Júlia Morell Gagnum, Group 2B

EDITORIAL SUMMARY
3 digital
5 print

7 context
“Tree rings tell a story. The annual pattern creates rings. These tend to be wider in
wet, good-growing years.”
9 image
This publication is centered around my growth as a designer. What I call my learning
process is synthesized and explained through the metaphor of the tree and its rings.
Looking back, I can see clearly how each project has brought me certain realisations 11 typography
which have made me grow.
I have analised my realisations as well as the importance they’ve had in my improve-

lectures
ment, and have translated them in the shape of a tree core illustration.
13
The Unit 3 project is the whole core, while each realisation is a ring, with it’s appro-
priate width depending on the overall importance it has had, “good-growing years”,
and it’s specific color, which indicates in which project this realisation has taken place.
The wider the ring is, the more importance this concept has had in my development.

The things I’ve learnt throughout this unit are based on refinement. I’ve learnt to be
more specific, to take more care of what I do, to find a balance between letting go and
(A color has been assigned to each project in order to be able to understand the tree core
stepping back to analise, thus becoming more conscious of my work and the ideas
illustration on the cover and the pages to come. The tree core in the illustration is a visual
behind it. I’ve become more cultured in the area of graphic design beyond art, and in
translation of my Unit 3 learning process.)
consequence I now have more visual references to learn from.

I’m in the process of becoming a designer, and thanks to this I now know what path
I’m taking. As I work, learn, and go developing strategies of creation, everything
seems to become more clear. This publication aims to be one more step in my process
of learning, where I’ve carefully tried to analise and apply these key realisations that
have shaped my unit 3 and that will certainly be used to shape the many more projects
to come.

By Julia Morell Gagnum

Central Saint Martins, 2020

CONTENTS
3 4
Time, self and the human need to capture
both.
When we were given the brief of creating
a digital clock, my thoughts immediate-
ly went to the relation between time and
self identity. I thought about the fact that
a clock is nothing more than the abstract
representation of the passing of time, and
that as humans, we are dependant on this
passing. This is a fluid understanding of
the self, not as stiff and independent enti-
ties, but as fluid identities that change with
time, and are therefore also partly defined
by it. These thoughts, were entirely related
to my curiosity towards the human need to
capture, understand and, consequentia-
lly, try to control the passing of time. The
clock is the result of this necessity.
Based on these ideas, it seemed clear to me
digital
ABSTRACTION
REPRESENTING
WHAT’S INTANGIBLE
that the way to create a clock was by
relating oneself and time. My clock
works through the webcam, the “sel-
fie” camera on the computer, and
conceptually it only exists when there
is movement, when the person who is
HOURS MINUTES SECONDS
interacting with it moves. It’s compo-
sed by three live images, one captures
instants of clock from 11:58 to 11:59 a.m
the hours (left) the other the minutes My feedback helped me more in aesthetic ter-
(middle) and the last one the seconds ms, where, looking back now after months of
(right). It shows the attempt to un- development, I see that there is still space for
https://editor.p5js.org/julialena/present/WWYEoDaeB
derstand time, by capturing it throu- improvement. I additionally explored with the
gh the fluidity of oneself, through the use of three computers, one for each live image,
self in it’s environment. and am excited to retake this in the near future.
The learning process in this project
was divided in two. On one hand, the-
re was a great amount of conceptual
learning, and on the other hand there
was the whole coding process. The
coding learning is very important in
technical terms, but in my opinion
the conceptual side of this project
also helped me in my graphic design
process, by learning how to visually
represent what’s intangible (time),
and how to create visuals through
conceptual abstractions.
5 6
I’ve unfortunately left all my notes from
those weeks back in London, so I don’t
have much material to present or any te-
chnical information to write down. What
I do have, though, are my impressions,
which I seem to always carry with me.
This reflection is purely going to be ba-
SENSORY CARE sed on these.
CONNECTION
Print brought me back to the essentials.
After weeks of coding and abstract thin-
king, a much needed break from concep-
tualization arrived in the form of print
and the beauty behind the material. I rea-
lised how nice it was to actually be able
to touch what I was reflecting upon. This
brought me to my first point of realisa-
tion in my learning process: the sensory
connection. It was nice to refocus my
mind onto the “simplicity” (from the con-
ceptual understanding, and not assuming
that simple is equivalent to easy) and the
authenticity of looking at the hows, ra-
ther than the what’s. This made me rea-
lise that a big part of graphic design is
the way in which something is formed,
the composition and the material which
has been chosen. It made me much more
conscientious and it somehow took some
preassure off of always having to hiper
conceptualise everything, while I realised
that there is also a lot of wisdom in the
craft of Design. Something as precise as
a choice of paper or the choice of print
The technicality behind etching makes it have a mixture of letting
go and being precise.
print
could add a whole world of meaning to
one’s project.
I also understood much more about
care. As a consequence of being able
to connect in a grander sensory level
with what I was working, I noticed that
taking care was also a big part of de-
sign. It was not only about letting go,
but also about the precision behind
the materials and the methodologies,
one which only existed with a certain
amount of care and consciousness.
I wanted to add my etching workshop
into this section because I believe it is
an extended example of the two con-
cepts which I have based my reflection
upon. The technicality behind etching
makes it have a mixture of letting go
and being precise.
In a way we could say that the more
crafty or technical side of graphic de-
sign was a whole discovery for me du-
ring these weeks of print, and with it
was also born a whole new appreciation
towards taking care of this highly im-
portant sum of details, which together
play a big role in the presentation of
design.
7 8
The Cello is a string instrument from the
violin family. It is used with a bow and is
played using four strings: C2, G2, D3 and
A3.
It first emerged, together with the violins
and violas, which formed the violin family
in the 1500. The direct ancestor of the cello
was the bass violin or “violone”. This ins-
trument was a bit bigger than the cello but
it was tuned to the same nominal pitches.
The cello did not evolve from the viola da
gamba, contrary to popular belief, but lived
alongside it for a few centuries.
The cello is considerably bigger than the
viola, but smaller than the bass. It is built
generally with wood, although other mate-
rials can be used. It is composed by a very
large soundbox, which has a curvy shape
defined by a narrow entrance in the midd-
le, which separates the top from the bot-
tom. The soundbox has two F holes, with
a bridge in between, a tailpiece under and
a fingerboard on top, where the strings are
situated. The fingerboard is glued to the
neck, which comes out of the soundbox
and finishes with the scroll, which contains
the pegbox. The pegbox is used to tune the
instrument, as well as the small tuners si-
tuated on the tailpiece (used to make sma-
ller changes in the tuning). Under the soun-
dbox, and used to hold the cello, is the End
pin. This piece helps the cellist to not have
to hold the whole instrument when using it.
The cello is also played with a bow, which is
traditionally built with horsehair.
The cello is a highly versatile instrument,
and it can be used in many circumstances.
It is part of the standard symphony orches-
tra, as well as can be used in solo concerts
and quartets. It has also found its way into
the world of modern music, participating
in genres different from classical music,
like jazz, neoclassical, rock, popular, etc.
Even though it can be used in all these gen-
context
A very personal critique of the Cello
res, it’s identity, history and aura are found
in the classical music world.
There have been many well known com-
posers who’ve written wonderful works for
the cello throughout the history of music.
One of the most well known works for the
instrument are the Suites by Baroque com-
poser Johan Sebastian Bach. These works
were rediscovered not so long ago by cellist
Pau Casals, who, as the
legend says, found them abandoned in a
shed. Further on we find wonderful works
by composers like Shumann, Brahms or
Debussy, and wonderful XXth century pla-
yers like Yo Yo Ma.
We can see how this instrument is very rich
in its history, so much so that nowadays it’s
a highly cultural instrument. This leads us
to talk about why the cello is important ri-
ght now.
The cello is a very old instrument, and
when it’s being played it opens a door to its
own history. It connects with the centuries
past through the music that still nowadays
is being interpreted and respected by each
player. It forms something quite magical,
a connection with and between all the mu-
sicians who have spent time learning how
to play the instrument and how to interpret
the pieces written years ago. We could say
that the cello is of great importance becau-
se being an instrument, it contains great
depth and knowledge.
Learning music is a form of meditation,
one concentrates highly when playing it,
developing a sensitivity towards it. If the
cello had never been invented, music would
sound different. It adds a musical structure
and base to the orchestra, it’s used in mu-
sic recordings of all genres, it engages in
cultural events and people like to listen to
it. It’s also a highly cultural instrument. All
it’s history has given it a very cultural aura.
We could say that the cello helps players
and listeners to let go for a small period of
time, because music seems to target peo-
ple’s emotional an non-rational side. It’s a
language without words, therefor it turns on
a more expressive human reaction. What’s
also interesting is this idea of language, the
cello is an instrument which helps players
use the language of music, and it produces
a very pleasant group of sounds.
This instrument also forms communities.
Playing it can be a real solo activity or can
also be a way for somebody to meet other
people and play with other musicians, crea-
ting communities of people who are inte-
rested in similar things.
All in all, one could say that the cello is im-
portant because it creates, it never destroys.
It creates communities, it creates culture
and knowledge for the players and the liste-
ners, it creates connections between music
and human and it creates a space where the
player can express oneself.
The cello is important for me because I’ve
played it since I was six years old. I’ve
grown up alongside it, so it’s always been
a part of me. I remember I chose that I
wanted to play it because my friend’s older
sister used to play it, and it impressed me
very much. The first time I got the cello
was a very special day. It was a very small
one at the time because I was very small,
but the thought that I owned something
which had so much to it was very exciting,
and I couldn’t wait to start discovering it. I
took classes for 11 years and stopped a year
ago, and I miss it dreadfully. I’ve had a few
dreams where I play the cello since then,
but I can’t play it yet because it’s at home
back in Barcelona.
Playing an instrument is not all perfect, it’s
tough because it’s a lot of hours and dedi-
cation, and one can get tired of repeating
the same song over and over again. Even
so, it’s such a treat to be able to hold an ins-
trument and to be able to play it.
I don’t know who I’d be if I hadn’t played
the cello, it’s part of my identity. Just like
people have sports or other activities, I’ve
had the cello, 45 minutes, four times a week.
My favourite part of the cello are the har-
monics, which are sounds that can be pro-
duced by slightly touching (not pressing)
the string in certain places. I find them
very magical because it’s something that
I discovered after many years of playing
and supposedly knowing my instrument.
My favourite composer (as a true cellist) is
Bach and his cello suites, which as we men-
tioned earlier, Pau Casals rediscovered in a
shed. Pau Casals was a very influential ce-
llist of the last century, and his hymn was
the “Cant dels Ocells”, a catalan traditio-
nal song which he reinterpreted and played
in many occasions. I find that’s what I like
about the Cello, that it has so much to it.
It’s not purely beautiful or purely for obser-
vation, it’s a device which has a whole cul-
ture and so many stories to it. It’s a really
rich instrument.
In conclusion, the cello is the “object” that
I’m most familiar with. It’s been a compa-
nion, with its ups and downs and all the
sounds that I’ve extracted from it and with
it.
Text modified in response to feedback:
“show more confidence in your writing”
COMMUNICATE
THOUGHTS
ARRANGE
THOUGHTS
In context I learnt how to arrange my thou-
ghts and organise them, in order to be able
to communicate them effectively. I often get
lost in my own will to say too much, and the
text that comes out can sound confusing.
Here, I got the chance to work on this.
9 10
I’ve always loved going beyond the
medium of choice, and in this project
I was given the chance to explore this
even further.
Examples of my process, experimentation with flowers and objects Zine, folded in the right to reveal the first image of the back spread
around the house
What was nice was that the project
evolved whilst I was playing around
with the mistake in the iphone panora-
mic cameras. This zine looks into the
distortion of objects and people throu-
gh the “error” or “imperfection” which
comes from breaking the traditional,
thought - out picture plane. I was
QUESTION, BREAK inspired by the XXth century Avant -
THE PLANE Garde revolutionary theories and Ger-
image
THINK BEYOND MEDIUM
YOU ARE GIVEN
hard Richter’s unfocused paintings, as
well as my own conceptual attraction
towards questioning the traditional
idea of the perfect photograph.
I had a few complications at the mo-
ment of synthesizing my work into the
zine. Now, reflecting on it, I believe it’s
because I was too involved in the me-
aning and the picture that I couldn’t
free or distance myself from it. I had
to force myself to change my mindset
from artist to designer, and now I rea-
lise how important this tough and sud-
den action was.
In conclusion, image has made me
much more conscientious about how
to approach my work: when to be very
attached to it and also when to take a
step back.
11
Typography coincidentially arrived
alongside an early christmas gift fallen
from the heavens: a computer folder
full of hundreds of types from when
my dad used to work as a designer. I
was thrilled by this arrival and started
going through the very new world of
typefaces, detecting types that I liked,
scanning them through “WhatThe-
Font” and searching for them in my
new and wonderful typeface folder.
Since then, I’ve become much more
conscientious of typefaces and have
realised that the way to learn is by tr-
ying, by exploring and looking at hun-
dreds of typefaces in order to find the
one which will be used for the task in
question. It’s quite a specific thing
which in the past, and due to my ten-
dency to hiper conceptualize and for-
get about everything else, I would have
considered unimportant, but that ever
since my discovery of the enourmous
importance in detail, I’ve realised how
much it contributes towards making a
good design.
This realisation also flourished thanks
to the typography brief. Having to
make a book cover was completely
new to me, and a part from the choi-
ce of type, I had to also understand
what a book was. In other words, I had
to connect with what the story was tr-
ying to transmit, the sensitivity of the
words and the aura around them. I rea-
lised how important it was to unders-
tand the inside in order for the outside
to make sense. Again, the idea of care
came into question. A book is a unity
typography
12
full of details, therefore the graphic
design involved for the book design
task includes (curiously like in print), a
huge quantity of care, due to it’s crafti-
ness and precision. I noticed that there
is a whole language in the book design
world, and that it is very important to
adapt as a designer. I’m not in any way
going against personal and establi-
shed styles in the practice of graphic
design, but I do believe that inside
every task there’s a world, and that the
designer has to have the flexibility to
adapt their own personal style or ways
of doing in each world they encounter.
I found a certain freedom in trying,
in having an interesting thought and
going for it, developing it in the craft
rather than standing around thinking.
“In search of ”
This opens a whole fresh dynamic,
Two proposals, second one is less developed but more “taken care of aura”, while first one is more
where during the creative process, va-
poster - like.
rious options are open and visible, ma-
king it easier to jump from option to
TYPES EXPERIMENTED WITH: BRUT GOTHIC REGULAR, GARAMOND MT. THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECY I DISCO-
option when you hit a dead end.
VERED THE TYPEFACES GARAMOND, LINOTYPE DIDOT AND OPTIMA (WHICH I USED IN THIS ZINE). I’VE REALISED
I’m conscious that the previous para-
THE HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TYPES, AND HOW SMALL DETAILS CAN MAKE A TYPEFACE STAND AMAZINGLY.
graph makes it look as if the project
was a success, and in a way it was (in
terms of all the learning that has come
in form of a book cover. The style was
from it), but it was also hard at times. UNDERSTAND THE ADAPT
put in question, because I liked whe-
I am very content with the concept be-
re it was going but at the same time I INSIDE
hind the illustration in my cover. It’s an
found it too agressive and not enough
exploration of this idea of the woman
book - like. It lacked care and sensiti-
main character becoming the path that
vity, it was too poster and not enough
she has to walk and at the same time
book, and this is where I realised what
being stuck and pressed by her own
a book was, the certain delicateness
problematic. It’s a mixture between
that defined it and that my proposal
activity and passiveness which I thou-
was lacking. After the feedback I deci-
ght was aparent in the attitude of the
ded to make a big change in style and
main characters. The problem came
something opened up. I haven’t dedi-
when I had to present this illustration
cated this new style all the time that it
needs yet because I’ve been very busy
but I definitely feel it has more connec-
tion to what’s inside and to the aura
around a book .
13 14
THINK

lectures
PHILOSOPHICALLY

Wednesday lectures helped me in my thought process.

I especially appreciated the lectures towards the end. I find that the best form of
reflection is that which involves one’s environment, and these lectures did just
that.
The situation which we’ve gone through has given a lot of food for thought, and it
was very interesting to be able to collectively reflect upon what has happened and
how the world and ourselves have changed because of it.

I always enjoy the theory side of creativity, because it gives me material to think
about and to potentially add to my projects. These lectures were interesting be-
cause they reflected on time, change, rest, etc. and related them to creativitiy.
Artists and art movements were also mentioned and defined from the concepts (bibliography for context)
in question, with the first few lectures of Paul being about history of design and
how we can use these past references and apply them to our own work. I always
love hearing and discussing about the history of art and design and was particu-
Wikipedia, (2020). Cello. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cello [Acces-
larily pleased by the mention of Walter Benjamin, whom I’ve been highly inspired
sed 1/03/2020].
by in multiple occasions.
Classic Fm. Discover Music [online] Available at: https://www.classicfm.com/discover-mu-
I’m a person who can’t keep their intellectual thoughts to themselves, so I was
really surprised and pleased by the online dynamic of student participation, be- sic/instruments/cello/ [Accessed 29/02/2020]
cause I believe that being able to discuss is what makes one’s mind grow. Fundació Pau Casals. Biografia [online] Available at: http://www.paucasals.org/ca/
PAU-CASALS-biografia/ [Accessed 1/03/2020]
As I mentioned before, the Design Strategies in Times of Uncertainty lectures IMSLP. 6 Cello Suites, BWV 1007-1012 (Bach, Johann Sebastian) [online] Available at: ht-
are the ones which have had the most impact on me. It’s interesting to be able to tps://imslp.org/wiki/6_Cello_Suites%2C_BWV_1007-1012_(Bach%2C_Johann_Sebastian)
philosophically approach one’s surroundings. I’d like to point out the rest lecture, [Accessed 29 /02/2020]
becasue I found that it really made me think about my own creativity amidst this
cryisis. I arrived to the conclusion that, because I was giving myself permission
to rest, I was at the same time doing better work, or at least I was more inspired (Typography used for Unit 3 pdf:)
by it. I discovered that without my own added pressure to “function”, which as we
said in the lectures is a capitalist imposition of work, seen as an intrusion rather
than as something which should not be about obeying, fulfilling, I was curiously Linotype Didot - For project titles
able to work much better. Garamond Bold - For text
I was quite glad with this reflection that I arrived to during a wednesday lecture, Futura - For Unit 3 Title
and I thought I should share it as part of my conclusion. Optima - For additional notes