Friday, February 17, 2012

What is Work? [Interior Design]

One type of work that Ciulla describes is "work as an attitude." She means that our attitude toward whatever the action we are doing determines whether or not it is work. When we call something "work" it becomes less enjoyable. For example as an interior design major, when a professor assigns us "homework" to come up with a design idea, I usually have no desire to do it. However if I was not assigned "homework" and I was inspired and motivated by something, I would most likely start designing and doing work. At that moment it would not feel like work, because my attitude toward it was willingness. 


Ciulla describes the difference between work and labor in the section titled " The Labor of Our Bodies." She explains that labor is affiliated with more physical tasks than work. Interior Designers do a lot of work but not necessarily a lot of labor. Work takes a lot of time and effort which contributes to the labor that will happen later on. The extend of an interior designers labor is model making. This is not to say that what interior designers do is not difficult in its own way, however it does not require too much physical exertion.


Although interior designers do not use very much physical exertion, they are constantly in contact with people who do. The designers are the creators the thinkers of the project, however they are not trained to build the project. In other words they are not trained to do all the physical labor parts of the project. That part is for the contractors and engineers. In the design field, the interior designers must work side by side with the "laborers." Whom Ciulla describes as the ones who make a product. Interior designers design the product and the contractors make it.


Ciullas part of the chapter called "It's Only a Job" can refer to every and any field of work. According to Ciulla it can refer to any field as long as the person is getting paid for what they are doing. In interior design an unpaid internship, which is very common in order to get your foot in the door, would be considered work. Unpaid internships are considered work because the person is doing many tasks and nott being paid for it. After the internship phase the person can be hired to work for a company. Once they are hired to work this is considered a job, because they are getting rewarded for their work with money. 



Sunday, February 12, 2012

Want To Buy A Valentine Assignment

Contrary to Langes Perspective Argument:


In the article, "Want to Buy a Valentine?" Lange argues that sending a digital valentine or having someone else make a valentines day card for you is meaningless. I disagree, its the thought that counts. The fact that someone thought of you, even if it was just for a minute, means that you are special to them. For that person to go design and make an entire original valentine is simply unrealistic, no one has that kind of time. Receiving a digital valentine would bring a smile to my face, because its the thought that counts.


Questioning whether Valentines Day is Meaningful Argument:


If it was not for all the commercials and all the signs advertising valentines day, I would never remember that it was valentines day. Today, Valentines Day is a waste of money, whether you are buying an expensive necklace to prove your love to someone or a pack of valentines day cards from the store to let your child hand out at school. If valentines day is a holiday about letting the people you love know that you love them, then tell them. If it is completely necessary to give them something to prove your love, then make it have meaning. We should spend time on a unique card or on a thought out meaningful gift. I do not believe that people should have to conform to the commercialization of valentines day. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea and the concept behind valentines day, but in todays world its all about the commercialization of the holiday.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Response to Kwun and Walker Articles

What is Kwuns main thesis? What is Walkers?


Kwuns thesis is that Lady Gaga's style conceptually reflects already existing architecture . 
Walkers thesis is that no matter what the design on a cigarette package is people will have their own thoughts about it, and continue to buy it.


 How does she/he prove this thesis? 


First Kwun compares the  spherical shape and structure of the hat that Gaga wore on Ellen to the architect Etienne Boulees proposal of a centotaph for Issac Newton. Second, Kwun relates the red dress to architecture through function, because it serves as a mask, to block the ladder which she stands on in the end of the scene, as well as the team of stage hands that control her 30 foot long train. Finally Kwun says that GaGa’s choice of large sculptural hats treat the head as temple in order to prove she puts more thought into her style than people may think.


Walker states what his opinion of the cigarettes packaged in black is. He believes it directly relates to the physical effects of smoking, such as darkened teeth and lungs being blackened. He also says how the color black relates to "the hardcore smoker." He is saying that "the hardcore smoker" likes the color black, and therefore will be excited to buy them. Because there is so much debate about whether or not black is bad or not, I do not think that Walkers point about the hardcore smoker can be taken as a hardcore fact.
In many cases the color black can be something of high importance or of class, therefore I think more people would be intrigued to buy these cigarettes for that reason. 
After doing some research I came to find that the Black Marlboros are spiced or "a special blend." Spiced cigarettes are also known as herbal cigarettes. More and more cases are being reported of people who smoke herbal cigarettes suffering from anxiety, hallucinations, and seizures because of an ingredient in them. Therefore if you are assuming that black means "bad",  I think that the color black on the Marlboro package explains those cigarettes very well without using any words.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Article Response

Q. Do the written descriptions of the physical subjects actually "show" them to you? Or do you need visual images? If those descriptions fail? how do they fail? If they "work", how so?


A. The article on Lady Gaga did a lot of detailed describing, almost too much. As the descriptions went on they got more confusing. However I did manage to visualize the hat that she wore on Ellen, and the dress that she wore on Gossip Girl from the descriptions. The images obviously enhanced how I thought about the images, but I did not think they were completely necessary for this article. When Kwun was explaining Lady Gaga's hat on Ellen, she explained it well in the first sentence when she explained the color and the size. As she continued to describe it, she began to contradict herself, which caused confusion. The description of Lady Gaga's red dress was very well explained, except for when she said she had a 30 foot long sequence train. When I looked up the dress, the body of the dress was sequence but not the train. In Walkers article "Package It Black", I found that the descriptions were not enough for me. I need the visual aid of the pictures. I was able to visualize the Malboros in black packaging rather than red, however the other packaging was not clear to me until I saw the images.


Q. What concepts do the authors point as being "behind" these subjects? Do the authors effectively prove their points about these concepts? How so? 


A. Kwan does prove her point that Lady Gaga is architectural. All of her costumes , which create her image are an architectural piece of art. All of this contributes to her "mass consumption" by fans and the media. Walker makes the point that although the design seems like it should be hindering people from smoking, its in fact increasing it. People like the new design and "black" to them does not mean bad, its something new and interesting that many people want.