In this instructable you will learn Design Camouflage. In past projects I have appropriated and refined various techniques to mimic government or corporate signage. Using the methods outlined in the following steps will allow you to temporarily borrow the legitimacy of a company or organization, while delivering a different message.
Like in my previous instructables, I'll be using past work as an example - a work from 2005, The Emma Goldman Institute for Anarchist Studies. In this case, the campus was in the midst of an expansion and state construction projects require signs describing the construction project and budget. The Emma Goldman Institute sign created dialogue about the priorities the school places on research and funding and had the local papers explaining the basics of anarchism for their readers at the same time.
I have also used this method on other projects like changing street signs, creating bogus products like this Soap Box, and even the signs in Ronald's Crisis.
For more inspiration see:
The Billboard Liberation Front's handy manual
California Department of Corrections
Like in my previous instructables, I'll be using past work as an example - a work from 2005, The Emma Goldman Institute for Anarchist Studies. In this case, the campus was in the midst of an expansion and state construction projects require signs describing the construction project and budget. The Emma Goldman Institute sign created dialogue about the priorities the school places on research and funding and had the local papers explaining the basics of anarchism for their readers at the same time.
I have also used this method on other projects like changing street signs, creating bogus products like this Soap Box, and even the signs in Ronald's Crisis.
For more inspiration see:
The Billboard Liberation Front's handy manual
California Department of Corrections
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Signing UpStep 1: Supplies
You'll need the following.
Hardware:
- tape measure
- digital camera
- printer
- appropriate substrate to print on such as:
- paper
- adhesive vinyl
- tyvek
Software:
- image editing software like GIMP or some proprietary alternative
- vector editing software like inkscape or proprietary alternative
- a healthy sized font library is helpful, but not necessary.
Resources:
-http://www.osalt.com/ provides links to open source alternatives to proprietary software
Hardware:
- tape measure
- digital camera
- printer
- appropriate substrate to print on such as:
- paper
- adhesive vinyl
- tyvek
Software:
- image editing software like GIMP or some proprietary alternative
- vector editing software like inkscape or proprietary alternative
- a healthy sized font library is helpful, but not necessary.
Resources:
-http://www.osalt.com/ provides links to open source alternatives to proprietary software
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like to see what civil disobediance you do , you toss pot
Yeah, you should get that checked.
I've been known to pull tricks like this myself, but you need to pick your target carefully.
And just who is in charge of measuring what constitutes "significant harm," anyway? You?
"Look Like Your Enemy: Create signs that confuse, astound and parody!" Fine, do it on your own property, not someone else's unless authorized. But you never said this from the start, you had to be prodded. Why?
" ...to mimic government or corporate signage...", "... temporarily borrow the legitimacy of a company or organization...", Why, because you know your message is not legitimate? What legitimate company or organization will authorize this?
"...used this method on other projects like changing street signs ...", From step #1 "...will not cause any inadvertent damage or confusion...", These two statements contradict each other. Just what do you think changing street signage would do? In the least, it would cause people to drive excessive distances using more fuel and polluting the environment. Not only that, people who remove these nuisances will throw them out, further adding to pollution. Now what, smart guy?
This from Instructables Terms of Use:
We have a "be nice" comment policy. Please be positive and constructive with your comments or risk being banned from our site.
I guess this doesn't include changing large signage like street signs and billboards and causing a distraction to drivers resulting in a collision and possible deaths. This is not covered in the 1st, because this is not "...peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances".
Seeing as how you don't have a problem hijacking other peoples messages, you should not mind if I do the same, palomarjack(dot)wordpress(dot)com . Stop by any time.
Palomar Jack
Didn't mean to offend, but after almost 30 years of dealing with the general public in my job, I've learned that of the tens of thousands of law abiding smart people you talk to, there are a few hundred doofuses that don't get it. I always put a disclaimer/reminder to them on my stuff that there are consequences for improper, unlawful use. Just a thought.
Thanks for the instructable. It was very entertaining and well documented!
And remember, Chomsky, you, and I are all in good company.
I'm respecting my readers by working with the assumption they have a level of intelligence and common sense. Because I think that's a nice, respectable place to start from.
one cent: I still disagree with your politics.
another cent: hashing out political philosophies in the comments on an instructables post = waste of energy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinkerton_Detective_Agency
What I wonder about however is the usefulness or need for the deception. Perhaps I can see it in some political way, but otherwise what's it accomplish? Fun perhaps, but modifying street signs can put you in jail for a long time. I recall a case where a young man altered a street sign in a similar manner and a motorist and three pedestrians were killed when all paused to look at the altered sign. The motorist, who was distracted, ran over the pedestrians who were also distracted and didn't see the oncoming car. The young man was convicted of manslaughter and handed a twenty year sentence. Now how much fun is it?
Please do be careful with your fun and try to place yourself in the position of the other person--say, the owner of the sign who just paid a sign painter $2,000 for something expected to last six months. When you take up three of those months, you owe a thousand dollars to someone. It can be called vandalism.
Please, tell me how this is so much different than graffiti?
This isn't graffiti, vandalism or even hiding anything.
Slambert made a whole new sign, in the same style as an existing sign and then positioned the sign in a public place where it would generate comment.
The nearest thing to "damage" that occurred will have been a slight yellowing of the few inches of grass covered by the frame.
And any motorists distracted by this sign will already be in trouble for driving through a pedestrian campus...