Learning to Read (December 2007)

'Learning to Read' is the outcome of a project brief titled Super Ordinary. The first step of this project was to define ordinary and then super ordinary. My definitions are as follows;

"Ordinary: an object or action that is common to and forms part of an individuals routine"

"Super Ordinary: an object or action that has one or more key characteristic manipulated to an extreme degree. this characteristic can be part of the function, form or situation."

These original definitions spurred questions - what action/object do I design for? what characteristic(s) should be changed? - that led the process of the project. The action that I decided to design for was reading and the subject of this design was myself. I have a difficulty with the ordinary day t0 day action of reading, I especially have trouble with staying focussed on a text. The longer it is the more difficult it becomes, my mind starts to wonder, my imagination starts to play and my eyes follow the text without my brain comprehending what is being read. The solution of this is to design a book (the object) that aids my (the individual/user) ability to read (the action).

This led me to tailor the definition of Super Ordinary to suit my needs;

"Super Ordinary: an object that has something specifically manipulated to suit the needs of an individual."

The two alterations that I was to make to the standard book

design had to involve a visual change in the text and an alteration in the tactility of the book cover. The aim of the changes was to break the visual monotony of line after line of the same font, the same colour, the same size text and the same background to each page; all of which fail to hold my attention. Also, the change in tactility of book cover, possibly discomfort, could be used to grab my attention; the more I stir and fidget with lack of concentration the more discomfort I would feel, the book could discipline me.

After many tests of materials and text alterations such as a cover pierced with pins and text alternating in colours with definitions added where needed I designed a book cover made from course sand paper with a small amount of text on each page, each line of text alternates in colour.

matt west design