an attractive woman near a car to sell the car, all psychologically create an urge to buy the product. 

Advertising is a form of marketing communication used to persuade an audience to take or continue some action, and is widely regarded across the world. It has been said that on average, we see 300 to 700 marketing messages each day, which I feel is quite alarming.

These thoughts then led me to question the main purpose of Advertising as a whole. What is Persuasion?

Persuasion is an umbrella term of influence, and refers to the act of influencing a person’s beliefs, attitudes, intentions, motivations or behaviors. As Human beings it is natural to want what is best for us, so either being the persuader or the persuaded, personal gain is a key aspect when looking at this theme. 

The use of sex appeal in advertising was originally inspired by the Philosopher Sigmund Freud, who believed that a lot of normal human behaviour is attributed to a deep sexual drive. According to Freud, human beings are born with a desire for sexual involvement with the parent of the opposite sex, also referred to as the Oedipus complex, an idea that advertising company’s have taken an interest in, and found to be a successful persuasive technique. 

Aristotle, a greek philosopher also had an influence on the advertising we see today, suggested that to persuade someone you need 3 things; Logos, which is a logical appeal, Ethos, an appeal to the authority or credibility of the presenter for example a doctor or a celebrity endorsing a product, and Pathos, which is an appeal to the audience’s emotions, for example anger or fear.

In my opinion, anything that can influence what you initially think about something is bad. I believe that as a human being you should know what is best for you, what you want and what you need, without the influence of advertising. 

I find it really uncomfortable to think about the idea that forces may be acting on us subconsciously, through means of advertising and others, which has swayed me to develop a negative attitude towards the topic of ‘persuasion’.

On the other hand, persuasion can be a tool for positive effect. These stop smoking advertising campaigns use shock tactics to scare the viewer away from Cigarettes. Though the company’s do have good intentions, the avertisements are still used for personal gain, in order to gain publicity. In the end all persuasive tactics come down to personal gain. 

An artist who has used persuasion as a subject in their work, Cristobal Schmal, has tackled it in a way that refers to hypnosis and being mindlessly open to certain influences. Although I don’t particularly like this piece, I feel like it mirrors my thoughts and feelings effectively.

This is a page from my sketchbook, where at first I started drawing based on cigarettes and the way sex is used to sell products. The image at the top is my favourite, because I feel like it mirrors sexuality in advertising in an emphasized way. I feel that I really tried to experiment in this sketchbook and made some successful pictures. 

Explain each image. (Threat, Sexualisation both forms of persuasion)

I then asked myself what Persuasion would look like, and I began to draw these mysterious, evil looking hands, which I feel represent it quite well. 

Here I tried to convey someone being persuaded. I used the concept of a lock and key to represent how persuasive techniques can effect our thoughts subconsciously. 

This image once again referred to the idea of persuasion being a mysterious sinister force. I used the colour to purple to represent a kind of passion, that is dark and poisonous. 

Moving on to the next stage of this project, these are some roughs I created for my diagram; ‘A Diagram of Persuasion’. On the diagram I intend to outline the key techniques of persuasion, using well thought out conceptual imagery. Through using my sketchbook, I have developed a lot of concepts that would illustrate persuasion effectively, for example the lock and key. 

Another artist I feel really influenced by is Tom Cole. I really love his methods of working and use of media, and how imaginative his pieces are. In my opinion his work  is really effective in creating atmosphere, mostly through colour. I Intend to take inspiration from Tom for my diagram also. .

Thankyou for listening. Any questions?

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In regard to my presentation, I found the process of constructing the presentation really useful in terms of gaining a better understanding of my chosen subject. I felt that through my notes I really managed to express my own personal opinion of my subject and back it up using relevant evidence. 

In regard to the delivery of my presentation, I feel like my presentation was a disaster. I had fully prepared a script that was logically structured, however I felt it would be unprofessional to just read from a sheet. Unfortunately I let nerves get the better of me and my presentation seemed unstructured and illogical, which is reflected in my feedback. I feel that as this was the first presentation I have done in front of my class mates I was understandably nervous, however as I do more and spend more time with them, I will hopefully gain more confidence when talking about my work. 

For my visual diagram, my plan of action is to take inspiration from Chris(simpsons)Artist and satirize the persuasive techniques that advertising companies use.