Random sampling as a method of cultural production

Abstract

This master’s thesis tested the usage of random sampling as a method for cultural production. The main research question was “How random sampling can be used as a mechanism for creating new culture?”. The secondary question was “What is the workflow for the practical application of random sampling in graphic design and creating new concepts?”. This study is a functional thesis work and the research method is based on the results of random sampling. As a source material ten full-page advertisements from commercial magazines were used. The advertisements were cut according to the predefined criteria into graphical elements and thirty new images were formed by combining the elements randomly. New images were used for creative brainstorming process in order to create new ideas and concepts for the purposes of graphic design and advertisement. Analysis of the results was performed based on the theoretical framework, which consisted of semiotics and semiotic properties of images. The concepts of intertextuality and provenance — referencing to previously created material — are also relevant to this work. The results have shown that, the outcome of sampling is influenced by the criteria and decisions made before and during the process of sampling. Other results have shown that subjective interpretation is the decisive factor in using the results for creative brainstorming. Finally, the results have revealed that the potential of meanings in the original material affect the outcome of sampling. This work, however, is not concerned with technical development of a practical software-based mechanism of sampling and this represents a possibility for further research. This work also does not go deeper into semiotic research and comparing the meanings in the original and derived images.