This reading made me feel a lot better coming into this course. It talks about how websites are ever changing. It puts less pressure on sites to be perfect, because they are imperfect. This destroys some of those ideas of machines and technology and perfection. It is nice to view the web as something more than what I was thinking in the past.
As digital artists, it is difficult to keep the "handmade" feeling relevant in our practice. Web design is a specific example of this. Viewing this class as a place to keep that handmade feel is interesting. What about making something that is digital can be handmade? When I coded my first website I felt accomplished. It takes time and energy and it is very tedious just like something that is hand-made would be. Technically we are making it with our hands still?...
Upon first glance I just really enjoy the feeling of this reading. I like the nature of the scroll, the handwritten aspects that are in some sort of blue ink with inconsistant hue. The white back ground and black type brings it back down to earth and connects back to the basics of technology. The drawings are cute and add a fun element to the reading. There is an aspect of this that feels very child-like, almost bringing you back to childhood. This was really more about how the site visuals made me feel rather than the content but I think that is okay.
This site was such an experience. Not necessarily a good or bad one. It's interesting because recently I have been doing lots of thinking about notifications and how they have an affect on me. There is this anxiety that comes up when my phone buzzes. The mornings is when it is the worst for me as it is the first thing I see when I open my phone. The little red dot with a number is a universal icon that we are all familiar with. How does it make you feel? I know some people who can't stand having any notifications on their phone and others (like me) who have many I haven't checked. This all comes back to attention span and how easily distracted we are.
It's interesting thinking about writing poetry and making something with your hands as a similar action. I do believe that any form of art has a sense of craftmanship-that doesn't mean it has to be made "by-hand". In our world, lots of things are digital. It is just as important to recognize the craftmanship in digital (or written) work as it is in physical work.
There has been a major disconnect from the real world for the past few years. The technological advancements of our day have provided us with a space that we can do everything on. There is much less connection with the real world. I enjoy art and design that brings that natural element back. Even art that requires being outdoors. It is such a platform that can be used to create change in the world. As much as it has impacted us so far, it can also being us back to the ground.
Gosh the internet is such a crowded place. There are ads everywhere you go, popups getting in the way, and fake news all over. It is a place that has become stressful. I ws young when this was not the case but I still remember the good days of Instagram when everyone posted what they wanted when they wanted and it was no big deal. I want that kind of space again. A place where you can make genuine connections with other artists or people you share interests with. It feels too cluttered these days. It makes me want to delete all social media and throw my phone away...