#ctsb

This is an ask blog for my guys in my fic, you guessed it, Choke the Songbird! It started out as a fic based on Chonny’s Charming Chaos Compendium and has since turned into one for myself. For the most part I’ll attempt to have some drawings per ask, but I will be doing what I can to reduce burnout.

The Characters:

Jupiter: The Mind. Logic and cognition, believing that his logic is absolute. Overall, he’s an asshole who’s obsessed with functionality and presentation.

Tycho: The Heart. Emotion and feeling, leading with creativity and passion. His mood is volatile, subject to change more often than the others.

Saturn: The Soul. Self, the mediator between the Heart and Mind. Generally chaotic but laid back, asks weird questions almost as if to confuse his brothers. Though a mediator, he’s also an enforcer. Once his line is crossed reasoning is futile.

Terra: The Whole. Identity, the entire world, the sum of all 4 of them. Everything they’ve done, that he’s done, what does that make him? Is he just a violent animal lashing out? Or is he only human.

Rules:

• Please don’t repost my art! Reblogs are encouraged <3

• Please specify who you’re asking! Even in the same ask, it makes it easier for me to answer as there’s less to do.

• Ask anything! That’s my favorite thing with these guys. Poke, prod, piss them off or annoy them! They’re characters, it doesn’t matter what you ask as it’ll be more interesting that way.

Week 12 encouraged us to explore how different design works relate to our own developing interests as designers. As a group of four, we examined four examples, with two relating to social engagement and two relating to traditions and lineages. My partner and I focused on the social engagement category. At first, I felt uncertain because other groups selected examples based on community projects, while our choices seemed different. I selected Soapbottle, a packaging concept where the container itself is made of soap. My initial worry was that our interpretation might be wrong, since our approach did not match the other groups. However, I later recognised that being different did not make our work incorrect. It simply reflected our perspective.

The concept of social engagement is broad and includes environmental responsibility, care, and collective wellbeing. Designers and sustainability researchers such as Manzini explain that social engagement also involves contributing to long term ecological resilience (Manzini 12). Soapbottle fits this idea because it responds to the harmful effects of single use plastics. It turns the packaging into part of the product itself, reducing unnecessary waste and encouraging more sustainable behaviour. By doing so, it challenges the expectations of everyday consumption. Papanek argues that designers carry ethical responsibility for the impact their choices have on society and the environment (Papanek 68). This idea helped me see why Soapbottle is a relevant example of socially engaged design.

This reflection also connects to Week 11, where we explored manifestos and personal design beliefs. During that week, I realised I often hesitate to share ideas in group settings. Bandura’s discussion of self efficacy explains that low confidence can reduce participation and risk taking (Bandura 23). In Week 12, I initially questioned my choice again, but eventually recognised that sustainability is not a separate issue from social engagement. Environmental concerns affect communities both now and in the future, which means that sustainable design is a form of care for others. Understanding this helped me contribute more confidently.

For the traditions and lineages category, our group analysed works that reinterpret cultural forms through contemporary practices. Scholars such as Craig and King note that design heritage involves carrying forward cultural memory while adapting it to present day contexts (Craig and King 41). Viewing these examples helped me understand that traditions can guide creative direction even when a design looks modern.

Overall, Week 12 strengthened my understanding of how design can communicate personal values. Soapbottle reminded me that sustainability is central to what I care about, and the traditions based designs reminded me that culture shapes creative meaning. Both categories helped me recognise that design is not just about solving problems but also about expressing identity and responsibility.

References

Bandura, Albert. Self Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. W. H. Freeman, 1997.

Craig, Leonie, and Emily King. Design and Cultural Identity. Thames & Hudson, 2019.

ipse ipsa ipsum. Furniture Collection Inspired by Southeast Asian Craft Traditions. ipse ipsa ipsum, 2020.

Manzini, Ezio. Design, When Everybody Designs: An Introduction to Design for Social Innovation. MIT Press, 2015.

Papanek, Victor. Design for the Real World: Human Ecology and Social Change. Academy Chicago Publishers, 1985.

Week 11 introduced us to the idea of writing a manifesto, something I initially found abstract but ultimately meaningful. According to the lecture slides, a manifesto is a public declaration of values or beliefs that guide creative practice. Designers use manifestos to communicate intent clearly and confidently. Working in a group of four, we were tasked with creating a slogan for one CTS B topic. My slogan was: “Finding the balance between learning from your own mistakes and not being too harsh on yourself.” Although the group chose a different slogan, the process helped me better understand my role in collaborative work.

I often become insecure during group projects because I worry that my ideas might not be good enough. Bandura’s concept of self-efficacy (1997) explains how doubts about personal ability influence participation, and I recognized this in myself throughout the activity. Dieter Rams’ principle that good design is honest also resonated with me because it reminded me that being honest about my strengths and limitations is part of becoming a better designer. The tight time constraints made the task challenging, but they encouraged us to trust one another and make quick collective decisions.

Looking at examples such as Marinetti’s Futurist Manifesto and Stefan Sagmeister’s personal mantras, I noticed that effective manifestos come from clarity and conviction. Sagmeister’s belief that “having guts always works out” felt especially relevant to my hesitation in group settings. Corita Kent’s advice to “consider everything an experiment” also helped shift my mindset. Instead of judging each idea too harshly, I began to see collaboration as a space for experimentation rather than perfection.

This reflection connected strongly to my Studio module, where my partner and I have been developing a festival concept since before Week 11. That project already required negotiation, shared decision-making, and trust. The manifesto exercise helped me understand my earlier struggles more clearly, especially my tendency to overcompensate by doing extra work when I doubt my ideas. Recognizing this pattern has made me more intentional in Studio. I now try to share my ideas earlier instead of waiting until they feel safe or fully polished.

Our final group manifesto for CTS B was simple but communicated our chosen theme effectively. If I were to refine it, I would improve the spacing and visual hierarchy by taking inspiration from John Maeda’s Laws of Simplicity (2006), which emphasizes clarity created through reduction. Although I felt uncomfortable at first, this activity helped me practice articulating design beliefs and deepened my understanding of collaboration.

My personal manifesto is: Try Everything. I have always been curious and drawn to new experiences. As a student, this means exploring different mediums and creative opportunities while I still have the freedom to do so. Looking toward the future, I hope to continue this mindset through freelance work in various design fields while also pursuing photography as a personal practice.

References

Bandura, Albert. Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. W.H. Freeman, 1997.

Kent, Corita. Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules. 1960s.

Maeda, John. The Laws of Simplicity. MIT Press, 2006.

Marinetti, Filippo Tommaso. “The Manifesto of Futurism.” 1909.

Rams, Dieter. Ten Principles for Good Design. 1980s.

Sagmeister, Stefan. Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far. Abrams, 2008.

Week 11 Lecture Slides. CSB Manifesto – Summative Prep Session 1. LASALLE College of the Arts.

Week 6 challenged me to look inward and examine the role self-reflection plays in my design practice. Although reflection is essential, I often struggle with overthinking and self-criticism. Aaron Beck’s work on cognitive distortions (1976) helped me understand why I tend to underestimate my abilities, especially in collaborative settings. This awareness shaped how I approached our group task: redesigning the logo of an audio store whose existing branding did not reflect its identity.

Working through the Double Diamond framework (Design Council, 2005) allowed us to move from broad research to focused refinement. While my teammates developed visual concepts, I contributed by analyzing the shop’s context and identifying design issues. Even though this was meaningful work, I still found myself feeling inadequate. Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy (1997) explains how these doubts can influence participation, which aligned with my hesitation to speak up during early discussions.

Schön’s idea of reflection-in-action (1983) became particularly relevant. I realized that my internal narrative was shaping my behaviour more than the actual situation. As I engaged more with the task, I recognized that collaboration is not about contributing the most visually polished work but about offering insight that strengthens the overall design process. This reframing helped me participate more confidently.

Goffman’s concept of self-presentation (1959) also resonated with me. In group work, we constantly negotiate how we appear to others. Through this project, I practiced presenting a more assured version of myself—one that acknowledges uncertainty but still contributes meaningfully.

References

Bandura, Albert. Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. W.H. Freeman, 1997.

Beck, Aaron T. Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders. International Universities Press, 1976.

Design Council. The Double Diamond: A Universally Accepted Model of the Design Process. Design Council, 2005.

Goffman, Erving. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Anchor Books, 1959.

Schön, Donald A. The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. Routledge, 1983.

Aristotle’s claim that “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance” guided my reflections during Weeks 4 and 5 (Aristotle). Art has always been meaningful to me; growing up, visiting museums was one of my favorite pastimes. I’ve always been fascinated by what inspires artists and how their work captures moments, emotions, or ideas that words alone cannot express. This connection made our archive and museum visits especially impactful.

In Week 4, we explored the Singapore Graphic Archives and the Singapore Art Museum Design Collection. Working in pairs, we selected pieces from each archive and discussed their historical and visual significance. Panofsky’s iconology suggests that understanding art requires reading both form and cultural meaning, and this became clear as my partner and I compared interpretations (Panofsky 3). Even with different preferences, we found overlapping admiration for certain works, revealing how shared experience shapes perception.

In Week 5, we visited the National Museum to locate Chua Mia Tee’s National Language Class (1959). Along the way, other works captured my attention, some for personal reasons, others for their historical relevance. Dewey’s concept of “art as experience” felt especially true here; seeing these artworks in person made them feel alive and connected to present-day narratives (Dewey 22).

National Language Class (1959) reflects a pivotal cultural moment in Singapore’s development. Viewing it in person emphasized how art not only mirrors the past but also helps us understand the present, much like how new learning experiences shape our perspectives today.

References 

Aristotle. Quoted in Buckles, Shawn. “What Does Aristotle Say about Art?” WisdomShort.com, 25 Jan. 2024.

Dewey, John. Art as Experience. Minton, Balch & Company, 1934.

Panofsky, Erwin. Meaning in the Visual Arts. Doubleday Anchor Books, 1955.

Tee, Chua Mia. National Language Class. 1959. National Museum of Singapore.

Singapore Art Museum Design Collection. Singapore Art Museum Archives, 2024.

Singapore Graphic Archives. National Gallery Singapore, 2024.

While there are certain skills that I would retain, for instance “painting” and “sketchy style” , I feel these are what makes me unique since I have an interest in animation. There are certain design principles I have yet to master entirely, such as “user-centric” and “abstraction”. I plan to create user-centric designs for practicality and designing for a better good. If possible, I would like to incorporate design skills into my piano-teaching career and vice versa. I find some CTS B topics relatable as I used them when liaising with my piano students and parents. I would like to find my voice in the design industry and create a ground-breaking design that makes life easier for all my users. I will manage my time well as I have two jobs to handle and regulate my stress for a better version of myself.

To add on to my initial artistic statement, I realized that despite having design skills and the ability to solve problems, one must be able to work with others and collaborate with others. Many jobs require working with others and it is an imperative skill to adopt. I think as a designer, we are bound to meet with clients and colleagues from all walks of life. Communication and collaboration can be hard for me because I feel that working alone is a lot easier but comes with a number of limitations. Design is more than just aesthetics, it is a real business of solving problems for different stakeholders (Odeh, 2025).Together, with collaborative skills, my design will expand and evolve exponentially.

One work of design that truly resonates with me in social engagement is Tactical Urbanism. According to Arauna Studio, many places in Barcelona are plagued by the heavy air and noise pollution (Arauna Studio, 2023). It has surpassed toxic levels deemed acceptable by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It has also minimized spaces for people to interact and relax and also to foster a sense of community and wellness. To tackle this, Arauna Studio has come up with an inexpensive way to revamp the space and created their own set of typography and elements to help pedestrians navigate better, while still caring and sustaining the environment.

I find this project truly meaningful and a way of putting design into a good use for the public. It is very user-centric. Also, to pay tribute to Barcelona's culture, they incorporate Panots from Barcelona design motifs, effectively bringing a sense of belonging to pedestrians. This project resonates with my manifesto for CTS B. Also, the use of abstraction used for the Panots designs is a style that I am trying to emulate. In connection to CTS B topics, this project is also an example of how artistic lineages and traditions are embedded and how personal identification in turn affects our art practice, on top of enhancing social engagement.

(Word Count: 475 words) 

Resources in MLA 9th edition:

Studio, Arauna. “A Graphic Intervention Transforms Streets of Barcelona for a More Inclusive Cityscape.” Edited by Ravail Khan, Designboom, 13 June 2023, www.designboom.com/design/graphic-intervention-barcelona-inclusive-cityscape-arauna-studio-tactical-urbanism-06-12-2023/. 

My first rule for the manifesto would be “Creation is a reflection of oneself”. I find myself often drawn to themes that resonate with me. For my studio work, I have to design for a food festival. As I needed a brand concept, I decided to pitch my studio project’s concept as self-nourishment and body positivity. As someone who struggled with food and body image as part of my past experience, I wanted to amplify the importance of self-nourishment.

Dena Nguyen, a brand designer, shared on how to create her personal brand identity. One of the steps she mentioned was to reflect and define. Brand positioning statements and brand values have to come from within and a sense of self (Nguyen, 2024). She also owns two cats, which inspired her to start her own toy brand, Dinocat. Hence, I totally agree with the notion that creation is the reflection of oneself, therefore adding this as part of my manifesto.

My second rule for the manifesto for CTS B would be to think creatively and critically to solve problems. In week 1, I concluded that critical thinking and creative practice are symbiotic. In short, critical thinking  involves identifying problems, researching, analysing, form conclusions and implement (MDIS, 2025). It’s inevitable that in creative practices we run into problems, but we don’t avoid them. Through research and trial-and-errors, we can come up with innovative solutions and discover resources that would help us in future. For instance, the Japanese company AGRIST created a machine to curb low manpower for a bell pepper farm (Refer to Fig 9.). It is able to leverage  AI to identify bell peppers and cut them accurately (Angelopoulou, 2021).  This invention is a result of creative thinking and critical thinking coming into play.

Another rule for the manifesto for CTS B would be ”Design is where ideas meet reality.”  Part of designing is to synthesise and implement ideas. The synthesis of ideas comes typically after a problem has been identified (LLC, 2025). It is important for ideas to have a “reality check” before implementation, as it could negatively affect our stakeholders. After thorough prototyping and exploration, we filter those ideas that would not work and turn innovation to reality .

In conclusion, the three rules for my manifesto are 1) Creation is a reflection of oneself. 2) To think critically and creatively to solve problems. 3) Design is where ideas meet reality. With these in mind, I will recall these when executing future design projects.

(Word Count: 403 words)

Resources in MLA 9th Edition:

MDIS, SQC. “Design Thinking vs Critical Thinking: When to Use Each Approach for Optimal Results.” Service Quality Centre, 30 Sept. 2025, www.sqcentre.com/blog/design-thinking-vs-critical-thinking-when-to-use-each-approach-for-optimal-results/. 

Angelopoulou, Sofia  Lekka. “Automatic Harvesting Robot Seeks to Solve Japan’s Labor Shortage Problem.” Automatic Harvesting Robot Seeks to Solve Japan’s Labor Shortage Problem, 9 Jan. 2023, www.designboom.com/technology/automatic-bell-pepper-harvesting-robot-aims-to-solve-japans-labor-shortage-problem-09-05-2021/. 

Nguyen, Dena. Behind The Scenes: Creating My Personal Brand Identity, YouTube, 1 Feb. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQtls4SFQGw. 

LLC, Brightpath Associates. “Innovative Product Design: Bringing Your Ideas to Life.” Innovative Product Design: Transforming Ideas into Reality, 2 Apr. 2025, www.linkedin.com/pulse/innovative-product-design-bringing-your-ideas-life-opqfc/.