ANNA DREHS GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO
I have always enjoyed the process of creating something from nothing, and a Fine Art major allows me to be able to create in a variety of different mediums. Before taking this course, I had never delved into the world of Graphic Design in my schooling thus far, but with an emphasis in Photography, it seemed like the obvious next step. With both subjects working primarily visually, I enjoyed the similarities the two shared that I came across while working on assignments this semester. I have come to find that Graphic Design has the potential to become an inspiring outlet for creativity, and is a subject that I would consider pursuing in the future.
PROJECT 01 : Form as a Typology / What is Graphic Design? PROJECT 02
: Form as Language / Designing Visual Communications
EXERCISE 01 : Outlining Chapters in “Graphic Design: The New Basics”
PROJECT 03
: Form as Identity / Logo Transformation
Color + System :
Form as System / Working with a Typographic Gird :
Language of Inter-activity :
EXERCISE 02
PROJECT 04
EXERCISE 03
Graphic Design History / Authorship :
EXERCISE 04
PROJECT 01 Form as a Typology / What is Graphic Design?
This compilation of typologies and image matrices are a clear representation of the graphic design that appears around us on a daily basis. I started to see more and more examples of graphic design. This awareness allowed me to be able to differentiate between certain kinds of design, i.e. a company logo versus a “one way” street sign. Although these are both conveying information to the viewer through the use of images and visual cues, the two serve different purposes and were therefore designed differently. For this typology study, I chose to focus on logos. I found that just because a person doesn’t recognize a logo and simply reads it as a photo, drawing, or group of words, doesn’t mean that it won’t be identified as a logo by someone familiar with its origin and meaning.
LOGOS
objective
connotative
denotative
subjective
core
macro
micro
metaphor
index
sign
MATRIX 01 GOOGLE SEARCH
LOGOS
objective
connotative
denotative
subjective
core
macro
micro
metaphor
index
sign
MATRIX 02 FOUND IMAGES BETWEEN 14TH & P ST. 13TH & Q ST.
LOGOS
objective
connotative
denotative
subjective
core
macro
micro
metaphor
index
sign
MATRIX 03 COMBINATION GOOGLE STREET VIEW & FOUND IMAGES
TYPOLOGY 01 LOGOS
TYPOLOGY 02 LOGOS
TYPOLOGY 03 GRAPHIC DESIGN HISTORY
PROJECT 02 Form as a Language / Designing Visual Communications
The design of a book cover is essential to the structure of the information being presented. A person has to look past the obvious into the skeleton layout that everything is layered upon. In my original design for the illustration, I had chosen to have a busy background in addition to the figures in the foreground and middle ground. When I began to place text on this background, I found that the composition became difficult to read, and that there was too much going on. To solve this, I made the background a solid black that white text could sit easily on. I think that this was a good solution; the text now works with the figures in the illustration, and it is easier to distinguish a focal point.
Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Helvetica Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Bembo Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Caslon Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Clarendon Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Fraktur Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Futura Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Gill Sans Univers Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Baskerville Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Bodoni Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Century Schoolbook Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Stauts Wars Didot Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Franklin Gothic andreas Sadie forrest and the interstellar status wars Sadie Forrest and the interstellar status wars Lithos Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars
American Typewriter
Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Sathu Sadie Forrest and the interstellar status wars Nyx Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars ITC Flora Club Type Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Marigold eccentric sadie forrest and the interstellar status wars Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Emmascript MVB
Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Handwriting - Dakota sadie forrest and the interstellar status wars Kolo Lp
Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Noteworthy sadie forrest and the interstellar status wars Rosewood Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Romic sadie forrest and the interstellar status wars banco Zipty Do Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Bauhaus Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Apollo Times Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars
Lubalin Graph
Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status WarsLao Weidemann Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Balzano Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars
Memphis
sadie forrest and the interstellar status wars zebrawood Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Kopakt Machine Sadie forrest and the interstellar status wars Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Cantoria Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Bell Gothic Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Bernard InaiMathi Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Insignia sadie forrest and the interstellar status wars stencil
Magnolia Sadie forrest and the interstellar status wars Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Orator Sadie Forrest and the Interstellar Status Wars Monoline Script
young writer and a full-time art student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She enjoys knitting and practicing phois not studying or working. This is her adults. She lives in Lincoln with three roommates and her dog, Waldo.
adult literature” - The New York Times Book Review
“...I couldn’t put it down!” - Suzanne Collins
Interstellar Status Wars
first novel for young
“…the next big thing in young
Sadie Frost and the
Interstellar Status Wars
$15.50 USD $17.25 CAD
ONE GIRL
A RUTHLESS CLIQUE
and the
tography when she
Sadie Frost and her classmates at Beaumont College Prep have been in school together since they were in diapers. For the past year and a half, the dominant clique, the In Crowd, has had everyone locked in a never-ending status war. The lunchroom has become a battleground, and outcasts are scattered about the halls like casualties. When Sadie comes across a time machine in an abandoned supply closet, she sees it as a chance to escape the antics of her crazy classmates. But she comes to realize that the In Crowd may be harder to escape than she thought.
Sadie Frost
Anna Drehs is a
A SECRET TIME
A Journey Through Space and Time
MACHINE
ONE OUT OF THIS WORLD ADVENTURE
Anna Drehs
Anna Drehs
Exercise 01 Outlining Chapters in “Graphic Design: The New Basics
Scale Whether looked at objectively or subjectively, scale is a part of anything that has been designed. Objectively, scale refers to the dimensions of a physical object or the relationship a representation has with the real thing. This definition comes into play with printed maps and scale models of real-life objects like cars or trains even though sometimes a scale model may be less detailed than the original. Subjectively, scale is referring to the impression of an object’s size, usually based off of something else. This supports the fact that scale is very dependent on context. A 2-inch-tall giraffe figurine may look small when put next to a school bus, but when placed against an expanse of black the small giraffe can draw importance from the emptiness around it. I think that scale is very important in Project 03. While developing the evolution of your icon, if the fragmented pieces keep changing size, the whole effect of the project is wasted. The reason for maintaining a consistent scale during the evolution frames is to give off the illusion of the shapes actually moving and forming from one icon into a completely new one. Scale is one of the most important things in this project, and will not be noticeable if done correctly.
Framing
Figure/Ground
Frames are all around us, and most never notice them. Frames can be used to emphasize or tone down their contents depending on the contrast between the frame and what it is surrounded by. Frames create the conditions for understanding an image or object, and can come in many different forms. For example, frames on a computer screen in the form of windows, toolbars, or the actual computer screen; the index of a book or any kind of interface, or the border around a body of text or an image in a book. Frames can be fabricated from scratch or can be made with margins, bleeds, and cropping.
The relationship between figure (a form, positive space) and ground (what surrounds the form, negative space) is a major factor in how an object or information is perceived. Ground is commonly seen as a passive and indifferent area of a composition that usually pales in comparison to the figure on top of it. However, artists learn how to attune themselves to these negative spaces and manipulate them so that they can be just as interesting and active as the positive spaces. Graphic designers need to be able to recognize good tension between figure and ground, because this is what can contribute to visual energy and will make your designs more interesting and effective.
It is important to think of frames in Project 03 not necessarily as a border around the image we are manipulating, but as the empty space from the edge of our symbol to the edge of the paper. In terms of placement I think that this concept is very important. If your original symbol is centered but the next image is skewed all the way to the right edge of the paper, and the next is back to the center, the viewer is going to have troubles making sense of the evolution. The spacing within the frame of the paper needs to be consistent for the series of images to make sense as an evolution from one frame to the next.
It is interesting to think of Project 03 in terms of figure and ground. Initially, when looking at the original symbol, you only see the dominant black shapes. But when taking a second look, interesting negative spaces can be seen as well. The positive and negative spaces are interacting in very subtle way. When forming the new evolved symbol, it is important to look at the negative spaces and gaps in the original design and to make them the same distance. Although this is not something that a person would specifically look at, it is still important so that the shapes can appear cohesive.
Time and Motion
Rhythm and Balance
The representation of time and motion in art and design can be achieved many different ways. On a two-dimensional space, time can be a consideration for a book, or for an animated piece which has an actual duration. It’s common for designers to work in both print and time-based media, which can help them to think in terms of time and motion when working on a two-dimensional, static design. A screen can be a changing surface while supporting other elements that are active as well. This is a good way to think of animation and film which are both visual arts rooted in time and motion.
Balance is something that is sought after in almost every aspect of our lives, be it with organization, or with scheduling a busy day. Rhythm is also something that is a fixture in daily life. The strong regular, repeating pattern that is rhythm can be found in the ticking of a clock, the music on the radio, or in raindrops hitting the ground. When one of these things is off, it isn’t necessarily going to jump out at first. Something may seem slightly discordant with an otherwise easily flowing design. Rhythm is broken up and fragmented at times to create a more interesting design, and working together with balance, the two can create works that are alive and active, but stable and solid at the same time.
Although Project 03 will never be truly in motion, it would be good to get into the mindset of thinking in terms of motion and time when working on the evolution of the symbols. The evolutionary frames could be a sort of story board about the process from point A to point B. Though six frames is hardly enough to provide enough information to the viewer about the movement from symbol to symbol, it still gives a pretty thorough idea of the motion that is happening in that set period of time.
The rhythm and balance are just as important in the transitionary frames as they are in the beginning and ending symbols in Project 03. While the two symbols need to appear resolved and solid, the evolution needs to appear to be flowing from one frame to the next with a constant unbroken rhythm. If the shapes in these frames are off in some way, the balance won’t be right and it will feel wrong when it is being looked at. This project is a good example of balance and rhythm working together to create something fluid and moving, yet solid and strong.
PROJECT 03 Form as Identity / Logo Transformation
Symbols and icons can be used to communicate a brand or a certain slogan to an audience in a quick, concise manner. But in order for an icon to be successful, it has to be eye-catching as well as well designed, which can be harder than it looks. Artists can incorporate the rules of rhythm and balance, repetition, and scale into their designs in order to further the effectiveness of the design. It is important to consider all of these factors, in addition to many more, while designing, as these elements of design will help to make a more effective design for an audience.
Exercise 02 Color + System
PROJECT 04 Form as System / Working with a Typographic Grid
Working with a grid to create a layout or a composition can be very rewarding. Using a grid to organize information can be beneficial to a designer or an artist when they are trying to place text or other graphics and images onto a blank page. A grid can act as a framing device for the page, or for specific items on the page. It can also offer structure and focus to an otherwise cluttered and chaotic composition. If we were asked to simply place these shapes at random on the page to create a collage, it would have been difficult to come up with a starting point. Through the use of the grid, it was easier to begin to place the letters and text on the page, in the end, giving us better all-around compositions. The grid gave us the framework needed to be able to explore fully type as image and shape, allowing us to produce interesting results, without them looking wild and out of control.
Exercise 03 Language of Inter-activity
PHP
PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor
PHP is a server-side scripting language designed for web development but also used as a general-purpose programming language.
What Is PHP? This makes it possible to quickly perform a mindboggling range of actions such as retrieving the content from another web site, generating bar codes, drawing graphs onthe-y, or even creating PDFs documents -- with just a few lines of code.
Advantages
Designers need to be familiar with other programming languages in order to successfully use PHP
Disadvantages For all but the most arcane of tasks, you should be able to ďŹ nd a large number of freely available code samples on the Internet.
Advantages
Complex projects demand a certain level of experience
PHP code is interpreted by a web server with a PHP processor module, which generates the resulting web page
Disadvantages
What Is PHP?
Who Uses PHP?
Exercise 04 Graphic Design History / Authorship
The twentieth century brought about many changes in relation to several aspects of society. From the 1950’s through the 1980’s, the world stage was in constant motion, politically, socially, and technologically. All things considered, it is no wonder that the art world was being affected by these societal shifts as well. Designer Armin Hofmann would become one of the forerunners in a movement that would come to be known as the International Typographical Style Movement, or “Swiss Style”, as it’s roots were with designers in Switzerland. This style of design has become an integral building block on which contemporary design is based off of today. In an effort to communicate effectively to an audience, this style is characterized by simplicity and the minimalism of forms. With heavy use of photography and image collaging, text as image, and sans-serif typography, it would have taken careful editing eye to be able to effectively achieve the designs produced in this movement.
Hofmann
Armin
Originally trained as a lithographer in Zurich, Switzerland
Experimental Compositions
Photo Montage
1950’s through 1980’s “The Swiss Style”
Efficent use of color
“Hofmann felt that one of the best and most efficient forms of communication was the poster” Sans-
serif typography
Helps de-
fine contempo-
rary design styles
International Typographic Style Movement
today
Use of the grid system Based on universal communication
Asymmetrical
www.designersjournal.net
Layouts
1950’s through 1980’s
“The Swiss Style” Efficent use of color
mann felt that f the best and efficient forms mmunication the poster” Sans-
n
Hofmann
al ns
“Hofmann felt that one of the best and most efficient forms of communication was the poster” Sans-
International Typographic Style Movement
serif typography
Helps de-
fine contempo-
rary design styles today
Use of the grid system Based on universal communication
Asymm
www.designersjournal.net
Layo
Throughout this semester, Beginning Graphic Design has taught me much about the importance of process. An idea cannot be developed to it’s full potential if there is not research, organization, and refinement before it’s execution. It is necessary to exhaust all possible solutions to a problem before the best one can be discovered. This can be applied to all areas of art and design, and to many problems in everyday life. This course has also helped me to realize that Graphic Design is all around, and I now acknowledge and appreciate the designers who create things that we see everyday. Taking this class has made me begin to consider elements of design that I may have otherwise overlooked, and has allowed me to grow as an artist as well.
Headings and body text are displayed in Futura Std Light (with some headings in Futura Std Book).
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ANNA DREHS BEGINNING GRAPHIC DESIGN/GRPH221 PROFESSOR STACY ASHER UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA - LINCOLN DEPARTMENT OF ART AND ART HISTORY SPRING 2014
© ANNA DREHS 2014