Lama Z Ajeenah | Dar Al Hekma University (original) (raw)

Papers by Lama Z Ajeenah

Research paper thumbnail of Luxury in Fashion: Visual Analysis on Bag Advertising

Waset, 2017

Luxury brands witnessed continuous growth which followed women's desire towards individual distin... more Luxury brands witnessed continuous growth which followed women's desire towards individual distinctiveness and social glare. Bags are a woman's best friend either for aesthetic or functional purposes when she leaves her home for leisure or work. One way of women constant aspiration for being distinguished while reflecting their wealth is through handbags. Subsequently, the demand and attraction by consumers towards the dazzle of luxurious brands for personal pleasure and social status have flourished. According to the literature review, a visual analysis on luxury brands has been explored yet a focus on bags was not discussed in details. Hence, a deep analysis will be dedicated on the two segments by showcasing examples of high-end bag advertising. The research is conducted to understand advertising strategies used in promoting for luxurious products. Furthermore, the paper explores the definition of the term luxury, the condition in which it is used in, and the visual language used along with the term. As luxury is an indicator of superior satisfaction, it is obtained on two levels: a personal and a social level. The examples of luxury brand ads are selected from the last five years to uncover the latest, most common strategies used to promote for luxurious brands. The methods employed in this paper consist of literature review, semiotic analysis, and content analysis. The researcher concludes with revealing the methods used in advertising while categorizing them into various themes.

Research paper thumbnail of A Question of Ethics in Graphic Design

Design Amid

Graphic design is in a state of crisis of ethics as designers are behaving within the limits of t... more Graphic design is in a state of crisis of ethics as designers are behaving within the limits of the law but with a clear lack of ethics. Being in a field that communicates to people descending from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, it is critical for designers to set the rules of ethics; the question that will rise: who determines the rules of ethical graphic design? And how can these rules be applied without imposing designers beliefs on the other in a multicultural society where the common values will be created from the contribution of all religious and multicultural ideological beliefs to be received by the same diverse cultural backgrounds? This article will discuss the importance of ethics in a multicultural society and the criteria that designers can use in order to determine what is ethical and what is not. Alcohol will be utilized as an example to illustrate the diverse perspectives that could cause a humanitarian conflict in ethical design.

Research paper thumbnail of Arabic Type is My Type: A Question of Arabic Typography Education

The Education of a Graphic Designer by Steven Heller, 2015

This article discusses the relationship between type and context. Through history until today the... more This article discusses the relationship between type and context. Through history until today there is a strong bond between writing (calligraphy/ typography), function and content. Words hold meaning; they give life and paint a thousand pictures to express, communicate and reflect time and place. Communication was a reflective tool of its context. Therefore, the education of typography in specific and graphic design in general should be taught not only as systematic rules but also it should embrace the changes and interact with its social, political and environmental framework. Typographers and graphic designers live in an environment, which will eventually be reflected in their designs. During the early stages of Arabic calligraphy, Muslim scholars, who were known for their piety and deep knowledge of Islam, wrote the Quran manuscripts. Later on, typing the Quran took many years to be applied because of restricted religious understanding of Islam as Muslims during that era, refused writing the wholly book through a typing machine. So, the correlation between Arabic type and its context is highly intersected. Consequently, our understanding of typography education should be intertwined with the circumstance it is found in. In this article the evolution of Arabic calligraphy will be highlighted while spotting the light on the needs and influences that shaped its progress. Kufic as well as cursive scripts are emphasized in order to link the progression of Arabic calligraphy with today's development of Arabic typography. Lastly, a critical analysis of graphic design education is discussed to demonstrate the need for a new approach in teaching.

Research paper thumbnail of Arabic Typography in the Curriculum: Perspectives from the Middle East

EDULEARN16 Proceedings, Jul 2016

Arabic typography has recently been developing and flourishing at a very rapid pace. In 2000, the... more Arabic typography has recently been developing and flourishing at a very rapid pace. In 2000, the first comprehensive book on Arabic Typography came out. Following that, a number of publications on the topic have entered the market on a yearly basis. In 2004, Ms. Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFares, founded the Khatt Foundation as an online creative network for the region, which has promoted and further encouraged projects and events (from conferences and seminars to exhibitions), and advancing research related to Arabic Typography. Moreover, over the last fifteen years, unprecedented attention has been given to Arabic typeface design, experimental Arabic type, and bilingual treatments of type. In light of these developments, this paper explores how Arabic typography is embedded in higher education curricula, through case studies from two institutions in the Eastern Arab region. Learning outcomes, project briefs, and samples of student works are presented, along with comparisons and general observations. The methods employed consist of literature review, interviews, and content analysis. Analyses of students' projects are discussed to uncover some of the obstacles student face and suggest possible solutions. Techniques used in the making are also presented: these vary from hand-drawn type and hand-made/sculpted 3-dimensional letterforms, to digitally produced typography projects with vector-based and bitmap software. We conclude with perspectives on challenges and opportunities currently faced in the instruction of Arabic typography, in parallel to industry requirements. Among these is an increased need for restructuring the design curricula in the region in a more innovative manner, while keeping up with international standards.

Research paper thumbnail of Luxury in Fashion: Visual Analysis on Bag Advertising

Waset, 2017

Luxury brands witnessed continuous growth which followed women's desire towards individual distin... more Luxury brands witnessed continuous growth which followed women's desire towards individual distinctiveness and social glare. Bags are a woman's best friend either for aesthetic or functional purposes when she leaves her home for leisure or work. One way of women constant aspiration for being distinguished while reflecting their wealth is through handbags. Subsequently, the demand and attraction by consumers towards the dazzle of luxurious brands for personal pleasure and social status have flourished. According to the literature review, a visual analysis on luxury brands has been explored yet a focus on bags was not discussed in details. Hence, a deep analysis will be dedicated on the two segments by showcasing examples of high-end bag advertising. The research is conducted to understand advertising strategies used in promoting for luxurious products. Furthermore, the paper explores the definition of the term luxury, the condition in which it is used in, and the visual language used along with the term. As luxury is an indicator of superior satisfaction, it is obtained on two levels: a personal and a social level. The examples of luxury brand ads are selected from the last five years to uncover the latest, most common strategies used to promote for luxurious brands. The methods employed in this paper consist of literature review, semiotic analysis, and content analysis. The researcher concludes with revealing the methods used in advertising while categorizing them into various themes.

Research paper thumbnail of A Question of Ethics in Graphic Design

Design Amid

Graphic design is in a state of crisis of ethics as designers are behaving within the limits of t... more Graphic design is in a state of crisis of ethics as designers are behaving within the limits of the law but with a clear lack of ethics. Being in a field that communicates to people descending from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, it is critical for designers to set the rules of ethics; the question that will rise: who determines the rules of ethical graphic design? And how can these rules be applied without imposing designers beliefs on the other in a multicultural society where the common values will be created from the contribution of all religious and multicultural ideological beliefs to be received by the same diverse cultural backgrounds? This article will discuss the importance of ethics in a multicultural society and the criteria that designers can use in order to determine what is ethical and what is not. Alcohol will be utilized as an example to illustrate the diverse perspectives that could cause a humanitarian conflict in ethical design.

Research paper thumbnail of Arabic Type is My Type: A Question of Arabic Typography Education

The Education of a Graphic Designer by Steven Heller, 2015

This article discusses the relationship between type and context. Through history until today the... more This article discusses the relationship between type and context. Through history until today there is a strong bond between writing (calligraphy/ typography), function and content. Words hold meaning; they give life and paint a thousand pictures to express, communicate and reflect time and place. Communication was a reflective tool of its context. Therefore, the education of typography in specific and graphic design in general should be taught not only as systematic rules but also it should embrace the changes and interact with its social, political and environmental framework. Typographers and graphic designers live in an environment, which will eventually be reflected in their designs. During the early stages of Arabic calligraphy, Muslim scholars, who were known for their piety and deep knowledge of Islam, wrote the Quran manuscripts. Later on, typing the Quran took many years to be applied because of restricted religious understanding of Islam as Muslims during that era, refused writing the wholly book through a typing machine. So, the correlation between Arabic type and its context is highly intersected. Consequently, our understanding of typography education should be intertwined with the circumstance it is found in. In this article the evolution of Arabic calligraphy will be highlighted while spotting the light on the needs and influences that shaped its progress. Kufic as well as cursive scripts are emphasized in order to link the progression of Arabic calligraphy with today's development of Arabic typography. Lastly, a critical analysis of graphic design education is discussed to demonstrate the need for a new approach in teaching.

Research paper thumbnail of Arabic Typography in the Curriculum: Perspectives from the Middle East

EDULEARN16 Proceedings, Jul 2016

Arabic typography has recently been developing and flourishing at a very rapid pace. In 2000, the... more Arabic typography has recently been developing and flourishing at a very rapid pace. In 2000, the first comprehensive book on Arabic Typography came out. Following that, a number of publications on the topic have entered the market on a yearly basis. In 2004, Ms. Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFares, founded the Khatt Foundation as an online creative network for the region, which has promoted and further encouraged projects and events (from conferences and seminars to exhibitions), and advancing research related to Arabic Typography. Moreover, over the last fifteen years, unprecedented attention has been given to Arabic typeface design, experimental Arabic type, and bilingual treatments of type. In light of these developments, this paper explores how Arabic typography is embedded in higher education curricula, through case studies from two institutions in the Eastern Arab region. Learning outcomes, project briefs, and samples of student works are presented, along with comparisons and general observations. The methods employed consist of literature review, interviews, and content analysis. Analyses of students' projects are discussed to uncover some of the obstacles student face and suggest possible solutions. Techniques used in the making are also presented: these vary from hand-drawn type and hand-made/sculpted 3-dimensional letterforms, to digitally produced typography projects with vector-based and bitmap software. We conclude with perspectives on challenges and opportunities currently faced in the instruction of Arabic typography, in parallel to industry requirements. Among these is an increased need for restructuring the design curricula in the region in a more innovative manner, while keeping up with international standards.