By Hand: What have we lost in digital communication?
The brief for this project is to design a typographic work exploring the them Lost, as stipulated in the ISTD (International Society for Typographic Design) 2019 briefs document. This project addresses the loss of meaningfulness in our communication, interaction and self-concept in an age of social media and instant digital communication. It invites the viewer to question their use of social media and its influence on their communication, relationships and self-concept. Themes of intimacy, authenticity and articulation are highlighted by juxtaposing elements of digital communication with tactile forms of communication such as letters, postcards, developed photographs and autograph books. Attention is thus drawn to how and why we value certain artefacts of communication, and what of that may be lost in the realm of digital communication and social media.
The project is done within the context of a launch of a range of custom hand-bound autograph books and photo albums, targeting an audience of young adults aged 20-30 who are social media users, but have an appreciation for hand-made artefacts and interaction.The creative strategy is to create a publication resembling an autograph book, which is divided into three parts. Firstly, letters and postcards, focussing on how we communicate in writing. This is followed by photographs and the value we attach to them, and finally autograph books, which questions how we see ourselves as a result of social media. The content consists of contextualising body copy, questions to engage the viewer, and answers from a survey in which these same questions were asked, so the viewer can relate to the responses of others as well as broaden their perspective about their use of social media. As a result, the tone of voice is conversational, relatable and familiar. The generation of content and the design process are informed by non-verbal communication theory and social identity theory.
