RESEARCH & DOCUMENTATION
Contents Introduction
Brief 3
Be happy 15
Initial statements 3
Be worthy 15
Illustrations 4
Be selfish
Artist research
Outcomes
Saul Bass presentation 6
Outcome 2 17
Hannah Höch 7
Outcome 3 18
Initial ideas
Final outcome
Saul Bass 5
“Selfish”
9
The praying mantis 10 Be relevant 13 Be credited 13
15
Outcome 1 16
Outcome & Finishing touches
19
Mockups
19
Introduction
3
Brief
Initial statements
Our first brief was to design and write a manifesto for either:
In the first week of the project, we were given 5 statements to answer about ourselves or someone/something else in preparation to writing our own manifesto. Since I am writing a manifesto about myself I answered them for myself; see the results below:
• “it” - an object or place • “them“ - a company or organisation • Ourselves I decided it made the most sense to create one for myself. This was a great opportunity to challenge myself and create something that could help guide me in university and in the future when I graduate.
1. I am here because I want to develop my skills, network with other artists and find my own creative voice 2. I love designs that have a story 3. I believe enthusiasm is key 4. I am committed to creating designs that (most of all) I am proud of 5. I want to be a visual communicator
Introduction
4
Illustrations
4
I also made my own illustrative typeface in I love… response to the statements given to us.
I want to be…
Designs that have a story
I am committed to… Creating designs that (most Aimportantly) visual communicator
1
I am proud of
2 3
I believe… Enthusiasm is key
5
Artist research
5
Saul Bass Saul Bass was a graphic designer, but he is not remembered for his logos. Bass revolutionalised the “title sequence”, taking the knowledge he had of design, he created simple but dynamic sequences, inspiring many today. When researching Bass, I picked out three main elements which made up his philosophy for design. Vision One of the main aspects of Bass’s ethos was having your own style and “vision”. In “today’s” world, simply having a design skillset isn’t enough. Bass explains that having your own voice is what makes you stand out in the competitive market. Instinct From my research, I can see Bass approached his work with a sense of curiosity and freedom, trusting his own
Saul and Elaine Bass
http://www.artofthetitle.com/designer/saul-bass/
creative impulses. He encouraged others to not be “timid” about initial ideas, but instead to have confidence in your gut instinct. Enjoyment Bass always tackled projects with a sense of playfulness. He wanted to enjoy his work and ultimately enjoy his pieces, Ultimately, the person he needed to impress the most was himself.
Saul Bass, Anatomy of a Murder poster
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul_Bass#/ media/File:AnatomyMurder2.jpg
Artist research
6
Saul Bass presentation In preparation for creating our own manifestos, we were asked to do a presentation on the manifesto of another artist. After researching Saul Bass, I laid out all the information in a “Bass-esque” way to present to my tutor group.
Brainstorming
One of the main aspects of Bass’s ethos was having your own style and “vision”. In “today’s” world, simply having a design skillset isn’t enough. Bass explains that having your own voice is what makes you stand out in the competitive market.
Slide 1
Bass always tack led projects with a sense of playfulness. He wanted to enjoy his wor k and ultimately enj oy his pieces, Ultimately, the person he needed to imp ress the most was him self.
From my research, I can see Bass approached his work with a sense of curiosity and freedom, trusting his own creative impulses. He encouraged others to not be “timid” about initial ideas, but instead to have confidence in your gut instinct.
Brainstorming
Slide 2
Slide 3
Artist research
7
Hannah Höch Höch was a German artist who was known for her work during the Weimar period and he association with “Dadaism”. Dada was an art movement established in WWI, which strived to throw out old traditions of what “art” was and replace it with a new avant-garde approach. Höch’s main contribution to dadaism was being one of the originators of the photomontage. Despite all her achievements, Höch is was vastly understated at the time and is still ignored today, being left out of history books and dada exhibitions. The so-called avant-garde movement, dadaism, tried to brush Höch aside due to her gender. Her practice was treated as a “hobby”, rather than being taken seriously. What I find most inspiring about Höch is that instead of giving up
Hannah Höch
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/304696731024771975/
Hannah Höch, Untitled (Large Hand Over Woman’s Head) https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/304696731024771975/
Artist research
8 in response to the constant rejection and condescending attitudes, she worked harder. She took the sexism and patriarchy in the art world and made art out of it. Höch even wrote a short story, presumably about her experience with this patriarchy, which describes a relationship which goes downhill after the male (“the painter”) is asked to wash the pots. Her persistance and genuine talent is inspirational and she is my feminist icon.
Hannah Höch, Cut with the Dada Kitchen Knife through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch, 1919 https://www.artsy.net/artist/hannah-hoch
Hannah Höch, Da-Dandy, 1919
https://www.artsy.net/artist/hannah-hoch
Initial ideas
9
“Selfish” I had settled on the idea of a set of principles to guide me in my career path. The guidelines will ensure that I always value my own happiness over any brief, client or boss, which in turn will be reflected in the work I produce. The principles won’t be about design specifically, for example, I’m not going
to restrict myself to only using one grid. They are going to be more about the kinds of briefs and clients I will accept. The manifesto will always place myself in the number one position in an unapologetic and self-rightious way, thus warranting the name; “The Selfish Manifesto”. Experiemtnting with different synonyms
Ideas for how the manifesto would be presented
Initial ideas
10
The praying mantis My first idea for how to visually respresent selfishness was through a kind of mascot. I researched selfish behaviours in animals and identified the female praying mantis.
“The Praying Mantis is a predator, carnivorous and cannibalistic insect. Very often, the female eats the male head during or after mating, probably, as a reproductive strategy to enhance fertilization while obtaining food.�
Sketching the mantis
- http://nectunt.bifi.es/to-learnmore-overview/altruism/ I figured this was a perfect icon to represent my manifesto - selfish and a feminist icon!
Sketching the mantis
Initial ideas
11
I was struggling to find a way to represent the praying mantis in a simple and modern way. Every illustration I did seemed “gimmicky” which wasn’t the look I was going for. I then had the idea of making the manifesto into a story book with a jungle theme (see next page images). There could be snakes and crocodiles as the “bad clients” and the
Praying mantis, digital illustrations
praying mantis could be the protagonist.
Sketching the mantis
Praying mantis, digital illustration
Initial ideas
Experimenting with leaves
12 Again, I struggled for hours creating leaves and jungle scenes, without a creating a satisfying outcome. I tried to make the look more minimal by experiementing with blocks of colour, but this still wasn’t the look I wanted to achieve. Because I was struggling to accomplish the minimal look I was wanting, I decided to explore some other
Green block experimentation
options, without the praying mantis on the page, but not out of mind!
Jungle scene
Different covers
Mantis with blocks overlayed
Initial ideas
13
The most logical place for me to start was with the actual principles. Once I decided upon them I could then start thinking about how I could symbolise them visually.
Be credited “…One might simplify this by saying: men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at…The surveyor of woman in herself is male: the surveyed female. Thus she turns herself into an object - and most particularly an object of vision: a sight.”
Be relevant The first point would reflect Saul Bass’s theory on having “graphic vision”. I think anyone can learn how to use the tools graphic designers use and create things
that are aesthetically pleasing. However, I want to do more than just create pretty pictures. I want to create work that has an impact on the viewer, work that makes them think more than just “oh, that’s cool”. My first principle therefore is to say no to briefs that value aesthetic over meaning. This point made me think of “STOP” road signs; the octagonal shape, combined with the colour red is a
- John Berger, Ways of Seeing major symbol in semiotics, making it perfect to demonstrate the point.
This not only addresses women from history such as Hannah Höch being ignored and belittled but also successful women today. Women are still misrepresented in the media. Rather than being shown as powerful or intelligent, they are reduced to trophy wives, mothers - all
Initial ideas
14
of their acheivements are ignored and they are seen as property of men. For this reason, one of my manifesto principles will be to always make sure I am credited and acknowledged for my acheivements. I refuse to be labelled as someones “girlfriend” or “daughter”. Clients and colleagues must use my name and any other labels must be empowering or acheivements.
I thought about how to illustrate this point and about the idea of names. I made a list of all the females in my life that have impacted me in some way. The list reminded me of a receipt, and this struck me as a perfect way to present the point; I was saying the women weren’t possessions, but ironically they are illustrated on a receipt as if to have been bought.
Olympic champion Laura Kenny labelled “pregnant wife”
Further unnecessary labelling
Initial ideas
15
Be happy
Be worthy
Be selfish
This principle was a simple one for me. You spend the majority of your life working, so it needs to be something you enjoy. I don’t want to ever be in a job waiting for the day to be over, so it’s important that I put this in my manifesto.
This principle is about setting my priorities right when I’m choosing clients. I should consider myself as worth more than to work for someone who I don’t like - an “arsehole”. I expressed my point through a “classy” restaurant menu, with my time being priceless.
The last point ties all the others together - overall, to be selfish. I decided the best way to visualise this would be in the simplest way possible, so as not to distract from the principle itself.
Outcome 1
16
Booklet
{ items && items.msg((item, index) => {
23 24
[styles.Item] = true,
25
[styles[‘item--isDisabled’]];
26
const styles = require(‘./selector.css’;
27
const toggleClasses = classmates([
28
[styles.Base]; type,
29
[styles(‘Base--isOpen)]; isOpen,
30 31
[styles(‘Base--isDisabled’)]; isDisabled | (items.Length); ]};
32 33 34
dont = liveForThe(‘weekend’) { you {
35
spend < your whole = life
36 37
}
38
working { make it something === you enjoy
39 }
40 41
};
42 43 44
return {
45
<div classname={toggleClasses} ref=”selector”>
46
</div>
47
{
48 49
this.state.isOpen = <div className={styles.List}> { items && items.msg((item, index) => {
50
[styles.Item] = true,
51
[styles[‘item--isDisabled’]];
Don’t waste YOUR PRECIOUS TIME Cus abo. Ed unt endio consequi quis reius min cusdant
£ price.less
ON ARSEHOLES Endebis eos denes essum, accuptio moluptiumquo
£ point.less
You are not someone’s girlfriend/wife/daughter/ niece/possession. You are: Alice Lucy Sally Emma Claire Lisa Ebony Elissa Julie Sheila Joan Cath Carmen Kristie Georgina Shannon Lucie Molly Joanne Leanne Catherine Jess LucE Sarah Lily-Anna Dani Ellie Desnee Hannah Kathleen
Outcome 2
17
Posters You are not someone’s
Say no to briefS that value
Say no to briefS that value
aesthetic
aesthetic
Say no to briefS that value
meaning
meaning
over
23
You are not someone’s girlfriend/wife/daughter/ niece/possession. You are:
{ items && items.msg((item, index) => {
24 25
24 25
const toggleClasses = classmates([
28
[styles.Base]; type,
29
[styles(‘Base--isOpen)]; isOpen,
30
Alice Lucy Sally Emma Claire Lisa Ebony Elissa Julie Sheila Joan Cath Carmen Kristie Georgina Shannon Lucie Molly Joanne Leanne Catherine Jess LucE Sarah Lily-Anna Dani Ellie Desnee Hannah Kathleen
31
[styles(‘Base--isDisabled’)]; isDisabled | (items.Length); ]};
spend < your whole = life
37
}
38
working { make it something === you enjoy
39 }
40
<div classname={toggleClasses} ref=”selector”>
46
</div>
47
{
49
Don’t waste YOUR PRECIOUS TIME Cus abo. Ed unt endio consequi quis reius min cusdant
£ price.less
this.state.isOpen = <div className={styles.List}> { items && items.msg((item, index) => {
50
[styles.Item] = true,
51
[styles[‘item--isDisabled’]];
Don’t waste YOUR PRECIOUS TIME Cus abo. Ed unt endio consequi quis reius min cusdant
£ price.less
ON ARSEHOLES
ON ARSEHOLES
Endebis eos denes essum, accuptio moluptiumquo
Endebis eos denes essum, accuptio moluptiumquo
£ point.less
£ point.less
const toggleClasses = classmates([ [styles.Base]; type,
29
[styles(‘Base--isOpen)]; isOpen,
30
[styles(‘Base--isDisabled’)]; isDisabled | (items.Length);
30
]};
34
dont = liveForThe(‘weekend’) { spend < your whole = life
37
}
38
working {
spend < your whole = life }
37
41
}
ON ARSEHOLES
43 44
return { <div classname={toggleClasses} ref=”selector”>
46
</div>
47
{
this.state.isOpen = <div className={styles.List}> { items && items.msg((item, index) => {
50
[styles.Item] = true,
51
[styles[‘item--isDisabled’]];
Endebis eos denes essum, accuptio moluptiumquo
return {
45
<div classname={toggleClasses} ref=”selector”>
46
</div>
47
{
48 49
Cus abo. Ed unt endio consequi quis reius min cusdant
make it something === you enjoy } };
42
};
YOUR PRECIOUS TIME £ price.less
working {
38 40
45
49
you {
35
39
make it something === you enjoy
39
dont = liveForThe(‘weekend’) {
36
you {
36
48
Don’t waste
[styles(‘Base--isDisabled’)]; isDisabled | (items.Length); ]};
33
35
44
31 32
43
return {
45
[styles[‘item--isDisabled’]]; const styles = require(‘./selector.css’;
27 28
42
43
Alice Lucy Sally Emma Claire Lisa Ebony Elissa Julie Sheila Joan Cath Carmen Kristie Georgina Shannon Lucie Molly Joanne Leanne Catherine Jess LucE Sarah Lily-Anna Dani Ellie Desnee Hannah Kathleen
[styles.Item] = true,
26
[styles(‘Base--isOpen)]; isOpen,
41
You are:
{ items && items.msg((item, index) => {
25
[styles.Base]; type,
29
40
};
42
48
24
28
34
you {
36
44
23
[styles[‘item--isDisabled’]]; const toggleClasses = classmates([
33
dont = liveForThe(‘weekend’) {
35
41
[styles.Item] = true, const styles = require(‘./selector.css’;
27
32
33
You are not someone’s girlfriend/wife/daughter/ niece/possession.
{ items && items.msg((item, index) => {
26
31
32 34
23
[styles.Item] = true, const styles = require(‘./selector.css’;
27
Alice Lucy Sally Emma Claire Lisa Ebony Elissa Julie Sheila Joan Cath Carmen Kristie Georgina Shannon Lucie Molly Joanne Leanne Catherine Jess LucE Sarah Lily-Anna Dani Ellie Desnee Hannah Kathleen
meaning
[styles[‘item--isDisabled’]];
26
You are:
aesthetic
over
over
girlfriend/wife/daughter/ niece/possession.
this.state.isOpen = <div className={styles.List}> { items && items.msg((item, index) => {
50
[styles.Item] = true,
51
[styles[‘item--isDisabled’]];
£ point.less
Outcome 3
18
Leaflet
Say no to briefS that value
aesthetic over
meaning
23
{ items && items.msg((item, index) => {
24
[styles.Item] = true,
25
[styles[‘item--isDisabled’]];
26
const styles = require(‘./selector.css’;
27
const toggleClasses = classmates([
28
[styles.Base]; type,
29
[styles(‘Base--isOpen)]; isOpen,
30
Length);
32
]};
YOUR PRECIOUS TIME
33
Cus abo. Ed unt endio consequi quis reius min cusdant
34 35
dont = liveForThe(‘weekend’) {
£ price.less
you {
36
spend < your whole = life
37 }
38
ON ARSEHOLES
working {
39
make it something === you enjoy
40 }
41 42 44
return {
46
<div classname={toggleClasses} ref=”selector”>
47
</div>
48
{
49
Endebis eos denes essum, accuptio moluptiumquo
£ point.less
};
43 45
Don’t waste
[styles(‘Base--isDisabled’)]; isDisabled | (items.
31
this.state.isOpen = <div className={styles.List}>
50
{ items && items.msg((item, index) => {
51
[styles.Item] = true,
You are not someone’s girlfriend/wife/daughter/ niece/possession. You are: Alice Lucy Sally Emma Claire Lisa Ebony Elissa Julie Sheila Joan Cath Carmen Kristie Georgina Shannon Lucie Molly Joanne Leanne Catherine Jess LucE Sarah Lily-Anna Dani Ellie Desnee Hannah Kathleen
Final outcome
19
Outcome
Finishing touches
The outcome I have chosen to perfect is the booklet. I feel the leaflet didn’t leave enough space for the work, whereas the poster gave the work too much space - separating the work meant that the overall point wasn’t as strong.
My first step in the refinement process was adjusting the kerning of my text. I’ve shown this process below:
I feel the booklet gives the work enough space to breathe whilst also bringing the message together as one.
Say no to briefS that value
aesthetic over
meaning
Secondly, to keep the above slide consistant with the rest of the booklet, I added a pole to my “road sign” so it ran off the bottom of the page like the other pages.
Mockups
20