One Word Poster - Task 1

The first short task was to make two collages out of magazine and newspaper clippings. My group had the theme of Love and Hate. 

I made a separate A3 poster for each with acetate over to label each one. I decided to use the acetate to bring graphic design back into the piece and make it less fine art. I think it brings the collage together and makes it look finished. 

I really enjoyed this task even if it did take a lot long than expected. I really like the acetate over each one with the different typography and colour.

One Word Poster - Intermediate Crit

On Friday I had my first crit. It was in very large groups of about 35 people were we all go to look at everyone's work and here feedback for everything. I presented two ideas and now have a week to make changes and print to A2.

• Change it to portrait with the 'E' at the bottom
• They liked the font and colour
• It's too complicated with the word zone over and over again
• Could be changed to having police tape or something 
• Nice composition 

• They liked the concept
• It shouldn't be black, should be a soft pastel colour so it looks like 'fabric conditioner' 
• Nice composition 

I would like to try making the 'ZONE' poster out of cut card as well as digital. I think this is my strongest design but I'm not going to give up on the 'Soft' poster. I did prefer the second poster until I printed it out. It just looks so much nicer on screen, all the colours are completely blended. It could've just been the printer I used but this put me off the design. 

One Word Poster - Brief

BA (Hons) Graphics Year 1 Unit BA1

Date: 21.09.15 to 02.10.15

Project 1: One Word Poster

The brief in a sentence
Design a typographic poster that clearly communicates the meaning of one of the words listed below, as part of the design process, you must also document and evidence the various stages of visual development that supports your poster.

Context
This assignment is designed to enable you to generate visual ideas and to select and communicate those ideas effectively. The brief promotes visual research skills and encourages lateral rather than literal thinking. Be imaginative.

The challenge
You are required to design a poster that promotes and communicates one of the words presented below. Develop the concept of your chosen word using wit, irony, parody, cynicism, metaphor – anything you consider to be appropriate – so long as it is relevant and communicates effectively. The poster should be presented as a fully finished visual, and must include your selected word as an integral part of the image, not just as a caption. Throughout the design process, you must carefully document and evidence the various stages of visual development that supports your poster design.

Word List:
Animate Axis Burden Candy Carousel Category Centralise Change Charismatic Decline Diminish Economic Free Ghost Hard Hide Issue Miss Narrative Serious Natural Open Paradox Preference Press Reflect Reform Romance Seal Aggressive Set Soft Tilt Wrapper Zone Poised Discrete Precise Consistent Vigorous Warm Mature Honest Mobile Belief Reject Drop Send Crush Audience Flop Creep

The Audience

Assignment: One Word Poster

The poster should be aimed at, and visually engage, a broad non-specialist audience.

Things to consider
It is important that your poster design clearly communicates the meaning of your chosen word in an inventive and appropriate manner.

Assessment
For assessment, you will be required to submit the following:
• All visual research, analysis and development specifically relating to this project 
• A fully realised final poster outcome(s)
• Task 1: Word Mood Board
• Task 2: Composition and Materials

Books
Glaser, M. (2010) Graphic Design. Overlook Press
Games, N. Moriarty, C. and Rose, J. (2003) Abram Games, Graphic Designer: Maximum
Meaning, Minimum Means. Lund Humphries
Fletcher, A. (2001) The Art of Looking Sideways. Phaidon
Ambrose, G and Harris, P. (2008) New Production Manual: A Graphic Design Handbook. AVA Publishing SA

Journals online resources
Creative Review www.ffffound.com
Eye Magazine http://www.thisiscollate.com/ Idea www.itsnicethat.com/

Learning Outcome	How you will be assessed:
LO1: Showanawarenessofthefundamental	We will be looking for an awareness of the basic

historical, cultural and ethical concepts and principles associated with your subject.	principles of graphic design and evidence of investigation and understanding of historical and contemporary graphic design practices. Some of this will be evidenced in your 1000 word written text, but equally we would expect to see examples of relevant graphic design practice within your project development work.
LO2: Demonstrate the skills required for researching, interpreting and presenting fundamental ideas and theories around your subject.	We will be looking for evidence within both your 1000 word written text and your studio-based project work that you can find relevant and appropriate material, successfully edit, utilise and analyse that material such that it becomes useful to your immediate project work and your on-going academic development. We are also looking for evidence that the materials you research and work with provide you with a good platform from which to successfully develop appropriate and engaging ideas and concepts.
LO3: Demonstrate a fundamental understanding of the materials and processes associated with your subject area.	We will be looking for evidence within both your development work and final outcomes that you have explored, tested and developed solutions that make appropriate use of various materials and processes.
LO4: Communicate the development and outcomes of your work clearly and effectively to others.	We will be looking for the satisfactory development and evolution of your ideas and concepts. Your development work should be presented in a chronological and clear manner from initial research and ideas through to final outcome.

Studio Tasks Week 1

Task 1: Word Mood Board.

This task is designed to develop your use and understanding of visual language in order to produce powerful and effective communication.

Description
Students to each bring in three pictorial magazines, that have differing content, that they are prepared to chop up. Each group is given two words, that represent opposites. Divide an A2 board in half and represent one word on each side.
1. Love Hate
2. Real Fake
3. Light Dark
4. Simple Complex

Why?
To introduce and enhance compositional skills. Enhance studio craft skills. Exploring alternative formats and meaning, to encourage lateral thinking.

Resources
– A2 sheets of paper/card
– drawing materials: pencil/pen etc – scissors
– scalpel
– glue
– 3 pictorial magazines

Expectation
2 x A3 boards with the group representation of 2 opposite words.

Studio Tasks Week 2

Task 2: Composition and Materials.
This task is designed to enable you explore the compositional potential of various formats and how the use of different materials can inform design.

Description
Using a square format, produce a series of compositions that utilise a square, a circle and a triangle. Consider colour, scale and format.

Why?
To introduce and enhance compositional skills. Enhance studio craft skills. Exploring alternative formats and media.

Resources
– coloured paper
– drawing materials: pencil/pen etc. – scissors
– scalpel
– glue
– ruler
– cutting mat
– compass

Expectation
A series of 9 composed squares. Each composition should be appropriately titled, for example:
Open Tense Balanced Rhythmic Sparse 

Workshop - Positive/Negative

Our first workshop of the year was called positive/negative. We had a couple of hours to upload an image to instagram using the hashtag #nuaposneg. Everyone created different things including photography, drawings and typography. 

I edited an image of Norwich city center into something negative. Using photoshop I selected the sky and filled it with the building from the same image. 

I chose to focus on the city and how its can be negative as well as positive. A large city can have a negative effect on the environment and on people state of wellbeing. Some people find it difficult to be in the crowds of shoppers. I personally love the buzz of living near the a city so I thought it would be fun to look at the other side of things.

This is a photo from the workshop day when we were all looking at the hashtag on the projector. I really like the idea of uploading the work online. It meant that everyone could see the work and it can be added to. 

Welcome Week Project - Like and Dislike

During welcome week we had a small project over 3 days called Like and Dislike. It was a very open project, the only rules were:
We had to be in groups of 5 or 6 with people we didn't already know. 
And we had to create something to show on the last day. 

My group decided to concentrate on fruit and veg. We made all the fruit out of plasticine, the things we didn't like were made in red and placed out of the bowl. And all the things we liked were made in green. 

This idea split the group a bit because some of the people wanted to jump onto a mac with nothing and create something out of thin air. Others wanted to create something physical and different that showed off the thought process behind the idea and not just some fancy work on illustrator. 

In the end I think everyone was happy and Rob (our tutor) even mentioned our work along with others in the review. 

Freshers Week!

Well, freshers week is over and I am knackered! 

I had such a good time! Technically this was my second freshers week because I did a foundation year 0 at NUA last year! 

This time round it was so much better! Mainly because I already knew people. I am living at home for uni so it's not like I could make friends with the people in my flat or anything. 

I went to a couple of new pubs and clubbing 3 times this week. I had uni from 9:30am to 4:30pm most days so 3 nights out was all I could manage! I met lots of new people and it's also nice to see old friends as well! 

It actually feels like I'm at university now, I've gone from having 22 people in my class (half of which didn't turn up) to having 150!! Our studio space is so nice and light and we have proper graphic design work to do. 

Overall I am really enjoying uni and I'm glad to be back! I've felt a lot happier this week, when I walked back into work on Saturday a couple of people mentioned I seemed happier. I'm glad to be back doing something I enjoy. 

Contextual Studies - Week 1 - Semiotics

Contextual Studies Research Task

Tuesday, 22 Sept

Choose a single magazine advertisement and analyze the intended message. What design elements and ideas does it use? The questions below are a short guide to areas you might consider when analyzing your chosen example.

Write approx. 1⁄2 a page of notes and bring this along with an A4 copy of the advertisement to the first week’s Contextual Studies session.

•  What are the important objects/images within the advertisement? What might they mean or signify? How are they used by the designer? How does their placement within the image influence the message? e.g. type, colour, illustration, photographic image. 


•  Does the advertisement reinforce of counter the expectations of recognised advertising language, e.g. a fashion advertisement may have an ‘attractive’ model in a glamourous location; a family car advertisement may be collecting children from school or be shown outside a supermarket. 


•  Who created the advertisement? Try to consider all of those involved in the process. How might their background or aims influence the advertisement? 


•  For whom was the advertisement intended? Look carefully at the clues and try to be as detailed as you can. Clues can include: other ads in the same magazine, the type of articles in the magazine, the price range of the product and the individual images in the advertisement. 


•  Ask family or friends if they think the message or the meaning of the advertisement is different to your own interpretation? If it is different, why might this be? 


•  How would you advertise the products or brand in a different way? For further questions refer to, A D.I.Y. Semiotic Analysis: Daniel Chandler 
(Link)

 
You will also find the rest of Daniel Chandler’s website (Semiotics for Beginners) helpful in developing a stronger understanding of the Study of Semiotics. (Link)

This advert is very different to any normal advert. There are no photos and the whole thing is in black and white. All of the information on this advert is put into black boxes, which plays with the hierarchy a bit. I did find it a bit hard to see what it was about, I had to read all the information instead of the message being instantly clear. Having the whole advert in black and white makes it really stand out from the rest of the book which is very colourful. The type is all very modern and only uses san-serif fonts. The typeface for the logo and the typeface for the copy are very similar which also doesn't help with the hierarchy. 

This advert doesn't follow the expectations of recognised visual language. It is very different and quirky but this suits the target market well. The main difference is that there are no photos or animations at all. There is no information about what films would be shown or what films have won awards. It is all a bit of a mystery, which adds to the excitement of the film festival. 

This advert is targeted at people who already enjoy film and like to keep up with the industry. It has been printed in a magazine called ‘Little White Lies’. This specialises in movies and films. The magazine costs £6, which is expensive, but it is beautifully designed and laid out. This is obviously something people would collect and keep. I think this advert is intended at both men and women because the rest of the magazine caters to both. It must be aimed at people who are willing to pay more to see a film or go to an event. 

I really like this advert overall! If I were to change anything I would make the intended message clearer. The position of the logo and the fact the copy has been put in such a similar font makes the hierarchy a bit difficult. Other than that I really like the black and white and the rest of the lay out. 

A Baker's Dozen - Final

This is my finished booklet, printed out and handed in. I'm quite proud of this, there were a lot of first in this booklet. First time I've made a booklet in InDesign, first time I've created an image on photoshop and first time I really had to think about the design being the same on every page. 

We didn't get marked on this piece, we all had to put the project on the table and then walk rounds and look at everyone else's. It was good to see what everyone had done. With people coming from all different places and from all different backgrounds there was a good mix of projects. Some were on blogs, some in sketch books and there were some other booklets as well. 

I did catch two of my tutors looking though my booklet and laughing about one page which I can only imagine being the photograph page! 

A Baker's Dozen - Photograph

Part of the summer project was to recreate a famous photograph. I could of picked anything but I found it hard to choose because I'm not that into photography so didn't know anyone famous. I chose to look at celebrities and this was the first photo I thought of. 

I really love this photo and how carefree this photo is. I decided rather than making a replica I would pay homage to the photo.

I made my poor friend Jenny stand in the middle of our studio like this so I could take this photo. I then edited out the background and put the image into black and white. 

Using google images I found this background which I thought worked well. I really like that is it so funny because the rest of my booklet is very to the point.

I am quite proud of this because it's the first ever image I have created on photoshop. I normally just crop, resize and tidy up photos. The more I learn about photoshop the more I enjoy it, it's such a powerful tool!

A Baker’s Dozen - Poem

I thought I would show what goes into each page of my booklet. It may look simple but there is a lot of though behind everything that I am not about to show off. This is a step by step guide to how I finished my poem page. 

I started looking on the internet at different poems. I wanted my poem to have something to do with graphic design but I wasn't sure how to start. I came a cross this blog where someone had written lots of limerick's about graphic design. I liked the structure of this type of poem and though it would be quite an easy one for me to do. 

I followed the structure of the limericks to create my own poem which ended up being about me in a way. I typed it into work so I could then import it into whatever program I liked to edit the text.

I next when onto Dafont and found a couple of fonts to try in illustrator to bring my poem to life, visually. The fonts from Dafont are not for commercial use but as it is only a uni project there is no problem with using them.

I played about with a could of fonts and decided I liked the script front better for this piece.

I made to text 70pt and coloured it to C=7 M=5 Y=5 K=0 which is one of the colours use for the background of this blog and my website. I decided to uses these colour on this project because it doesn't have a target market or anything, its just got to express me. 

This is what the final page looks like. I will have to see if it prints okay as I've positions the poem over the centre fold. Over all I'm really happy with this page, now time for the next one! 

Summer Project

BA (Hons) Graphic Design / Graphic Communication / Design for Publishing

Summer Project Brief 2015 - A Baker’s Dozen


Welcome to your course.

We are really looking forward to working with you over the next few years. Over this summer break we would like you to start as you mean to go on. We want to encourage you to keep your eyes open and immerse yourself in design and visual culture to support you in your future studies.

To start this process we would like to suggest that you undertake the following tasks, which are all designed to promote inquisitiveness, visual awareness and research skills essential to support your future creative practice. Whatever the task you are asked to explore beyond the obvious and record your activity.

Enjoy this process; it is primarily for you to draw from in the future, but it will also help to introduce you and your way of working to staff and fellow students – so do it your way! It could be drawings, notebooks, animation, graphic booklets, photographic, film, illustrative or a combination of media. Whatever approaches you adopt for each of the tasks you are encouraged to be inventive, informative and visual.

You will be asked to bring this with you for the Induction week at the start of the course. It should become a resource that you can continue to add to throughout your time at NUA.
This is an open brief and the course team are looking forward to seeing your responses.


Good Luck. Best,

Martin Schooley
Course Leader Graphics Norwich University of the Arts

A Baker’s Dozen

Read some books – at least one fiction and one design related. Hit the library and browse some titles – don't just go on what is on the shelves at Waterstones.

Look at a manifesto or designers statement of your own choosing. This may follow on from looking at the following:
Milton Glaser – 12 steps to designer hell
Ken Garland – First Things First
Bruce Mau – Incomplete Manifesto for Growth Dieter Rams – Ten principles for good design

Plug into a creative/design blog or a few, start here perhaps...
Collate – www.thisiscollate.com
September industry – www.septemberindustry.co.uk 
It’s nice that – www.itsnicethat.com

Watch a series of films/documentaries by the same director/film maker.

Read some poems – write a poem.

Go to an exhibition or a museum.

Gather a collection and document it.

From a design perspective, show 3 things you love and 3 things you hate and tell us why.

Recreate/reinterpret a famous photograph.

Listen to music from 5 different decades or 5 different centuries.

Follow recipes to create a three-course meal you have not cooked before, record the process.

Using a dictionary, discover 5 words that were previously unfamiliar to you, write them down, with definitions, and then use them appropriately within conversations. Document your experiences.

Investigate and illustrate, using type and image (on A6 blank postcard) a little known or unusual fact.