getting started

Joining the blog
Anyone can view this blog, but to become an author on it you need to be 'invited' by email. If you haven't already given me your email address, send it to james.smith@northampton.ac.uk asap.

Posting
If this is your first time using blogs, familiarise yourself with the posting and editing tools available, and look at the 'blogger' help files here. As an author on this page you are able to create new posts made up of text, images and links to other websites, and you are also able to comment on other people's posts. Technical skills / problems shouldn't be an excuse not to participate on the blog: if you have problems posting, read through the help files, and e-mail James (james.smith@northampton.ac.uk) if you still can't work it out. In each post it may be helpful to include your chosen ethical issue, so those with similar themes can discuss aspects in more detail.

Content
You are free to post and discuss anything you feel is relevant to the project. This is not just limited to the design of postage stamps etc, but any area of graphic communication that you feel is worthy of sharing that may help the project progress. Some subject areas to include are:

— what do stamps do?: other than to pay for postage, do stamps carry any other responsibilities and roles? Think about special editions etc. rather than the familiar first / second class stamps we use daily.

— design in miniature: what other examples of successful small-scale designs are there? why do they work, and what are the challenges of designing at this size? Can small design have a loud voice?

— the ethics of design: what examples are there where design has been employed to sway opinion (historically and in recent times), either for or against an ethical issue? what limits the success of this? how has the face of design changed over the years in line with public opinions etc? is all design ethical, i.e. do we, as designers, need to act as mediators between information and society? Do we have a part to play in the shaping of new and old opinions? (this is an important question to think about - it's a well documented subject which considers the changing role of the designer and the industry you are becoming a part of) Use your level 1 visual and material culture module skills to think about this question.

— design across cultures: given that postage stamps travel the world, can they communicate effectively to everyone they reach? what other examples of design are there that attempt to do this?

— historical vs. contemporary postage stamp design: how and why have designs changed? Is there now a call for postage stamp design to be considered 'exciting' or worthy of 'cutting edge design', or are the cliches and low status opinions that people have of stamps still valid?

Links
Sharing resources is essential, email James with any website links to be included in the right-hand column of this page.

To get things started, think about the questions above and post your thoughts.