Can the Blind Be Graphic Designers? | Natalie Gagnon | TEDxEmilyCarrU

Visual communication is just that-visual. But does it have to be? Discover the story of Jillian Sloane, a blind student who, through her enrollment in a university graphic design course, pushed the limits of what society and her instructor, Natalie Gagnon, thought was possible. In this talk, Natalie candidly recounts her blind assumptions of Jill’s capabilities and shares how Jill used clever tactile solutions to design without sight. We bet you haven’t seen LEGO used like this before… Natalie Gagnon is a Vancouver-based art director, publication designer, and design educator who brings brands, content and minds to life. For her, strategic design and crystal clear communication must always intersect regardless of medium, place, or audience. Successful communication-visual and non-visual-is achieved through the creation of immediacy and icon. Immediacy, the need to communicate information effectively, and icon, a strong and memorable form, are interdependent. Whether in her classrooms at Emily Carr University of Art and Design and Simon Fraser University or designing for clients in the private sector, Natalie inspires students to be passionate designers and empowers brands to live their most distinct life. nataliegagnon.ca This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

Пікірлер: 104

  • @HectorIbarraMusic
    @HectorIbarraMusic3 жыл бұрын

    I’m a totally blind software developer. I started by making software and games for the blind, with no effort made toward a proper graphical user interface, but have recently made the switch toward building graphics support into my projects. For the most part, I’m a single developer working alone, so I’m having to learn how sighted users interact with software. I’m finding it extremely fascinating, and more then a little amusing that someone who has dealt with so many accessibility issues in daily life is now having to put so much effort into making my projects accessible to the sighted population. I’m also a musician and content creator, and basically have to do everything from audio/video editing to light graphic design work on my own since I can’t afford to outsource it all to someone with working eyeballs. I’m self-taught for the most part, but I’m so happy to see an educator as eager as this about embracing techniques that will definitely help future students avoid all my trial and error, and help build a more diverse design industry.

  • @TheHatter42

    @TheHatter42

    3 жыл бұрын

    Hi there I'm completely blind vor about 2 years now. Since i love gaming i am always looking for accessible games. So i wanted to ask if you maybe could be so nice to give me some links or other resources to find some. Otherwise all the best to you and thank you for being active for the blind community

  • @waseemwaqar1258

    @waseemwaqar1258

    Жыл бұрын

    That is fascinating. Hope you are doing well!! I am also completely blind and learning JAWS right now. Is it possible for you to teach me (or tell me how I can learn) some graphics designing etc? thank you very much

  • @WhatsUpUAE
    @WhatsUpUAE3 жыл бұрын

    What a great story that you shared with us. I believe many of us who watched this video including myself felt ashamed for having everything needed to learn and improve but we keep giving false excuses not to. Thanks Emily

  • @LearnFirstEarnNext
    @LearnFirstEarnNext3 жыл бұрын

    “All of us do not have equal talent. But , all of us have an equal opportunity to develop our talents.” Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Sir 🇮🇳

  • @akatukwasaannonciata4639

    @akatukwasaannonciata4639

    3 жыл бұрын

    True, actually the blind are more favored coz of the added talents despite their inability to see physically. I like ur positive energy!

  • @fafoolys21
    @fafoolys213 жыл бұрын

    Graphic designer student here... thank you for this, because I have been doubting my abilities for a while now. Enrolling in my next semester next year. I can't wait to enjoy it.

  • @goldenapplesaga5446
    @goldenapplesaga54463 жыл бұрын

    This video is a golden example of something that I've been saying recently. "If you open your mind to the possibilities you can take the barrier between the possible and the impossible and punch it in the balls" Believe it or not I learned that lesson from minecraft manhunt 🤣🤣

  • @goldenapplesaga5446

    @goldenapplesaga5446

    3 жыл бұрын

    @Nathan-DTS YOOO that person has my respect

  • @JamesOfEarth
    @JamesOfEarth3 жыл бұрын

    Being legally blind does not mean a person essentially cannot see. The threshold in the US is 20/200. I’m 20/500 with Nystagmus and have been producing video games for 30 years, a similarly visual medium. Watching the clip of Jill working with the book, I’d guess she might be closer to the 20/200 mark. It’s really hard for people to understand the abilities and restrictions faced by the legally blind, largely because the variance from 20/200 to actual blindness is massive. We tend to adapt well, often with a “fake it till you make it” mentality. It’s only when we do things like mistake a tree for a person that it’s sorely obvious. I’ve seen this described as an invisible handicap. Not sure I’m going with this, but thanks for speaking about this student and your open approach to helping her achieve her goals.

  • @nataliegagnon5257

    @nataliegagnon5257

    3 жыл бұрын

    Hi James. I’m the speaker... Jill can only sense a small amount of light and extremely fuzzy shapes. Definitely not enough to see the holes while sewing. Honestly I think I learned more than she did and I wish everyone could meet someone as transformative. Love her spunk.

  • @chetanyadav

    @chetanyadav

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@nataliegagnon5257 Thank you for giving me a different perspective from this video. Being a designer, I can tell that this is one of the best lessons I have had.

  • @pelemariusv

    @pelemariusv

    3 жыл бұрын

    I knew somthing was off... 😅

  • @StalkingSorrow
    @StalkingSorrow3 жыл бұрын

    As someone who is legally blind since birth, I got teachers thinking like this a lot when I took animation classes. I certainly proved them wrong but my vision has since deteriorated so I can’t do it anymore 😝

  • @jillieflynn3386
    @jillieflynn33863 жыл бұрын

    curiosity is the primary ingredient of innovation and invention. imagination is not dependent on sight or having all senses operating optimally. true creativity is born out of altering one’s perspective. in a psychosocial context collaborating forces influence and create change in a system which otherwise seeks homeostases. thank you for sharing this story.

  • @varshaamohan6774
    @varshaamohan6774 Жыл бұрын

    Goosebumps as I heard this story. Absolutely windblown by her ability, It shows that what you are not born with, whether it is an ability or a talent, should not stop you from choosing to do something you truly want to. It is not just talent or passion, it is determination, discipline and the fire to not take NO as an answer in your life.

  • @akatukwasaannonciata4639
    @akatukwasaannonciata46393 жыл бұрын

    This reminds of a blind boy back in my junior who always attained first position and won most of us at figuring out things. We ended up being mistaken of his blindness coz of his brilliance at even calling some of us by name without even able to physically see us. It was one evening when l had my torch on trying to pick my jacket from class when this boy was seriously reading in the dark. Out of surprise, l asked him the most brain tickling question in my life. Excuse me Kitumba, why are stressing about revision in this total darkness. "My dear, lam more favored thank you that l can read at anytime l wish (coz my work is in brail) and able to touch and feel each letter despite the darkness or light in place" he answered. This sank deep within my subconscious mind that my suspicion triggered me to ask for his help in understanding brail content. The story is long but this boy's answer has always made me appreciate everyones uniqueness as well as presence in my life. I ended up holding revision sessions with this boy to the rest of the class because of his little content he had trained me on. To date, l have been able to remain in touch with him coz of that surprising answer that he pointed out to me. What a blessing people we least expect can be in our lives. Big ups to you miss !👍 Am really full of joy that at the end you allowed this blind lady be part of ur learners🙏🤗

  • @vijayarya9528
    @vijayarya95289 ай бұрын

    Great and inspiring !!!! and yes true words of what actual blindness is all about . but yes challenges impossible have always surely a way - that proves all things are possible and nothing is impossible . good one . Thank u all very much and Ted too .

  • @JadeTrading
    @JadeTrading3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing

  • @subha___
    @subha___3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you!! It's truly inspiring 👌

  • @bethanyhagensen4005
    @bethanyhagensen40053 жыл бұрын

    Would have loved to hear the student's story from her perspective

  • @crowkraehenfrau2604

    @crowkraehenfrau2604

    3 жыл бұрын

    But this is about the educators learning, the educators message!

  • @luissergiosantos2732
    @luissergiosantos273210 ай бұрын

    Amazing case. Tks to share w us

  • @EminayDrackoness
    @EminayDrackoness Жыл бұрын

    also as some one who has had service dogs, uses a blind cane and off and on in a wheelchair Its part of the life I lead that people are going to be curious and want to know about my experience. Most of the time if I am not exhausted or just purely not in the mood, if some one is asking me from curiosity, morbid or not, I like to educate them... I actually dont think out side of highschool I ever had any one ask me questions in a malicious way. I would rather people be genuinely curious about how I do things, what my dogs do, how I get around than to end up with the wrong info like what happened with service dogs public access because of the fake ID cards.

  • @Gimilli
    @Gimilli3 жыл бұрын

    short answer: not in the same way

  • @goldenapplesaga5446

    @goldenapplesaga5446

    3 жыл бұрын

    100% agree. Possible but non conventional

  • @ApricotDaddy
    @ApricotDaddy3 жыл бұрын

    I'm legally blind and studied graphic design 💀💀💀💀💀I dunno what this tedtalk is supposed to achieve "hey yeah disabled people can do things, let's treat them like normal people"

  • @christianjarvis167
    @christianjarvis1673 жыл бұрын

    It's amazing how much we haven't learned from Beethoven.

  • @goldenapplesaga5446
    @goldenapplesaga54463 жыл бұрын

    I haven't watched the video yet. But if they can find a way to be effective graphic designers despite their disability then why tf not?

  • @khanhhm5762

    @khanhhm5762

    3 жыл бұрын

    A reality that many people do not want to admit is that anyone can become blind. Blindness (and any other disability for that matter) is an equal opportunity. It doesn't care if you are the most powerful person in the world, you have achieved the most…, and you've spent your entire life in a visual field. The question really is not whether someone has the ability to do it. It is more of how can technology enable someone to continue doing their work? How can we move beyond our very narrow and limited perceptions of doing things? I am blind, yet I am a very visual person. If anyone reading this is skeptical, I'm not surprised. But that is only if one doesn't understand what being visual means Beyond taking information through your orbs.

  • @CreatuberPro
    @CreatuberPro3 жыл бұрын

    Awesome inspiration.

  • @jackcastro7259
    @jackcastro72593 жыл бұрын

    love those words

  • @JCD275
    @JCD2753 жыл бұрын

    I just came across this, remarkable

  • @EminayDrackoness
    @EminayDrackoness Жыл бұрын

    I understand how you can cringe looking back on your previous behavior... but that means you took the lesson, applied it and improved your ways. It is not an inherintly bad thing to have a moment of culture shock when trying to accomodate or interact with some one who has a disability. Cities are built initially for the ablebodied and later modified for accessibility. It would not be shocking that as some one with sight you might not comprehend the experience of some one who is blind. I was born low vision and am now legally blind and in 95% of activities I could be considered totally blind... yet I play video games and am a graphic artist.... I love to play new games as they come out and I have been adapting my art. The thing is tho... all of it is entirely situational.... I am able to play video games partially visually because I have strong light detection and my desktop computer is hooked up to extremely large extremely bright monitors (plural) so that I can shove my face into the screen and that is how I play. I personally know how I do it, but that is because I had to sit down and experiment with magnifiers and screen readers and many different ways of doing things to find what works best for me. Even then I get confused at times.... I would still in no way be offended by some one asking me "You are totally blind in the grocery store.... how on earth do you draw so well?" (Not well for a blind person... they always just say "you draw so well" ) I too went through about a year where I had packed away my art tablet and sketch pads because I personally could not understand how on Earth I as a blind person would be able to be a graphic artist... but I couldnt just let it go so I went back to throwing things at the wall and seeing what stuck. At that time I realized when I draw I am working less with what is on the page and more seeing the lines I want to place on the page in my head and then checking the page every so often. My art in no way had any reduction in quality, but it did take me a bit longer to finish a project. I now use my disability and passion as a marketing tool.... because who wouldnt be fascinated by the term "Blind graphic artist" or if you prefer "a graphic artist who is blind" I also realized similar to Hector in the comments here that If I want to draw and I like programming... it is in not just my interest to make a screen reader for artists but it would help more artists have access to art.

  • @ffffff52
    @ffffff523 жыл бұрын

    This feels more like a motivational speech than one making a statement or even answering the very question the video is built from. Graphic design is visual media, the blind person in question built or more properly said assembled a composition following the instructions and comments of both the aid and the teacher. Yes, the manual labour was there but the design was limited to what the humans with functional vision could perceive and transmit to the maker, regardless of the ability to choose, the available data was limited to the ones with vision and the blind person composed a "functional design" not by her own means but with aid, It would be like if some foreign speaker helped you to write a book in their language without you even knowing the meaning of the words you put together; yes the manual work is yours but everything else is done through the interpreter.

  • @joshuaadamstithakayoutubel2490

    @joshuaadamstithakayoutubel2490

    3 жыл бұрын

    If she could see before and has a fully functional mind's eye then she could do much of the work.

  • @al-gassimsharafaddin7289
    @al-gassimsharafaddin72893 жыл бұрын

    THANKS! ♥

  • @HALKVLOGS
    @HALKVLOGS3 жыл бұрын

    To the early squad reading this - I love u so much ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

  • @achacynthia5164

    @achacynthia5164

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@callifyoucan8277 phone

  • @vilesh8543
    @vilesh85433 жыл бұрын

    Great story.

  • @andrewchisholm3665
    @andrewchisholm36653 жыл бұрын

    I am not legally blind yet but I am a photographer and have been told so many times that I should not being taking photos at all. I have even had people ask me how I can take photos, my answer is the same way as you by putting the viewfinder to my eye and workout what settings and press the shutter

  • @shugahhigh3204
    @shugahhigh32043 жыл бұрын

    0:38 “maybe we need to check..our b l i n s n e s s.” Looks down. Damn this is funny

  • @angrytedtalks
    @angrytedtalks3 жыл бұрын

    If somebody pays for an education, they should get it. If the results are good, they should get the qualification. Going the extra mile to help them; that's kind, but nitcan obligation...

  • @krishnansrinivasan830
    @krishnansrinivasan8303 жыл бұрын

    Incredible :)

  • @narmenabdulhamid
    @narmenabdulhamid3 жыл бұрын

    Well done

  • @chandanmokashi
    @chandanmokashi2 жыл бұрын

    Can you please provide the contact details of the professor and the student? I'll be very greatful.

  • @JoeBob79569
    @JoeBob795693 жыл бұрын

    I think a lot of people assume that being blind is just like a normal person closing their eyes, and that you can't do anything because you can't see anything. I'm sure that some of the greatest ideas and inventions came from people lying in bed, thinking about stuff before they went to sleep. It can be a lot easier to think things through, and visualise things, when you're not distracted by vision.

  • @SY-sp8uo
    @SY-sp8uo3 жыл бұрын

    You have everything you need if you just believe! ❤️

  • @paxundpeace9970
    @paxundpeace99703 жыл бұрын

    Auto caps are good, but please ad further subtitles.

  • @glecilleanntamboong7421
    @glecilleanntamboong74213 жыл бұрын

    🙌🏽

  • @princeperez45
    @princeperez453 жыл бұрын

    Amen

  • @Merope4ever
    @Merope4ever3 жыл бұрын

    If you try to be open minded and understandig, I think you will make other people happier but also yourself.

  • @BrownCookieBoy
    @BrownCookieBoy3 жыл бұрын

    Some Schrödingers mystery goin' on here

  • @adrianponcearena3081

    @adrianponcearena3081

    3 жыл бұрын

    😯

  • @monicaenns9967
    @monicaenns99673 жыл бұрын

    Considering so many blind and partially blind people are clamoring for a world they can interact with without walls in the way, letting them take the lead and making what they want makes perfect sense!

  • @devvishwakarma9529
    @devvishwakarma95293 жыл бұрын

    😍😍😍😍

  • @RobertNowland
    @RobertNowland3 жыл бұрын

    This is very interesting, however to be honest She's more of a creative director than a graphic designer in this scenario. She still relies heavily on others to translate things into a visual form

  • @md.shahin1102
    @md.shahin11023 жыл бұрын

    Good

  • @joshuaadamstithakayoutubel2490
    @joshuaadamstithakayoutubel24903 жыл бұрын

    A mind's eye will suffice.

  • @N1t_in
    @N1t_in3 жыл бұрын

    Share this with your Blind Friends😚

  • @Shazistic
    @Shazistic3 жыл бұрын

    It always seems impossible until it's done -Shazistic

  • @adrianbarajas8338
    @adrianbarajas83383 жыл бұрын

    um yeah

  • @SystemHacker23
    @SystemHacker233 жыл бұрын

    Can someone with hypogeusia be a Chef?

  • @Cinnamon_bytch
    @Cinnamon_bytch3 жыл бұрын

    Okay, but she didn't actually deaign anything? Her aid described the visual language, and took suggestions from the student. That is effectively the relationship between a designer, which would have been the aid, and the girl as a client. I get we want to be inclusive and lift up disabled people, and they can do phenomenal things and be incredible artists, but that's not what's happening in this story. Not everyone can do everything, and that's okay. People all have intrinsic limits, and we shouldn't place value on pretending to exceed them.

  • @philchekalin
    @philchekalin3 жыл бұрын

    Cant see why not

  • @joeyvanostrand3655
    @joeyvanostrand36553 жыл бұрын

    Why did Helen Keller fire her maid? She kept leaving the plunger in the toilet.

  • @Apoc33
    @Apoc333 жыл бұрын

    It's like saying a deaf person can compose _music._ Oh wai-

  • @goldenapplesaga5446

    @goldenapplesaga5446

    3 жыл бұрын

    😂😂😂

  • @nechter_sven1205

    @nechter_sven1205

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@keYserSOze2008 idk. you seem to be putting in a lot of effort explaining yourself

  • @nechter_sven1205

    @nechter_sven1205

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@keYserSOze2008 anyways... this was a fun exchange. have a nice day! yes, im being serious this time.

  • @nechter_sven1205

    @nechter_sven1205

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@keYserSOze2008 and also, lets not ruin the comment section of this video since its actually very interesting. ive already started to delete my shitposts. have a nice day, really! :D

  • @Cinnamon_bytch

    @Cinnamon_bytch

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@patrickdavis3915 i think that was the point

  • @truthseekermedia
    @truthseekermedia3 жыл бұрын

    👁

  • @callifyoucan8277
    @callifyoucan82773 жыл бұрын

    ok

  • @user-wk6rd2gi3o
    @user-wk6rd2gi3o3 жыл бұрын

    Hi ♥️❤️

  • @paxundpeace9970
    @paxundpeace99703 жыл бұрын

    Is it possible to edit an audiodiscription?

  • @amazinglyiam
    @amazinglyiam3 жыл бұрын

    3rd

  • @nasirdiinhassan7854
    @nasirdiinhassan78543 жыл бұрын

    ZA-

  • @aeriumfour6096
    @aeriumfour60963 жыл бұрын

    Can vegetarians be meat eaters?

  • @hamzakilinc7482
    @hamzakilinc74823 жыл бұрын

    likee

  • @drock7333
    @drock73333 жыл бұрын

    can they play basketball?

  • @WhatsUpUAE

    @WhatsUpUAE

    3 жыл бұрын

    They will one day. They are the miracles makers

  • @coasterb1

    @coasterb1

    3 жыл бұрын

    The answer is yes. Just search for blind baseball on KZread.

  • @Kongolox
    @Kongolox3 жыл бұрын

    Amazing story.. but this overly self guilt is a bit much

  • @suny1265
    @suny12653 жыл бұрын

    No !

  • @lexigrace1079
    @lexigrace10793 жыл бұрын

    Second

  • @Aman-br1ph
    @Aman-br1ph3 жыл бұрын

    Why we are talking about how blinds can design why not how can a blind can see

  • @safapresley
    @safapresley3 жыл бұрын

    Nope

  • @nl6764
    @nl67643 жыл бұрын

    Nah

  • @nickpierpoint4116
    @nickpierpoint41163 жыл бұрын

    No.

  • @ayansarkar3714
    @ayansarkar37143 жыл бұрын

    You can think without brain, just how a blind can make graphic designs

  • @mindfulmunchkin1215
    @mindfulmunchkin12153 жыл бұрын

    the world has gone officially mad.

  • @MateyGardelOriental
    @MateyGardelOriental3 жыл бұрын

    yes of course! and a woman can be a man!! of course!!

  • @amenodorime5439
    @amenodorime54393 жыл бұрын

    Simple answer: no

  • @BrownCookieBoy
    @BrownCookieBoy3 жыл бұрын

    Well modern art is apparently art, so i guess blind people can be graphic designers...

  • @jonahkargbo3425
    @jonahkargbo34253 жыл бұрын

    Whoever is reading this will be Wealthy, Healthy and Successful this year. May God bless you Abundantly 😘🙏

  • @white5_romeo
    @white5_romeo3 жыл бұрын

    Never met a blind person who wanted to be one. Goodbye

  • @MsIrrealis
    @MsIrrealis3 жыл бұрын

    Next video: Can a deaf and mute person work as a radio host? Come on guys... just take on a feasible career. I am not going out there trying to be an NBA superstar. I am not tall enough. Stop being delisional

  • @shivaswist2389

    @shivaswist2389

    3 жыл бұрын

    No one is talking about becoming the best of all. They can design and you can play basketball, even though you dont have the perfect prerequisites :) Hope you have a nice day

Келесі