BA (Hons) Graphic Design
Year 2
BA2a.
Experimentation & Application
Briefing: 26.09.16
Final Crit:
11.10.16
Unit
submission: 17.02.17
VISUAL
CONNECTIONS
The brief
in a sentence
Design a poster that visually connects 2 relevant themes.
Background/context
Graphic Designers often solve problems by lateral thinking, using
references to and associations with subjects, in order to communicate the
subject in a less obvious, more sophisticated way. References can be clever,
witty, subtle, sly, unpredictable and therefore memorable when used alongside
the subject. There are obvious examples (a clapper board to say film) but these
tend to end up as graphic clichés.
Collecting associations/references can help with understanding a subject
in depth and allow an element of selectivity in working towards a solution. Equally
a collection of associations can be the answer to a problem.
There are two main aims of this assignment, which both relate to laying
the foundations of a good design process:
· Understanding
what researching a subject really entails.
· Understanding
an approach, which can help you come up with innovative ideas.
The
challenge
Design an imaginative poster for a given event/exhibition.
Each event comprises two themes that combine or adapt to
give an entertaining subject to
publicise e.g. Jazz by Candlelight, Horror Film Festival, Rural England, etc.
Research
your themes separately, making full use of the libraries, magazines, book shop browsing,
other more specialist environments related to your subject e.g. Norwich City
Football Club for football, Travel
Agents for tourism, Museums, shops and malls for Shopping, charity websites.
Your early visuals must include/be based on
collecting as many VISUAL ASSOCIATIONS as possible – your subject will need to
be thoroughly researched to ensure this happens.
You will be expected to show this research at the first interim crit.
Audience
The audience will depend on the nature of event and it is for you to
decide whom this is most appropriate to. You may decide you should aim your
message to everyone, or it may be quite specific whom you’re targeting.
Things to
consider
You should find this way of working liberating. It
helps avoid formulaic approaches to problems.
Final solutions will be less obvious, more imaginative, surprising,
humorous or make the viewer think.
It’s important that you don’t get too fixed on a final outcome, too
early. You should enjoy the journey of researching and generating ideas. You
need to fully immerse yourself in your subject(s).
“I start by going out there and
observing the subject of the brief, wrapping myself in the environment for
example with the beer brief we sat in the pub (perks of the job). It helps you
learn more about what you’re designing for and the people, mood, sound, shapes
etc all these can spring ideas, then narrow the idea’s down to what fits the
product most naturally.”
Interview for Gola
with NUA graduate Jason Drake.
http://www.gola.co.uk/borninbritain/jason-drake-artwork/#.UjLbtA56WjQ.twitter
Your final poster must be at least A2 in size. It can be colour or black
and white. For the
final crit it you can be tiled from A4 or A3 printouts, to the appropriate
size.
It must include the following information:
Subtitle/explanation
of event (if necessary)
Venue
Dates
Times
Prices
(if relevant)
Contact
phone number (if relevant)
Website
address
Reference material
Bergström, B., (2008)
Essentials of Visual Communication, London, Laurence King
Stoklossa, U., (2007)
Advertising – New Techniques for Visual
Seduction, London, Thames &
Hudson
Ambrose, G., Harris, P., (2010)
Basic Design 08 Design Thinking,
London, AVA Academia
Ingledew, J., (2011) The A-Z of
Visual Ideas, London, Laurence King
