Nicholas McLaughlin Blog

Going into this project, I’m already thinking about what I’ve done in the realms of data visualisation and how I can do something different from before.

I initially did data visualisation before I even really knew what it was in the year one Hello World project with the amount of music I listened to.

And then again during Colab 1 in year one in the visualisation of lithium battery usage within the studio and my family.

BRIEF :

https://videopress.com/v/L7IX9NaE?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&autoPlay=true&loop=true&muted=true&persistVolume=false&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

https://videopress.com/v/QpSGiKHB?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&autoPlay=true&loop=true&muted=true&persistVolume=false&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

One of the critical things I have in mind for this project is to make the data personal and relatable. To have a data visualisation that means something to someone as well as informs and educates.

INSPIRATION : David McCandless

INSPIRATION : Photoviz by Nicholas Felton

INSPIRATION : David McCandless (again)

INSPIRATION : Mitsuo Katsui

The critical factor I want to take away from Katsui’s work is his openness to colour and how vibrant and almost dreamlike it is. The bursts of colour and blurring and mixing of those vibrant colours

THE LEGO IDEA:

The Lego idea is visualising the data I have in my room daily. I keep looking at how to make it more personal to the viewer and how to make the data relatable. But, I’ve forgotten a lesson I learned during my first year: I’m not yet the exact precise scalpel of a trained artist/designer, but I am still learning, the blunt sledgehammer.

Using the old saying, write what you know; if I want it to be relatable and personal, it should be something unique to me and I can relate to.

I build Lego to relax and almost meditate while doing something I enjoy and having an outcome at the end of it.
So even with the added layer of my personal experiences with these sets, there’s already quantifiable physical data there as well as a quantifiable emotional aspect within the data such as the level of joy I’ve got from it, the relaxation I feel before and after it on top of the number of pieces, the colours used, the themes that inspire the sets.

WORKSHOP 02:

DATA VIS BELT : Test

The belt was a concept I had for Data Visualisation that initially was just an idea on how to show data physically, something personal by proximity. Data that can be worn. But through my life and the discussion of men’s mental health that has been happening more and more in society, I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to use my data to bring more attention to it, but as I’ve been working through the concept, I feel that at this point I can’t do it justice as well as the fact as that I am not finding the data and designing around it but starting with a concept and trying to cram the data in to fix it and the outcome won’t be good enough for myself or the cause I’m trying to help.

I need to find the data, collect it, let it guide the design of the visualisation, and find a way to show that in an exciting and informative way.

THE LEGO IDEA:

LEGO PROPAGANDA:

INSPIRATION: Jean Widmer

INSPIRATION: Rosemarie Tissi

A CLEAR PATH :

Mens mental health:

https://www.menmatterscotland.org/team

https://www.brothersinarmsscotland.co.uk/about/

https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-health-survey-2021-volume-1-main-report/pages/7/

https://www.gcu.ac.uk/currentstudents/support/wellbeing/spotlightonmentalhealth/spotlight-on…mens-mental-health

https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/suicide-statistics-for-scotland/suicide-statistics-for-scotland-update-of-trends-for-the-year-2021/

https://www.scotpho.org.uk/health-conditions/mental-health/data/adult-mental-health/

LEGO AS A MEDIUM:

WHICH FORM ?:

SUPPORT SESSION:

After the support session with Paul, I have a clearer thought process. Before, I felt I had all the puzzle pieces but no connective path; I had the data/ starting point, the medium and reasoning, and a general idea of the outcome. But with no clear way to get there, I couldn’t have said for sure.

My plan was Initially to look at each Lego piece as a singular unit. Still, again, when discussing with Paul, there might be too many Lego pieces or something that will not fit into my time frame, so with the eight Lego studs on each block, that will represent eight men.

CLOCK BLOCK

https://domesticstreamers.com/projects/lifeline

Exploring Forms:

Above is further exploration if form and how I can show each brick but still within a stable structure.

297 bricks are in the main structure shown.

THE DATA:

THE CODE:

THE PHYSICAL:

8 MEN : Grid

https://videopress.com/v/0ujUJGYq?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&autoPlay=true&loop=true&muted=true&persistVolume=false&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

8 MEN: Sculpture

https://videopress.com/v/0tBCXFDY?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&autoPlay=true&loop=true&muted=true&persistVolume=false&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

Reflection:

While reflecting on this project I’ve realised I really do believe in it.

Each aspect separately is something I stand by and the concept of using a non-threatening medium to tackle harder issues in a non invasive sculptural piece is something I’d like to try again or develop further.

Taking this further, I would like to upscale it to a human level while still considering the importance of keeping the material informal, relatable and personal.