Tactility takes time
The digital revolution has certainly taken design to some amazing places - speeding up the process of concept to creation. But, have we lost some of that charm from the imperfections of doing things 'by hand'. Is there a sweet-spot that marries the two?
Digital photography is instant by default. Striving for the perfect shot is limited only by a keen eye and the storage capacity of a SD card. Is our undo/redo digital culture making us take less care? Jon has been experimenting with the deconstruction of polariods to tell a story of time.
The Idea
Combining his love for collage, print making and photography, Jon used these mediums to visually represent the passing of time. The subject: The Brentford Project - close to his home.
The Brentford Project is regenerating an area of London once saturated with warehouses into a range of new amenities including 876 new homes, 50 new premises for retailers and stores, an extraordinary new venue for the arts in St. Lawrence’s Church, and a place for wellness at residents’ club The Wick.
Jon wanted to represent the passing of time - in particular, what comes between the old and the new. Using a medium that was in itself, destructive.
The Technique
Polaroids provide an instantaneous moment in time, but also an imperfect and somewhat honest representation of a scene - without manipulation. Point and shoot. What you take is final.
Overexposure, imperfections - warts and all - everything makes the cut. This idea of 'what's done is done' chimes with Brentford's own physical regeneration - property changes are permanent. No going back.
Emulsion lifting removes the coating of the Polaroid - leaving a ghostly impression behind. Ultimately, it destroys the original - but during the process creates a unique new image which celebrates its imperfections.
What we start to see is a manipulation that could only really be created by hand, and is completely unique. A challenge to the convenience of digital manipulation. Could it be done in Photoshop? Maybe. Would it have the same charm? Perhaps not. There certainly wouldn't be the narrative that goes beyond the single image.
Adding Typography
Finally, after further physical manipulation (screen-printing and photocopy overlays) Jon added typography to further emphasise the passing of time. An open speech mark represents the start of a journey, an exclamation point, the end.
This experimentation - and more importantly, this reluctance of booting up vector-based design software - was truly refreshing.
Too often we, as designers, want something crisp and clean. Deliberately calculated and perfectly proportioned. Sometimes it's worth embracing the imperfections of 'hand-made' and consequently, adding a narrative to the design process.
Jon
