END OF MODULE EVALUATION

STUDIO TASK 1// Aesthetics

A selection of images I find appealing to look at:

D.A Sanborn 1867

These posters really capture a generation of American style. It was pretty unique at the time and descended form a mixture of English, French and Spanish typography. I find this style so interesting because of the history and culture of the time which is evident in the style. I also love the intricate detail, almost banknote quality of print and over the top decoration which add a certain character to the poster.

Eric Frommelt 2011

“I’m obsessed with technology, maps, data visualizations, information graphics, technical diagrams, infrastructure, architecture and complexity – all of which informs my work.” -Frommelt
I am also very interested in the geometry of work, I love work which feels balanced and well composed to look at. I think Frommelt uses geometry to achieve a perfect balance between image and space in his design.  I particularly like this image because of the mixture between warm and cold colours, the huge sphere looks like a sun under construction and the net suggests three dimensions to a two dimensional image.

Atelier Olschinsky 2011

I find the whole series of photographs here (link) really aesthetically pleasing. They are photos of a classic car track day taken by a multi-talented graphic designer and photographer. The post processes seem to add saturation and depth of colour all at the same time, reflecting camera equipment present at the time many of the cars were made. Other post-process effects create this soft warm glow which could represent the 'glory days' of motor sport that the cars were made in.

Atelier Olschinsky

Another series designed by Olschinsky (link) is something I find really inspirational. Firstly the main body of the posters is filled with incredibly detailed imagery. I am unsure if it suppose to be a beautiful futurescape or a dystopian hell, which adds to the mystery of the image as well as my intrigue. The type at the top of the image is well balanced and does not take way or add to the image but sits nicely with it.

James White 2011

I love imagery associated with the film Drive, many, many designers have started creating their own fan made posters for the film as it quickly becomes a cult classic.This poster has been hailed as successful because it captures an aspect of speed with the straight horizontal lines, the colours and style also reflect the style of music and filming that the director used.

PROVERBIALLY YOURS// Message and Delivery

Inspiration from Graphic Designer Luke Lucas.

 This was a brief for Esquire magazine, In a style similar to there own, Luke had to create an image which relates to an industry, much like our brief at the moment. The idea is fairly simple but packs in the message of an article specifically about mens hair, which I think is quite impressive.

This was for a revolving poster wall at a club in Melbourne. Its tells a rather cheesy love story, but I am more interested in the typography, which looks like its from a 70's album sleeve in my opinion, however this probably reflects the tone of the club and perhaps the music or audience. I need to reflect the tone of a surgeon in my work, this sounds like it could be boring but I bet I can find a heavy clean cut font which looks the part.

This brief was for a German Magazine called Sushi, who wanted some illustrations on the theme of 'Labyrinth'. I realise here that Luke Lucas is a very adaptable typographer and that this is the importance of my current brief, for us to break out of our normal styles and try something different.
I do really like this work, the word Amazing makes up a giant labyrinth but at the same time is very difficult to make out at first. You could also say that the overall shape makes up a big square speech bubble?

Luke Lucas' most notable style is this liquid flowing typography. I am not usually a fan of this style really, but I do see how well it can suit a certain brief very well. Here it is obviously wine and the ability to turn type, a usually totally stationary form into something which really looks like its flowing across the page is very interesting.

PROVERBALLY YOURS// MESSAGE AND DELIVERY

As part of my project i have to do some research on facts about plastic surgery, specifically facts about the downsides as well as reasons for plastic surgery. The common trend in most bad cases seems to be people with mental disorders, they fix one thing and still are not happy so move onto another until they barely resemble the person they really are. Here I am looking at the facts and figures associated with plastic surgery as well as the tone of voice used in health articles and any common design themes health based websites display.

Many practices devote up to 50% of their time to returning patients back to normal.

1-ASPS Demand more patients learn more about plastic surgery before having procedures. 2- 20% No at all happy with the results of surgery.  3- 40% wished they had done more research. 4- 28% never checked their surgeons credentials. 5- More than half of the patients had been concerned about potential complications related to surgery, but had not been properly informed about them. 6- "You can afford to be nonchalant about some things, but surgery is not one of them." - Dr. Roxanne Guy, president of ASPS

Most concerns with cosmetic surgery seem to stem from worries about the patients mental health, medicals associations are calling for cosmetic surgeons to make sure that the prospective patients aren't seeking for surgery because they are mentally ill. 

Information about demographics who use plastic surgery the most. It is becoming popular for over 50s.

OTHER FACTS:

-Where cosmetic surgeries were performed: office facility, 56%; free-standing surgicenter, 24%; and hospital, 19%.

More research to come....

PROVERBIALLY YOURS// Message and Delivery

This Turkish Graphic Designer 'Kutan' has created some work about various neighborhoods in Istanbul. Each one has type and image which reflects aspects of the neighborhood, be it in culture, history, or stereotype. For Example, after doing some research I have found that Tarlabasi is a very poor and dangerous area with a large migrant population. The skull and crossbones with smoke can reflect the danger of the area. Also Kapilicarsi is where the grand bazaar is located and Beyoglu is known for its large pedestrian cobbled streets. 

All the separate, squares follow a similar layout and feel, mostly with a label, sticker or badge over photography. Each one has a special meaning and I could take this style in consideration when I design my my Mailshot. They are very visually appealing while being very simple, but also packed with meaning.

Sariyer District is a wealthy seaside district with a history of traditional fishing. The photography looks like the big cloudy sky you see when looking out to sea and the faded label suggests bleach-blown signage. Also note the seabird and waves on the label.

Nisantasi is an upmarket quarter of Istanbul with a heavy fashion following, hence the fur coat. This time the text is overlay and multiplied onto the image. It is in the thin, prosperous style that fashion labels like to use.

I hope I can learn to use image in this subtle way for this brief. It would have been easy for Kutan to have just taken images of the neighborhoods and added text but some thought has gone into each image.

MODERN AND POST-MODERN

Examples of Modern and Post Modern Design;

POST MODERN- Seb Lester, 2007-2011

- Form is prioritised before function.
- Use of mixture of old styles/ following old techniques.
- Designer/ has tried to be 'fashionable', ensuring that this design style will at some point go out of fashion.
- Sacrifices legibility for decoration.


MODERN- Porsche Posters 1960-72

- Functional posters, very clear (for Germans)
- Simple use of colours
- Simple and functional bold type, no decoration of type. 
- Uses most modern print process of era, with mixture of photography and text.

LECTURES// Graffiti Art

Apparently the first instance of graffiti appeared on the Lascaux caves in France. These included aspects of story telling, recreational fun and a community narrative. It was not an act of rebellion.

The Romans were big on graffiti. They drew lewd drawings for the public and also introduced Political Caricatures to poke fun at politicians.

In the Paris riots of 1968 a 'graffiti style' was introduced to graphic posters designed for the protesters. Graffiti was also used on the streets  to express opinions. This scrawl proclaims "It is forbidden to forbid" i think.

Graffiti as we think of it today really kicked off in 1970's New york. Mostly poor men used walls as a canvas to express there opinion or spread there style. This was achieved with a spray can and used street language, with the primary goal of making sure that the poor communities were not ignored. 

In the 1980's fine artists began to use street art to become popular. Advertisement company's used street art to sell products. Graffiti art became very mainstream to the annoyance of people who felt they were 'genuine' graffiti artists, who like tats cru began working for big corporations themselves.

Recently Graffiti art been elevated to high society. It has come off of the street and into art galleries. The likes of Banksy and Shepard Fairy are responsible for this transformation. In 2008 Shepard Fairy designed a poster in support for Obama's campaign, which became a sensation.

In the 21st century it is clear that graffiti of street art is used by art school graduates instead of people from the streets themselves. Many of whom carry out jobs for major corporations to support genuine street art in their private lives.

However Graffiti art also still carries out its primary function in poor and war torn parts of the world. People who need the world to hear them use surfaces like the West Bank Barrier to paint murals in a super sized format to get their message out, in the same way West-Germans painted signs of peace and hope on their side of the Berlin wall. Unfortunately even this space has been visited by popular artists from the west in a pursuit of fame and notoriety.