RSA Curiosity Research

I have been given another live brief from the RSA (Royal society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and commerce). 

I had to choose between two audio files which one sounded more appealing to me that I would be able to animate to. 

I decided to choose the Curiosity audio file.

I started my research by looking at the definition of curiosity. Curiosity is a desire to know or learn.

To know about people or things that do not concern them, to be nosy. To be inquisitive. 

Why is curiosity so important?

It makes your mind active instead of passive. Curious people always ask questions and search for answers in their mind. Their minds are always active.

Since the mind is like a muscle which becomes stronger through continual exercise, the mental exercise caused by curiosity makes your mind stronger and stronger. It makes your mid observant of new ideas. When you are curious about something, your mind expects and anticipates new ideas related to it. Without curiosity, the ideas may pass right in front of you and you miss them because your mind is not prepared to recognise them. You may miss out on great ideas due to lack of curiosity.

The life of curious people is far from boring. It's neither dull nor routine. There are always new things that attract their attention. 

You should keep an open mind. Be open to learn, unlearn and relearn. Some things you know and believe might be wrong, and you should be prepared to accept this possibility and change your mind. 

Ask questions all the time. Ask questions such as: What is that? Why is it made? When was it made? Who invented it? Where does it come from? How does it work? What, when, why, who where.

You should read lots and read a variety of books, not just the ones you feel comfortable reading. Step out of your comfort zone, you might be surprised at other things you might like.

Go travelling. See the world. Experience new smells, tastes, meet new people.

Images that resemble curiosity

Inventions due to curiosity

Money- Allows society to have a medium of exchange and value rather than bartering. 

The printing press- Gutenberg 1440. A device that pressed ink to paper to create text. It ended up making knowledge easily accessible in day to day living.

Steam engine- Thomas Savery 1698. First transportation that did not require animal power.

Light bulb- Humphrey Davy 1809.

Telephone- Alexandre Graham Bell 1875.

Penicillin- Alexandre Fleming 1928. Accidental discovery, saved more lives than any other drug.

First steam Automobile- Nicholas Joseph Cugnot 1769.

First Engine automobile- Karl Benz 1885.

RSA Animation Shorts

I watched some of the animation shorts from the RSA website and made a few notes about them.

The power to create

Block bolt colours were used.

Timelines to explain the history of writers and thinkers.

Used a jigsaw puzzle to show choice.

The muscle/ power to create was shown as being in the centre of the being.

Anyone can change the world

Power/ change was shown as being a superpower. Characters were wearing costumes.

Used animals to get the point across.

Showed a costume being stolen and used as injustice. 

ABC'S Of PersuasionLine art in black and white.Whiteboard animation.Used the word sales as the main idea to turn it into sails of a boat on the ocean.

Growth is not enough
Used a roller coaster to represent a scale for statistics.
Also used a pie cut in to pieces to represent a pie chart.
Used scrabble to show some main words from the audio.
Snakes and ladders to show the economic system.
Used block colours.

The power of empathy

The word empathy attracting colour and sympathy letting it go.

The colour symbolised connection.

Empathy was described and shown as a dark hole the character fell into. 

Sympathy was shown as intruding, sympathy made a point of saying "at least" whenever a point was made and drew a silver lining around the cloud.

The silver lined clouds were turned into a heart to show connection between two people who had empathy. 

Used animals as characters that fitted the audio very well.

How to find your element

Ink paintings in a sketch book with objects surrounding it, such as jewellery.

Stop motion/ frame.

Used the cats as characters with yarn.

The power of quiet

Used cats and dogs to show introverts and extroverts working together.

Does brainstorming work?

Stop motion.

"Don't criticise" was shown as throwing tomatoes at a brain storming book.

Coloured paper was used to show peoples ideas.

Yellow paper ball with pins was a light bulb to show good ideas.

A rubik's cube symbolised imagination and pegs and pins were people bullying and criticising the imagination.

Showed criticism as an exploding scrabble bomb then paper fire works as criticism created good ideas.