narrative: final gertrude animations

long awaited videos...




A TABLE

type3: final

As Gertrude Stein oscillates back and forth from obscurity to clarity, this book visually translates her writing style through using a Gestalt Principle, ambiguous figure-ground. As the eye switches from negative to positive space, this fluctuating relationship is enhanced with Stein's impulsive and unstable writings. I was inspired by Josef Albers' optical artwork, where he tricks the eye into seeing multiple grounds using simple colors and shapes. In regards to the composition of the typography, it mimics the feeling of stream of consciousness writings which keep moving forward and is always in the present. Key words I based my design on are: unstable, continuous present, and unexpected. 

unstable: the figure-ground relationship with negative and positive space

continuous present: the type is placed in relation to each other, read from up, down then shifted right; it is always progressing to the next phrase

unexpected: the page numbers and the titles of each poem are wedged in between the pages

narrative: soundtests + final storyboards

A TABLE
sound test 1

sound test 2

sound test 3





A CENTRE IN A TABLE
sound test 1


sound test 2

sound test 3

narrative: sound test

song - "Young Girls Fangs" - Fleeting Joys

this is the title sequence
after this scene, the lines make the shapes of the letters using figure ground at a different angle

narrative: final storyboard + motion tests

type3: covers

version 1

version 2

version 3

narrative: storyboards

critique: too many things going on, choose one of these ideas

critique: the text on the perimeter of the frames looks unsettling visually

narrative: motion tests

Visualizations of snippets from Gertrude Stein's Tender Buttons


experimenting with the 3d camera and with things moving behind masked text


text writing itself



strokes of circles moving at different times

type3: process

t3: 10 poems

Design Methodology:
oscillating, ritualistic, impulsive, technical

Stein wrote in such a way where the author and reader meet in the middle. In other words, Stein does not force any emotion or concept upon the reader (besides the titles of each poem), and completely opens the poem to interpretation. I wanted to preserve this aspect of her work, and design in such a way where the viewer can still instill their own analysis. Stein achieves this relationship between writer and reader through oscillating in and out of obscurity and clarity. The meanings the reader may detect, "rise, gain momentum, then drown one after the other in a sea of untenable undecidability... (jstor journal)." While her work describes the "essence" of something, the reader is left to guide themselves in the dark of her impulsive writings. For this reason, I chose to pick 10 poems that imply a manipulation of space and matter, be it a box, the center of the table, releasing something, etc. 

I'm focusing on the deterioration of meaning through oscillating in and out of obscurity, creating a continuous present.

Things I will consider in each design:
-how writer and reader meet in the middle, in terms of analysis
-oscillating in and out of obscurity / meaning is wasting away, but also regenerating
-stream of consciousness --> stein's writings seem impulsive, sporadic
-stein's description of the "essence" of something rather than its physical traits or characteristics it has
-continuous present


< I want to make my end product to look something like that. Paperback, very thin cover with perhaps a thin, colored sleeve. I want it to have a raw, stripped-down appearance.  I also want the book binding design to surprise the viewer at every page turn. 

< off-white pages, but most of the book will be white and crisp-looking







TEN POEMS

BOOK. 

Book was there, it was there. Book was there. Stop it, stop it, it was a cleaner, a wet cleaner and it was not where it was wet, it was not high, it was directly placed back, not back again, back it was returned, it was needless, it put a bank, a bank when, a bank care. 

Suppose a man a realistic expression of resolute reliability suggests pleasing itself white all white and no head does that mean soap. It does not so. It means kind wavers and little chance to beside beside rest. A plain. 

Suppose ear rings, that is one way to breed, breed that. Oh chance to say, oh nice old pole. Next best and nearest a pillar. Chest not valuable, be papered. 

Cover up cover up the two with a little piece of string and hope rose and green, green. 

Please a plate, put a match to the seam and really then really then, really then it is a remark that joins many many lead games. It is a sister and sister and a flower and a flower and a dog and a colored sky a sky colored grey and nearly that nearly that let. 


A BOX. 

Out of kindness comes redness and out of rudeness comes rapid same question, out of an eye comes research, out of selection comes painful cattle. So then the order is that a white way of being round is something suggesting a pin and is it disappointing, it is not, it is so rudimentary to be analysed and see a fine substance strangely, it is so earnest to have a green point not to red but to point again. 


A SUBSTANCE IN A CUSHION. 

The change of color is likely and a difference a very little difference is prepared. Sugar is not a vegetable. 

Callous is something that hardening leaves behind what will be soft if there is a genuine interest in there being present as many girls as men. Does this change. It shows that dirt is clean when there is a volume. 

A cushion has that cover. Supposing you do not like to change, supposing it is very clean that there is no change in appearance, supposing that there is regularity and a costume is that any the worse than an oyster and an exchange. Come to season that is there any extreme use in feather and cotton. Is there not much more joy in a table and more chairs and very likely roundness and a place to put them. 

A circle of fine card board and a chance to see a tassel. 

What is the use of a violent kind of delightfulness if there is no pleasure in not getting tired of it. The question does not come before there is a quotation. In any kind of place there is a top to covering and it is a pleasure at any rate there is some venturing in refusing to believe nonsense. It shows what use there is in a whole piece if one uses it and it is extreme and very likely the little things could be dearer but in any case there is a bargain and if there is the best thing to do is to take it away and wear it and then be reckless be reckless and resolved on returning gratitude. 

Light blue and the same red with purple makes a change. It shows that there is no mistake. Any pink shows that and very likely it is reasonable. Very likely there should not be a finer fancy present. Some increase means a calamity and this is the best preparation for three and more being together. A little calm is so ordinary and in any case there is sweetness and some of that. 

A seal and matches and a swan and ivy and a suit. 

A closet, a closet does not connect under the bed. The band if it is white and black, the band has a green string. A sight a whole sight and a little groan grinding makes a trimming such a sweet singing trimming and a red thing not a round thing but a white thing, a red thing and a white thing. 

The disgrace is not in carelessness nor even in sewing it comes out out of the way. 

What is the sash like. The sash is not like anything mustard it is not like a same thing that has stripes, it is not even more hurt than that, it has a little top. 


A BOX. 

A large box is handily made of what is necessary to replace any substance. Suppose an example is necessary, the plainer it is made the more reason there is for some outward recognition that there is a result. 

A box is made sometimes and them to see to see to it neatly and to have the holes stopped up makes it necessary to use paper. 

A custom which is necessary when a box is used and taken is that a large part of the time there are three which have different connections. The one is on the table. The two are on the table. The three are on the table. The one, one is the same length as is shown by the cover being longer. The other is different there is more cover that shows it. The other is different and that makes the corners have the same shade the eight are in singular arrangement to make four necessary. 

Lax, to have corners, to be lighter than some weight, to indicate a wedding journey, to last brown and not curious, to be wealthy, cigarettes are established by length and by doubling. 

Left open, to be left pounded, to be left closed, to be circulating in summer and winter, and sick color that is grey that is not dusty and red shows, to be sure cigarettes do measure an empty length sooner than a choice in color. 

Winged, to be winged means that white is yellow and pieces pieces that are brown are dust color if dust is washed off, then it is choice that is to say it is fitting cigarettes sooner than paper. 

An increase why is an increase idle, why is silver cloister, why is the spark brighter, if it is brighter is there any result, hardly more than ever. 


A FRIGHTFUL RELEASE. 

A bag which was left and not only taken but turned away was not found. The place was shown to be very like the last time. A piece was not exchanged, not a bit of it, a piece was left over. The rest was mismanaged. 


MORE. 

An elegant use of foliage and grace and a little piece of white cloth and oil. 

Wondering so winningly in several kinds of oceans is the reason that makes red so regular and enthusiastic. The reason that there is more snips are the same shining very colored rid of no round color. 

A TABLE. 

A table means does it not my dear it means a whole steadiness. Is it likely that a change. 

A table means more than a glass even a looking glass is tall. A table means necessary places and a revision a revision of a little thing it means it does mean that there has been a stand, a stand where it did shake. 

A CENTRE IN A TABLE. 

It was a way a day, this made some sum. Suppose a cod liver a cod liver is an oil, suppose a cod liver oil is tunny, suppose a cod liver oil tunny is pressed suppose a cod liver oil tunny pressed is china and secret with a bestow a bestow reed, a reed to be a reed to be, in a reed to be. 

Next to me next to a folder, next to a folder some waiter, next to a foldersome waiter and re letter and read her. Read her with her for less.

ROOMS 

A light in the moon the only light is on Sunday. What was the sensible decision. The sensible decision was that notwithstanding many declarations and more music, not even notwithstanding the choice and a torch and a collection, notwithstanding the celebrating hat and a vacation and even more noise than cutting, notwithstanding Europe and Asia and being overbearing, not even notwithstanding an elephant and a strict occasion, not even withstanding more cultivation and some seasoning, not even with drowning and with the ocean being encircling, not even with more likeness and any cloud, not even with terrific sacrifice of pedestrianism and a special resolution, not even more likely to be pleasing. The care with which the rain is wrong and the green is wrong and the white is wrong, the care with which there is a chair and plenty of breathing. The care with which there is incredible justice and likeness, all this makes a magnificent asparagus, and also a fountain.

CUPS. 

A single example of excellence is in the meat. A bent stick is surging and might all might is mental. A grand clothes is searching out a candle not that wheatly not that by more than an owl and a path. A ham is proud of cocoanut. 

A cup is neglected by being all in size. It is a handle and meadows and sugar any sugar. 

A cup is neglected by being full of size. It shows no shade, in come little wood cuts and blessing and nearly not that not with a wild bought in, not at all so polite, not nearly so behind. 

Cups crane in. They need a pet oyster, they need it so hoary and nearly choice. The best slam is utter. Nearly be freeze. 

Why is a cup a stir and a behave. Why is it so seen. 

A cup is readily shaded, it has in between no sense that is to say music, memory, musical memory. 

Peanuts blame, a half sand is holey and nearly. 

END OF SUMMER. 

Little eyelets that have hammer and a check with stripes between a lounge, in wit, in a rested development. 

 

t3: gertrude stein research + formal exploration

• Words that describe Stein's work: rhythmical, hermetic, idiosyncratic, repetitive, stream of consciousness, harmonic, integrative...
• characteristic of her style: repetition, lack of literary allusion, deceptive simplicity, use of accessible vocabulary, odd juxtapositions of details, suspension of usual logic, contradiction, and words producing a meditative, hypnotic, and harmonic effect on the reader.

WHAT IS HER WORK LIKE?

• Stein tries to constantly create a "continuous present" through using words that suggest immediate action and response. For this reason, most of the words she uses are in the present tense, using words that end in "ing." 
• Here is an overall description of how her work does not manipulate her reader emotionally: 

Unlike other writers of her time, her work shows no alienation, no social judgment, no anger, no fear. As a writer Stein never manipulated her reader emotionally. What evolves from the play Stein creates with words is a Cubistic perspective that allows the reader to see more than one facet of an object or person with all its humor, tragedy, and contradictions. (http://alenier.tripod.com/stein_links.htm)

EXPERIMENTING WITH GRAMMAR

• Stein's work seemingly has no sense or logic, however, it ironically follows strict rules of grammar through overturning them. 
• This website (http://epc.buffalo.edu/authors/welch/from_stein.html) gives insight onto her approach to poetry and helped me understand her intent.

Her statements of "exposition" usually look like this: "here is a sentence" or "think in articles" or "successions of words are so agreeable it is about this." But perhaps her most explicit statement is: "It is impossible to avoid meaning and if there is meaning and it says what it does there is grammar." But how is it possible for meaning to "do" with the result that there is grammar? An example is this sentence: "Grammar makes her name trout and love birds." It is possible to read the sentence to mean that her name is trout, but if one does this the phrase "and love birds" demands that one consciously change "name" from a noun to a verb. This sentence does not always elicit this response; I have tested it upon several people, about half of whom responded in the above way, and half just stared. The following sentence usually succeeds in making one conscious of syntax: "A seated pigeon turned makes sculpture."

• It seems like Gertrude has a very strong sense of the laws of language; she experiments with the structure of grammar and goes beyond what is conventionally used for sentence structure. 

For example...

  And and they will go.
   A is an article.
   They are usable. They are found and able and edible. And so 
they are predetermined and trimmed. 

   The which is an article.
   With them they have that. What which, they have the point
in which it is close to the purpose. 

   Think in articles.
   The the inclusion.
   The in inclusion.
   A fine finely in in fanning. 

   A is an advice.
   A is an advice. 
   If a is an advice an is a temporal wedding.
   If a is an advice an is an is in an and temptation ridden. 
   Temptation redden.
   If a is an advice an is a temptation ridden. (How to Write 129)

• I realized that the way she writes is very pertinent to graphic design and semiology. She forces readers to be conscious that words are signs through distinctly playing with what is a sign or a referent. "A fine finely in in fanning," can be read multiple ways. The first "in" can be an object, where it is "finely," where "finely" is "fine." In other words, "In" is "in fanning."
• Stein forces us to see language as language, not simply as a "referent."
• Another important aspect to her writing is Cezanne's influence on her idea of equality. According to Cezzane, the whole field of canvas is important. In the same way, she wrote in such a way that there was no figurative "figure-ground" in her poems.
• Her style was "literature's answer to cubism, plasticity, and collage..." 

TENDER BUTTONS

• In the same way, Stein revisits ordinary objects, foods, and Rooms (three different functions of nouns) and defines them in a way that describes its essence.
• Stein believed that her book was a "realistic" portrayal of everyday objects.
• Here is a great analysis of Tender Buttons:

Gertrude Stein's TENDER BUTTONS, like many Eastern texts, considers three distinct modes in which nouns can function: words are examined as objects, food, and rooms--separate from the manner in which they have been conventionally defined. In addition to Stein's larger concerns with linguistic experiment expressed through the overall structure of her project, TENDER BUTTONS also demonstrates a desire to create a narrative that bears with it the urgency of the present tense: a concern with the seductive play of opposites against each other; a focus on the ordinary in everyday life; and, finally, an interest in the "bottom nature" of things. Through this text's devotion to repeatedly reenacting the process involved in the construction of meaning, a process that becomes visible in a ritualistic practice that plays itself out as a game--between Stein and her readers--of repeated imaginative, associative, and linguistic experiments, TENDER BUTTONS mirrors and multiplies the slippery nature of its own rules as well as those external rules to which any game involving language is always already connected. 

http://www.thelemming.com/lemming/dissertation-web/home/repetition.html

• one of her most well-known poems:

A CARAFE, THAT IS A BLIND GLASS. 
A kind in glass and a cousin, a spectacle and nothing strange a single hurt color and an arrangement in a system to pointing. All this and not ordinary, not unordered in not resembling. The difference is spreading. 

• here, there is an emphasis and repetition of sound*
• k sounds: kind, cousin, spectacle, color...
• ordinary, unordered
• also, in this poem, one moves from the particularity of objects to the simultaneous impressions they generate once they enter the diegetic space of the text. 
• the proliferation of images...deny language the power to abstract the object's particularity and, therefore, to fabricate the transparency of the carafe for all viewers. 
• A journal I found on JStor:
• To read Stein's "descriptions" in Tender Buttons is to see something waste away. The meanings the reader might detect rise, gain momentum, then drown one after the other in a sea of untenable undecidability...Stein's objects fade, drowned in the simultaneous impressions they generate the minute they cross the diegetic space of the text. 
• Stein's style shifted here, where she chose to emphasize vocabulary choice and suppression of the sentence (rather than emphasizing syntax)
• Quote by Stein: "subject matter is the intersection of the object and consciousness. Attention is focused on the process of perceiving and that process becomes part of the subject as well." --> for this reason, fragmentation is prevalent in Tender Buttons.
• Stein's intent for such obscurity was to "truly free-form texts that convert readers into writers"
• "If the reader truly collaborates, the writer no longer wields over an audience the final word on a text's implication." 
• Basically, Stein leaves the reader to fill in the blanks. The writer and reader meet in the middle
• Helpful link: http://vc.bridgew.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1020&context=undergrad_rev

INFLUENCE OF CUBISM/DADA/DE STIJL
Meggs' History of Graphic Design

• Stein was influenced by Picasso, Matisse, Cezanne...
• Experimented with the Cubist ideal that, "Each part is as important as the whole."
• used rhythmic geometric planes, highly structured work of art
• essence of the object, basic characteristics rather than outward appearance 

• "both Stein and Cubism share an orientation toward the linguistic or pictorial surface: a movement in and out of recognizable representation; both shatter or fragment perception and the sentence (canvas), and both render multiple perspectives..." jstor article

• Stein wished to separate language from its use in representing the world of objects in the same way that abstract painters tried to separate painting from representation. http://www.learner.org/amerpass/unit11/authors-9.html

INSPIRATION

   

FORMAL EXPLORATION

My Design Methodology: 

• something that expresses organized chaos
• continuous present
• void of emotion, but very spontaneous (random) frustrating to read, obscure
• it's like a game between writer/reader
• ritualistic, repetitive yet random