DR ME - flag brief

Myself and Katie had a range of initial ideas for the flag brief. We originally decided on creating a pattern, as we both felt that we were strong at pattern design and this would allow us to show off our strengths. After looking at a range of different sources for inspiration, we came up with the concept of creating a flag that had different cut out sections. There would be two layers, the top layer would have the cut out shapes, and the second layer would have the pattern printed onto it. This way, the pattern would come through the cut away areas, creating circles of print. We felt that this was quite an interesting take on a flag design, as it incorporated different layers.

As we started developing our idea, we hit a few hurdles. As there was no real subject given to the flag, we struggled to come up with possible pattern ideas. We looked at geometrics, floral and linear patterns, yet struggled to get our ideas down on paper. We felt that we needed a stronger concept to continue with. 

Following this, we began to bounce new ideas off of each other. It was then decided that we would quite like to explore music, and therefore discussed this to see if we had anything in common in this area. I began talking about what I did over summer, stating that I had been to a festival in Poland called Open'er. Katie then asked me who my favourite artist there was, which was The National. It turned out Katie also loved this band, which led to the new concept of - The National Flag.

Focus on one song was then decided upon, and we ended up choosing Graceless. We went through the song and picked out a lyric that stood out to us.

"I'm trying, but I'm graceless."

From this, we looked at song meanings, finding out what individuals believed this song meant. 

"This song for me is about facing one's own mortality, contrasted with the complications of being alive here and now. It takes a bold and conscious change in perspective, i.e. "walking though the windows", to see the big picture of life and death.

Going through daily life is a graceless endeavor by definition, and Matt Berninger expresses his frustration and sentiments related to the nagging urge to change this, as well as the unpleasantness of having to accept certain things."

"Here's what I think. This song appears to me to be about hiding the inner emotions you feel when someone has left you or broken your heart. You don't want to let on that you're feeling this way because you know it only brings people down, so you have to find a way to keep it inside."
"Wherever he is in life, mentally and emotionally, he knows God still loves him, and sounds happy and confident, with a deeper understanding of life. "Now I know what dying means", he utters as he reaches an epiphany about his own mortality."
"Put the flowers you find in a vase" is a plea to value and savour the beauty of being alive, to seize and enjoy the moment. Yet, he emphasises that to be able to truly reach that understanding one has to let go of worldly concerns, by uttering: "If you're dead in the mind it will brighten the place".

The National - Graceless

Graceless
Is there a powder to erase this?
Is it dissolvable and tasteless?
You can't imagine how I hate this
Graceless

I'm trying, but I'm graceless
Don't have the sunny side to face this
I am invisible and weightless
You can't imagine how I hate this
Graceless

I'm trying, but I'm gone
Through the glass again
Just come and find me
God loves everybody, don't remind me
I took the medicine and I went missing
Just let me hear your voice, just let me listen

Graceless
I figured out how to be faithless
But it will be a shame to waste this
You can't imagine how I hate this
Graceless

I'm trying, but I'm gone
Through the glass again
Just come and find me
God loves everybody, don't remind me
I took the medicine and I went missing
Just let me hear your voice, just let me listen

All of my thoughts of you
Bullets through rotten fruit
Come apart at the seams
Now I know what dying means

I am not my rosy self
Left my roses on my shelf
Take the white ones, they're my favourites
It's the side effects that save us

Grace
Put the flowers you find in a vase
If you're dead in the mind it will brighten the place
Don't let them die on the vine, it's a waste
Grace

There's a science to walking through windows
There's a science to walking through windows
There's a science to walking through windows
There's a science to walking through windows without you

All of my thoughts of you
Bullets through rotten fruit
Come apart at the seams
Now I know what dying means

I am not my rosy self
Left my roses on my shelf
Take the white ones, they're my favourites
It's the side effects that save us
Grace

http://www.npr.org/2013/06/12/190978705/the-national-weve-earned-our-stripes
http://jordanloftis.com/friday-review-the-beauty-of-sad/