Frottage Collage

Digital Decoupage, the second aesthetic experimental course promoted by CRIT-AADE, was developed by Professor Jen-Hwang Ho from the Graduate Institute of Architecture at NYCU. This course follows a three-stage process, progressing from observation to digital image manipulation, and culminating in creative interpretation.

In the first stage, students explored the campus flora, observing patterns in flowers, leaves, veins, and branches. They documented their findings through photos, sketches, or frottage imprints, demonstrating their understanding of natural science and geometric logic. In the next stage, students were introduced to digital modeling and visual programming using software such as Rhino 3D and Grasshopper. With simple preset procedures, they generated solid geometric forms like polygons, pyramids, and spheres, visualizing the mathematical order inherent in natural forms. This stage highlighted that, with fundamental algorithmic knowledge, one can create a variety of organic shapes. The students then compared these digitally generated forms with their initial observations. They also utilized laser cutting, 3D printing, and other technologies to produce real objects from their digital designs.

Traditional environment familiarity courses typically start with naming and identifying objects within a specific setting. However, this approach often limits perception to mere identification. In Digital Decoupage, students were encouraged to delve deeper into the meanings behind names. Regardless of whether they knew the plant’s name, they could still observe its geometric structure and organic order. These observational “filters” opened up new possibilities for aesthetic perception beyond simple identification, fostering further creative manipulation and interpretation.

The initial endeavor in introducing aesthetic experimental courses began with Snapshot Montage, initially designed as an exercise for freshman architecture majors at Tunghai University. This exercise involved students searching for common objects or elements in the campus environment, collecting a series of images, and arranging them in photo grids. In addition to developing their photo composition skills, students were also required to observe the environmental information and present their personal interpretations. To adapt the course for younger students, we transformed the concept into a “puzzle,” making the idea of “collage” more familiar and engaging for children.

In early 2020, we conducted experiments and promoted the course in two elementary schools in Taitung City. Initially, we guided the students by asking questions like “Look, what is this?” This approach aimed to encourage students to observe visual elements such as colors, lines, and shapes in their environment, rather than solely focusing on identifying the names of objects. Using digital devices, specifically tablets, the students captured their own discoveries. Later, in the classroom, they utilized an image collage application to edit the materials they had photographed, creating multiple themed collages. Finally, they uploaded and shared their creations with their classmates.

The advancement of digital tools and sharing services has significantly simplified the process of image editing. As students instinctively manipulated images to create snapshot montages, they also unconsciously engaged in the processes of visual recognition, interpretive operations, and narrative expression. This course expanded the learning experience beyond the confines of the classroom to the campus environment and further to the digital platform. It not only facilitated students’ observation and collection of materials from their local surroundings, allowing them to develop a deeper understanding of their environment, but also encouraged the formation of perceptions related to the environment, arts/design, life, and other cultural legacies.

Among the aesthetic experimental courses for primary school pupils, Frottage Collage was developed and implemented by Prof. Hong Su, who has a background in landscape and architecture as well as specialized in education and design. Through haptic experiences, the course intended to help students to observe textures and patterns in the environment.

It was a three-stage session. The first stage was an introductory lecture in the classroom, which gave students a primary understanding of the process and techniques. Secondly, teachers and students would leave the classroom and carry copying and rubbing tools such as cloth and carbon paper, instead of digital recording devices like mobile phones and laptops. Opening their eyes and searching for textures and patterns around them, the students then used their skins and bodies to identify their sensory feelings and integrated them with their previous visual experiences. It took a lot of strength for the students to squat and lean on the floor, to press and to rub the textures. The tactile process, therefore, gave them a strong impression. After getting the imprints on paper, they compared the frottage imprints with the original textures and surprisingly found an interesting relationship between the two.

The result of frottage was not merely the reproduction of the original materials. Back to the classroom stepping into the third stage, the students used the electronic devices to do scanning, image matting, cropping and coloring to extend the imprints to digital formats. The tactile textures were resized, collaged, overlayed and finally turned into visual patterns as new materials for students to create their images and narratives. The image montage broke the limits of the textures and generated new possibilities during the process.

The Anne Times is a newspaper especially designed for kids and has launched 3 volumes and 17 issues. The topics cover astronomy, science, humanities, design thinking, gender equality, etc. attempting to represent as diverse perspectives as possible. It is an authentic teaching material for elementary, middle and high school teachers to promote newspaper reading in class. Since being published in 2020, The Anne Times has received many awards at home and abroad, such as the 2020 Good Design Award of Japan, the Golden Pin Design Award of Taiwan and the《Future Education Taiwan 100》Award selection, and the DFA Design for Asia Awards.

Combined with excellent illustrations and layout design, perfectly merged the aesthetic concepts: colors, texture, proportions, composition, construction and structure into the editing of visual contents, and covered international news, contemporary issues, knowledge and stories, the newspaper itself is the wonderful outcome of interdisciplinary cooperation. Through turning the pages, touching the texture of the paper, and reading the printed words and pictures, the perception experiences stimulate kids to explore both the intellectual and aesthetic ends of knowledge and expand their international horizons. The Anne Times aims at a novel education approach for future generations. It could be applied as a teaching aid for primary and secondary school teachers to provide integrated authentic materials in different classes like language, science and social studies to motivate the interests of students. Moreover, it could be a medium to connect different fields of learning to develop interdisciplinary courses to encourage the exploration of various subjects. In addition, the newspaper cooperates with cultural institutions to expand the age range of readers, and encourage parents and children to read and enjoy interactive educational games and hands-on practices together.