With the intense nature of the Extended Practice and the amount of brief I have undertaken during the course of this year I found this critique specifically for the Design Publication a particularly useful point of contact in order to gain some feedback and inspirations on my initial ideas before beginning the design process.
My initial ideas for the design publication were to focus on the subject of Image Making, which is something that has underpinned a large proportion of my practice during the course of third year.
Although image making is something which I have developed more a more interest in over third year, this idea of experimentation of different methods and techniques which I also wanted to focus on is something which has always informed by design practice.
I explained my idea to Amber and other members of the year who all agreed it would appropriate not only for my idea but for my practice to produce a physical, hand-rendered publication which was primarily image based.
There was a discussion initially about how the publication would act as a scrapbook of what has inspired us, which I particularly liked the idea of. Therefore I decided to produce a publication which brings together a range of content on a range of stocks etc. similarly to a scrapbook in order to demonstrate my personal process in producing images with an emphasis on experimentation in my design practice.
Content
The format chosen for the publication takes inspiration from the idea of scrap
books and therefore the content will be on several stocks of different weights,
textures including original artwork and photocopies which will all be bound
together.
As well as a analysis of image making techniques sourced from books and how the technique can effect what the image communicates, the publication will also feature a range of collected imagery which directly inspired my briefs and informed my design practice.
As well as a analysis of image making techniques sourced from books and how the technique can effect what the image communicates, the publication will also feature a range of collected imagery which directly inspired my briefs and informed my design practice.
In order to effectively achieve the scrapbook aesthetic for my publication, I collected content from a range of sources and through a range a methods which would then be brought together.
Images sourced from books
As well as my own work and techniques I had tried over the course of the year, I also wanted to incorporate a range of images which use techniques I admired and would like to experiment with myself at some point in the future.
I also felt it would be beneficial to myself in order to gain a better understanding of Image Making and how it can be applied in practice to analyse the techniques used and what different qualities they communicated through the aesthetic.
- A gallery poster produced by Bender
- Biker tattoo style illustration reflects how the teacher’s passion for their field is “in their bones”.
- Process of painting directly onto distressed - sometimes even burnt
- Really interesting texture
- One of a series of thirty nine paintings, drawings, prints and environmental installations produced by Paula Scher
- Hand-painted type onto the canvas in white canvas
- An engaging aesthetic
- Two of three illustrations for Fairmont Hotel and Resorts
- Strong hand-rendered feel
- The black stroke and block colour don’t quite align - probably deliberately - perhaps to suggest the piece has been screen printed.
- By Harry Campbell to accompany an article which reported on the installation of black boxes in cars much like aircrafts.
- Sense of motion in an otherwise two-dimensional image created by layering up strokes
- Contrast between the block colours Campbell has used for the background and the thin strokes
- Piece by Jim Cohen inspired by the industrial revolution
- Aesthetic of a traditional diagram which would be found perhaps in a textbook
- Unique hand drawn black and white illustration by Jonathan Twingley.
- ‘doodle’ aesthetic which is extremely engaging.
- Fineliner which has been used
Originally I did plan to use original photocopies from the books I took out from the library which I thought would be appropriate to the scrap book aesthetic I wanted to achieve however, it meant cropping the down the image which I didn't feel accurately showed the technique.
Therefore I scanned in these images into the computer where I was able to drop them into Indesign creating a more considered composition effectively shown the technique I was analysing.
As the aim of the Design Publication is to effectively show my personal methodology in approaching my chosen subject I will include a selection of briefs I have undertook this year which include a range of image making techniques and how I approached them differently.
My contextual awareness will be demonstrated by include ding a range of imagery, illustrators and studios I was looking at during the time which directly inspired the brief.
Briefs, Hoax
A hardbound book for an exhibition about subliminal messaging with a focus on James Vicary’s infamous ‘experiments’.
In-keeping with the nature of the subject I felt it would be appropriate to produce something ‘manipulated’ or ‘distorted’.
I had seen example of type which had been distorted using a photocopier however this was not something I had tried before therefore the process was very much trail and error to get a sense of what worked and what did not which I think gives it a more authentic feel.
When developing a visual identity for the ‘Hoax’ brief I was very much inspired by the work of DR.ME who had visited our studio earlier in the year.
In particular how they manipulate and distort imagery to produce truly unique pieces. Similarly the aesthetic of poster for George Orwell’s novel 1984 which has ‘Big Brother is Watching You’ in big intimidating letters also has a very ‘sinister’ feel to it which I felt would be appropriate for the subject of the brief.
Original photocopies from when I undertook the Hoax brief which will be cropped down and included with my publication.
Home Comforts
Re-branding and identity brief for a retirement home which is centred around the theme of ‘what makes a house a home?’ and aims to provide a home from home for it’s residents.
I really wanted to play upon the ‘friendly’ and welcoming aspect of the brand.
Therefore I began by drawing out the different houses - reflecting the different beliefs about what makes a house a home - by hand to really give a friendly feel.
These sketches were then scanned into Illustrator which I traced using the pen tool in a white hue so that when they over-layed the block colour there was a ‘negative space’ effect.
I was particularly inspired by the work of illustrator Jan Kallwejt, particularly how she layers up a series of shapes and colours within a illustration in order to give the impression of negative space.
Kallwejt’s particular style of illustration is quite minimalist which is appropriate for an image which would be used for a series of branding applications as it would be easily scaled down.
For the colour scheme I was particularly inspired by a piece I found during an image search on the off chance, the warm autumnal colours add to the friendly feel of the brand.
Original sketches of my home comforts identity
York's Yummies
A quick turnaround identity brief for Sandwich shop, York’s Yummies.
In order to reflect the traditional nature of the brand who produce and sell traditional home-style sandwiches I decided to use a traditional method to produce the image rather than relying on digital software which I personally felt would be more appropriate.
Hand-drawn illustrations were scanned into the illustrator and I used the image trace tool which I felt would keep the authentic hand-rendered feel to the varying stroke rather than using the pen tool.
During the course of this brief I was particularly inspired by the hand-rendered aesthetic of the work produced by one of the studios I had been looking into and had contacted, Happy Giraffe.
Their illustrations are extremely simplistic fineliner drawings which had a friendly feel to them.
Another illustrator who incorporates this style in their work is (C)amille. I particularly like how in her animal illustrations she has mis-aligned the stroke and block colour slightly which visually is very interesting.
Original sketches from the York's Yummies brief on trace
Zoo Branding
A branding brief for three elements of a Zoo; a café, giftshop and ice cream stand in which I produced three characters - each one an appropriate symbol for what they were representing. A generous Bear for the giftshop, a greedy Tiger for the café and a cool Penguin for the ice cream stand.
I wanted a simplistic solution for the images and therefore began by sketching out the basic shapes I would need in order to make up each of the characters. I was able use this as a guide in order to make a series of vector shapes which over-layed and built up to make a animal.
A lot of the current illustration styles I was seeing at the time inspired me during the course of the Zoo Branding brief.
I particularly liked the illustration style of individuals such as Hey Studio and Stephen Cheetham which had a slick modern and clean feel which is something I wanted achieve.
Something as simple as building up a series of shapes in a variety of hues similarly to Stephen Cheetham’s work can produce a unique and eye-catching illustration.
Sketches I produced in response to the Zoo Branding brief
Time permitting I would like to incorporate one image produced in a variety of image
making techniques in order to demonstrate how different techniques communicate differently.
Taking into consideration that the nature of content which would form
the publication is mainly image-based I felt a minimalist layout would be
appropriate for my publication.
I began by specifically collecting images of design books which tend to be more image based in order to gain a better understanding of how layout can specifically be used to show case imagery.
I began by specifically collecting images of design books which tend to be more image based in order to gain a better understanding of how layout can specifically be used to show case imagery.
A margin of 2.5 cm was applied to the both the left hand side of the book to
accommodate for the spiral bind.
As the subject of the publication is image-making the double page spreads designed are reflective of the image-based content.
All the content kept to a simple two column grid which not only reflected the high-end feel of the publications I collected during the research process but also would give a sense of continuity through the different sections of the publication and different stocks I had proposed to use.
As the subject of the publication is image-making the double page spreads designed are reflective of the image-based content.
All the content kept to a simple two column grid which not only reflected the high-end feel of the publications I collected during the research process but also would give a sense of continuity through the different sections of the publication and different stocks I had proposed to use.
Type on tracing paper can overlay image on standard 200 gsm stock
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