RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
Sketchbook research, analysis ideas for Week 2.
You cannot hold a design in your hand. It is not thinking. It is a process. A system. A way of thinking.” Bob Gill
A successful design achieves the aim of the brief and turns the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Define – What is the brief
Research – What is the background of the project
Ideate – Are any of your solutions any good
Select – Select the best solutions
Implement – Can you deliver what you have promised
Learn – Improve on your mistakes
“The qualities that a given period calls beautiful in women are merely symbols of the female behaviour that period considers desirable.” – Naomi Wolf
Society defines breast ideals based on fashion, religion, politics, and culture instead of embracing the unique variety in natural breasts' shape, size, and form. Women have throughout history used corsets, push up bra’s, bindings, and surgery to conform to an ideal that frequently changes.
A brief history of the ideal breast shape as dictated by society.
1800’s - Women with small breasts were seen as being virtuous and having a higher moral standing
1890’s - Voluptuous figures and breasts emphasised newfound freedom for woman
1920’s – The fashion of the time resulted in woman binding their breasts, so they appeared smaller
The 1950s – Technological advancements resulted in cone-shaped bras, and contraception resulted in larger breasts being more fashionable
1960’s – Twiggy and rake thin supermodels ushered in an era of flat chests
1980’s – Supermodels, breast augmentation and aerobics resulted in women flaunting larger breasts
2010’s to date – Social media, retouching and filters have created a society that prizes round and perfectly symmetrical breasts (Kent, 2021)
Fig. 1: The History Girls, 2016.
Fig. 2: Buck, 2016.
The cultural influence of society is evident in the correlation between the high rate of breast augmentation in America, where the media is saturated with unrealistic imagery of large, fake breasts compared to its counterparts in France with a low rate of breast augmentation, where natural beautify and femininity are valued (Staff, 2021).
The New York Post in August 2017 posted, “Boobs are back in a big way.” Two months later, the narrative changed to “Small boobs overshadow their bustier counterparts.” Interviews with classmates revealed many emotionally charged stories around breasts being too small, too large, too saggy or too unnatural (Richards, Lorri, 2021).
Miss District Columbia 2012, Allyn Rose lost her mother to breast cancer after refusing to remove her breasts to fear she wouldn’t be a real woman (Rose, 2013). Halle Berry on the Jimmy Kimmel Show hit back at a Twitter user who labelled her boobs as lopsided by responding, “That’s because they are real” (Longmire, 2018).
These unsustainable and unattainable breast ideals result in insecurities and poor self-esteem.
Based on my research, it is time to change society's narrative dictating breast ideals and embrace a permanent ideology that natural breasts should be glorified in all shapes and sizes. To achieve this, I have investigated solutions similar to my workshop challenge outcomes.
In Sex Education, Phycologist Doctor Jean Milburn gives teenager Aimee Gibbs a pictural book of the vulva to illustrate their variety. This provides the teenager with comfort and confidence about the visual appearance of her vulva (Characters, 2021). This has led me to believe that showcasing more natural breasts could change the current societal narrative.
Laura Dodsworth responded to the media saturating our visual world with fake imagery of breasts, unflattering comparisons and unobtainable ideals by produced pictures of 100 women’s breasts to rehumanise women through photography (Dodsworth, 2021). Kym and Tonya Illman's ‘Celebration of Breasts’ exhibit at galleries worldwide showcases unique art-piece photography featuring an eclectic mix of 108 women’s breasts (Scott, 2019). The work of these two artists I found similar to Carol A. Wells, Center for the Study of Political Graphics archive of 90,000 human rights and protest posters. When a multitude of imagery is viewed in an exhibition together, the message is impactful and influential (Political Poster Renaissance | Communication Arts, n.d.).
Fig. 3: Dodsworth, 2015.
Good Design makes something intelligible and memorable. Great Design is making something unique and meaningful’ – Dieter Rams
IMAGINE
Throughout history, different breast ideals have been defined by fashion, religion, politics, and culture. I want to change this narrative with a movement that educates and inspires society to embrace natural breasts unique variety in shape, size, and form to improve self-confidence and reduce plastic surgery while having some fun along the way.
The ambitious concepts listed below all encompass the ‘Your Breast Self-Movement’ and can be executed in isolation or one after another as momentum and funding build.
YOUR BREAST SELF
1) Exhibition
An interactive, tactile and sensory experience exhibition of natural breasts. Including art, sculpture, movie, animation, collage, pottery and workshops that emotionally capture an audience's attention, glorify and embrace natural breasts. The exhibition would have a virtual and online presence for further reach.
Reference & Inspiration: The Colour Factory interactive and sensory experience exhibition (Color Factory – Experience the Joy of Color, n.d.).
2) Online Store
Creating a ‘Your Breast Self’ brand and the online store would make natural boobs fun, and playful through breast merchandise inspired art, pottery, posters, t-shirts, coffee table books and furniture.
3) Workshops
Workshops would encourage women to embrace their breasts through creative play, executing art, illustrations, pottery, and making moulds of their busts. An online platform would allow you to browse the different workshops available and showcase the outcomes of past workshops. The workshops would also link to the online store.
4) Digital Archive
We are building an educational and influential digital, visual archive of natural breasts to showcase the unique variety of breasts' shapes, sizes, and forms. With a digital world overwhelming society with retouched, surgically altered, a fake image of unattainable breast perfection in size and symmetry, this archive would serve as a comforting link to reality to improve self-confidence and glorify natural femininity. When a multitude of imagery is viewed in an exhibition together, the message is impactful and influential.
Reference & Inspiraiton: Carol A. Wells, Center for the Study of Political Graphics archive (Political Poster Renaissance | Communication Arts, n.d.). What Bra Sizes Look Like Website, showcasing a visual library of other breasts in bra’s (About, 2021). Through photography, Laura Dodsworth’s pictures of 100 women’s breasts seek to rehumanise women through photography (Dodsworth, 2021). Kym Illman unique art-piece photography ‘A Celebration of Breasts’ featuring 108 women’s breasts on show at galleries around the world (Scott, 2019).
5) Animation
An educational, humorous breast character animation that combines story-telly and a catchy song to encourage society to embrace natural breasts in all their shapes and sizes. The campaign would use various platforms for communication, including YouTube, Tumblr and SoundCloud.
Reference & Inspiration: John Mescalls ‘Dumb Ways To Die’ (London International Awards, 2013).
REFLECTION
I spent my youth as a tall, gangly teenager with no shape, curves or breasts. I spent most of my days thinking that breasts would make me a feminine woman. I stuffed my bra, practically bought shares in wonder-bra, and finally got breast implants at the age of 29. For two years, I felt like the most feminine woman on earth. Then my body rejected my implants, and I went through four years of hell and six surgeries only to return to the breasts I was born with.
Years later, I started dancing and was exposed to an entire community of regal, elegant, feminine women with small breasts. My perspective changed instantly. On reflection, I realised society and the media told me I wasn’t a real woman unless I had large breasts. I wished I had been exposed to a different narrative earlier on.
I am passionately pursuing my self initiated project to ensure other women adopt an inherent belief that their natural selves are perfect and don’t require any modification.
Reference: London International Awards, (2013) John Mescall McCann Melbourne talks about "Dumb Ways to Die" the 2013 Grand LIA. [online video]. Accessed on 15 March 2019. Available at: John Mescall McCann Melbourne talks about " Dumb Ways to Die", the 2013 Grand LIA
Reference: Communication Arts. n.d. Political Poster Renaissance | Communication Arts. [online] Available at: <https://www.commarts.com/columns/wells> [Accessed 9 April 2021].
Reference: TEDx, Carol A. Wells, (2015) Can Art Stop a War and Save the Planet? [Online video]. Available at: Can Art Stop a War and Save the Planet? | Carol A. Wells | TEDxLoyolaMarymountU (Links to an external site.) [Accessed 11 March 2019].
Reference: Sex Education Wiki. 2021. Characters. [online] Available at: <https://sexeducation.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Characters> [Accessed 10 October 2021].
REFERENCE: What Bra Sizes Look Like. 2021. About. [online] Available at: <https://whatbrasizeslooklike.wordpress.com/about/> [Accessed 10 October 2021].
Reference: Richards, E., 2021. A breast exploration.
Reference: Staff, R., 2021. Timeline: A short history of breast implants. [online] U.S. Available at: <https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-implants-pip-idUSTRE80P12V20120126> [Accessed 10 October 2021].
Reference: Scott, E., 2019. Husband and wife photograph over 100 women's breasts. [online] Metro. Available at: <https://metro.co.uk/2019/02/20/husband-wife-photograph-100-womens-breasts-8681730/> [Accessed 10 October 2021].
Reference: Longmire, B., 2021. Halle Berry has the perfect response for Twitter user who labels her boobs 'lopsided'. [online] Express.co.uk. Available at: <https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/607903/Halle-Berry-perfect-response-Twitter-user-labels-boobs-lopsided> [Accessed 10 October 2021].
Reference: Kent, C., 2021. A Brief History of American Tits. [online] Ted.com. Available at: <https://www.ted.com/talks/chloe_kent_a_brief_history_of_american_tits_jan_2018> [Accessed 10 October 2021].
Reference: Rose, A., 2013. The power of redefining breasts. [online] Youtube.com. Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqabAJ94NVw> [Accessed 10 October 2021].
Reference: Plasticsurgery.org. 2021. 2018 National plastic surgery statistic. [online] Available at: <https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/News/Statistics/2018/plastic-surgery-statistics-report-2018.pdf> [Accessed 10 October 2021].
Image 1: 2016. The History Girls. [image] Available at: <http://the-history-girls.blogspot.com/2016/02/domes-of-beauty-michelle-lovric.html> [Accessed 10 October 2021].
Image 2: Buck, S., 2016. A collection of bizarre vintage gifts to never buy the woman in your life. [image] Available at: <https://timeline.com/women-products-history-42f89bb2c268> [Accessed 10 October 2021].
Image 3: Dodsworth, L., 2015. Me & My Breasts. [image] Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/sep/06/womens-breasts-laura-dodsworth-photography> [Accessed 10 October 2021].