alphabet soup: task 2 "yoghurt...yoghurt...yoghurt!"

Yoghurt may seem like an usual choice of word to experiment with typography, but, infact, it was suggested by a tutor for it's diverse range of anatomical typographic features, such as a mix of ascenders, descenders, counters, etc...(i also added the full stop glyph at the end for good measure!)

just a small experiement- lowercase century schoolbook type on the top row- with my two favourite adaptions (thus far) beneath them.

Definately needs more experimenting, but I certainly hope that my typographic development skills are travelling in the right direction!

No News Is Good News: Further Information and Statistics.

The following information comes from a variety of sources, which can be found linked below.

statistics on adoption: america

• In 1992, 15.5% of adoptions (19,753) were public agency adoptions.
• In 1992, 37.5% of adoptions (47,627) were private agency adoptions.
• In 1993, 8% of adoptions were transracial.
• In 1992, California had the highest number of adoptions with 14,722. New York was second with 9,570, Texas third with 8,235, Florida fourth with 6,839, and Illinois fifth with 6,599 adoptions.
• In 2000, 33% of children adopted from Foster Care were done so by a single parent, as oppossed to 4-5% in 1970.

statistics on adoption: england.

• 64,400 children were in the care of local authorities on 31st March 2010.
•  73% (47,200) of children looked after on this date were living with foster carers.
• 10% (6,200) were living in children's homes (including secure units, children's homes and hostels).
• 6% (4,200) were living with their parents.
• 4% (2,300) were placed for adoption.
• 4% (1,970) were placed in residential schools or other residential settings.
• In 2010, the average age at adoption was 3 years and 9 months.

international adoption statistics and trends. 

• The ten most popular countries of international adoption (in the United States) from the year of 2009 are : 1. China (3,001), 2. Ethiopia (2,277), 3. Russia (1,586), 4. South Korea (1,080), 5. Guatemala (756), 6. Ukraine (601), 7. Vietnam (481), 8. Haiti (330), 9. India (297), 10. Kazakhstan (295). 

LGBT adoption statistics and information.

• Full, joint adoption by same-sex couples is currently legal in the following countries: andorra, argentina, belgium, brazil, denmark, iceland, netherlands, norway, south africa, spain, sweden, united kingdom, and uruguay.

No News Is Good News: Images.

The images blogged below and relative to my chosen article, and are all from secondary resources.

daily mail

James Caan captured on live television broadcast- making his financial offer for the Pakistani baby girl.

daily mail 

A picture of the baby (Sara) with her father, Noor Daraz Khan, quoted as saying "I can beg for my children, but I cannot even think to sell them."

daily mail

A close-up of the baby girl that James Caan offered 100,000 rupees to adopt for his brother, of whom lives in Pakistan.

daily mail

A decidely younger James Caan, with his wife, and two daughters. It's clear that Mr. Caan is a family man, and I believe, when he offered a financial package in "bribe" to adopt the Pakistani baby, he had genuine heartfelt emotion behind his actions, despite perhaps going about the situation quite foolishly.

radio times.com

James Caan pictured here in more usual surroundings- the Dragon's Den studio! Pictured on the far left with Duncan Bannatyne, Theo Paphitis, Deborah Meaden, and Peter Jones.

The show focuses on the financial investment of the "Dragons" in entrepreneurs and the inventions they present to the multi-millionaires.

image found through 'google images: pakistan floods 2010'.

Pakistan Floods August 2010

image found through 'google images: pakistan floods 2010.' 

Pakistan Floods August 2010.

image found through 'google images: pakistan floods 2010.'

The pictures above show varying forms of the devestation causes from the summer 2010 floods in Pakistan.

James Caan, of Pakistani nationality went to the country following the natural disaster for charity purposes, whereupon he went onto attempt to adopt the baby girl, Sara.

 campaign poster from UNICEF, leading child care charity.

Wonderful graphics poster- clean, bold and communicates it's message strongly, with the water splash capture (the poster's focus) resembling a mushroom cloud- symbolising destruction, or death. 

"ads of the world"

I really love these posters for 'The Indian Association for Promotion of Adoption and Child Welfare'- completely unique and they certainly had an emotive, strong effect when I first saw them. The idea is such a simple one, but really powerful- the child clinging onto the parent, scaled down as if they were the child, a doll, or a much-loved teddy bear.

Adoption, especially through this article is so often negatively publicised as an "ego boost" or "fad of celebrity", but this series shows what adoption should really be about- unconditional love and care.

image found through 'google images: angelina jolie with children'.

Here, globally famous actress and humanitarian charity worker, Angelina Jolie, is pictured with two of adopted her children (she has three in total)- the boy, Maddox Chivan, of Cambodian nationality, and Zahara Marley, of Ethiopian origin.

Jolie and partner, Brad Pitt, are probably the most high-profile "celebrity adopters"- with six children in total, three of whom are adopted. The couple have in the past been slated with their choice to adopt, often causing speculation that their intentions are for media gain.

adoptions and the real world.

Perhaps the most infamous celebrity adoption of recent years- musician, Madonna's adoption of son, David Banda from Malawi, in which critics accused the Malawian government for ignoring the laws of banning foreign adoptions.

adoption hopes.

Perhaps the most surprising story in the way of celebrity adoptions this year is Elton John's announcement of his desire to adopt a child with civil partner, David Furnish.

Sir Elton John is pictured here with Ukranian orphan, Lev, who had "stolen his heart".

Even more surpisingly, the couple's wish was rejected by Ukranian law (Lev's home country), as, in Ukranian law, adopting couples must be married, and John and Furnish's civil partnership is not deemed official by Soviet law.

Here, Sandra Bullock is pictured with her newly adopted baby boy, Louis Bardo Bullock (born in New Orleans).

Whilst the picture does look endearing and loving- I can't help but to raise an eyebrow as she publicises her new addition along with her divorce, and beneath an article header "world's most beautiful people 2010"- this certainly takes away from the sincere adoring look in the photograph.

These photographs were sent to me through a link via a fellow course mate, Baljeet, who is also analysis the James Caan article for her research brief.

This photographs were staged as fashion shoots for a magazine article which looks at the "glorifying" of adopting foreign or overseas children, in what many percieve to be a "celebrity trend" of recent years.

No News Is Good News: Thoughts and Opinions.

After discussing my intended article study with others around me, I have generated a series of thoughts and opinions on the matter from a series of people, which I have recorded here:

Opinions directly linked and related to the James Caan article:

• "Although £742 is no price at all to pay for a baby, 100,000 rupees is probably a lot of money to a poverty stricken family. He probably felt his actions would be giving the baby a better quality of life, so both sides of the story are valid points, and I can see how his actions are spawned from love."- Marsha, Criminology Student at Leeds Met. University
• "I think human nature is not so clear cut as we would sometimes like to believe. We are all going to make mistakes, big mistakes like the one James Caan made. And it sometimes happens just after people have told us how good we are. I think it was nice in a way that he has emotions deep enough to want to change a situation. We are very often controlled by our emotions which then trigger thoughts inside our head. It's not always the case that we can control our thoughts. Emotions can sway us into acting. We need them so that we can have good relationships with our families and friends."- David Keel, Photographer.
• "I had a problem with this headline for a few reasons (obviously). First of all, £700 odd, or whatever the figure was is a ridiculously low sum of money for a human life. If he genuinely thought that he would be helping the family financially then surely the cost would have been higher than this. I however do not believe that any sum of money would be acceptable. Even though Caan claims that he was overcome with emotion and that his offer was in the heath of the moment it does not excuse his actions. Just because people are poor and suffering severe poverty does not mean that they are not capable of love and does not mean that they would be so desperate as to sell their child. The family would have been through enough with the devestation of the floods without having their daughter taken from them from a rich foreigner. Their integrity and emotions towards their daughter have been insulted. Something is wrong with our culture when wealthy westerners feel that they can monopolise power elsewhere in the world. Money cannot buy you everything."- Amelia, studying English Literature at Exeter University.
• "Being as he is a multi-millioniare you would think that he would offer more than £742- that's probably the allowance he gives himself for a bottle of wine in the evening!"- Dan, fashion student.
• "I think that it's about the intention behind it! If it's to give a baby a better life because you're a caring parent then yes...But you can't argue that it's to help the man because you could give him the money so that he can look after his baby and not have to sell it!"- Becky, studying English Literature at Edingburugh University.
• "I think it's okay as long as it's done through love and not fashion"- Virginia, tattoo and piercing specialist.
• "I think it's so morally wrong, there are so, so many children that are orphans or are in care homes that need people to look after them, yet celebrities seem to think that it is fine for them to buy children away from their parents! If someone wanted to buy a child from this country there would be absolute horror , yet as they're from an LEDC, it's seen as acceptable! To be honest I think it's complete madness!"- Sacha, currently at sixth form, specialising in art.
• "I think it's interesting to say that when I was in Malawi they would laugh at the Madonna situation and joke that we white folk would take their children too. Although they could have a "better" life in the UK or America they would miss out so much of Malawian culture and people. We can learn so much from their way of life, their kind, considerate nature and their family values. Children are children and should not be bought. As for buying a child that still has parents, I think this is completely wrong. Obviously there are other areas such as how well that child is being treated, however, all in all, if that child is loved and being cared for, no-one should be able to take that child away, £742 or not."- Harriet, aspiring teacher, Drama student at Birmingham University.
• "I wonder what that child will think when she grows up in poverty and gets told that she missed out on a multi-millionaire lifestyle because of Western sensibilities about blood ties. It's not as if that child was going to grow up in a different culture, or with white parents, or anywhere where they would stand out as 'different'. That baby would have grown up in a loving household with all the benefits that money can buy, that her birth parents would never be able to provide. Just who are all these people who condemn either the parents who want the best for their baby, or the person who desperately wants a child to love and has the means at their disposal to do it? Sometimes I think we in the West have got things severely backwards, whatever happened to looking at the best interests of the child? Before people here condemn anyone else for trying to help, I think we should look at our own child services. Can anyone really look at our politically correct system, with all the children in 'care' suffering enormous deprivation and instability, and say we've got it even close to right?"- Sunday1Morning, commented on article via 'The Independent' website  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/dragons-den-judge-apologises-for-offer-to-buy-pakistani-baby-2114226.html
• "I think that it's good that he's offered the money because the family obviously need help but I have a poor view of celebrity adoption because the child will be better off with a normal family and out of the 'fame and fortune' spotlight."- Kirsty, studying BA (Hons) Graphic Design at LCA.
• "Mr Caan only tried to adopt a little baby for his brother. It is legal and offers more protection and better life to a little soul, who may not even survive the cold winter in an open tent. money is secondary as it is only to help the poor sufferers of a small village."- Amer, Kettering, UK (sourced from 'Daily Mail' article site: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1322726/James-Caan-regrets-offering-buy-baby-girl-Pakistan-village.html
• "I do feel compassion for Mr. Caan's actions as he felt he could help the baby and his intentions were in the right place, despite the way he went about it. I don't think the amount of money he offered is an issue (human life being offered for so little) as it would have been made in the heat of the moment. I doubt he thought about it, and it was just the first amount that he thought of."-Brad, Graphic Design student, Leeds.
• "I think what James Caan did may have been amoral in some people's eyes, but I think to offer your child a better life is unselfish and in that situation it's the best thing the father could have done."- Luis, studying BA (Hons) Graphic Design at LCA.

Opinions related to adoption from a wider view

The three questions I asked were:

• Have you had any experiences related to adoption? Personally, through a friend, family memvber etc?
• Should adoption be a viable option for everyone? Despite financial circumstances, marital status, sexual orientation, etc?
• Do you support the culture of "celebrity adoption", in cases such as Angelina Jolie and Madonna, etc? Discuss.

I asked my three questions related to adoption for a larger overview on the matter to a selection of people, and these are the thoughts and opinions I obtained:

• "Adoption should be available to anyone capable of raising a child well; a stable environment should be sought after. So financial circumstances would be restrictive, as if someone earns £5 a month they can't really raise a child. Sexual orientation and marital status shouldn't matter."- Ben, studying journalism at UCLAN.
• "I think adoption should be available to everyone that can prove that they want the child for the right reasons, and are capable of looking after it. Right reasons being to want to look after, make happy, or do something good with their life. Not to have an extension of the parent's self. So regardless of being criminal, gay, whatever..."

"Why would a child want that sort of lifestyle forced upon them? Always going to be "Madonna's adopted child" or "Jolie's adopted child"."- Tom, animation student at Hereford Uni.

• "My boss adopted both his children. They're quite well balanced, and they were both told since they were tine that they were adopted. Neither of them have wanted to look for their biological parents (same mum, different dads), because they don't know who their dads are, and their mum was a violent alcoholic. When Natalie was adopted she was about two, but had to spend nearly six months in hospital because of the things her mum had done to her."

"I think you should have the financial capabilities in order to support a child, and there should be two parents around. Ideally a mother, and a father. When I did psychology, studies had shown that a child needs a mother and father in their lives as it makes it easier for them to cope in certain situations later in life. Personally, I don't think single parents and same sex couples should be allowed to adopt. I haven't got anything against homosexuality, I just think that they need to consider how the child will be treated by their peers and the rest of the world, as well as how they will cope, and not have a child out of selfishness."

"I think that if they can offer a child a home, then there is no reason that they should do it. I just can't help but wonder if they only do it to make themselves look better in the public eye. I think mixing your own biological children with adopted children isn't something to take lightly, for example, the way that Madonna and Angelina Jolie seemed to rush into it. It's not something you can take back and there's always the chance that one of them will feel left out and isolated by it."- Megan, studying Advertising Design at Newport Uni.

• "I know a lot of children that have been adopted through my school/college. They're amazing kids and the stereotype that "no one wants them" is utter rubbish.

"Adoption should not be an option to parents if they are unstable, mentally or physically. These children are not there to fix their problems or take care of them. They need stability and someone who they can rely on who won't give up. Otherwise, yes, anyone should adopt, it's a lovely thing to do if you're dedicated but it's not all hugs and kisses. Alot of children get put into care before adoption and there is always a reason behing it, and can make things harder for everyone. The parent needs to be understanding and aware of possible past issues and history."- Rebecca, student.

• "I was in care for eight years, and I am adopted. If i wern't, I wouldn't be at Uni now."- Ryan, studying a degree in criminology and psychology.

I'm really pleased with the range of opinions and thoughts I have gathered towards my research. The article is so emotive and controversial, I was really hoping to draw as such a diverse range as I have.

If I could do anything differently, given more time, I would like to try and obtain a wider range of views, surveying people's opinions taking their age, gender, nationality and proffesion more into account that I feel that I perhaps have done.

No News Is Good News: facts related to my article.

The following facts (related to my article) have been taken from the website www.adoptionuk.org/information

information taken from studies in England, on 31st March 2009.

FACTS ABOUT CHILDREN IN CARE:

• There were 60,900 children in local authority care.
• 57% were boys, 43% girls.
• 61% came to the social services' attention due to abuse or neglect.
• 73% were of white British origin
• 73% were in a foster placement, a 5% increase from the same date in 2008.

FACTS ABOUT THE AGES OF CHILDREN IN CARE:

• 5% of children in care on this date were under 1 year old.
• 16% were aged between 1-4.
• 17% were aged between 5-9.
• 41% were aged between 10-15.
• 21% were aged 16+

FACTS ABOUT ADOPTIVE PARENTS:

• 92% of adoptive parents were couples (3,000) 8% were single (270).
• 82% of adoptive parents were married.
• 6% of adoptive parents were hetrosexual and unmarried, 1% were unmarried homosexual, 2% were civil partners.

These following facts have been found on http://www.davethomasfoundation.org/ for American facts relative to my article.

(facts gathered October 2009)

• In North America, more than 500,000 children are in the foster care system, and nearly 145,000 of them are available for adoption.
• Children often wait three years or more to be adopted, move three or more times in foster care and often are seperated from siblings. The average age of waiting children is 8 years old.
• Last year, (2008) 29,471 children turned 18 and left the foster care system without an adoptive family.
• Nearly 40% of American adults (81.5 million people), have considered adopting a child, according to the National Adoption Attitude Survey. If just one in every five hundred of these adults adopted, every waiting child in foster care would have a permanent family. 

Facts about adoptive children from third world countries and LEDC's

facts found from www.jurgita.com

www.ehow.com/about_5208524_foreign-adoption-laws.html

• There are approximately fifty million orphans in Africa and the UN has calculated that another eighteen million are going to become orphaned due to parents dieing from diseases such as malaria and AIDS by 2010.

• International adoption has become a very popular choice among prospective parents who wish to add to their families by means of adopting one or more children. More than 17,000 American families chose to adopt internationally in 2008, according to the U.S. Department of State. They did so for a variety of reasons, from disappointment with previous experience with the domestic adoption processes to the chance to connect with another culture.
• More than half of the international adoptions from the United States for 2008 took place in four countries (per the U.S. Department of State): Guatemala, China, Russia and Ethiopia. California and New York were the top two states for international adoption, with more than 1,100 international adoptions finalized in each. The total number of adoptions, domestic and international, was 51,000 for the year 2002, per the U.S. Department of Human Services' census-derived numbers.

FACTS AND INFORMATION ABOUT CELEBRITY ADOPTIVE CHILDREN AND/OR ADOPTIVE PARENTS:

katherine heigl's adoptive children.

ADOPTED CELEBRITIES:

• Aristotle (384-322 BC) Greek Philosopher.
• Edgar Allen Poe, Poet, Author.
• Leo Tolstoy, Author.
• Malcolm X, Civil Rights Leader and Activist.
• Nat King Cole, Singer and Musician.
• Steve Jobs, entrepreneur, co-founder of Apple.

ADOPTIVE CELEBRITY PARENTS:

• Angelina Jolie, actress.

• Bette Davis, actress.
• George Lucas, film director.
• Hugh Jackman, actor.
• Jamie Lee Curtis, actress.
• Julie Andrews, actress.
• Meg Ryan, actress.
• Nicole Kidman, actress.
• Ocar De La Renta, designer.
• Ozzy (and Sharon) Osbourne, musician.
• President Ronald Reagan, presidential politician.
• Sammy Davis Jr., entertainer, musician.
• Walt Disney- founder of the Disney company/ Disneyland.

I have found this section of research really interesting, and I feel as though I have learnt a great deal in comparison to what I did prior to gathering these facts. I was intruiged to learn about the vast numbers of children living in care, and also I find myself fascinated by the results I found for celebrity adoptive parents. Nearly all of my findings showed that the celebrities were in the entertainment business- particularly in the film industry (largely through acting), could this have any correlation to the modern culture of celebrity adoption?

Definately one to come back to!

No News Is Good News: key words.

Key words to relate to, or summarise my chosen article:

words #1-9 taken from 'The Concise English Dictionary', first published 1962.

words #10-25 taken from 'Collins English Dictionary' first published 2010.

• EQUALITY n. the state of being equal.
• IMPOVERISHED/IMPOVERSIH vt. to make poor; to exhaust the strength, fertility, or resources of.
• HUMANE a. having the feelings proper to man; tender, compassionate, kind, gentle.
• ORIGIN n. derivation, ancestry (geneology)
• SINCERE a. genuine, honest, frank.
• DISPLACE/DISPLACEMENT v.t/n -to remove from the usual or proper place; to remove from a position or dignity; to dismiss, to take the place of. -the act of displacing, the state of being displaced.
• WEALTH n. riches, large possessions of money, goods, affluence; abundance, prosperity.
• DEVESTATING a. overwhelming (negative)
• GREED n. greediness, insatiable desire or covertousness
• EMPATHY n. ability to understand someone else's feelings as if they were one's own.
• DISASTER n. occurence that causes great distress or destruction.
• CHARITY n. organisation that gives help, such as money or food, to those in need; giving of help to those in need; help given to those in need; kindly attitude towards people.
• CONTROVERSIAL a. causing controversy.
• EMOTIONAL a. readily affected by or appealing to the emotions.
• AMENDS n. to compensate for.
• COMPASSION n. pity, sympathy.
• CELEBRITY n. a famous person.
• ADOPT v. take (someone else's child) as one's own.
• CRITICISE v. to find fault with.
• MORAL a. concerned with right and wrong conduct; based on a sense of right and wrong (of support of a victory). principles of behaviour with respect for right and wrong.
• MISTAKE n. error or blunder.
• POVERTY n. state of being without enough food or money; lack of.
• CARE v. to be concerned, like, be fond of.
• AFFECTION n. fondness or love
• PUBLICITY n. process or information used to arose public attentions.

The twenty words (out of the twenty-five written here, along with their definitions) which I have chosen to highlight in bold, shall be the words which I am going to visually present to fellow classmates in the studio presentation of this research brief on the morning of Monday 1st November.

No News Is Good News: Brainstorming.

Headline article.

After deciding upon my chosen article headline, "I was clearly wrong, says the Dragon who tried to do a deal for a Pakistani baby"... I went onto record the article (in fear of loosing it, if nothing else!) as well as brainstorming general ideas in regards to idea development, background information and the direction in which I intend my work to progress onto.

We have had specific criteria miniumums that we must adhere to, which I shall now go onto research and present. These include gathering:

-twenty opinions related to my chosen article.

-twenty statistic related to my chosen article.

-twenty facts related to my chosen article.

-twenty images related to my chosen article.

-twenty key words related or summarising my article.

No News Is Good News.

Possible Headlines and Articles to explore: featured in newspapers from Saturday 23rd October, 2010.

"Surviving against the odds, the robin white breast."

The Times, pg.28

A rather charming little story about "albino" robin "red breasts".

I have always found myself attracted to quirky, unique filler stories (Both The Times and The Independent are dependable for some brilliant examples), yet I know that this story, with such little content, is very limited- not necessarily going to generate massive opinion either way!

"Gibson's cameo is dropped after the cast threaten to walk-off set"

The Independent, pg.3

Though "tabloid" on the exterior, this story has many religious and political threads.

I found this story really interesting- as it reflects on the "moral high-ground" of fame.

The stars of 'The Hangover' are happy to have convicted rapist, Mike Tyson, in their first film, though with notority and fame come 'The Hangover 2', "innocent until proven guilty" domestic-abuser and rumoured racist, Mel Gibson, is dismissed by stars.

A sudden surge of morals, or a greed for fame at the start?

This could lead down many interesting paths- definately one to consider.



"Write Your Own Prenup"

The Times, pg.9

This seems very topical at the moment- not only seen in this particular section of 'The Times', but also a conversational piece on last night's 'The One Show' (or so my mother tells me...).

I enjoyed reading this article, which can be taken both seriously and humourously- this could generate a lot of different opinions.

Also, this was a really unusual piece to stumble upon- a relatively new concept to Britain (prenups are generally considered still quite "celebrity" and "Americanised"...or should i say "Americanized"), so this could soon be common practice in this country.

Not sure how far I could take this throughout projects- a little vauge and two-dimensional perhaps?



"Jane Austen could write- but her spelling was awful"

The Independent, pg.18

A personal joy to read as I remember the struggle in my life that was reading 'Pride and Prejudice'.

With a deep love for language and literature, I find this quite interesting, sadly, I understand that not everyone can feel the same.

Good filler potential- but not much more to "get your teeth into".

"Being adopted has a lasting effect"

The Guardian, 'FAMILY', pg.4

Not a headline article as such, but I found this story intruiging and very heart-warming.

Adoption is very topical at the moment (with National Adoption Week starting November 1st), and although I have no personal expeience with adoption, I have always found it very interesting, as I have people in general.

I am definately going to look out for more stories of this theme- I believe that I could really develop this with emotive, and personal interest.

"Banned: Britain's worst teacher."

The Independent, pg.18

Again, quite an interesting story with a lot of possible directions- I could look at the educational system in general- how it has progressed in the past ten, or even twenty-five years- current standards or grading systems- how they reflect the achievements and careers of young adults today.

Also, with my partner's father a headmaster, and his mother a primary education teacher, I could gain some strong, personal opinions, as well as many opinions from those who have been out of the educational system for a long time, those who have just left, and those who are still in the system.

A lot of potential. Although there isn't much content to this particular story, there is a lot of potential for background research and development.

"I was clearly wrong, says the Dragon who tried to do a deal for Pakistani baby."

The Independent, pg.9

A truly fascinating story, political, emotive, and very controversial- this could generate a lot of mixed opinions- perfect to really develop with many avenues of interest I could explore.

Along with this story, there are many other background stems- such as modern-day greed, the broadcasting of natural disasters and poverty, and the cult of "celebrity adoption" in cases such as Angelia Jolie and Madonna in recent history.

Again, the adoption theme is very topical, and I feel that I could realy go far with this story.

I really feel that this has real potential for a project, and am now certain that this is the article in which I wish to develop.

No News Is Good News.

The Brief

Produce a body of research based upon a headline from a newspaper bought on SATURDAY 23RD OCTOBER 2010.

Select the headline thoughtfully as you need to be able to create an interesting and engaging amount of information from this that will inform and create the basis for your next brief.

You may choose to investigate several headlines initially from a variety of different newspapers before selecting one to focus upon.

Tone of Voice.

The tone of voice should be appropriate to your message, the context in which it is intended to be read and the audience to whom your work will be delivered.

Deliverables.

A body of visually engaging research and information that has a clear line of enquiry and tone of voice. 

An informed opinion on a subject matter derived from your chosen headline.

Background.

The ability to gather research so you are able to formulate informed opinions about the subject(s) matter is an essential skill for a graphic designer.

In addition to being aware of events, concerns and the (un) popularly held opinions of the world around you. You also need to consider the tone of voice with which they are reported and how you interpreted this within your research, you will need to consider a range of sources so you can get a balanced view of an event.

It is important that you read the stories thoroughly and research issues that are raised fully before committing yourself to a visual opinion.

RESEARCH CAN BE SERIOUS, HUMOUROUS, QUESTIONING, OPINIONATED, BOLD, SUBTLE, ETC...

Mandatory Requirements

Consider the format that your research will take, your findings need to be clearly organised and logical in their presentation.

You need to have a focus within your research, a collection of unrelated facts and figures will not prove as useful as a well ordered body of relevant information.

WORK TO GATHER:

-find article and headline(s) i find interesting and intruiging

-primary AND secondary research:

-scans/photographs

-talk to people: "chit chat"

-written research

-library

-email

-observations and drawings

-polls/stats

-internet

-thought process

-questionnaires

-generate:

-20 opinions, 20 images, 20 facts, 20 statistics, 20 key words to summarise my research.

alphabet soup task 2 ammendments: sentence structure experimentations.

Further experimentations with typographic sentence structure- I wanted to view my letterforms in context, so structured each individual letterform into the sentence 'hello, my name is chloe.' thus, providing a selection of anatomical features such as letters, glyphs, counters, ascenders, descenders, etc.

The first sentence was in basic Century Schoolbook font, the second with coloured counters, and the third in "back-to-front" display.

The counter- filled sentence was my particular favourite- this is an experiementation that, oddly enough, I have never tried before, and I really love the unique, slightly styalised technique- definately one to experiment more with in the future!

alphabet soup task 2 ammendments: typographic experimentations.

Once more, from the feedback I recieved in the Friday afternoon's crit session, I have decided to experiment with further types of typography, this time not only focusing on the aesthetic elements such as texture and weight of line, but also moving away from the purely uppercase alphabet to also experimenting with lowercase and italics.

As aforementioned, I originally chose to present my typographic alphabet in uppercase as this was a personal desire of Chloe's. 

However, from experimenting in this way, I have realised how different letterforms can really be- and, in this case, I think that the lowercase letterforms are a lot more effective in showcasing the chosen adjectives that I originally used to describe Chloe's personality, such as "free-spirited", "feminine", and "elegant".

Many of the letterform textures were developed from the original patterns I created, such as the 'B' letterform- the "final outcome" typography, but without the outline, and, once more, they are all based upon the 'Century Schoolbook' typeface, which I believe best suited Chloe's personality and tastes.

Although it was sometimes a little challenging to experiment and "think up" these thirty-two (twenty-six letters plus six glyphs) new letterforms, I really enjoyed the freedom of it, and believe that there is a lot of grounding here to create and experiment with many more typefaces and warping the limits of the anatomy of type.