In Lecture Exercise C

For this week, we learnt about the topic about semiotics and discussed about how there are signifiers everywhere, and what they signify.

Image result for heinz ketchup ad

This was the advertisement that we discussed about in relation to semiotics and how it works and this is my interpretation of it:

Signifier: The Heinz tomato ketchup bottle being sliced like tomatoes (tomato ketchup bottle made up of tomato slices)

Signified: That Heinz uses fresh and organic tomatoes without any artificial flavouring, and that the consumers can be assured that the tomato ketchup that Heinz is producing is genuine and taste like actual tomatoes

We also discussed an important point about the slogan, which is ‘No one grows Ketchup like Heinz’, which was mentioned by Nadia, a girl who presented her answer, which signifies how Heinz is superior over other tomato ketchup manufacturers, especially emphasising on how Heinz is the freshest and closest to tasting actual tomato ketchup flavour taste.

In Lecture Exercise B

Image result for RACIAL art

Description: A verbal account of WHAT is there
This is a picture depicts an African American young boy offering candy, Sweeties to a police officer who has a white bag over his head and pointing gun at him.

Analysis: A discussion of HOW things are presented with an emphasis on relationships
The items that were in the hands of the police officer and the boy is greatly contrasting, and there is an obvious height difference between the police officer and the boy, depicting how the police officer is pointing his gun directly at the boy’s head and taking aim to shoot.

Interpretation: A sense of the meaning, implication, or effect of the piece
This is a piece that was a reference to a real live event that happened, where a white police officer shot an African boy because he felt threatened by him, even though the boy was unarmed.

Judgement: Evaluating the successes and shortcomings of the piece
The piece presents a very strong about the current problem revolving around racially profiling innocent African American children and the resultant effect of racism on law enforcement and the judicial system.
The shortcoming is that due to the red, blue and white backdrop of the picture, the Sweeties candy that the African boy was holding is not as obvious, and hence the disparity between the objects that the police officer and the boy was holding is not as prominent.

In Lecture Exercise A

For the first In-Lecture exercise, we were tasked to design a device or machine that would enhance our creativity. I thought of what methods do I often used when I hit a burn out period, or perhaps a mind block when it comes to coming up with creative ideas, and what better way other than having sufficient rest? That’s right, naps!

The device I imagined would be similar in design to a dreamcatcher, which would have the following functions:

  1. Air of caffeine emitting from the dream catcher

This feature is crucial to the device as caffeine would prevent sleep deprivation and keeps the mind alert, which would give the brain a boost after taking a nap.

2. Dream catcher that records your dreams and ideas that you have subconsciously

Research has shown that our subconscious minds can produce some creative ideas that we may not think consciously by ourselves, so this would be a good method for idea generation.

3. Power nap alarm clock!

20 minutes is the optimal time for a power nap and the alarm would ensure that the person would have sufficient rest!