Graphic Design Practice
By Thomas Hill 1
Contents Page Introduction ............................................... Page 3 Magnify and abstract ........................... Page 4 Counter letter forms ............................. Page 5 Business Card and Letter Head ..... Page 6 Letter connections ................................ Page 7 Box ................................................................ Page 8 Sound Scape ........................................... Page 9 Music festival poster ............................. Page 10 Music festival Sting ................................ Page 11 Publications Reflection ........................ Page 12 Evaluation .................................................. Page 13
2
Introduction
Within this publication I have added all of the work that I have done for the module graphic design practice. This publication was produced as a referral as I had originally failed this module with a score of 39% (needed 40% to pass). The publication is made up of a compilation of work done by me with my reflective writing , and some other work that is done by designers who inspired me. The publication is organised with work I completed first being at the front and work I completed last at the back.
3
Magnify and abstract
7
c
m
c8 m
ee
f
f
b
P
PP
P
b e
7
Magnify and abstract In today’s session we produced 9 compositions, using letter forms. Looking at the swashes, ears and other aspects of the letters. I didn’t really know what I was going to do for my 1st idea, as the brief was pretty straight forward I eventually drew the letter forms out. In my review I discovered that they weren’t quite right due to some being over crowded. I found this session interesting and enjoyable. All feedback I received was both positive, and intriguing helping me to understand typography and letter forms. I found that the simpler compositions worked better or if it was slightly cluttered shading one or two letters helped break it up. If I was to repeat the task I would broaden the amount of fonts I used and kept it simple. From the compositions I managed to produce work I thought was okay, a few were perhaps slightly cluttered. The work that my peers produced was both good and interesting. The environment I worked in was a relaxed and easy to concentrate. I found the time pressure encouraging as opposed to pressuring.
Designers I found that these pieces could be related closely to my own work. I used no influences for my actual work, but I think that the pieces below are easily related to magnify and abstract and they can also be related to Counter Letter Forms. I am unsure of who the designer was for these pieces. I got these images from the following website; http://kayreincolor.wordpress.com/pratt/typography/ letter-forms-title/
4
Counter Letter Forms Counter Letter Forms
f
M
E
B
A
S
Todays session was similar to last weeks session but this time we looked at the counter forms, we got given a presentation on what it was we were looking at and then we got set the task to create 9 Counter forms using 9 letters in 9 boxes. I had the idea to use the same techniques that I had used to produce the letter forms in brief one and just colour on the outside, after doing this my tutors feedback informed me that the letter should be more focused on so we were only seeing the serifs or the loops of the letters. To begin with I was having trouble with my log in for the computers and I struggled to print off my reflective writing, this then put me behind in the lesson and I only managed to produce a few boxes. I found the lesson was interesting and helped me to understand letter forms.
Designers I found that these pieces could easily be related to counter letter forms. I found these images in a number of locations and I could only find the name of one designer who designed the last image which is of the ‘d & p’, their name is Dane Petersen. I got these images from the following websites ; http://thegreatsunra.com/portfolio/letter forms/, http://theangrybutter.blogspot.co.uk/2010_10_01_archive.html, http://sshhii.wordpress.com/category/uncategorized/
5
Business card & Letter Head Business Card an Letter Head In the session today, we have been set the task of designing a logo and letterhead for either the company GH-ost or the company Glyphics. I instantly chose Glyphics due to I had the idea of Hieroglyphics, especially the all-seeingeye. I found this lesson fun and exciting to start producing some logo’s but I found that there wasn’t enough inspiration or creativity in the room to help me get thinking. When we displayed our work at the end of the session I found it helpful and interesting to see what other peoples ideas were. Once I had received my feedback, I got told it was okay a nice rough draft, but it needed to be developed more for it to achieve what I desired.
Designers work? These image’s can be related to my work as they are both image’s of business cards. The top image is a business card designed by the design company Pixel Design. I liked this image because of its splendid colour scheme and unique typeface. I found this image on the website; http:// micromintindia.com/?p=19 The image below right is an image of a business card for ‘David Mason I.T Support Technician. This business card was designed by a company known as helloworld the Creative Experience. I chose this image because it shows how a business card can really portray a point, look striking and has a lovely design. I found this image on; http://www.helloworld.ug/ business-cards-that-leave-a-lasting-impression
6
Letter Connections Letter Connections Todays session was a little bit easier than the rest, we had a very small introduction in to what we where doing and then we got set the task to connect 12 letters to make 6 shapes. My first thoughts on this task where to try and combine as many different font types as possible. The task that was set was nice and easy, making it possible to complete within the session, opposed to having to do it in our own work time. This gave me more time to work on some of the other briefs that have been set. I found the session relaxed, simple and great practice with letters. I liked my other peers work and thought that it was a great help to see what other people had produced.
Designers work? These Piece’s can be related to my own work, as they are very similar to what it was I had done. I found that these images had used very similar techniques in both the hand drawn and digital versions. ‘The Row’ logo that I sourced form the website; http://mariaonpoint.com/the-row-launches-handbagscollection/row-logo-2/ was designed for the womans wear brand established by Mary-kate and Ashley Olsen. The hand drawn letter connections were found on the website; http://typophile.com/node/31376 and were designed by a user that goes by the alias of Fallenartist. I liked these image’s because I can easily relate them to my own hand drawn letter connections. The final image is of the DC logo which I thought was one of the most famous logos, where letters connect. I can relate this to my work, but only slightly. I found this particular image on the website; http://alllogos7.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/dc-logo.html
7
Box Box In today’s session we got assigned the task of designing and creating a box that would contain a letter from one of my initials. I have chosen the letter H, the reason for this is that I found that the letter H was a more malleable letter for the project. The lesson was interesting and has helped explain more on why we have been looking at typography, it has also helped me understand why we have learn’t about the illustrator tools in Matt’s session. I found the lesson interactive and mellow, and this brief has allowed us to be a little bit more creative than what we have been in the past. I liked that we are also able to use more traditional methods with this brief such as screen printing (all though I have opted out of it due to I have done it in the past and didn’t enjoy doing it). The feedback I received was that it was good, I got asked to produce more idea’s and then decide on final piece.
Designers Work I found these piece’s were very interesting, i can relate these to my own work through the fact that they are all unique or have some special qualities about them, which is what i tried to capture with my own box. The two image’s that are of the letters and the juice cartoons are interesting due to the way that they don’t look like your stereo typical box, but the designers have taken the shape of whats inside and tried to recreate that with the box itself or they have made it more obvious with the box’s shape what it is suppose to be. The gold box i found interesting because it seems to feel very common, for containing fancy wines or perfumes. This specific box wax designed by ‘The London Fancy Box Co.’ and was designed to contain whiskey # I found these images from the following website; http://www.youthedesigner.com/2011/09/05/ packaging-design-40-creative-box-designs-thatll-bowlyou-over/ http://www.londonfancybox.co.uk/boxes/drinks/ http://www.themost10.com/10-most-creativepackaging-design/
8
Sound Scape Sound Scape In today’s session we got set the task of producing three soundscapes for the following week. We had to set out collecting three noise’s (sound recordings) and then make a Sound scape from the noises. My first initial idea was to record as many different sounds as possible, and then from these I chose the three best sounds and created the sound scapes from them. After I gathered my sounds and produced my rough idea’s and showed them in the second session, the feedback I received was that I had taken too much of an artistic view on the topic. From the review session I
cc
c
c
had realized what I was supposed to produce through other peers work. When I redo my piece I would use less letters and try to create simpler but more obvious pieces.
Designers work I found that these piece’s could be related to my own work through the way they use letters to express their artwork. I can relate the top image’s (the one’s in yellow) to my own work, as they and I have both taken sounds and translated it into a sound scape. These pieces were done by a designer known as Krittika Arvind. These image’s were taken from the website; http://www.krittika.com/art/sound scape/?imageID=0 The 2 sculptures that are made up of 3D letter forms were part of one of Yorkshire Sculpture Parks exhibitions. These sculpture’s were made by the sculpturist Jaume Plensa. I found these related to my piece through the way that letter forms have not just been used for communicating but they have also been used for creating art, sculptures and other interesting piece’s. I found these image’s on the website; http://tastingrhubarb.blogspot.co.uk/2011_10_01_ archive.html
9
Music Festival Poster Music Festival Poster
4th - 21st March 2013
The Lucky Dragons Martin Siewert Ryoji Morton Felman
Tickets £35
Booking Info: 0870 890 890
Venue: The Assembly Rooms, Market Place, Derby, Derbyshire DE1 3AH
TEL: 01332 255 800 WEB: www.decibelderby.com
Decibel - Derby City of Sound features the most influential and inspirational composers and performers making the sound in the world today in prestigious venues across Derby. A fantastically eclectic line up of internationally renown composers, musicians and noisemakers.
Designers Work I that these poster designs where all very typical and suiting to the festival that they where promoting, where as mine seemed very mish-mash and didn’t seem to hold any character. My particular favorite piece it that probably the polish poster with the treble clefs and the umbrella hanging from it, What I like about this poster is the simplicity of it but it still has character and stands out. I found this image at; http://www.local-life.com/krakow/articles/polishmusic-festival Another one of the posters that really stood out for me was the Tiree Music Festival poster which, really gives a sense of modern festival, the way that it is laid out also feels very ‘with the times’ of similar to other music festival posters. I found this image at; http:// tireemusicfestival.co.uk/info-coming-soon/ I feel that the other posters that are on top, give a great sense and feel of what the festival is about and the type music that is going to be played. I found these images at the following websites; http://www.design.freakout.biz/ SedberghMusicFestivalposter2008.html http://dustywinter.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/musicfestival-poster-echo-and-harmony-project/
10
In today’s session we got set the task to design and produce a music festival poster for the Derby music festival ‘Decibel’. My 1st idea was to create a few rough drafts, such as a guitar with a piano as its neck, to place the name Decibel in a trumpet, to form the letter into the shape of a Trumpet and another idea was to make the name Decibel look like it was made out of guitar strings but I eventually ended up doing a red background with 2 zig zag lines in it. I found that the feed back I received was both pleasant and really helped me complete the poster, especially when I became really stuck on it.
Music Festival sting Music Festival Sting In today’s session we have been set our final task which is to produce an animation which can be related to our music festival poster. I chose to make the animation in Adobe After Effects. I made it so that there was a sound scape moving from the top right hand of the screen to the left, this brought down the letters of the word Decibel. After the letters had disappeared off the screen and the word decibel was in place, the letters of the word Decibel grew and shrank in sync with each other whilst the line “Derby City of Sound” faded into view. I have only had little feedback on this animation but the feedback that I received was positive and encouraging.
Designers Work I found these sting animations could all be related to mine through the way they all start off with no text on screen, through an animation sequence the text appears either each character at a time like mine or as a whole. The animation that I could most closely relate to my own sting would have to be the qobo sting animation as it is very simple with the letters all coming onto the screen separately. This sting animation was found on; http://vimeo.com/81914840 My favourite animation done would probably be the ‘phaze animations’ sting due to the small comical screaming butterfly that flies across the screen. I found this Sting animation on; http://vimeo.com/59425565 The other two sting animation i found where both good, and work extremely well, The NCCA animation I found went on for a little bit to long (found at; http://vimeo.com/86899714). The Code Canyon animation was very short but made a very direct point to what it was advertising. I found this sting at; http://vimeo. com/67154941
11
Publication Reflection From starting this publicaction to this point now where I am close to finishing it, has been a very interesting journey. I have days working on it where i may have only done a paragraph, or added a couple of images, but i have also had good days where I have been able to produce a large amount of work. I found that working on this piece in InDesign has really helped strengthen my skills in the software and has given me a much greater knowlegde of what I am doing when it comes to designing a publication. Things like washing lines, or grid systems to keep layouts consistant and looking professional, and how to arrange text with images. I have really enjoyed working on this piece and I am kind of happy with the outcome, not just with the design of the publication but also with the knowledge of InDesign it has managed to teach me.
12
Evaluation Through out the year I have learnt many lesson’s techniques and some software. Through out the semester of which this work was produced, I learnt all about typography, I had started out with no knowledge and left with what I would like to say was an expanded knowledge. I have learnt many techniques that will aid me within the designers world, such as negotive space isn’t a bad thing and that it can be used to enhance your work. On the ‘Box’ brief I learn’t the basics of Illustrator, of which advanced further with the music festival brief and in the sting animation I learnt the basics to animation within After Effects. I find that I dislike all of the work that i produced over this semester, even before I found out I failed, I feel that now I am more influenced where as before I struggled for idea’s and found it hard to generate ideas that I liked. I think my worst piece would have to be my business card and letter head, I feel like it was rushed and that it had the potential of being much better. The box brief I quite liked but to me it didn’t feel unique or special in anyway. On the music festival poster I felt that my skills hand got much better, but the production and the outcome of the poster was in my eyes still sub standard, and i should have spend more time planning in my sketch book. I would say that overall the biggest lessons I have learn’t from this semester is that i need to do much more research and developlment within my sketch books and also I need to practice using InDesign, Illustrator, AfterEffects and Photoshop more ofter
13
14