Force of totality revisited

Have previously mentioned Poes force of totality but I found this extract of the article particually interesting:


Here then the poem may be said to have had its beginning- at the end where all works of art should begin- for it was here at this point of my preconsiderations that I first put pen to paper in the composition of the stanza:

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil- prophet still, if bird or devil! By that Heaven that bends above us- by that God we both adore- Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore- Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore." Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

I composed this stanza, at this point, first that, by establishing the climax, I might the better vary and graduate, as regards seriousness and importance, the preceding queries of the lover, and secondly, that I might definitely settle the rhythm, the metre, and the length and general arrangement of the stanza, as well as graduate the stanzas which were to precede, so that none of them might surpass this in rhythmical effect. Had I been able in the subsequent composition to construct more vigorous stanzas I should without scruple have purposely enfeebled them so as not to interfere with the climacteric effect.

RESEARCH MODULE: plans for the future

Where will I take this research and my plans for the future

I am not completely sure where I will go in the future. I'm still interested in interactive narratives- mainly because I see that anything, in anything I mean websites, online portfolios, etc would benefit from a bit of narrative. Why should a website be so informative? Websites are generally there to sell things, whether that be a person, a product, a book, a CD, a company etc ( obviously there are some exceptions online banking being one) advertisements on the television usually have a plot, a short story, a narrative flow why should websites be any different?

Over the summer I plan to completely finish my interactive fairytale and try and get it published on the web, as well as creating a new online portfolio that has a narrative. A narrative about me. You will go on a journey- see various pieces of work along the way and navigate yourself around my working practice. I want to make my portfolio an experience, you might miss some of my work on a first visit but it will be there for you later, should you come back. I'm going to go back and look at Scott Mclouds ideas on interface design.

My final project next year will again be a interactive narrative using mobile devices and GPS. I also want to include XML databases mainly so I can learn how to integrate this into Flash. This project has been a tester, its made me see what I need to concentrate on, as well as testing them as I go through, something I lacked during the last few months. I also want to include speech- I spend a lot of time listening to audio tapes and podcasts something which I love to do. Have been thinking of making an audio story combining interactivity, image, animation and text. You can spend your time sat on the bus listening and watching a story on your phone. Maybe this is only something I am interested in but I think it has scope. As I have previously mentioned I would love to transcribe a 17th century authors work Madelaine DeScubareys work- her novels and salon plays are far to long for anyone to read and as I have already mentioned they are perfect for the web. I don't think this is plausible for a eight month project its simply too large maybe for a PHD in later life! I do plan to go to Oxfords Bodlian Library and see some of her work in the flesh. I would like to use a famous authors work for this type of project, Terry Prachatt has a lot of audio material, and as fantasy is my preferred choice of genre he is perfect, maybe I can get him to write me an interactive story!!!! That is where I have got for next year we will have to see..........

Brain ticking over and Akscyn's law.....

Have been working hard the last few days and it would appear that however well prepared you are, something always comes alongs and bites you in the back or your foot or your armpit- somewhere unexpected.

Hypertext systems should take about 1/4 second to move from one place to another. If the delay is longer, people may be distracted; if the delay is much longer, people will stop using the system. If the delay is much shorter, people may not realize that the display has changed

As you can see there is a fine line- a very fine line..............................

DESIGN:Back to the design a few more problems have come along. It all takes far to long to load. At this late stage there is very little I can do, however this is something which I have to address on my next project. Another problem which has presented itself- which I was aware of but have been ignoring is that there is simply too much text on each page. If we go back and look at my navigation structure you can vagly see that there are 6 sections to each narrative strand- anymore and the text doesn't corralate. This is fine for some of the strands but others have got two pages worth of text that all have to fit on a page. As I have mentioned was going to have text coming up as the reader reads but I didn't really want to have to include this. I can read much quicker then these techniques ever cater for and on the other side of the coin some people might not be even to read a really slow driven one. I came a cross a wonderful website for which I can't find now in which it went completly on how you clicked ie sometimes people are quite clicking mad and click adhock, other people are more restrained. Sorry that goes off the point... The point is maybe you could click on the text to get to the next part of text?????????? This is making it more complicated though for the reader to get there heads around??? Would you need to be able to navigate back on yourself? I didn't want this to happen.... Might have to do the text appearing thing damn really didn't want to do that..... more later on this subject when its done.

Two More Characters

Wise Man

The Great Lord

Can't find the illustrators name, I found them in an old book thats gone slightly moldy but thought they were beautiful. Such definition of line and style.

Don't know who there by

Sleeping Beauty- Paula Rego style.

Signs

Typography

The art of book making...

For the Illustrations:

(!) Character Assassinations (!)

Prince Charming:

By anyone’s standards a rather despicable character. Bigamist, Rapist and as the name overtly suggests rather a charmer. I want to depict a rather slimy, man about town, larger lout.

Queen Mother:

I’ve gone for an older woman, mainly due to her taking so long to get pregnant as well as using spells to conceive. Rather drab, grey spiteful women who lacks life and vitality. Main interest is reading Mills and Boom- plans to write one.

King/ Lord:

Again I’ve opted for an older man. I’m thinking much more approachable in mannerisms, loud and pompous with an almost manic, drunken smiling expression. I think he’s verging on alcoholic and narcotic tendencies, as well as having a Freudian view of his daughter.

Sleeping Beauty + Thalia:

A bit of a slut even aged 13, virginity still in tact doubtful. Brassy, loud, spoilt and beautiful in a cheap kind of way, lots of red lipstick. Sexual to the extreme, manipulator and strangely large thighs….

Evil Fairy:

An ancient, arthritic, hacking hag could be three hundred or nine hundred. A 50 a day habit and skin to match. Preferred drink is Gin. Good sense of humour. On benefits, makes a bit of money on the side organizing Frog racing.

Good fairy:

Very slight, elfish, rather plain- nothing to write home about. Middle to late twenties, a terrible suck up with an irritating high pitched soprano voice. She blends into the background and has terrible clothes sense.

Children/ Sun and Moon:

Over-weight children, rather charming and boisterous.

Evil Wife/ Step-mother:

Evil which is what one imagines! Thin lipped, common in appearance- lots of nylon, smokes thin cigars and addicted to valium.

Ticking over

As you can see I’ve rather neglected this blog the last few weeks. Have been concentrating on sketches and the final images although the time is now to sit back and reflect on what is working and what isn’t….

First off notes on a discussion recently had: DESIGN: I feel I’ve rather neglected this part of the project the biggest issue at this point of the course is narrative. How to successfully create an interactive, immersive and satisfying narrative that…In simple terms “Works”. Although I’m pleased with the images that I’ve already created this is not a graphic novel, comic, book this is supposed to be a different experience combining movement- organic movement ( which was what I originally wanted) progression of design and simple graphical animation. I sometimes feel that I look at this project in a traditional print way I need to find new ways to apply traditional strategies of appreciation. Form, Balance, colour, light, surface, space, iconography, representation these and other components are our customary understanding of art and design. I need to think of these and other elements to create a successful digital piece of design. Not sure if that makes sense but it does in my head. I can see what I want but how to accomplish this is proving most difficult. As was pointed out this is a prototype and all these issues do not have to be resolved right now. I think what I’m finding most difficult is working on the illustrations and then putting it all together with the moving text, various pages, the “organic” navigation system, the zoom and drag function and now I’m writing this the actually design in flash. One such question is when you zoom into the page and then drag yourself around does the navigation system disappear so the user has to zoom out to be able to progress to the next section of narrative? Will this effect immersion? Will people understand this? Should I just not bother with the zoom and drag? (While were on this its very difficult designing in Photoshop and thinking of the grander scheme while doing it. Very difficult indeed. I have been doing tests with the zooming- to which point does the illustration look crap- and therefore how big does the hidden images have to be? (Again I’m not happy with my results) All of these questions should have already been resolved however they haven’t. I’ve reached a point where I don’t know what to do. I’ve decided against drawing the images in flash mainly because I know I can do this- but it takes time, too much time as well as limiting what the piece can look like. For my final project I will have to come back to this issue.

I have come to terms with this project not being that aesthetically pleasing- something which grates to someone who’s main concern in anything and everything (rather shamefully) is the design. I’ve also come to the conclusion that I am not going to be able to complete all strands of the narrative. I’ve chosen two and specifically four illustrations that will use movement and action script. As long as I can give a basic idea of what I want to achieve I feel this is plausible.

Navigation: A stroke of genius came my way one evening whilst hanging up a picture: A gallery. The navigation is a gallery- multiple sized picture frames with sections of the illustration that comes with its specific segment of narrative. As I’ve already mentioned and illustrated the navigation is on a grid like structure you as the participant goes from left to right- the normal order of westerners reading. However I wanted to jazz this up a bit- going back to my first project I thought of mirrors and then came up with the gallery idea. The reason this is good is that I want to the navigation to move and change depending on what page you are on. I wanted the navigation to blend in with the design and look like it was meant to be there, not just plonked to the side or bottom of the page. It is in fact an integral part of the design and I wanted to illustrate this. This gallery will change shape and size depending on which page you are at. The image or frame that you choose will “grow” and take up much of the page, the remainder space will have the rest of the navigation, other illsutations and some of the text. This does present problems though- as the frames will be all different sizes and shapes from experimentation it’s sometimes difficult to see which the next frame is, that you’re supposed to look at. Have thought about blending out the images that you can’t look at, but this feels like too many constraints for the viewer. Although I am in charge of the narrative, I’m in control, through constraints I’ve manage to make this text resemble something of a narrative, but I didn’t want to have to spell it out quite so blatantly to the viewer. I think at this late stage I’ve just got to decide something and go with it; however this will be my first question asked when I start my final project. Even as I write this is a few more problems has presented themselves as well as a few answered. My original idea was to have the navigation system the design of the page but I seemed to have lost this idea through the process and it has answered a few of the problems stated here. I don’t need to design the illustrations with the text. This is separate- in a frame…. The text will mostly be outside of the frame. More on this later I will go and see if this helps!

Review

“Hosts” is an exciting project shown at the prestigious and famous Bath Abbey, and has been inspired by the ladder motif on the west front of the abbey. Martin Rieser, professor of Digital Arts at Bath Spa University, has hung five giant screens at strategic points of the abbey space. Wearing special ultrasound-emitting badges and wireless earphones the participants in Hosts trigger the presence of a variety of characters. These "hosts" are a wide range of ages, gender, social types and races, and always appear singly to the participant.




The general premise is a 3D audio landscape of footsteps, tonal voices and breathing sounds which accompany the visitor between the screens and form a tangible changing audio landscape. If a visitor stands for more than a few seconds in front of a particular screen, the figure will turn in the direction of the viewer and return the visitors stare. The video’s character look’s the visitor up and down, or turns away in distraction. The characters then speak a series of poetic phrases, also seen as animated text on the screen. A character follows you around so to speak, you move the character moves which give the viewer a real feeling of authorship- or a feeling of being involved in what is happening.



All of this can be as interesting for a spectator who has not purchased the electrical devices as those who has; although you will not have the ability to hear the speech just watching other people, watching the characters on the screen and the movement that is generated, can be just as interesting and strangly hypnotic. People wondering around a Cathdral with there eyes pointing upwards to the heavens is surely something that can be experianced everyday!

On the last screen of the installation, which is always there, is pictured two vertical ladders, placed on opposite sides of the space, and disappearing beyond the screen edges. On one ladder the characters are continuously climbing upwards and vanishing. On the second ladder they are climbing downwards from the top of the frame and walking off screen. Personally this was the most interesting part. Although the technologies used for this section of the space, are at its most basic, simple video and audio, on such a scale and such a setting, it is the most poignant and resonant part of the whole installation.

Sounds impressive? It certainly looks impressive; the large screens are overwhelming, towering up between the arches to monstrous proportions. The audio sounds coming from the headphones are loud, and uncompromising. This piece screams look at me, listen to me, and for that reason alone deserves a seeing.

I did find the content of the piece rather grating after a while, and as with all new media pieces there is a certain element of using technology for the sake of it. Should technology dictate what the artworks looks like? Or should the artwork dictate which technologies should be applied? Rather like the Chicken and the egg, there is always this question. I suspect that the technologies here dictated what the artwork looked like.

Although not completely successful in its attempt; it is an enjoyable, interesting experience. This exhibition shows us what to expect in the future, if you think of it, if you will as a practice, give this genre another ten years and the results will be spectacular. An engaging, multi sensory experience which defies your imagination, and expectations.

Horoscopes

Illustration????????????????

I'm abit stuck..... Have started the illustrations but I'm worried there going to take far too long. I could spend the next 2 months doing them and still not be happy. It seems its going to have to be quantity over quality. I am beginning to think that I might have to just concentrate on two of the chosen narratives. Thsi way I will be able to show how the piece will look without having to sacrifice design and style.
I want to include multiple illustrations in my peice but these all need researching as I'm looking at symbolism. The previous mentioned observations on sleeping beauty hold a lot of weight however there very difficult to "show". Have been looking at horoscopes and "The book of hours"- a book designed to help its owner with pious devotions at different times of day. The introduction was always a calender, usually illustrated to show activities appropriate for each month.

Board Games

Came across a Victorian board game book in Clifton's Oxfam the other day. It was interesting to look at the narratives and how the player navigated themselves around the board. Found this interesting blog on board games. One could say that interactive narratives a different type of board game- your trying to get from A to B (usually), there's a narrative (usually), if you miss something you have to go back (usually). Haven't really thought this through but I think its something to look into.

First Plan:( Click on it for a more detailed view)

You travel from left to right. The actual navigation design will look very different but so I know the exact plan. As you can see there are problems in the Grimm version. I did anticipate this. I think I will just have images in the two vacant pages, however the rest of the stories aren’t going to fit with the ending of Grimms. Not sure what to do about this yet? It too late to start trying to find another version, as well I think it is important to have a Grimm version within the piece...

Symbolism in sleeping beauty

"More than a fancifully stylized love story that portrays a young maidens retreat into herself and the breaking of the spell by a youth in love; ... The tale depicts the endowing, threatening, paralyzing, and redeeming of not only some girl or other but of mankind in general"

- Max Luthi

Have finally started the illustrations and so have been looking at symbolism, like I have mentioned previously I would like to include some of this using imagery and text (hidden within the images). This link I have included is especially good as it looks at all the versions that I have decided to use. Obviously you cannot take every thought as gospel and some of the ideas seem quite extreme- I have been trying to find text that was written by the authors on there tales but this seems to be impossible. I think I will take some ideas that I like and disregard others.
Observations On Grimm:

• Since the curse is one of the dominant features of the tale, it is reasonable that many psycho-analytical symbolisms have been drawn from it. The most reasonable of these metaphors is that the curse represent new restrictions imposed on a female at puberty. Thirteen, the age of Brier Rose in some of the versions, was traditionally the age when menstruation started, so it can be seen as the beginning of womanhood. This line of thought leads to another of the symbolisms. The underlying cause for the curse results from the realization that Brier Rose has the potential for becoming an object of desire. Her potential sexuality threatens men and makes women jealous. Because of jealousy, the old/evil fairy wishes to stop Brier Rose from ever taking her place as a woman and to die before she can experience the "joys of courting and marriage."

• The frog's proclamation is supposed to represent that wishing alone can cause a pregnancy. While this reasoning is weak, the other symbolic interpretation of this event in the story is even weaker. Some scholars see the proclamation as a manifestation of the King's desire for a daughter but his reluctance to sleep with his wife.In several of the Grimms' tales, Bettelheim sees frogs and toads as symbols of sex. In this particular instance, that metaphor is more precisely defined to represent conception. Water is also included in this metaphor.

• The curse itself has another intriguing symbolic meaning. It can be interpreted as the onset of menstruation. Bettelheim elaborates on this metaphor. The thirteen good fairies represent the thirteen months of the lunar calendar. The twelve that are good also represent the twelve months in the traditional calendar. The thirteenth fairy, since there is no thirteenth month in traditional calendars, represents menstruation. In addition, since the curse came from an old woman, there is the added significance of the "curse" being passed from woman to woman and originating with the oldest woman, Eve.- This might be interesting to illustrate could have a calendar or a watch. The sun and Moon= Time passing. Could have the light changing through certain pages, symbolizing time passing.
  

• Another analysis suggested other motifs behind the Father's action. By banning spindles, he can prevent Brier Rose from ever having to engage in onerous tasks not "befitting a princess." (McGlathery, p 98) The King also takes away Brier Rose's chance to dream, since spinning is associated with dreams- This is interesting as it was an observation I made myself. Like I have mentioned I wondered at the choice of "evil object"not just in Grimms but in all versions.
  

• Spinning has several general symbolisms. Spinning, and especially the spindle itself, is associated with dreams of "building romantic castles in the air," (McGlathery, p 98) which in Brier Rose's case are taken away by the King's ban on spindles. It is also seen as a passage to sexual adulthood. The spindle, according to Bruno Jockel, can also be a male symbol directly implying sex. Appearing to following the same line of thought, Bettelheim interprets the distaff, the part of the spindle which rotates and collects the thread, as a penis. Weaving and spinning are also commonly associated with women

• Bettelheim, in one of his non-sexual interpretations, also focuses on the absence of Brier Rose's parents when she pricks her finger. He claims this represents the parents inability to help children through the various trials of growing-up.
  

• The interpretation of Brier Rose's long sleep has progressed along two lines. The first is sexual, like most psychoanalytical interpretations of this fairy tale, and comes from Bettelheim. Its reasoning is based on the assumption that the sleep is symbolic of the wait for sexual fulfillment. It comes at the end of childhood and is a way to prepare Brier Rose for a later "sexual union." (Bettelheim, p 232) She spends these years withdrawn and in inner reflection. The sleep may delay her eventual sexual maturity, but in the end, it will happen and with as much glory as ever.

  Bettelheim also asserts that this long sleep is the only way to avoid change and development. McGlathery adds that it allows Brier Rose to remain a maiden for a hundred years. She is also reduced to passivity since she can not actively persue a prince while she is sleeping. Bettelheim does add that this shutting out of the world is unhealthy and that it must be broken by the transformation of the girl into the woman.- Have been wondering how I can show the princess sleeping, she must have dreamt- and I would like to include imagery of her dreams.
  

• Several interpretations see the Prince as a father substitute since in many versions the Prince arrives in the story only after the Father leaves it. McGlathery goes on to say that the Prince's actions are what the Father would like to do, but is prevent from by incest taboos.

  The Prince's arrival at the appropriate moment marks Brier Rose's sexual awakening and/or the birth of the higher ego, according to Bettelheim. The Prince also makes a "more appropriate object of curiosity and desire" (McGlathery, p 118) than the spinning wheel which is what fascinated Brier Rose when she fell asleep. Bettelheim sees two significances in the transformation. The first is that Brier Rose is finally ready for a sexual encounter. The other, which is actually not sexual, is a general life lesson. Do not worry about a seemingly "impossible problem." (Bettelheim, p 233) When the time is right, it will solve itself.

• If one assumes that the curse is symbolic of menstruation or bleeding during sexual intercourse, then Brier Rose's awakening carries a very reassuring connotation. Although this bleeding must be taken seriously, which might be represented by the heroine's hundred year sleep, one should not be frightened of it. It "does have the happiest consequences." (Bettelheim, p 235)
  

Am finding it difficult to find critical analysis on my other versions: Am going to re-read Marina Warners pages on Sleeping Beauty to see if I have missed something there. One problem is that I planned to use two versions of Basiles- but these will have the same symbolisms which means the illustrations will be very similar. More on this at a later date.......

Arthur Conon Doyle- you have to laugh

Arthur Conon Doyle not only accepted these photos as genuine, he even wrote two pamphlets and a book attesting the genuineness of these photos, and including much additional fairy lore. His book, The Coming of the Fairies, and some people still believe the photos are authentic. Doyle's books make very interesting reading even today. Doyle's belief in spiritualism, convinced many people that the creator of Sherlock Holmes was not as bright as his fictional creation.

Some thought Conan Doyle crazy, but he defended the reality of fairies with all the evidence he could find. He counters the arguments of the disbelievers eloquently and at great length. Over the years the mystery persisted. Only a few die-hards believed the photos were of real fairies, but the mystery of the details of how (and why) they were made continued to fascinate serious students of hoaxes, frauds and deceptions. When the girls (as adults) were interviewed, their responses were evasive. In a BBC broadcast interview in 1975 Elsie said: "I've told you that they're photographs of figments of our imagination and that's what I'm sticking to."

Edgar Allan Poe

"FORCE OF TOTALITY"