Research & Ideas

Project Brief:

The aim of the Final Authorship & Interaction project brief is to refer to the essay question “Explain and critique the idea of ‘the birth of the reader’ put forward by Roland Barthes using a range of design works of your choice as examples, making use of other writers work to illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of the concept” and to create a design outcome that shows a deeper understanding of the relationship between theory and practice surrounding the theme Data Gathering & Display Remix (The post-structuralist Author).

Through careful documentation, investigation, analysis of ideas and analysis of design practice, together with digital technologies(Dreamweaver), I will create prototypes based on gathered data on a particular topic that interests me, which broadens my thinking and demonstrates what I have learnt throughout the module, one of which I will take to Final Outcome.

Research and Ideas:

The topic that I want to research into and to gather data on, is how over recent years, tattoos have become more acceptable and seen as a fashion accessory/ statement.

Below are some ideas I brainstormed in the form of a spider diagram to start with:

Next I conducted a survey in Camden at the London Roundhouse where the “ Black Veil Brides” gig was happening on Saturday the 14th December 2013. I handed out 150 surveys randomly to people queuing at the door, to gather data on tattoos, before the concert began.

This shows the survey I conducted:

Having conducted this survey, after the concert I received 100 survey forms completed. Below are tables showing the results I obtained:

Having obtained my results, I researched into how data can be visualised.


I began by researching into Lev Manovich, who questions
“ What is visualisation?” and whether data art should be called visualisation at all. Manovich shows how it is possible to preserve data in its original form, but to use techniques to reorganise the data into a new visual representation.

Press on the picture to see the link:

Lev Manovich “Language of New Media” offers the most rigorous definition to date of new digital media; 'it places its object of attention within the most suggestive and broad ranging media history since Marshall McLuhan'.

For further inspiration, I looked at another way of visualising data, such as artists who use pins and threads as methods of recording data. I discovered Katie Lewis, a conceptual artist who used pins, thread and pencil to mark data from aspects of her life.

Lev Manovich

Katie Lewis

Press on the pictures to find out more:

I particularly liked how this artwork represents the accumulation of data over time. This process displays strict rules on how data is collected, documented, and transformed into visually displayed art form, for the purpose of gaining knowledge.

Data Dimension

Another source of inspiration came from researching an exhibition called " Data Dimension", which collated art, design and technology, showing ways to " make data visible and what that means to our lives" (Programme Manager Kate Taylor).

Press on the picture to find out more:

"A Duet of Blizzards and Hurricane Noel II", by Nathalie Miebach

I liked how Meibach used pins, dots, threads and flags to show the gathered data, taken from a number of weather stations and satellites to show a visualisation of Hurricane Noel, which claimed 116 lives in 2007, in the Caribbean.

I also checked out this website:


It shows loads of examples of how data/information can be arranged visually in a variety of ways.